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Showing 3261 - 3280 of 6865 items
By Sir Thomas More. 2021
What we can learn from a Renaissance nowhere In 1516, a book was published in Latin with the enigmatic Greek-derived word as its title. Utopia—which…
could mean either “good-place” or “no-place”—gives a traveler’s account of a newly discovered island somewhere in the New World where the inhabitants enjoy a social order based purely on natural reason and justice. As the traveler describes the harmony, prosperity, and equality found there, a dramatic contrast is drawn between the ideal community he portrays and the poverty, crime, and often frightening political conditions of 16th century Europe. Written by Sir Thomas More (1477–1535)—then a rising intellectual star of the Renaissance and ultimately the advisor and friend of Henry VIII who was executed for his devoutly Catholic opposition to the king—Utopia is as complex as its author. In the form of a Platonic dialogue, Utopia explores topics such as money, property, crime, education, religious tolerance, euthanasia, and feminism. Claimed as a paean to communism (Lenin had More’s name inscribed on a statue in Moscow) as often as it has been seen as a defense of traditional medieval values, Utopia began the lineage of utopian thinkers who use storytelling to explore new possibilities for human society—and remains as relevant today as when it was written in Antwerp 500 years ago. Explore the issues like feminism, euthanasia, and equality through Renaissance eyes Early communist tract or a defense of medieval values? You decide. Peer inside the enigmatic mind of the man who dared stand up to Henry VIII Appreciate the postmodern possibilities of Platonic dialogue Part of the bestselling Capstone Classics series edited by Tom Butler-Bowdon, this edition features an introduction from writer, economist, and historian Niall Kishtainy.We celebrate the Ancient Romans for contributions they made to modern engineering and architecture, but their impact is felt in…
even the smallest details of everyday life. Discover how inventions like socks, fast food restaurants, and movie theaters got their start in Ancient Rome and evolved into things we enjoy today.By Jacques A. Bromberg. 2021
What makes Classics "global", and what does it mean to study the ancient world "globally"? How can the study of…
antiquity contribute to our understanding of pressing global issues? Global Classics addresses these questions by pursuing a transdisciplinary dialogue between Classics and Global Studies. Authoritative and engaging, this book provides the first field-wide synthesis of the recent "global turn" in Classics as well as a comprehensive overview of an emerging field in ancient studies. Through focused readings of ancient sources and modern scholarship, the author introduces readers to three key paradigms that are essential to research and teaching in global antiquities: transborder, transhistorical, and transdisciplinary. Global Classics will appeal to educators, students, and scholars interested in the application of globalization theories and paradigms in ancient studies, in globalizing their teaching and research, and in approaches to contemporary global issues through the study of the remote past.By Wallace T. MacCaffrey. 1992
Acclaimed for their dramatic rendering of the personalities and forces that shaped Elizabethan politics, Wallace T. MacCaffrey's three volumes thoroughly…
chronicle the Queen's decision making throughout her reign in a way that combines pleasurable reading with subtle analysis. Together in paperback for the first time, these books will find a wide readership among those interested in debunking Elizabeth's many mythic images and in following the steps of Elizabethan policy-makers as they grapple with the most crucial political problems of their day. MacCaffrey completes his analysis by investigating how Elizabeth and her ministers governed in the years between the Armada of 1588 and her death in 1603. In light of the Queen's desire to uphold her popularity through the maintenance of peace and prosperity, the author explains why she pursued war with Spain by only half-measures and how the brutal conquest of Ulster and the destruction of Tyrone came to be seen as prerequisites for the incorporation of Northern Ireland.By Susan Buck-Morss. 2021
Reclaiming the first century as common ground rather than the origin of deeply entrenched differences: liberating the past to speak…
to us in another way.Conventional readings of antiquity cast Athens against Jerusalem, with Athens standing in for "reason" and Jerusalem for "faith." And yet, Susan Buck-Morss reminds us, recent scholarship has overturned this separation. Naming the first century as a zero point--"year one"--that divides time into before and after is equally arbirtrary, nothing more than a convenience that is empirically meaningless. In YEAR 1, Buck-Morss liberates the first century so it can speak to us in another way, reclaiming it as common ground rather than the origin of deeply entrenched differences. Buck-Morss aims to topple various conceptual givens that have shaped modernity as an episteme and led us into some unhelpful postmodern impasses. She approaches the first century through the writings of three thinkers often marginalized in current discourse: Flavius Josephus, historian of the Judaean war; the neo-Platonic philosopher Philo of Alexandria; and John of Patmos, author of Revelation, the last book of the Christian Bible. Also making appearances are Antigone and John Coltrane, Plato and Bulwer-Lytton, al-Farabi and Jean Anouilh, Nicholas of Cusa and Zora Neale Hurston--not to mention Descartes, Kant, Hegel, Kristeva, and Derrida. Buck-Morss shows that we need no longer partition history as if it were a homeless child in need of the protective wisdom of Solomon. Those inhabiting the first century belong together in time, and therefore not to us.By Celia E. Schultz, Allen M. Ward, F. M. Heichelheim, C. A. Yeo. 2019
A History of the Roman People offers students a comprehensive, up-to-date, readable introduction to the whole span of Roman history.…
Richly illustrated, this fully updated volume takes readers through the mists of Roman prehistory and a survey of the peoples of pre-Roman Italy to a balanced, thoughtful account of the complexities of the Roman Republic, its evolution into a full-fledged empire, and its ultimate decline. This latest edition enhances the political narrative with explorations of elements of daily life in the Roman world. New features in this edition include: Addition of boxes that expand on interesting elements of Roman culture mentioned only in passing in the main text. The visual arrangement of the text helps students bear in mind what is supplemental to the central narrative Increased emphasis on the contributions of women to Roman society and in religious matters Incorporation of recent archaeological finds and current debates A History of the Roman People is an excellent introduction for those with no background in Roman history. Its clear, accessible language makes it perfect for undergraduate readers in courses on Roman history and Roman culture. More experienced students wanting to expand their knowledge will also find it a rich resource for the full sweep of Roman antiquity.By John Malcolm Russell. 1991
By Jan Assmann. 1997
"Standing at the very foundation of monotheism, and so of Western culture, Moses is a figure not of history, but…
of memory. As such, he is the quintessential subject for the innovative historiography Jan Assmann both defines and practices in this work, the study of historical memory—a study, in this case, of the ways in which factual and fictional events and characters are stored in religious beliefs and transformed in their philosophical justification, literary reinterpretation, philological restitution (or falsification), and psychoanalytic demystification. To account for the complexities of the foundational event through which monotheism was established, Moses the Egyptian goes back to the short-lived monotheistic revolution of the Egyptian king Akhenaten (1360–1340 B.C.E.). Assmann traces the monotheism of Moses to this source, then shows how his followers denied the Egyptians any part in the origin of their beliefs and condemned them as polytheistic idolaters. Thus began the cycle in which every “counter-religion,” by establishing itself as truth, denounced all others as false. Assmann reconstructs this cycle as a pattern of historical abuse, and tracks its permutations from ancient sources, including the Bible, through Renaissance debates over the basis of religion to Sigmund Freud’s Moses and Monotheism. One of the great Egyptologists of our time, and an exceptional scholar of history and literature, Assmann is uniquely equipped for this undertaking—an exemplary case study of the vicissitudes of historical memory that is also a compelling lesson in the fluidity of cultural identity and beliefs."By Tracy Borman. 2010
Elizabeth I was born into a world of women. This title explores Elizabeth's relationships with the key women in her…
life. Beginning with her mother and the governesses and stepmothers who cared for the young princess, including her beloved Kat Astley and the inspirational Katherine Parr, it focuses on her formative years.By Anthony Green, Jeremy A Black, Tessa Rickards. 1992
Ancient Mesopotamia was a rich, varied and highly complex culture whose achievements included the invention of writing and the development…
of sophisticated urban society. This book offers an introductory guide to the beliefs and customs of the ancient Mesopotamians, as revealed in their art and their writings between about 3000 B.C. and the advent of the Christian era. Gods, goddesses, demons, monsters, magic, myths, religious symbolism, ritual, and the spiritual world are all discussed in alphabetical entries ranging from short accounts to extended essays.By E. W Ives. 2004
Anne Boleyn is the most notorious of England's queens, but more famous for her death as an adulterer than for…
her life. Henry's second wife and mother of Elizabeth I, Anne was the first English queen to be publicly executed. Yet what do we know of the achievements and the legacy of her short reign? In The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn Eric Ives provides the most detailed and convincing portrait we have of the queen. He reveals a person of intellect with a passion for the new culture of the Renaissance, a woman who made her way in a man's world by force of education and personality. She played a powerful and independent role in the faction-ridden court of Henry VIII and the unceasing struggle for royal favour that was Tudor politics. The consequences can still be detected today. Indeed, Ives shows that it was precisely because Anne was a powerful figure in her own right that it needed a coup to bring her down. She had to be stopped - even by a lie.By Liz Waters, Fik Meijer. 2011
A massive crowd of people, cloaked in the colors of their beloved athletes, slowly fill a 150,000-seat arena to cheer…
on their favorite teams. Athletes enter the stadium amid great pomp and circumstance as opposing fans hurl insults at one another and place bets on the day’s outcome. Although this familiar scene might describe a contemporary football game, it also portrays a day at the chariot races in ancient Rome, where racers were the sports stars of the ancient world. Following close on the heels of his successful book on gladiators, Fik Meijer reveals all there is to know about chariot racing in the Roman Empire. After recounting the Nika riot of 532 AD―where tens of thousands of people were killed after a politically heated tournament of races―Meijer reviews the historical background, organization, and popularity of these games. He profiles the sport’s famous teams, jockeys, and horses and discusses how the whole business fed into the strategy of Juvenal’s "bread and circuses" to keep the citizenry happy. Expertly translated by Liz Waters, Chariot Racing in the Roman Empire also examines the political importance of these spectacles, where patricians and plebeians alike filled the stadiums. Meijer sees these contests not so much as an opiate for the people but as a political barometer: the Circus Maximus was the only place in the Empire where the supreme leader was confronted with the approval or disapproval of his people. Meijer makes use of scarce and obscure sources in this lively narrative, describing an exciting race with such enthusiasm readers will feel they are in the stands themselves. From the length of the track and the need to ride small horses, to the risks, techniques, and training methods involved in racing, Meijer recreates ancient Rome’s favorite pastime in impressive detail.By Budge, E. A. Wallis. 2005
A history of Mesopotamia including Khammurabis' Code of Laws, and the mythology of Gilgamesh, the Story of the Flood, and…
the Legend of Etana. Includes the history of their writing, astrology, divination, the wearing of spells, reading omens, and other magic.By Valerie Wilding. 2021
The incredible true story of a young and brilliant Princess who grew up to become our Queen. Once, a very…
long time ago, there was a little Princess called Elizabeth who loved to play and have fun with her horses, dogs and little sister, Margaret. But when she was ten years old, her life changed forever.From growing up during the Second World War and training as an army mechanic, to celebrating VE day with the people of Britain and marrying Prince Phillip - the man she loved, this is the amazing true story of a little girl who became Queen Elizabeth II.With fantastically fun, charming and playful illustrations by Pauline Reeves, this picture book will amaze and entertain young readers.By Matthew Dillon, Lynda Garland. 2021
This textbook provides comprehensive coverage of the political, military, and social history of ancient Rome from the earliest days of…
the Republic to its collapse and the subsequent foundations of the empire established by Augustus prior to his death in AD 14. Interspersed through the discussion of the political history of the period are crucial chapters on all aspects of Roman culture, including women, religion, slavery and manumission, overseas conquests and their impact, and life in the city of Rome, giving students a full understanding of republican society, culture, and politics. With over 130 maps, illustrations, and photographs, The Ancient Romans is lavishly illustrated, with a particular emphasis on coins as a valuable historical resource. It also closely references the authors’ sourcebook, Ancient Rome: Social and Historical Documents from the Early Republic to the Death of Augustus, second edition, allowing students to engage with the documentary evidence and written sources in a deep and meaningful way. The Ancient Romans: History and Society from the Early Republic to the Death of Augustus is an indispensable resource for undergraduate students of the Roman Republic and its society and culture, as well as offering a comprehensive and compelling introduction for the interested reader.Anne Boleyn, twenty years old, stepped onto the shore at Dover in the winter of 1521 after several years abroad.…
She had been sent to France to assimilate French culture, and had used the time well. She was all set to make a big impression at the Tudor courtland did, capturing the heart of Henry VIII. But this woman, who was in the grave by the age of thirty-six and on the throne of England for only three years, provokes strong reactions from many. Was she an immoral woman who seduced Henry away from his rightful wife for the advancement of family and personal gain? In this well-researched, fresh look at Anne, Colin Hamer sets her in her context as a young woman who had come to true faith in Christ, and shows the impact for good she made from her position of influence, an impact we still benefit from today.By Liv Mariah Yarrow. 2021
The narrative of Roman history has been largely shaped by the surviving literary sources, augmented in places by material culture.…
The numerous surviving coins can, however, provide new information on the distant past. This accessible but authoritative guide introduces the student of ancient history to the various ways in which they can help us understand the history of the Roman republic, with fresh insights on early Roman-Italian relations, Roman imperialism, urban politics, constitutional history, the rise of powerful generals and much more. The text is accompanied by over 200 illustrations of coins, with detailed captions, as well as maps and diagrams so that it also functions as a sourcebook of the key coins every student of the period should know. Throughout, it demystifies the more technical aspects of the field of numismatics and ends with a how-to guide for further research for non-specialists.By Laura M. Zucconi. 2019
This book by Laura Zucconi is an accessible introductory text to the practice and theory of medicine in the ancient…
world. In contrast to other works that focus heavily on Greece and Rome, Zucconi&’s Ancient Medicine covers a broader geographical and chronological range. The world of medicine in antiquity consisted of a lot more than Hippocrates and Galen.Zucconi applies historical and anthropological methods to examine the medical cultures of not only Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, and Rome but also the Levant, the Anatolian Peninsula, and the Iranian Plateau. Devoting special attention to the fundamental relationship between medicine and theology, Zucconi&’s one-volume introduction brings the physicians, patients, procedures, medicines, and ideas of the past to light.By Joanna Denny. 2007
This powerful new biography presents a portrait of Anne Boleyn different from the unsavory and unflattering accounts of her that…
have come down through history. Instead, we learn about the real Anne - a woman who was highly literate, accomplished, an intellectual, and a devout defender of her Protestant faith. Anne's tragedy began when her looks and vivacious charm attracted the notice of Englands violent and paranoid king whose love for her trapped her in the vicious politics of the Tudor court. This compelling account of Anne Boleyn plunges the reader into the intrigue, romance, and danger of King Henry VIII's Court and the turbulent times that would change England forever. It will forever change our perception of this much-maligned queen.By Robert Kanigel. 2021
From the acclaimed biographer of Jane Jacobs and Srinivasa Ramanujan comes the first full life and work of arguably the…
most influential classical scholar of the twentieth century, who overturned long-entrenched notions of ancient epic poetry and enlarged the very idea of literature.In this literary detective story, Robert Kanigel gives us a long overdue portrait of an Oakland druggist's son who became known as the "Darwin of Homeric studies." So thoroughly did Milman Parry change our thinking about the origins of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey that scholars today refer to a "before" Parry and an "after." Kanigel describes the "before," when centuries of readers, all the way up until Parry's trailblazing work in the 1930's, assumed that the Homeric epics were "written" texts, the way we think of most literature; and the "after" that we now live in, where we take it for granted that they are the result of a long and winding oral tradition. Parry made it his life's work to develop and prove this revolutionary theory, and Kanigel brilliantly tells his remarkable story--cut short by Parry's mysterious death by gunshot wound at the age of thirty-three.From UC Berkeley to the Sorbonne to Harvard to Yugoslavia--where he traveled to prove his idea definitively by studying its traditional singers of heroic poetry--we follow Parry on his idiosyncratic journey, observing just how his early notions blossomed into a full-fledged theory. Kanigel gives us an intimate portrait of Parry's marriage to Marian Thanhouser and their struggles as young parents in Paris, and explores the mystery surrounding Parry's tragic death at the Palms Hotel in Los Angeles. Tracing Parry's legacy to the modern day, Kanigel explores how what began as a way to understand the Homeric epics became the new field of "oral theory," which today illuminates everything from Beowulf to jazz improvisation, from the Old Testament to hip-hop.