Ancient history Books
Oxford University Press The Oxford Handbook of Cuneiform Culture
Book SynopsisThe cuneiform script, the writing system of ancient Mesopotamia, was witness to one of the world''s oldest literate cultures. For over three millennia, it was the vehicle of communication from (at its greatest extent) Iran to the Mediterranean, Anatolia to Egypt. The Oxford Handbook of Cuneiform Culture examines the Ancient Middle East through the lens of cuneiform writing. The contributors, a mix of scholars from across the disciplines, explore, define, and to some extent look beyond the boundaries of the written word, using Mesopotamia''s clay tablets and stone inscriptions not just as ''texts'' but also as material artefacts that offer much additional information about their creators, readers, users and owners.Trade ReviewReview from previous edition Thanks are due to the K. Radner and E. Robson for the care with which they edited this voluminous book. * Bibliotheca Orientalis *Table of ContentsI. Materiality and literacies 1: Jonathan Taylor: Tablets as artefacts, scribes as artisans 2: Robert K. Englund: Accounting in proto-cuneiform 3: Grégory Chambon: Numeracy and metrology 4: Niek Veldhuis: Levels of literacy 5: Brigitte Lion: Literacy and gender II. Individuals and communities 6: Benjamin R. Foster: The person in Mesopotamian thought 7: Frans van Koppen: The scribe of the Flood Story and his circle 8: Hagan Brunke: Feasts for the living, the dead, and the gods 9: Michael Jursa: Cuneiform writing in Neo-Babylonian temple communities 10: Eva von Dassow: Freedom in ancient Near Eastern societies III. Experts and novices 11: Yoram Cohen & Sivan Kedar: Teacher-student relationships: two case studies 12: Dominique Charpin: Patron and client: Zimri-Lim and Asqudum the diviner 13: Michel Tanret: Learned, rich, famous and unhappy: Ur-Utu of Sippar 14: Nele Ziegler: Music, the work of professionals 15: Silvie Zamazalová: The education of Neo-Assyrian princes IV. Decisions 16: Sophie Démare-Lafont: Judicial decision-making: judges and arbitrators 17: Karen Radner: Royal decision-making: kings, magnates and scholars 18: Andreas Fuchs: Assyria at war: strategy and conduct 19: Anne Löhnert: Manipulating the gods: lamenting in context 20: Daniel Schwemer: Magic rituals: conceptualisation and performance V. Interpretations 21: Ulla Susanne Koch: Sheep and sky: systems of divinatory interpretation 22: John M. Steele: Making sense of time: observational and theoretical calendars 23: Fabienne Huber Vulliet: Letters as correspondence, letters as literature 24: Eckart Frahm: Keeping company with men of learning: the king as scholar 25: Heather D. Baker: From street altar to palace: reading the built environment of urban Babylonia VI. Making knowledge 26: Eleanor Robson: The production and dissemination of scholarly knowledge 27: Steve Tinney: Tablets of schools and scholars: a portrait of the Old Babylonian corpus 28: Mark Weeden: Adapting to new contexts: cuneiform in Anatolia 29: Francesca Rochberg: Observing and describing the world through divination and astronomy 30: Geert De Breucker: Berossos between tradition and innovation VII. Shaping tradition 31: Frans Wiggermann: Agriculture as civilization: sages, farmers, and barbarians 32: Barbara Böck: Sourcing, organising, and administering medicinal ingredients 33: Nicole Brisch: Changing images of kingship in Sumerian literature 34: Caroline Waerzeggers: The pious king: royal patronage of temples 35: Philippe Clancier: Cuneiform culture's last guardians: the old urban notability of Hellenistic Uruk
£40.99
Profile Books Ltd Infamy: The Crimes of Ancient Rome
Book SynopsisRome is an empire with a bad reputation. From its brutal games to its depraved emperors, its violent mobs to its ruthless wars, its name resounds down the centuries like a scream in an alley. But was it as bad as all that? Join the historian Jerry Toner on a detective's hunt to discover the extent of Rome's crimes. From the sexual peccadillos of Tiberius and Nero to the chances of getting burgled if you left your apartment unguarded (pretty high, especially if the walls were thin enough to knock through) he leaves no stone unturned in his quest to bring the Eternal City to book. Meet a gallery of villains, high and low. Discover the problems that most exercised its long-suffering citizens. Explore the temptations of excess and find out what desperation can make a pleb do. What do we see when we look at Rome? A hideous vision of ancient corruption - or a reflection of our own troubled age?Trade ReviewPraise for How to Manage your Slaves: Entertaining and well-researched -- Patrick Kidd * the Times *Thought-provoking and illuminating -- Orlando Bird * FT *Toner's commentary ... is excellent ... This book is at its best when Toner analyses Roman attitudes to slavery, and how little they changed even when Christianity began to take hold in the ancient world ... packed with fascinating references to the earliest writings about slavery -- Natalie Haynes * Independent *Marcus dispenses advice with aplomb ... he is a fascinating creation -- Nick Romeo * TLS *
£9.99
Harvard University Press Art of Rhetoric
Book SynopsisAristotle (384–322 BC), the great Greek thinker, researcher, and educator, ranks among the most important and influential figures in the history of philosophy, theology, and science. Rhetoric, probably composed while he was still a member of Plato’s Academy, is the first systematic approach to persuasive public speaking and a classic of its kind.Trade ReviewIf you are lucky enough to be still in school or college and you have not read Rhetoric before, I strongly recommend buying this book and reading it cover-to-cover. * Pennsylvania Literary Journal *The Striker rendering is cleaner, pithy, yet recognizable from the still understandable Frese translation. -- Paul J. Cain * Lutheran Book Review *
£23.70
University of California Press Valentinian Christianity
Book SynopsisTable of ContentsContents Introduction: Valentinus and the Valentinian Tradition Greek Texts I. Fragments of Valentinus II. Ptolemy’s Letter to Flora III. Fragments of Heracleon IV. Excerpts of Theodotus V. Anonymous Commentary on the Prologue of John VI. Anonymous Letter VII. Anonymous Commentary on Valentinus’s “Summer Harvest” Coptic Texts VIII. Gospel of Truth IX. Treatise on the Resurrection X. Tripartite Tractate XI. Gospel of Philip XII. Valentinian Exposition Inscription XIII. Flavia Sophe Bibliographies Indices
£28.90
Cambridge University Press Why the Ancient Greeks Matter
Book Synopsis
£18.99
Oxford University Press Inc To the Ends of the Earth
Book SynopsisA sweeping history of ancient exploration, the first full-scale account in over a centuryOdysseus. Jason and the Argonauts. Heracles. Greek mythology is full of tales of heroes setting out for the unknown. Such tales reflected and instilled a sense of confidence in the Greeks as they explored the limits of their world. Their voyages of discovery (and conquest), most dramatically under Alexander the Great, are but the most famous examples of ancient exploration. These expeditions were built on earlier voyages, notably those by Bronze Age Egyptians and Mesopotamians, and led to further global travel, trade, and warfare among the Romans, Persians, Scythians, Indians, and Chinese. To the Ends of the Earth is the first modern history of ancient exploration in over a century. Ranging from the Mediterranean Bronze Age to the third century CE, it reveals long-distance, explorative campaigning to be more than a mere ephemeral phenomenon of ancient history. Rather, exploration was, and still is,
£22.99
Bloomsbury Academic Carthage
Book SynopsisThis book traces the formation of the archaeological site of Carthage and how it re-emerged in the minds of European antiquarians and travellers in the early modern world. For almost 1,600 years the ancient city sat on the north coast of Africa, dominating the central Mediterranean until its fall in 698 CE. One of the oldest cities in the Mediterranean, it was founded in legend by the Tyrian queen Dido and destroyed after epic wars with Rome. It was soon reborn as a Roman city, and late in antiquity evolved into a centre for Christian worship. In the 17th and 18th centuries, when European explorers first arrived, searching for the site of Carthage, they were amazed that almost nothing of its former glory remained and lamented its loss. The gradual and sometimes controversial exploration of Carthage has, over the last two centuries, brought the story of this renowned ancient city back into the public imagination. From the first discovery of Punic artifacts to the plunder of
£18.99
Little, Brown Book Group A Brief Guide to the Greek Myths
Book SynopsisThe book leads the reader through these vibrant stories, from the origins of the gods through to the homecomings of the Trojan heroes. All the familiar narratives are here, along with some less familiar characters and motifs. In addition to the tales, the book explains key issues arising from the narratives, and discusses the myths and their wider relevance.This long-overdue book crystallises three key areas of interest: the nature of the tales; the stories themselves; and how they have and might be interpreted. For the first time, it brings together aspects of Greek mythology only usually available in disparate forms - namely children's books and academic works. There will be much here that is interesting, surprising, and strange as well as familiar. Experts and non-experts, adults, students and schoolchildren alike will gain entertainment and insight from this fascinating and important volume.
£9.74
Harvard University Press History of Rome Volume VI
Book SynopsisLivy (Titus Livius, 64 or 59 BC–AD 12 or 17), the great Roman historian, presents a vivid narrative of Rome’s rise from the traditional foundation of the city in 753 or 751 BC to 9 BC and illustrates the collective and individual virtues necessary to maintain such greatness. The third decad (21–30) chronicles the Second Punic War of 220–205 BC.Trade ReviewA dramatic narrative of battles, treaties, negotiations, bribes, prisoners captured and other brisk accounts…All public and university libraries should have this collection of Livy’s history to allow students, researchers, and curious members of the public to skim or devour it upon demand. * Pennsylvania Literary Journal *
£23.70
The American University in Cairo Press A History of Egypt: From Earliest Times to the
Book SynopsisThis cohesive account of Egypt’s millennia-long past offers readers a sure guide through the corridors of Egypt’s past, from the mysterious predynastic kingdoms to the nation-state of the twenty-first century. The author addresses central issues such as how Egyptian history can be treated as a whole and how the west has shaped prevailing images of it, both through direct contact and through the lens of western scholarship. Drawing on current historical scholarship and his own research, Jason Thompson has written a remarkable work of synthesis and concision, offering students, travelers, and general readers alike an engaging one-volume narrative of the extraordinarily long course of human history by the Nile. This updated paperback edition contains new material on the 25 January Revolution, the rise and fall of the Muslim Brotherhood, and the new era of President Sisi.Trade Review"“Intended to offer travelers especially a basic background in Egyptian history, Thompson’s survey fluidly relates thousands of years of time. . . . An excellent introduction to Egyptian history.”—Gilbert Taylor, Booklist, ""A remarkable work of synthesis, cohesion, and understanding.""—Al-Ahram Weekly, ""[An] excellent summation of the flow of Egyptian history.""—Egyptian Archaeology, ""[The] dearth of comprehensive histories is answered handsomely by Thompson's survey.""—Saudi Aramco World"Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Preface Chronology Maps 1. The Gift of the Nile 2. The Birth of Egyptian Civilization: Predynastic and Early Dynastic Egypt 3. The Old Kingdom 4. The First Intermediate Period and the Middle Kingdom 5. The Second Intermediate Period and the New Kingdom 6. The Third Intermediate Period and the Late Period 7. Ptolemaic Egypt 8. Egypt in the Roman Empire 9. Coptic Egypt 10. The Advent of Islam 11. The Fatimids and Ayyubids 12. The Mamluks 13. Egypt in the Ottoman Empire 14. The Birth of Modern Egypt 15. Mid-Nineteenth-Century Egypt 16. The British Occupation of Egypt 17. The Parliamentary Era 18. Nasser 19. Sadat 20. Mubarak 21. Postscript to Revolution Notes Recommended Reading Image Sources
£16.95
Hackett Publishing Co, Inc Apollodorus Library and Hyginus Fabulae
Book SynopsisContains the English translations of Apollodorus' "Library" and Hyginus' "Fabulae" - the two important surviving 'handbooks' of classical mythography. This work discusses the issues of authorship, aim, and influence. It also includes an index of people and geographic locations, and an index of authors and works cited by the mythographers.Trade ReviewTo refer to this volume as just a translation is misleading, because Smith and Trzaskoma have provided much more, most notably the best short introduction to ancient mythography--and these particular authors--available in English. . . . The translations themselves are clear and accurate. [An] admirable volume. Smith and Trzaskoma are to be commended. --Kris Fletcher, Bryn Mawr Classical ReviewEvery student and scholar of Greek mythology and the mythographic tradition will want to own this book, and every library should have it on the shelf. Smith and Trzaskoma have produced an indispensable volume that is easy to use and understand. They have invested a tremendous amount of time and scholarship to make this a valuable resource for traditionalists and non-traditionalists alike. Even the general reader can benefit from their judicious essays, thoughtful translations, and concise textual notes. Teachers of mythology will welcome this handbook for its readability and applicability to general mythology books currently in use. Everything about this work will make it the standard handbook for years to come. --Paul Properzio, The Classical JournalThese two translations are excellent, finding a good balance of accuracy and readability. . . . the Apollodorus, which has a few relatively recent competitors, adopts a style that will be much more welcome to readers than other renderings currently available. The translation of the Fabulae will be especially welcome for teaching, since it is difficult to find this in a readable English version. The General Introduction strikes a balance--both informed and informal--that will appeal to instructors and students. There is certainly nowhere else one can go to find such a succinct yet thorough discussion of these major Greek mythographers. . . the discussion remains readable, focused, and pleasantly informal. The maps and genealogical charts are excellent and useful. . . these charts create something truly useful for student readers. --Daniel W. Berman, Pennsylvania State University
£17.09
The Crowood Press Ltd Hadrians Wall
Book SynopsisBuilt around AD122, Hadrian''s Wall was guarded by the Roman army for over three centuries and has left an indelible mark on the landscape of northern Britain. It was a wonder of the ancient world and is a World Heritage Site. Written by a leading archaeologist who has excavated widely on the Wall, this is an authoritative yet accessible treatment of the archaeological evidence. The book explains why the expansion of the Roman empire ground to a halt in remote northern Britain, how the Wall came to be built and the purpose it was intended to serve. It is not a guidebook to the remains, but an introduction to the Wall and the soldiers and civilians, men, women and children, who once peopled the abandoned ruins visited by tourists today.
£22.50
Penguin Books Ltd Writings from Ancient Egypt
Book Synopsis''Man perishes; his corpse turns to dust; all his relatives pass away. But writings make him remembered''In ancient Egypt, words had magical power. Inscribed on tombs and temple walls, coffins and statues, or inked onto papyri, hieroglyphs give us a unique insight into the life of the Egyptian mind. Egyptologist Toby Wilkinson has freshly translated a rich and diverse range of ancient Egyptian writings into modern English, including tales of shipwreck and wonder, obelisk inscriptions, mortuary spells, funeral hymns, songs, satires and advice on life from a pharaoh to his son. Spanning over two millennia, this is the essential guide to a complex, sophisticated culture.Translated with an Introduction by Toby WilkinsonTrade ReviewUntil now few people beyond specialists have been able to read the texts, many of them inaccessible within tombs ... hieroglyphs were pictures but they conveyed concepts in as sophisticated a manner as Greek or Latin script, [Toby Wilkinson] said. Filled with metaphor and symbolism, they reveal life through the eyes of the ancient Egyptians. Tales of shipwreck and wonder, first-hand descriptions of battles and natural disasters, songs and satires make up the anthology. -- Dalya Alberge * The Guardian *This book offers a taste of the vast body of ancient Egyptian literature. In addition to glamorous accounts of war and royalty, it's packed with extraordinarily personal tales of life and the social anxieties of the time. -- Caitlin Hu * Quartz *
£11.69
Oxford University Press Romes Mediterranean Empire Books 4145 and the
Book Synopsis''I will do as the Senate decrees.''These words from one of Rome''s opponents encapsulate the authority Rome achieved by its subjugation of the Mediterranean. The Third Macedonian War, recounted in this volume, ended the kingdom created by Philip II and Alexander the Great and was a crucial step in Rome''s eventual dominance. For Livy, the story is also a fascinating moral study of the vices and virtues that hampered and promoted Rome''s efforts in the conflict. He presents the war not so much as a battle against Perseus, Alexander''s last and unworthy successor, than as a struggle within the Roman national character. Only traditional moral strength, embodied in Lucius Aemilius Paullus, the general who ultimately defeats Perseus, ensures the Roman victory.This edition also includes the Periochae, later summaries of Livy''s entire original 142-book history of Rome from its founding to the age of Augustus (of which only 35 books survive).The complete Livy in English, available in five volumes from Oxford World''s Classics. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World''s Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford''s commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.
£13.29
Princeton University Press Gods and Robots
Book SynopsisTrade Review"One of BookAuthority’s Three Best New Robotics Audiobooks To Read in 2019"
£15.19
Oxford University Press Ancient Warfare
Book SynopsisExamines various aspects of ancient warfare from philosophy to the technical skills needed to fight. This work looks at war in a wider context and explores the ways in which ancient society thought about conflict: can a war be just? Why was siege warfare particularly bloody? What role did divine intervention play in the outcome of a battle?Trade ReviewThis is a little book which is jam-packed with ideas and insights. This book offers an interesting and invigorating read. * TLS *I am addicted to this series of pocket-portable introductory lectures - they provoke active and reactive thought. * The Guardian *Small but impressive * Soldier Magazine *Table of Contents1. 'On my command unleash hell!' The Western Way of War? ; 2. Thinking with war ; 3. War and Society ; 4. Thinking about war ; 5. Strategy, Campaigns, and Logistics ; 6. Fighting ; 7. 'Some people don't know when they are beaten.' Imagining war.
£9.49
Taylor & Francis Ltd Atlas of Classical History
Book SynopsisFeaturing over 130 colour maps of ancient physical and human landscapes spanning Britain to India and deep into the Sahara, this atlas is a compact kaleidoscope of peoples, migrations, empires, strife, cultures, cities and travels from Greece's Bronze Age to Rome's fall in the West.This revised edition of the Atlas of Classical History equips readers with a clear visual grasp of the spatial dimension, a vital aspect for understanding history. Users gain insight into the formative roles of physical landscape seas, rivers, mountains, deserts in Mediterranean peoples' development. The maps in all their variety of scope, scale and colour offer an absorbing means to track the growth of states on the ground, especially their relationships, conflicts, urbanization, communications and cultures. Each map is enriched by readily identifiable symbols and concise accompanying texts, as well as recommendations for further reading. With its vast geographical sweep in a compact formTable of ContentsMaps; Battles, Cities, Regions, Shrines to around 300 BCE: Locator; Egypt and the Near East, 1200-500 BCE; Troy: Citadel; Troy: Lower Town; Neolithic and Bronze Age Greece and Aegean; Neolithic and Bronze Age Crete; Neolithic and Bronze Age Cyprus; Knossos; Mycenae: Citadel; Mycenae Outside the Citadel; Homer’s World; Mainland Greece in Homer’s Epics; Iron Age Greece; Greek Colonization, 800-500 BCE; Archaic Greece; Persian Empire, 550-330 BCE; Persepolis; Marathon, 490 BCE; Persian Wars; Thermopylae, 480 BCE: Ephialtes’ Route; Artemision, 480 BCE; Salamis, 480 BCE; Plataea, 479 BCE; Greece and the Aegean (Hellespont inset); Classical Greece; Cimmerian Bosphorus; Olympia; Attica; Athens; Classical Athens (5th and 4th Centuries BCE); Roman Athens; Delphi; Sparta; Miletus; Priene; Halicarnassus; Akragas; Greek and Punic Sicily; Athenian Empire; Greek Dialects around 450 BCE; Peloponnesian War, 431-404 BCE (Sicily inset); Pylos/Sphacteria, 425 BCE; Syracuse (and Athenian Siege, 415-413 BCE); Explorers; Anabasis (Spring 400 to Winter 400/399 BCE); Leuctra, 371 BCE; Second Athenian League; Chaeronea, 338 BCE; Growth of Macedonian Power, 359-336 BCE; Alexander’s Campaigns, 334-323 BCE; Granicus River, 334 BCE; Issus, 333 BCE; Tyre, 332 BCE; Gaugamela, 331 BCE; Hydaspes River, 326 BCE; Alexandria Oxiana (Ai Khanoum); Alexandria; Hellenistic World: Kingdoms; Hellenistic World: Aegean; Hellenistic World: Asia Minor; Hellenistic World: Syria-Egypt; Pergamum; Delos City; Delos Centre; Delos Island; Etruria and Etruscan Expansion; Early Italy and its Neighbours; Peoples of Italy, and their Languages to the First Century CE; Latium, 600-300 BCE; Campania; Roman Expansion in Italy to 241 BCE; Cosa; Rome by 300 BCE; Roman Colonization in Italy to the Time of Augustus (Campania inset); Second Punic War (First Punic War inset); Cannae, 216 BCE; Zama, 202 BCE; Roman Campaigns in the Iberian Peninsula, 218-133 BCE; Numantia: Roman Siege, 133 BCE; Numantia: Region; Rome in the Late Republic; Rome’s Empire around 60 BCE; Roman Campaigns, 58-30 BCE; Actium, 31 BCE; Augusta Praetoria (Aosta); Italy from Alps to Campania (including Corsica); Italy from Apulia to Bruttium; Sicily and Sardinia; Rome’s Empire and Beyond: Locator; Rome at the Death of Augustus, 14 CE; Environs of Imperial Rome; Ostia; Portus; Second Battle of Cremona, 69 CE; Pompeii; Herculaneum; Italian Towns with Alimentary Schemes; Rome at the Death of Trajan, 117 CE; Rome’s Empire around 60 CE; Britain; Hadrian’s Wall; Antonine Wall; Iberian Peninsula; Vipasca; Thamugadi (Timgad); Africa; Lepcis Magna; Africa Proconsularis and Numidia; Cyrene; Lutetia Parisiorum (Paris); Gaul; Germany; Rhine-Danube Limes, 40-260 CE; Danube-Black Sea; Crete; Greece; Cyprus; Aphrodisias; Asia Minor; Paul’s Journeys; Syria-Persian Gulf; Antioch (Syria); Dura; Jerusalem/Aelia Capitolina, 2nd-3rd Centuries CE; Jerusalem on Madaba Map; Judaea; Masada (and Roman Siege, 73 CE); Egypt; Arabia; India; Rome’s Empire around 211 CE; Circuit of the Roman Empire by Aurelius Gaius, 285-299 CE; Etesian Winds and Sea Currents; Sea Routes in Diocletian’s Edict on Prices; Rome at the Death of Constantine, 337 CE; Split; Constantinople; Rome’s Empire around 314 CE; Christianity by the Early Fourth Century; Roman World on Two Portable Sundials; Barbarian Invasions of the Roman Empire, 370-500 CE; Roman Empire and Successor Kingdoms around 530 CE; Further Reading; Gazetteer.
£37.99
Oxford University Press The Dawn of the Roman Empire
Book SynopsisBooks 31 to 40 of Livy's history chart Rome's emergence as an imperial nation and the Romans tempestuous involvement with Greece, Macedonia and the near East in the opening decades of the second century BC; they are our most important source for Graeco-Roman relations in that century. Livy's dramatic narrative includes the Roman campaigns in Spain and against the Gallic tribes of Northern Italy; the flight of Hannibal from Carthage and his death in the East; thedebate on the Oppian law; and the Bacchanalian Episode.Trade ReviewAltogether [Yardley and Heckel] have combined their efforts to produce an exemplary volume which, as the only modern unabridged English translation of Livy 31-40, will do much to promote a renewed interest in this decade of Livy among both students and scholars. * John Jacobs, Bryn Mawr Classical Review *
£12.34
The History Press Ltd The Vikings Classic Histories Series
Book SynopsisThey were undoubtedly pillagers, raiders and terrifying warriors, but they were also great pioneers, artists and traders - a dynamic people, whose skill and daring in their exploration of the world has left an indelible impression a thousand years on.
£11.69
Harvard University Press The Greek Anthology Volume I
Book SynopsisThe Greek Anthology contains some 4,500 Greek poems in the sparkling, diverse genre of epigram, written by more than a hundred composers, collected over centuries, and arranged by subject. This Loeb edition replaces the earlier edition by W. R. Paton, with a Greek text and ample notes reflecting current scholarship.Trade ReviewUnder the auspices of the Loeb Classical Library, Michael A. Tueller has published the first volume (books one to five of sixteen) of a projected complete edition of the whole gigantic thing—a fully updated revision of W.R. Paton’s five-volume Loeb from a hundred years ago. It is an ambitious and worthy enterprise. -- Hayden N. Pelliccia * New York Review of Books *
£23.70
Harvard University Press Letters to Friends Volume III
Book SynopsisCicero’s letters to friends span the period from 62 BC, when his political career was at its peak, to 43 BC, when he was put to death by the victorious Triumvirs.
£23.70
Harvard University Press Jewish Antiquities Volume I Books 13 see also
Book SynopsisThe major works by Josephus are History of the Jewish War, from 170 BC to his own time, and Jewish Antiquities, from creation to AD 66. Also by him are an autobiographical Life and a treatise Against Apion.
£23.70
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC The Roman Army: The Greatest War Machine of the
Book SynopsisThe image of the Roman legionary is as familiar today as it was to the citizens – and enemies – of the vast Roman Empire two thousand years ago. This book goes beyond the stereotypes found in popular culture to examine the Roman Army from the first armed citizens of the early Republic through the glorious heights of the Imperial legions to the shameful defeats inflicted upon the late Roman Army by the Goths and Huns. Tracing the development of tactics, equipment and training, this work provides a detailed insight into the military force that enable Rome to become the greatest empire the world has ever seen. As well as describing the changes in the army over the centuries, The Roman Army also sheds light on the talented men who led these soldiers in battle and the momentous battles fought, including Cannae, Pharsalus and Adrianople. Illustrated with detailed maps, artwork and photographs, this volume provides a complete reference to the Roman Army from the 8th century BC to the period after the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD.Table of ContentsChronology /Introduction /The Early Republican Army, 753-146 BC /The Army of the Late Republic, 146-27 BC /The Earlier Roman Empire, 27 BC-AD 200 /The Later Roman Empire, AD 200-6th century /Afterword /Further Reading /Index
£17.09
Hackett Publishing Co, Inc Poems and Fragments
Book Synopsis Little remains today of the writings of the archaic Greek poet Sappho (fl. late 7th and early 6th centuries B.C.E.), whose work is said to have filled nine papyrus rolls in the great library at Alexandria some 500 years after her death. The surviving texts consist of a lamentably small and fragmented body of lyric poetry--among them, poems of invocation, desire, spite, celebration, resignation, and remembrance--that nevertheless enables us to hear the living voice of the poet Plato called the tenth Muse. Stanley Lombardo''s translations give us a virtuoso embodiment of Sappho''s voice, whose telltale charm, authority, immediacy, directness, intensity, and sudden changes of tone are among the hallmarks of his masterly translation. Pamela Gordon introduces us to the world of Sappho, discusses questions surrounding the transmission of her manuscripts, offers advice on reading these texts, and concludes with an enlightening discussion of same-sex desire in Sappho. Trade ReviewThe four sections of this book [Introduction, Translator's Note, translations, Notes on Ancient Sources] work remarkably well together, presenting the fragments of Sappho according to 'the idea of the isolated message' (xvii). The dominant and characteristic interest shared by both Lombardo as translator and Gordon as introducer is their concerted effort to validate 'fragments as esthetic wholes' (xxvi). Lombardo's translations are pleasantly distinct from those of any other I am aware of both for their sonorous but straightforward rendering in modern spoken American English . . . [an edition] better both for its clear translations, and for the breadth and depth of the critical Introduction. Lombardo's strategy as translator is to convey not only the Greek by means of English, but also the experience of reading 'Sappho as a pure, received text' (xxvi) by means of direct, plain presentation of the poem . . . A unique and welcome contribution to the diversity of English translations available. --Travis Feldman, The Bryn Mawr Classical Review I have long been an admirer of Stanley Lombardo's translations of Homer, and I was curious to see how he would adapt his fast-paced, lively style to Sappho. He has succeeded admirably. His translation of 73 poems of Sappho is clear, energetic, and close to the Greek. Pamela Gordon's Introduction gives a lucid and useful guide for the non-specialist to the last fifty years of scholarly debate on Sappho. This edition will be particularly useful for instructors of courses in translation seeking an introduction to Sappho for the Greekless student. It is also a pleasure to read. --Laurel Bowman, The Classical Bulletin Gordon's Introduction is a clear summation of the poetic and scholarly aura surrounding the figure of Sappho and these literary fragments. . . . This essay, complete with selective bibliography at the end, could be assigned to undergraduates as a first introduction to both the poetry and the phenomenon of Sappho. . . . Lombardo's translations are lively and accessible; Sappho lives anew for the English reader. . . . Ideal for teaching at the undergraduate level. --Cashman Kerr Prince, New England Classical Journal
£12.34
Oxford University Press Alexander the Great
Book SynopsisAlexander the Great became king of Macedon in 336 BC, when he was only 20 years old, and died at the age of 32, twelve years later. During his reign he conquered the Achaemenid Persian Empire, the largest empire that had ever existed, leading his army from Greece to Pakistan, and from the Libyan desert to the steppes of Central Asia. His meteoric career, as leader of an alliance of Greek cities, Pharaoh of Egypt, and King of Persia, had a profound effect on the world he moved through. Even in his lifetime his achievements became legendary and in the centuries that following his story was told and retold throughout Europe and the East. Greek became the language of power in the Eastern Mediterranean and much of the Near East, as powerful Macedonian dynasts carved up Alexander''s empire into kingdoms of their own, underlaying the flourishing Hellenistic civilization that emerged after his death. But what do we really know about Alexander? In this Very Short Introduction, Hugh Bowden goes behind the usual historical accounts of Alexander''s life and career. Instead, he focuses on the evidence from Alexander''s own time -- letters from officials in Afghanistan, Babylonian diaries, records from Egyptian temples -- to try and understand how Alexander appeared to those who encountered him. In doing so he also demonstrates the profound influence the legends of his life have had on our historical understanding and the controversy they continue to generate worldwide.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade ReviewBowden covers all the highlights of Alexander's career * Steve Craggs, Northern Echo *It's an interesting read for those who do know something of Alexander, as well as for initiates * Adrian Spooner, Classics for All *Table of ContentsIntroduction ; 1. Before Alexander ; 2. Prince: Alexander in the Macedonian Court ; 3. Warrior: Alexander's army ; 4. Commander Alexander and the Greeks ; 5. Pharaoh: Alexander and Egypt ; 6. King of the world: Alexander and Persia ; 7. Traveller: Alexander in Afghanistan and Pakistan ; 8. Doomed to die: Alexander in Babylon ; 9. After Alexander ; References ; Further reading ; Index
£9.49
Oxford University Press Late Antiquity
Book SynopsisLate antiquity: decline or transformation, conflict or interaction?Late antiquity is the period (c.300 - c.800) in which barbarian invasions ended Roman Empire in Western Europe by the fifth century and Arab invasions ended Roman rule over the eastern and southern Mediterranean coasts by the seventh century. Asking ''what, where, and when'' Gillian Clark presents an introduction to the concept of late antiquity and the events of its time. Not only a period of cultural clashes, political restructurings, and geographical controversies, Clark also demonstrates the sheer richness and diversity of religious life as well as the significant changes to trade, economy, archaeology, and towns. Encapsulating significant developments through vignettes, she reflects upon the period by asking the question ''How much can we recognise in the world of late antiquity?''ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Table of Contents1. What and when is late antiquity? ; 2. Running the Empire ; 3. Law and welfare ; 4. Religion ; 5. What shall we do to be saved? ; 6. Barbarism ; 7. Bronze elephants: classical and Christian culture ; 8. Decisive change? ; Chronology
£9.49
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Alesia 52 BC: The final struggle for Gaul
Book SynopsisIn 52 BC Caesar’s continued strategy of annihilation had engendered a spirit of desperation, which detonated into a revolt of Gallic tribes under the leadership of the charismatic young Arvernian noble Vercingetorix. Major engagements were fought at Noviodunum, Avaricum, and Gergovia, with the last action being the most serious reverse that Caesar faced in the whole of the Gallic War. However, Vercingetorix soon realized that he was unable to match the Romans in pitched battle. Taking advantage of the tribesmen’s superior knowledge of their home territory, Vercingetorix began a canny policy of small war and defensive manoeuvres, which gravely hampered Caesar’s movements by cutting off his supplies. For Caesar it was to be a grim summertime – his whole Gallic enterprise faced disaster. In the event, by brilliant leadership, force of arms, and occasionally sheer luck, Caesar succeeded in stamping out the revolt in a long and brutal action culminating in the siege of Alesia. Vercingetorix finally surrendered and Alesia was to be the last significant resistance to the Roman will. Never again would a Gallic warlord independent of Rome hold sway over the Celts of Gaul.Table of ContentsOrigins of the campaign /Chronology /Opposing commanders /Opposing armies /Orders of battle /Opposing plans /The campaign /Aftermath /The battlefields today /Further reading /Index
£999.99
Clarendon Press Ancient Philosophy Mystery and Magic
Book SynopsisEmpedocles played a crucial role in the development of western culture; yet little is known or understood about this man, who lived in Sicily in the fifth-century BC. This is mainly becuase his teaching has been reconstructed by modern shcolars first and formost on the basis of Aristotle''s hostile reports - producing a picture which is disconnected and lacking in depth. Using material never exploited before, Peter Kingsley presents the first full-scale study of Empedocles to situate his fragmentary writings in their original context of philosophy as a way of life, mystery religion and magic, and of the struggle to realize one''s own divinity. This study also explores fresh evidence which proves Empedocles was not an isolated figure and reveals new links between his work and ancient Pythagoreanism. The process of establishing these links now makes it possible to demonstrate, in detail, the Pythagorean origin of Plato''s myths. Kingsley re-examines problems regarding the connections betTrade ReviewHighly polemical new book ... The thesis is argued with immense learning. * Times Higher Education Supplement *An original, lucid and intriguing narrative on Empedocles. * Phronesis *a remarkable, indeed pioneering, book which will compel scholars not only to re-examine the paradigms and traditional sources of evidence upon which they have hitherto relied, but also perhaps to question the category of philosophy itself as a viable notion outside the orbit of mystery, magic and myth ... Kingley's Ancient Philosophy is a brilliant, provocative, occasionally quirky, but gripping, urgent and important story which is bound to delight some and offend others. On these terms, it is a unique pioneering work which has all the ingredients to fall under Meyerhold's definition of a masterpiece. * Kevin Corrigan, University of Saskatchewan, European Review of History *a remarkable achievement: challenging, learned, and at the same time enthralling to read ... A consequence of K.'s approach, and one of the impressive things about his book, is that it is not just a book for the specialist in ancient philosophy. K.'s work will also be important for students of ancient religion and magic and for anyone interested in what made Sicilian and Western Greek culture distinctive in the fifth century. K. writes with elegance and vigour ... anyone with a serious interest in early Greek philosophy should read this book. * Anne Sheppard, Royal Holloway, University of London, The Classical Review, Vol. XLVI, No. 2, '96 *an original, lucid and intriguing narrative on Empedocles ... he has put forward a powerful, wide-ranging and coherent case that deserves a hearing, and at the least, a reassessment of the role of the western Presocratics in the history of philosophy. * Phonesis: A Journal for Ancient Philosophy, Vol. XLI, No. 1 1996 *Reading Kingsley's Ancient Philosophy, Mystery, and Magic is like walking into the middle of a rarefied discussion that has been going on for thousands of years. * Bruce Nelson, Parabola *a remarkable achievement: challenging, learned, and at the same time enthralling to read. ... A consequence of K.'s approach, and one of the impressive things about his book, is that it is not just a book for the specialist in ancient philosophy. K.'s work will also be important for students of ancient religion and magic and for anyone interested in what made Sicilian and Western Greek culture distinctive in the fifth century. ... Despite its learning, the book is one of the most readable academic works I have encountered. K. writes with elegance and vigour. ... anyone with a serious interest in early Greek philosophy should read this book. * The Classical Review *a remarkable, indeed pioneering, book which will compel scholars not only to re-examine the paradigms and traditional sources of evidence upon which they have hitherto relied, but also perhaps to question the category of philosophy itself as a viable notion outside the orbit of mystery, magic and myth. The work amasses, for the first time in this form, a truly impressive array of textual, archaeological, and papyrological evidence. ... Kingsley contrives to do this in such an interesting way that the reader is drawn artfully into the process of detection itself as into the unravelling of an urgent mystery. ... it is a unique pioneering work which has all the ingredients to fall under Meyerhold's definition of a masterpiece. * European Review of History, vol.3, no.2 *In this work Kingsley has brought a vast amount of scholarship to bear on the subject. ... Kingsley's work, while firmly rooted in the academic tradition, is unique in teasing out new insights from texts that have been studied but misunderstood for decades. Kingsley's scholarship is wide-ranging and impeccable ... provides a storehouse of new insights and expands our understanding of the complex background of Greek philosophical thought. Without doubt, its central arguments are compelling and backed up with an intimidatingly vast scholarly apparatus. ... this is without question an important volume that will stimulate discussion for many years to come. * Gnosis Magazine, Winter 1997 *This work is without doubt the most important book on Empedocles in recent years and one of the most significant in early Greek thought since the writings of F. Cornford saw the light of day. This book is of great significance for the study of early Greek thought and presents a major transformation of view as far as Empedocles and Pythagoras as well as the relation of Pythagoreanism to Plato are concerned ... the book of Kingsley is of singular importance in the study of the Islamic intellectual tradition, while being of an even greater singificance for the field of Greek and Western philosophy, since it challenges the commonly held view of the whole foundation of Western philosophical thought. * Seyyed Hossein Masr, George Washington University, The Journal of Islamic Studies, Vol. 8, No. 2 '97 *Dramatic and provocative. He presents a stimulating, learned, and wide-ranging interpretation of Empedocles and Pythagoreanism ... this book provides a great deal of information in a thoroughly original package. * Religious Studies Review *The author has successfully accumulated fairly extensive material and convincing arguements to make his point! * The Journal of Indo-European Studies *Remarkable book...it is good to have his researches gathered in one volume...there can be no doubt that Kingsley's book, precisely in cutting across the narrow boundries of classical studies and departing from the well-worn avenues by which we approach the history of ancient philosophy, poses a serious challenge for most future work in the field...Kingsley's book will be a hard act to follow...I cannot think of many scholars in ancient philosophy who could afford to ignore this book without peril; it is not recommended but required reading! * Ancient Philosophy *In this work Kingsley has brought a vast amount of scholarship to bear on the subject...Kingsley's work...is unique in teasing out new insights from texts that have been studied but misunderstood for decades. Kingsley's scholarship is wide-ranging and impeccable...provides a storehouse of new insights and expands our understanding of the complex background of Greek philosopical thought. Without doubt, its central arguements are compelling, and backed up with an intimidatingly vast scholarly apparatus...this is without question an important volume that will stimulate discussion for many years to come. * Gnosis Magazine *This is a most remarkable book, learned, discursive, but yet sharply focussed, on a subject which might seem to lend itself readily to various sorts of intemperate speculation ... this is splendid book, and one that should generate much discussion. * John Dillon, Trinity College, Dublin, Hermathena, no 164, summer 98 *
£68.40
Taylor & Francis Greek Thought Arabic Culture
Book SynopsisFrom the middle of the eighth century to the tenth century, almost all non-literary and non-historical secular Greek books, including such diverse topics as astrology, alchemy, physics, botany and medicine, that were not available throughout the eastern Byzantine Empire and the Near East, were translated into Arabic.Greek Thought, Arabic Culture explores the major social, political and ideological factors that occasioned the unprecedented translation movement from Greek into Arabic in Baghdad, the newly founded capital of the Arab dynasty of the ''Abbasids'', during the first two centuries of their rule. Dimitri Gutas draws upon the preceding historical and philological scholarship in Greco-Arabic studies and the study of medieval translations of secular Greek works into Arabic and analyses the social and historical reasons for this phenomenon.Dimitri Gutas provides a stimulating, erudite and well-documented survey of this key movement in the transmission of ancient GrTrade Review'important for any classicist interested in the legacy and transmission of Greek culture and provides excellent comparative material for those working on the interaction of all ancient cultures, including especially the development of greek thought at Rome.' - Simon Swain, The Classicla Review'A remarkable work. It has all the makings of a classic.' - Remke Kruk, Boekbesprekingen'Gutas' book is a most welcome tool for classicists and oreintalists...Gutas' informative book arouses the curiosity of specialists as well as of a broader public.' - Hans Daiber, Classical World, Winter 2001.Table of ContentsIntroduction; Part 1 Translation and Empire; Chapter 1 The Background of the Translation Movement; Chapter 2 Al-Man??r; Chapter 3 Al-Mahd? and his Sons; Chapter 4 Al-Ma’m?n; Part 2 Translation and Society; Chapter 5 Translation in the Service of Applied and Theoretical Knowledge; Chapter 6 Patrons, Translators, Translations; Chapter 7 Translation and History; Chapter 8 Epilogue;
£39.99
Harvard University Press The Invention of God
Book SynopsisWho invented God? When, why, and where? Thomas Römer seeks to answer these enigmatic questions about the deity of the great monotheisms—Yhwh, God, or Allah—by tracing Israelite beliefs and their context from the Bronze Age to the end of the Old Testament period in the third century BCE, in a masterpiece of detective work and exposition.Trade ReviewRömer, a distinguished scholar rather than an ideologue, seeks to determine exactly what is historical and exactly what is not in the depiction of God. This is a brilliant book. -- Robert A. Segal * Times Higher Education *Römer presents a scholarly and provocative account of how a minor tribal deity likely grew to become—or revealed himself to be—Lord of Creation. -- David O’Reilly * Philadelphia Inquirer *Römer is interested in the emergence of a deity whose nature is now so familiar that its startling originality no longer startles. -- Brian Bethune * Maclean’s *It reads very well, is well translated and has a bit of the excitement of discovery for engaged readers. -- John C. Endres and Jean-François Racine * America *Römer deftly weaves together evidence from the Bible with extra-biblical archeological finds that mention Israel and Yhwh to outline the development of monotheism… Not until Jerusalem’s destruction in 587 BCE did Yhwh become the universal, monotheistic god untied to place or particular monarch, the god who was later adopted by Christians and Muslims. Römer writes with clarity and accuracy and tells a compelling story. This book is a masterful work, tying together an enormous amount of information in a concise format. * Publishers Weekly (starred review) *There is nothing quite like this book in English. The Invention of God traces the history of the God of Israel from the late Bronze Age to the Hellenistic period, charting the rise of Yhwh as the sole God. The period covered is vast, the thesis is provocative and stimulating, and the scholarship is cutting-edge. -- Timothy Lim, University of EdinburghRömer is a sure-footed guide to what is often a difficult discussion. A learned and elegant book. -- Nathan MacDonald, University of CambridgeRömer is the first to have brought all the relevant material together in such an accessible form, setting out both literary and archaeological evidence clearly and readably. -- John Barton * Church Times *[An] excellent book…A masterly work of historical detection that looks at the evolution of Jewish faith from the Bronze Age to the Hellenic period. This is a superb work of scholarship. -- Paul Richardson * The Church of England Newspaper *
£32.36
British Museum Press The Ancient Olympic Games
Book SynopsisIn this revised and all-colour edition of her indispensable guide to the ancient Games, Judith Swaddling traces their mythological and religious origins, and describes the events, the sacred ceremony and the celebrations that were an essential part of the Olympic festival.
£9.49
Cornell University Press Conceptions of God in Ancient Egypt
Book SynopsisOsiris, Horus, Isis, Thoth, Anubis - the many strange and compelling figures of the Egyptian gods and goddesses seem to possess endless fascination. The renowned Egyptologist Erik Hornung here studies the ancient Egyptians' conceptions of god, basing his account on a thorough reappraisal of the primary sources. His book, now available in...Trade ReviewAfter surveying the approaches to Egyptian religion from antiquity through twentieth-century scholarship, Hornung... considers aspects of divinity, the iconography and characteristics of the gods, and the relationship between gods and believers.... A masterly, scrupulously documented work that combines close attention to textual and artifactual evidence with penetrating theological insights. * Library Journal *An excellent historical overview of the gods... It is a recommended necessary reading for those studing Ancient Egyptian religion. * Frankie's Reviews in Egyptology *Hornung asks usually neglected questions concerning what the Egyptians themselves thought about their gods, thus meeting these people on their own terms. Along the way he carefully examines evidence that has been marshaled in favor of monotheism or monotheistic tendencies within what appears to be a vast Egyptian pantheon. Adding to the pleasure and usefulness of this work is the fine translation by John Baines.... Containing a full index, a glossary of gods, and appropriate illustrations, this is a significant volume. * Choice *It is not often that an introduction to the thorny topic of ancient Egyptian religion can be recommended unreservedly.... Over the past thirty-five years the acceptable introductions to Egyptian religion can be counted on the fingers of one hand, and all are from the pens of scholars trained in a Germanic tradition! The present work by Erik Hornung maintains this excellent, though rare, standard. * American Historical Review *
£22.79
Johns Hopkins University Press Latin Literature
Book SynopsisIncluding names, dates, edition citations, and detailed summaries, the work combines the virtues of an encyclopedia with the critical intelligence readers have come to expect from Italy's leading Latinist, Gian Biagio Conte.Trade ReviewConte gives the sort of biographical and historical information that might be expected in a book of this type, but with a more sophisticated awareness of the fragility of much of it than one finds in many other text books. He also gives an unfailingly intelligent and interesting account of the works themselves... His mastery of the vast range of literature that he covers is remarkable. -- Jasper Griffin New York Review of Books It will quickly become not only the preferred textbook but the standard resource for mainstream evaluations of the major surviving Latin authors through the early Middle Ages... Conte covers this era by discussing the principle writers in Latin with a remarkably concise thoroughness. Reader's Review Conte has achieved a monumental feat most scholars would shrink from attempting... [With] its relish for forgotten or underrated authors and its tight focus on cultural significance, his history shows the restlessness many late 20th-century Latinists feel with the state of their subject. -- Emily Gowers London Review of BooksTable of ContentsForewordPrefaceAcknowledgmentsIntroduction: Literary History and HistoriographyPart 1: The Early and Middle RepublicsPart 2: The Late RepublicPart 3: The Age of AugustusPart 4: The Early EmpirePart 5: The Late EmpireAppendixesIndex of names
£40.50
The History Press Ltd Reading Roman Inscriptions
Book SynopsisThe abundant Roman inscriptions to be found in British museums tell us much about the everyday life of the inhabitants of Roman Britain - about their hopes and fears, their work and their beliefs. Nor is a fluent command of Latin essential for understanding their meaning. As John Rogan shows, by learning a few basic rules and formulae anyone can become proficient at reading inscriptions, guide the reader through the steps necessary for deciphering them.
£14.24
The History Press Ltd Chedworth Life in a Roman Villa
Book SynopsisChedworth is one of the few Roman villas in Britain whose remains are open to the public, and this book seeks to explain what these remains mean. The fourth century in Britain was a ‘golden age’ and at the time the Cotswolds were the richest area of Roman Britain.
£19.12
Orion Publishing Co The Lost Empire of Atlantis Historys Greatest
Book SynopsisThe bestselling author of 1421: THE YEAR THE CHINESE DISCOVERED THE WORLD uncovers the truth behind the mystery of Atlantis. Updated with thrilling new discoveries for the paperback.Trade Reviewintriguing hypothesis * THE INDEPENDENT *The book is best viewed as an adventure story, trailing a fascinating but tantalisingly obscure lost ancient civilisation all over the world. It's tremendous fun, and captures a compelling portrait of the Minoans, pieced together by evidence. * ENTERTAINMENT FOCUS *Menzies's theory on why the Minoans disappeared so abruptly is fascinating. * THE LADY *
£11.69
Hackett Publishing Co, Inc The Peloponnesian War
Book SynopsisTrade Review[Lattimore] gets closer to the Greek than either of his two available rivals, Richard Crawley and Rex Warner. . . . Lattimore's uncompromising version now leads the field. --Peter Green, The Los Angeles Times Book ReviewLattimore . . . has produced the most rigorously accurate translation since Crawley and, in my view, the most true to all ellipses, contractions, twists, ambiguities, and syntactical knots of the original. His willingness to confront, not shirk, the challenges of Thucydides can be seen at every stylistic level, though perhaps more in the speeches and analytical portions than in the purely narrative passages. All this makes it demanding for students, but gives them the closest English experience of what it’s like to read Thucydides in Greek. --Steven J. Willett, Syllecta ClassicaLattimore's The Peloponnesian War challenges and may well supplant the currently popular translations of Rex Warner and Richard Crawley. The table of contents lists events and chapter numbers in detail, thoughtful and useful summaries introduce the eight books, and superb footnotes and a trenchant glossary accompany the text. Maps (of Greece and Sicily, Greece, Syracuse, Pylos and Sphakteria, Athens and its neighbors) are collected conveniently at the end of the text, following the list of works cited, an index of speeches, and a comprehensive general index. In an excellent, concise introduction, Lattimore describes current controversies in Thucydidean scholarship and assesses the historian's prose style. Although Thucydides' style is 'intense when it succeeds,' he 'occasionally passes beyond concentration into congestion' (p. xviii). Lattimore claims that accuracy is the translator's 'fundamental responsibility' and that whenever ‘the aims of fidelity, clarity and readability come into conflict with one another,' he has opted for 'fidelity' (p. xix). In general, this approach effectively transmits both the spirit and the substance of Thucydides' prose. For example, in 2. 65.7, defending his war strategy, Pericles assures the Athenians that if they should follow his advice, 'they would prevail.' Lattimore's translation keeps 'Athenians' as the subject of the verb and remains consistent with Pericles' war aims, which had more to do with survival through endurance than with active, aggressive action. (Cf. Warner’s over-stated ‘Athens would be victorious' and Crawley's mild but vague 'promised them a favorable result'.) Lattimore's ‘they would prevail' seems to strike the note exactly. --George Cawkwell, New England Classical Journal
£18.89
University of Pennsylvania Press History Begins at Sumer
Book Synopsis"Kramer ranked among the world's foremost Sumerologists... The book will interest both the scholar and the general educated reader."-Religious Studies BulletinTrade Review"Kramer ranked among the world's foremost Sumerologists. . . . The book will interest both the scholar and the general educated reader." * Religious Studies Bulletin *"[Kramer] possesses the enviable ability to speak authoritatively in a lively and captivating style." * Choice *Table of ContentsPreface to the First Edition List of Illustrations Photographic Sources Introduction Chapter 1 Education: The First Schools Chapter 2 Schooldays: The First Case of "Apple-Polishing" Chapter 3 Father and Son: The First Case of Juvenile Delinquency Chapter 4 International Affairs: The First "War of Nerves" Chapter 5 Government: The First Bicameral Congress Chapter 6 Civil War in Sumer: The First Historian Chapter 7 Social Reform: The First Case of Tax Reduction Chapter 8 Law Codes: The First "Moses" Chapter 9 Justice: The First Legal Precedent Chapter 10 Medicine: The First Pharmacopoeia Chapter 11 Agriculture: The First "Farmer's Almanac" Chapter 12 Horticulture: The First Experiment in Shade-Tree Gardening Chapter 13 Philosophy: Man's First Cosmogony and Cosmology Chapter 14 Ethics: The First Moral Ideals Chapter 15 Suffering and Submission: The First "Job" Chapter 16 Wisdom: The First Proverbs and Sayings Chapter 17 "Aesopica": The First Animal Fables Chapter 18 Logomachy: The First Literary Debates Chapter 19 Paradise: The First Biblical Parallels Chapter 20 A Flood: The First "Noah" Chapter 21 Hades: The First Tale of Resurrection Chapter 22 Slaying of the Dragon: The First ''St. George" Chapter 23 Tales of Gilgamesh: The First Case of Literary Borrowing Chapter 24 Epic Literature: Man's First Heroic Age Chapter 25 To the Royal Bridegroom: The First Love Song Chapter 26 Book Lists: The First Library Catalogue Chapter 27 World Peace and Harmony: Man's First Golden Age Chapter 28 Ancient Counterparts of Modern Woes: The First "Sick" Society Chapter 29 Destruction and Deliverance: The First Liturgic Laments Chapter 30 The Ideal King: The First Messiahs Chapter 31 Shulgi of Ur: The First Long-Distance Champion Chapter 32 Poetry The First Literary Imagery Chapter 33 The Sacred Marriage Rite: The First Sex Symbolism Chapter 34 Weeping Goddesses: The First Mater Dolorosa Chapter 35 U-a A-u-a: The First Lullaby Chapter 36 The Ideal Mother: Her First Literary Portrait Chapter 37 Three Funeral Chants: The First Elegies Chapter 38 The Pickaxe and the Plow: Labor's First Victory Chapter 39 Home of the Fish: The First Aquarium Corrigenda and Addenda to the Second Edition Glossary Appendix A. A Curse and a Map: New Gleanings from the Tablets of Sumer Appendix B. The Origin and Development of the Cuneiform System of Writing and Other Comments on the Illustrations
£27.90
Harvard University Press Tragedies Volume II Oedipus. Agamemnon.
Book SynopsisSeneca (ca. AD 4 65) authored verse tragedies that strongly influenced Shakespeare and other Renaissance dramatists. Plots are based on myth, but themes reflect imperial Roman politics. John G. Fitch has thoroughly revised his two-volume edition to take account of scholarship that has appeared since its initial publication.Trade ReviewThis second volume of the new Loeb tragedies (the first volume, also by John Fitch, appeared in 2002) is very much in the new style and admirably suited to the new standard. Fitch has long been a major player in Senecan studies, and the vast range of his experience is here put at the service of all comers. They will be very glad of it. The translations are deft, accurate, and extremely readable, while the introductions to each play are significant essays in their own right. Bibliographies are well and fairly compiled, so that even their privileging of work in English seems unexceptionable. Classicists working with Seneca will want to have this edition at hand, while readers with little or no Latin will also soon discover that this is the edition of Seneca to use. -- Sander M. Goldberg * University of Toronto Quarterly *
£23.70
Karwansaray BV Edge of Empire: Rome'S Frontier on the Lower
Book SynopsisEvery ancient author writing about the Low Countries, was preoccupied with the complete contrast between the civilized people of the Roman Empire and the tribes of noble savages or barbarians living outside it. Julius Caesar exploited this preconception to enhance his own reputation, boasting that he had overcome the "bravest of all Gauls"; Tacitus employed the same stereotypes when he described the Batavian Revolt; and, in Late Antiquity, the Franks were still described as resembling monsters.The reality was different. The presence of the Roman army along the River Rhine radically changed the way of life in the small Roman province of Germania Inferior, and the need to maintain and feed this large army became a significant incentive for economic change. The tribes living along the lower reaches of the Rhine and close to the North Sea gradually began to resemble their occupiers.Historian Jona Lendering and archaeologist Arjen Bosman have combined their considerable expertise to create a successful synthesis of historical and archaeological evidence, in this history of Rome s Lower Rhine frontier.Trade Review...will be of interest to enthusiasts who are looking for an interesting collection of information about the areas of the “lower Rhine” during the times of ancient Romans. * Imperium Romanum *
£21.25
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Themistocles: The Powerbroker of Athens
Book SynopsisThis is an exciting new biography of Themistocles of Athens, architect of the Greek victory over the Persian invasions of 490 BC and 480 to 479 BC. While his role in the Persian wars is naturally a major theme, Themistocles' career before and after those conflicts is also considered in detail. Themistocles was a leading exponent of a new kind of populist politics in the young democracy of Athens, manipulating the practice of ostracism (exile) to get rid of his political rivals. Jeffrey Smith explains Themistocles' rise to a position of virtual hegemony which allowed him to institute his far-sighted policy of preparation against the growing Persian threat. In particular he strengthened Athens' fleet and thereby secured the support of the poor thetes, who found employment as rowers. During the first invasion, Themistocles fought, and possibly held joint command, at the decisive battle of Marathon. When the Persians struck again in 480, he commanded the fleet at Artemisium and Salamis. The latter battle he won by subterfuge and secured Athens' liberation and survival. Ironically he was himself eventually ostracized by his fellow citizens and ultimately entered Persian service, ending his days as governor of Magnesia in Asia Minor.
£21.25
Pen & Sword Books Ltd War and Trade with the Pharaohs: An
Book SynopsisThe ancient Egyptians presented themselves as superior to all other people in the world; on temple walls, the pharaoh is shown smiting foreign enemies - people from Nubia, Libya and the Levant - or crushing them beneath his chariot. Officially, foreigners represented disorder and chaos - the opposite of Egypt's perfect land of justice and order. But despite such imagery, from the beginning of their history, the Egyptians also enjoyed friendly relations with neighbouring cultures; both Egyptians and foreigners crossed the deserts and seas exchanging goods gathered from across the known world. They shared knowledge and technology, and sometimes settled abroad, marrying and acculturating. Through such interactions, the Egyptians influenced other cultures, and at the same time were themselves shaped by foreign contacts and external events.War & Trade with the Pharaohs explores Egypt's connections with the wider world over the course of 3,000 years, introducing readers to ancient diplomacy, travel, trade, warfare, domination, and immigration - both Egyptians living abroad and foreigners living in Egypt. It covers military campaigns and trade in periods of strength - including such important events as the Battle of Qadesh under Ramesses II and Hatshepsut's trading mission to the mysterious land of Punt - and Egypt's foreign relations during times of political weakness, when foreign dynasties ruled parts of the country. From early interactions with traders on desolate desert tracks, to sunken Mediterranean trading vessels, the Nubian Kingdom of Kerma, Nile fortresses, the Sea Peoples, and Persian satraps, there is always a rich story to tell behind Egypt's foreign relations.
£16.99
Red Wheel/Weiser Evidence of the Gods: A Visual Tour of Alien
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£16.19
Little, Brown Book Group A Brief History of the Mediterranean
Book SynopsisA wonderfully concise and readable, yet comprehensive, history of the Mediterranean Sea, the perfect companion for any visitor -- or indeed, anyone compelled to stay at home.''The grand object of travelling is to see the shores of the Mediterranean.''Samuel Johnson, 1776The Mediterranean has always been a leading stage for world history; it is also visited each year by tens of millions of tourists, both local and international. Jeremy Black provides an account in which the experience of travel is foremost: travel for tourism, for trade, for war, for migration, for culture, or, as so often, for a variety of reasons. Travellers have always had a variety of goals and situations, from rulers to slaves, merchants to pirates, and Black covers them all, from Phoenicians travelling for trade to the modern tourist sailing for pleasure and cruising in great comfort.Throughout the book the emphasis is on the sea, on coastal regions and on port cities vTrade ReviewPraise for Jeremy Black's The Holocaust'A demanding but important work.'Praise for Jeremy Black's Insurgency and Counterinsurgency: A Global History'A significant and timely contribution to understanding the new meaning of war.' - Choice
£8.24
Pen & Sword Books Ltd The Battle of Pharsalus (48 BC): Caesar, Pompey
Book SynopsisIn August 48 BC, following the earlier battle at Dyrrhachium, the two greatest Roman commanders of their generation met in battle again at Pharsalus in Greece. Julius Caesar, conqueror of Gaul, had been defeated at Dyrrhachium and forced to retreat but now stood at bay to face Pompey the Great, conqueror of the East. At stake lay the future of the ailing Roman Republic, each man believing he alone had the solution to restoring Republican government. Gareth Sampson examines the campaigns which led up to the battle as well as the role played by the various regional powers who got drawn into the Roman Civil War. The Battle of Pharsalus itself is analysed in detail to determine the strengths and weakness of both armies and their various commanders, as well as the organization, equipment and tactics of the forces involved in the battle which culminated in a decisive victory for Caesar. The author concludes with consideration of the aftermath of the battle, which saw Pompey murdered in Egypt and Caesar distracted by the affairs of the East.
£17.00
Cambridge University Press Reading Homer
Book SynopsisHomer's Iliad is the acknowledged masterpiece of Greek literature. Reading Homer makes it accessible to students who have only recently begun learning the language. It builds on their existing knowledge and enables them to appreciate the poem in its context.Table of ContentsList of illustrations; Preface; List of abbreviations; Notes for the reader; Introduction: A. Homer and the Iliad; B. The story of the Iliad; C. Reading Homer; D. Homer's language; E. Metre; Select bibliography; Iliad Book 16; Iliad Book 18; Vocabulary; Grammar index.
£19.99
Flame Tree Publishing Hannibal of Carthage
Book SynopsisWith a new introduction, comes the story of Hannibal, often regarded as a successor to the mantle of Alexander the Great, at a time when Carthage, in North Africa, and Rome were rivals for land and power across the Mediterranean sea. A masterful tactician, a resourceful planner and courageous general, Hannibal famously crossed the Alps with a vast army of 100,000 soldiers and their elephants to make his mark on history, winning a series of battles across the Roman territories, holding much of Italy for over 15 years without ever quite overthrowing the Roman Republic. FLAME TREE 451: From myth to mystery, the supernatural to horror, fantasy and science fiction, Flame Tree 451 offers a healthy diet of werewolves and mechanical men, blood-lusty vampires, dastardly villains, mad scientists, secret worlds, lost civilizations and escapist fantasies. Discover a storehouse of tales gathered specifically for the reader of the fantastic.
£6.99
Princeton University Press Strabos Geography
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£49.50
