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Cuneiform Texts and the Writing of History
By Marc Van Mieroop. 1999
Cuneiform Texts and the Writing of History discusses how the abundant Mesopotamian cuneiform text sources can be used for the…
study of various aspects of history: political, social, economic and gender. Marc Van De Mieroop provides a student-friendly introduction to the subject and:* criticises disciplinary methodologies which are often informed by a desire to write a history of events* scrutinises the intellectual background of historical writings* examines how Mesopotamia's position as the 'other' in Classical and Biblical writings has influenced scholarship* illustrates approaches with examples taken from the entirety of Mesopotamian history.Arabia and the Arabs: From the Bronze Age to the Coming of Islam
By Robert G. Hoyland. 2001
Long before Muhammed preached the religion of Islam, the inhabitants of his native Arabia had played an important role in…
world history as both merchants and warriorsArabia and the Arabs provides the only up-to-date, one-volume survey of the region and its peoples, from prehistory to the coming of IslamUsing a wide range of sources - inscriptions, poetry, histories, and archaeological evidence - Robert Hoyland explores the main cultural areas of Arabia, from ancient Sheba in the south, to the deserts and oases of the north. He then examines the major themes of*the economy*society*religion*art, architecture and artefacts*language and literature*Arabhood and ArabisationThe volume is illustrated with more than 50 photographs, drawings and maps.The Mysteries of Artemis of Ephesos
By Guy Maclean Rogers. 2012
Artemis of Ephesos was one of the most widely worshiped deities of the Graeco-Roman World. Her temple, the Artemision, was…
one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, and for more than half a millennium people flocked to Ephesos to learn the great secret of the mysteries and sacrifices that were celebrated every year on her birthday. In this work Guy MacLean Rogers sets out the evidence for the celebration of Artemis's mysteries against the background of the remarkable urban development of the city during the Roman Empire and then proposes an entirely new theory about the great secret that was revealed to initiates into Artemis's mysteries. The revelation of that secret helps to explain not only the success of Artemis's cult and polytheism itself but, more surprisingly, the demise of both and the success of Christianity. Contrary to many anthropological and scientific theories, the history of polytheism, including the celebration of Artemis's mysteries, is best understood as a Darwinian tale of adaptation, competition, and change.The Art of Caesar's Bellum Civile
By Luca Grillo. 2012
Traditional approaches have reduced Caesar's Bellum Civile to a tool for teaching Latin or to one-dimensional propaganda, thereby underestimating its…
artistic properties and ideological complexity. Reading strategies typical of scholarship on Latin poetry, like intertextuality, narratology, semantic, rhetorical and structural analysis, cast a new light on the Bellum Civile: Ciceronian language advances Caesar's claim to represent Rome; technical vocabulary reinforces the ethical division between 'us' and the 'barbarian' enemy; switches of focalization guide our perception of the narrative; invective and characterization exclude the Pompeians from the Roman community, according to the mechanisms of rhetoric; and the very structure of the work promotes Caesar's cause. As a piece of literature interacting with its cultural and socio-political world, the Bellum Civile participates in Caesar's multimedia campaign of self-fashioning. A comprehensive approach, such as has been productively applied to Augustus' program, locates the Bellum Civile at the interplay between literature, images and politics.The Roman Army from Hadrian to Constantine
By Michael Simkins, Ronald Embleton. 1979
The year of 122 was the first time a Roman Emperor had set foot in the Province of Britannia since…
the invasion in AD 43. No doubt he had read many reports concerning the damage caused by marauding tribesmen crossing from what is now Scotland into the Province. Hadrian, therefore, decided - in the words of his biographer - 'to build a wall to separate the Romans from the Barbarians'. This engaging work from author Michael Simkins explores in depth the organisation, equipment, weapons and armour of the Roman Army from Hadrian to Constantine, one of the most exciting periods in Roman history.The Justice of Constantine: Law, Communication, and Control
By John Noël Dillon. 2012
As the first Christian emperor of Rome, Constantine the Great has long interested those studying the establishment of Christianity. But…
Constantine is also notable for his ability to control a sprawling empire and effect major changes. The Justice of Constantineexamines Constantine's judicial and administrative legislation and his efforts to maintain control over the imperial bureaucracy, to guarantee the working of Roman justice, and to keep the will of his subjects throughout the Roman Empire. John Dillon first analyzes the record of Constantine's legislation and its relationship to prior legislation. His initial chapters also serve as an introduction to Roman law and administration in later antiquity. Dillon then considers Constantine's public edicts and internal communications about access to law, trials and procedure, corruption, and punishment for administrative abuses. How imperial officials relied on correspondence with Constantine to resolve legal questions is also considered. A study of Constantine's expedited appellate system, to ensure provincial justice, concludes the book. Constantine's constitutions reveal much about the Theodosian Code and the laws included in it. Constantine consistently seeks direct sources of reliable information in order to enforce his will. In official correspondence, meanwhile, Constantine strives to maintain control over his officials through punishment; trusted agents; and the cultivation of accountability, rivalry, and suspicion among them.Greek and Roman Military Writers: Selected Readings
By Brian Campbell. 2004
Brian Campbell has selected and translated a wide range of pieces from the ancient military writers who tell us about…
the technical aspects of military practice and the management of armies. The pieces cover a fascinating range of topics - battle formations and manoeuvres, different types of troops, the art of generalship, methods for conducting and resisting a siege, the construction of artillery and fortifications, and every kind of ploy used by generals to defeat their opponents. Each piece is annotated with further explanation and context, making this an essential resource for everyone studying the army and warfare in the classical age.Ancient Greek Literary Letters: Selections in Translation
By Patricia A. Rosenmeyer. 2005
The first referenece to letter writing occurs in the first text of western literature, Homer's Iliad. From the very beginning,…
Greeks were enthusiastic letter writers, and letter writing became a distinct literary genre. Letters were included in the works of historians but they also formed the basis of works of fiction, and the formal substructure for many kinds of poem. Patricia Rosenmeyer, an authority on the history of the Greek letter, assembles in this book a representative selection of such 'literary letters', from Aelian and Alciphron to Philostrartus and the supposed letters of Themistocles. The book will be valuable for all students of Greek literature especially those studying Greek (and Latin) letter.Ancient Turkey (Routledge World Archaeology)
By Antonio Sagona, Paul Zimansky. 2009
Students of antiquity often see ancient Turkey as a bewildering array of cultural complexes. Ancient Turkey brings together in a…
coherent account the diverse and often fragmented evidence, both archaeological and textual, that forms the basis of our knowledge of the development of Anatolia from the earliest arrivals to the end of the Iron Age. Much new material has recently been excavated and unlike Greece, Mesopotamia, and its other neighbours, Turkey has been poorly served in terms of comprehensive, up-to-date and accessible discussions of its ancient past. Ancient Turkey is a much needed resource for students and scholars, providing an up-to-date account of the widespread and extensive archaeological activity in Turkey. Covering the entire span before the Classical period, fully illustrated with over 160 images and written in lively prose, this text will be enjoyed by anyone interested in the archaeology and early history of Turkey and the ancient Near East.Aelian's On the Nature of Animals
By Gregory Mcnamee. 2011
Not much can be said with certainty about the life of Claudius Aelianus, known to us as Aelian. He was…
born sometime between A.D. 165 and 170 in the hill town of Praeneste, what is now Palestrina, about twenty-five miles from Rome, Italy. He grew up speaking that town's version of Latin, a dialect that other speakers of the language seem to have found curious, but-somewhat unusually for his generation, though not for Romans of earlier times-he preferred to communicate in Greek. Trained by a sophist named Pausanias of Caesarea, Aelian was known in his time for a work called Indictment of the Effeminate, an attack on the recently deceased emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, who was nasty even by the standards of Imperial Rome. He was also fond of making almanac-like collections, only fragments of which survive, devoted to odd topics such as manifestations of the divine and the workings of the supernatural.His De Natura Animalium (On the Nature of Animals) has a similar patchwork quality, but it was esteemed enough in his time to survive more or less whole, and it is about all that we know of Aelian's work today. A mostly randomly ordered collection of stories that he found interesting enough to relate about animals-whether or not he believed them-Aelian's book constitutes an early encyclopedia of animal behavior, affording unparalleled insight into what ancient Romans knew about and thought about animals-and, of particular interest to modern scholars, about animal minds.If the science is sometimes sketchy, the facts often fanciful, and the history sometimes suspect, it is clear enough that Aelian had a fine time assembling the material, which can be said, in the most general terms, to support the notion of a kind of intelligence in nature and that extends human qualities, for good and bad, to animals. His stories, which extend across the known world of Aelian's time, tend to be brief and to the point, and many return to a trenchant question: If animals can respect their elders and live honorably within their own tribes, why must humans be so appallingly awful?Aelian is as brisk, as entertaining, and as scholarly a writer as Pliny, the much better known Roman natural historian. That he is not better known is simply an accident: he has not been widely translated into English, or indeed any European language. This selection from his work will introduce readers to a lively mind and a witty writer who has much to tell us.Alexander the Great
By Richard Stoneman. 2004
Alexander the Great by Richard Stoneman is an introduction to the career and impact of the great Macedonian conqueror and…
the main themes of his reign. As well as tackling problems of interpretation, the author includes: an examination of the written and other sources and the problems of working with them discussion of archaeological and numismatic evidence an outline of the Macedonian background insight into Alexander's education and ideas exploration of Alexander's claim to divinity assessment of Alexander's short and long-term achievements a study of his influence in antiquity.Emperor Constantine
By Hans A. Pohlsander. 2004
The Fall of the Roman Republic
By David Shotter. 2005
Revised and updated to include the latest research in the field, this second edition of a popular history text examines…
how the Roman republic was destabilized by the unplanned growth of the Roman Empire.Central discussion points include: the government of the republic how certain individuals took advantage of the expansion of the empire Julius Caesar's accession to power the rise of the Augustan principate following Julius Caesar's murder. Drawing on a wealth of recent scholarship and including an expanded and updated guide to further reading, a chronology, and a guide to the provinces of the Roman Empire, students of history and classical studies will find this a helpful and accessible introduction to this complex period in history.Tiberius Caesar
By David Shotter. 2004
Taking into account the latest research on the subject, David Shotter has updated this second edition of Tiberius Caesar throughout…
and provides a concise and accessible survey of the character and life of Tiberius Caesar, heir of Augustus Caesar and emperor of Rome from AD 14 to AD 37. Tiberius Caesar sheds light on many aspects of the reign of this enigmatic emperor, including the influential and often problematic relationships Tiberius maintained with the senate, his heir Germanicus and Sejanus. Other key topics discussed include: * Tiberius's rise to power* Tiberius's struggle to meet the demands of his role* how far Tiberius's policies differed from those of Augustus* why Tiberius retired from official duties in AD 26.Also included is a revised and expanded bibliography and a new index, all of which, added together, makes for an invaluable book in the study of Roman history.Pericles
By Thomas R. Martin. 2016
Pericles was the most famous leader of the most famous ancient Greek democracy - and also the most controversial in…
his own time and ever since. Was he a brutal imperialist ready to oppress other Greeks, or a clear-eyed defender of Athens' need for power to survive in a relentlessly hostile world? How did his intellectual training in ideas that many Athenians regarded as dangerous make him the most persuasive leader Athenian democracy ever knew? Why was his personal lifestyle so idiosyncratic? How should we evaluate his responsibility for the suffering and loss of the Peloponnesian War? Thomas R. Martin's unique emphasis on the effect on Pericles of his family's notorious history, his youthful experiences as a wartime refugee, and his unusual education reveals a brilliant politician whose hyper-rationality could not, in the end, protect him or his community from tragedy.The City in the Roman West, c.250 BC–c.AD 250
By Ray Laurence, Gareth Sears, Simon Esmonde Cleary. 2011
The city is widely regarded as the most characteristic expression of the social, cultural and economic formations of the Roman…
Empire. This was especially true in the Latin-speaking West, where urbanism was much less deeply ingrained than in the Greek-speaking East but where networks of cities grew up during the centuries following conquest and occupation. This up-to-date and well-illustrated synthesis provides students and specialists with an overview of the development of the city in Italy, Gaul, Britain, Germany, Spain and North Africa, whether their interests lie in ancient history, Roman archaeology or the wider history of urbanism. It accounts not only for the city's geographical and temporal spread and its associated monuments (such as amphitheatres and baths), but also for its importance to the rulers of the Empire as well as the provincials and locals.Spartan Warrior 735-331 BC
By Steve Noon, Duncan Campbell. 2012
Immortalized through their exploits at the battle of Thermopylae under the legendary Leonidas, as well as countless other victories throughout…
the classical period, the Spartans were some of the best trained, organized, most feared and lethal warriors of the ancient world. This small state, known to the Ancient Greeks as Lakedaimon, situated in the southern Argolid developed one of the most successful military forces of the Ancient World. Their unique society, where serfs (helots) and non-citizen labourers (perioikoi) left the pure-bred men of Sparta free to concentrate all their energies on warfare. Forbidden from engaging in any form of manual labour, these Spartan warriors were trained from an early age in a brutal regime that gave them the necessary discipline and endurance to withstand the pressures of phalanx warfare and endure all manner of hardships on campaign.This title will describe all aspect of the Spartan warriors life, from the earliest days of his training through his life in peace and war culminating in the battlefield experiences of these feared combatants. The Spartans saw widespread combat throughout the Peloponnese and beyond during the Greek and Persian and Peloponnesian wars, becoming the supreme Greek power following their eclipse of Athens until the battles of Leuctra and Mantineia saw their star wane.Acculturation and Its Discontents
By Geoffrey Symcox, Peter Reill, Massimo Ciavolella, David N. Myers. 2008
Exploring the fascinating cross-cultural influences between Jews and Christians in Italy from the Renaissance to the twentieth century, Acculturation and…
Its Discontents assembles essays by leading historians, literary scholars, and musicologists to present a well-rounded history of Italian Jewry.The contributors offer rich portraits of the many vibrant forms of cultural and artistic expression that Italian Jews contributed to, but this volume also pays close attention to the ways in which Italian Jews - both freely and under pressure - creatively adapted to the social, cultural, and legal norms of the surrounding society. Tracing both the triumphs and tragedies of Jewish communities within Italy over a broad span of time, Acculturation and Its Discontents challenges conventional assumptions about assimilation and state intervention and, in the process, charts the complex process of cultural exchange that left such a distinctive imprint not only on Italian Jewry, but also on Italian society itself.This collection of rigorous and thought-provoking essays makes a major contribution to both the history of Italian culture and the cultural influence and significance of European Jews.The Structure and Performance of Euripides' Helen
By C. W. Marshall. 2014
Using Euripides' play, Helen, as the main point of reference, C. W. Marshall's detailed study expands our understanding of Athenian…
tragedy and provides new interpretations of how Euripides created meaning in performance. Marshall focuses on dramatic structure to show how assumptions held by the ancient audience shaped meaning in Helen and to demonstrate how Euripides' play draws extensively on the satyr play Proteus, which was part of Aeschylus' Oresteia. Structure is presented not as a theoretical abstraction, but as a crucial component of the experience of performance, working with music, the chorus and the other plays in the tetralogy. Euripides' Andromeda in particular is shown to have resonances with Helen not previously described. Arguing that the role of the director is key, Marshall shows that the choices that a director can make about role doubling, gestures, blocking, humour, and masks play a crucial part in forming the meaning of Helen.An Oasis City (ISAW Monographs #6)
By Raffaella Cribiore, Roger S. Bagnall, Susanna Mcfadden, Nicola Aravecchia, Paola Davoli, Olaf E. Kaper. 2007
Scattered through the vast expanse of stone and sand that makes up Egypt's Western Desert are several oases. These islands…
of green in the midst of the Sahara owe their existence to springs and wells drawing on ancient aquifers. In antiquity, as today, they supported agricultural communities, going back to Neolithic times but expanding greatly in the millennium from the Saite pharaohs to the Roman emperors. New technologies of irrigation and transportation made the oases integral parts of an imperial economy. Amheida, ancient Trimithis, was one of those oasis communities. Located in the western part of the Dakhla Oasis, it was an important regional center, reaching a peak in the Roman period before being abandoned. Over the past decade, excavations at this well-preserved site have revealed its urban layout and brought to light houses, streets, a bath, a school, and a church. The only standing brick pyramid of the Roman period in Egypt has been restored. Wall-paintings, temple reliefs, pottery, and texts all contribute to give a lively sense of its political, religious, economic, and cultural life. This book presents these aspects of the city's existence and its close ties to the Nile valley, by way of long desert roads, in an accessible and richly illustrated fashion.