Ancient history Books

Book SynopsisInstant New York Times Bestseller  In this “gripping account of catastrophic defeat” (Barry Strauss), a New York Times–bestselling historian charts how and why some societies chose to utterly destroy their foes, and warns that similar wars of obliteration are possible in our time “In The End of Everything, Hanson tells compelling and harrowing stories of how civilizations perished. He helps us consider contemporary affairs in light of that history, think about the unthinkable, and recognize the urgency of trying to prevent our own demise.” — H. R. McMaster, author of Battlegrounds War can settle disputes, topple tyrants, and bend the trajectory of civilization—sometimes to the breaking point. From Troy to Hiroshima, moments when war has ended in utter annihilation have reverberated through the centuries, signaling the end of political systems, cultures, and

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Book SynopsisFeaturing decorative, religious, and utilitarian objects from the Geometric period to the Hellenistic Age, this is the ideal introduction to Greek sculpture Introducing eight centuries of Greek sculpture, this latest addition to The Met’s compelling and widely acclaimed How to Read series traces this artistic tradition from its early manifestations in the Geometric period (ca. 900–700 BCE) through the groundbreaking creativity of the Archaic and Classical periods to the dramatic achievements of the Hellenistic Age (323–31 BCE). The 40 works of art featured represent a broad range of objects and materials, both sacred and utilitarian, in metal, marble, gold, ivory, and terracotta. Sculptures of deities and architectural elements are joined by depictions of athletes, animals, and performers, as well as by funerary reliefs, perfume vases, and jewelry. The accompanying text both provides insight into Greek art as a whole and illuminates centuries of Greek life. Detailed commentaries on each work and an overview of major themes in Greek art offer a fascinating, object-focused introduction to one of the most influential cultures in Western civilization.Published by The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Distributed by Yale University Press

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Book SynopsisPresenting a quantum-holographic perspective on world history and human consciousness, Carl Calleman explains the quantum physics behind the Waves of the Mayan Calendar system and how these Waves allow us to understand the shifting eras on Earth as well as the possibilities of the future. He describes how, prior to the activation of the 6th Wave in 3115 BCE, our social systems were based on a unified cosmic order, but the hologram of this Wave shifted society to an all-consuming focus on Good and Evil, leading to the rise of patriarchal religious structures, slavery, and warfare. He explores how later Waves and their new holograms helped humanity survive the negative effects of the 6th Wave, such as the Industrial Revolution of the 7th Wave and the Digital Revolution of the 8th Wave. In 2011, the 9th Wave was activated, bringing with it an accelerated push for a more egalitarian world, a rising awareness of unity consciousness, and access to the full power of all Nine Waves of Creation.Trade Review“The Nine Waves of Creation presents a speculative cosmology supported by the recent discovery that galaxies in the universe are not located randomly but ordered in a way that radically challenges previous cosmological assumptions. If Calleman’s ideas--which are refreshingly wild but rationally argued--are even partially correct, today’s assumptions about the nature of evolution and the evolution of nature will need to be reconsidered.” * Dean Radin, Ph.D., chief scientist at the Institute of Noetic Sciences *Table of ContentsForeword by Barbara Hand Clow Acknowledgments 1 The Origin of the Universe Our Current World Situation The Birth of the Universe Emerging Problems with the Standard Model of the Big Bang Theory The Tree of Life Hypothesis for the Origin of the Universe The Cover-Up of the Existence of the Tree of Life The Origin of Yin and Yang The Fractal-Holographic Model of the Universe God 2 The Nine Waves of Creation Quantum Theory--Everything Is Waves Wave Interference and Holography The Universal Frequency Range The First Wave of Creation The Holy Number Nine The Mayan Calendar Waves The Nine Frequencies of Change The Interference of Sensory Information with the Creation Waves 3 Waves and Serpents Universal Evolution and Creation The Cosmic Wave Generator and the First Wave The Second Wave and Biological Evolution Sexual Polarity at Different Levels of the Universe The Third Wave and Erect Primates The Fourth Wave and the First Humans The Fifth Wave and Symbolic Expression The Sixth Wave and the Rational Mind Serpents in Ancient Cultures Interference Patterns between Waves 4 The Hologram of Good and Evil The Tree of Life in Ancient Representations The Destiny Chart of Humanity The Planetary Round of Light Polarity Shifts of the Mind Symbols of Duality The Sacred Geometry of the Sixth Wave Mind Transiting to Civilization The Origin of Dominance and Subjugation in the Hologram of Good and Evil What Is the Origin of Authoritarian Rule? 5 Ashur, Yahweh, the Church, and the Ultimate Transcendence of Duality Women and the Hologram of Good and Evil The Assyrian Tree of Life The Chaldean-Jewish-Christian Tradition The Garden of Eden Story in Genesis Yahweh The Rise of Religions The Monotheism of the Jews Monotheism in the Days and Nights of the Sixth Wave From Jesus to the Roman Catholic Church Toward a Multilevel Theology The One That Has Nothing Above It 6 The Seventh Wave The Human Predicament The Context of the Seventh Wave An Era of Novelty: Globalization An Era of Novelty: Atheism and Enlightenment An Era of Novelty: Science An Era of Novelty: Materialism and Industrialism An Era of Novelty: Equality The Global Economic Cycles of the Seventh Wave The Speedup of Time and the Craving for Novelty 7 Approaching Our Present Time The Eighth Wave and the Digital Revolution The Eighth Wave Hologram and Its Effects on the Brain Moore’s Law and Increasing Economic Inequality The Common Evolutionary Pattern of the Creation Waves The Rise of the Right/East Hemisphere The Return of Spirituality Up to the Ninth Wave October 28, 2011 A Change in Thinking about the Shift 8 The Deactivation of the Hologram of Good and Evil The New Stage for Life Moving into the Future The Declining Power of the West The Decline of the Nation-State The Movements from the East ISIL and the Violence in the Middle East The World Economy after the Shift Balancing the Hemispheres with the Eighth Wave 9 Manifesting the Destiny of Humanity through the Ninth Wave The Era of Fulfillment Ancient Concepts about the Current Shift Manifesting the Destiny of Humanity or Following Identically Repeated Cycles The Ego and Its Transcendence by the Ninth Wave Becoming an Embodiment of Unity Consciousness Practical Tools for Developing Resonance with the Ninth Wave Opening to the Divine The Purpose of the Universe Notes Bibliography Index About the Author

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Book SynopsisCompelling evidence that the events of Homer''s Iliad and Odyssey took place in the Baltic and not the Mediterranean• Reveals how a climate change forced the migration of a people and their myth to ancient Greece • Identifies the true geographic sites of Troy and Ithaca in the Baltic Sea and Calypso''s Isle in the North Atlantic OceanFor years scholars have debated the incongruities in Homer''s Iliad and Odyssey, given that his descriptions are at odds with the geography of the areas he purportedly describes. Inspired by Plutarch''s remark that Calypso''s Isle was only five days sailing from Britain, Felice Vinci convincingly argues that Homer''s epic tales originated not in the Mediterranean, but in the northern Baltic Sea. Using meticulous geographical analysis, Vinci shows that many Homeric places, such as Troy and Ithaca, can still be identified in the geographic landscape of the Baltic. He explains how the dense, foggy weather described by Ulysses befits northern not Mediterranean climes, and how battles lasting through the night would easily have been possible in the long days of the Baltic summer. Vinci''s meteorological analysis reveals how a decline of the "climatic optimum" caused the blond seafarers to migrate south to warmer climates, where they rebuilt their original world in the Mediterranean. Through many generations the memory of the heroic age and the feats performed by their ancestors in their lost homeland was preserved and handed down to the following ages, only later to be codified by Homer in the Iliad and the Odyssey.Felice Vinci offers a key to open many doors that allow us to consider the age-old question of the Indo-European diaspora and the origin of the Greek civilization from a new perspective.

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Book SynopsisOnce interred with mummified remains, nearly a thousand funerary portraits from Roman Egypt survive today in museums around the world, bringing viewers face-to-face with people who lived two thousand years ago. Until recently, few of these paintings had undergone in-depth study to determine by whom they were made and how. An international collaboration known as APPEAR (Ancient Panel Paintings: Examination, Analysis, and Research) was launched in 2013 to promote the study of these objects and to gather scientific and historical findings into a shared database. The first phase of the project, was marked with a two-day conference at the Getty Villa. Conservators, scientists, and curators presented new research on such topics as provenance and collecting, comparisons of works across institutions, and scientific studies of pigments, binders, and supports. The papers and posters from the conference are presented in this online publication, which offers the most up-to-date information available about these fascinating remnants of the ancient world.

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Book SynopsisIn Romans at War ground-breaking research is presented in an accessible, entertaining, and sumptuously illustrated format, including:• A new consideration of the nature of late Roman military leaders; the author argues they were effectively independent warlords.• Cutting edge research regarding the Severan campaigns to conquer Scotland in the early 3rd century AD.• A new analysis of the nature of late Roman troops, both mounted and foot.The Roman military machine was the pre-eminent in the ancient world, projecting power across the known world over a vast chronology, and an increasing huge and diverse geography. One of the most powerful instruments of war in the history of conflict, it proved uniquely adept at learning from setbacks, always coming back the stronger for it. In so doing it displayed two of the most important traits associated with the world of Rome. Firstly grit, that key ability to remain steadfast and to overcome adversity, even in the most challenging of circumstances, as faced for example by the Republic in the Second Punic War against Hannibal. Secondly, the ability to copy the successful technical and tactical innovations of their enemies, enabling the Roman military to always stay one step ahead of its opponents on campaign and in battle.In this grand tour covering every aspect of the Roman military, leading expert Dr Simon Elliott first provides a detailed background to the Roman Republic and Empire to provide context for all that follows. He then looks specifically at the Roman military in its three key chronological phases: the Republic, the Principate Empire and the Dominate Empire. Next he forensically examines specific examples of the Roman military on campaign and in battle, and of its engineering prowess. Finally, he examines the many enemies faced by the Roman Republic and Empire. This all provides a firm structure to enable the reader to come to grips with this incredible military machine, one whose exploits still resonate in the world to this very day.Trade ReviewThis book is an excellent starting point for someone who wants to learn about the Roman system of war. It is also a handy reference guide for those of us who have already delved deeply into the field. […] It is a pretty amazing feat. * A Wargamers Needful Things *Ground-breaking insights into the Roman military presented a sumptuously illustrated package – this will make a glorious gift for Roman history aficionados. * Love Reading *Table of ContentsContents Introduction Timeline of the Roman Empire Glossary Chapter 1. Republic and Empire Chapter 2. The Republican Military Chapter 3. The Principate Military Chapter 4. The Dominate Military Chapter 5. On Campaign and in Battle Chapter 6. Non-Conflict Roles of the Roman Military Chapter 7. Allies and Enemies Chapter 8. Conclusion Select Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisIn 3200 BC, Orkney Island off the coast of Northern Scotland was home to a small farming village called Skara Brae. For reasons unknown, after nearly six centuries of continuous habitation, the village was abandoned around 2600 BC and its stone structures covered over--perhaps deliberately, like the structures at Gobekli Tepe. Although now well-excavated, very little is known about the peaceful people who lived at Skara Brae or their origins. Who were they and where did they go? Drawing on his in-depth knowledge of the connections between the cosmology and linguistics of Egyptian, Dogon, Chinese, and Vedic traditions, Laird Scranton reveals the striking similarities between Skara Brae and the Dogon of Mali, who still practice the same cosmology and traditions they once shared with pre-dynastic Egypt. He shows how the earliest Skara Brae houses match the typical Dogon stone house as well as Schwaller de Lubicz’s intrepretation of the Egyptian Temple of Man at Luxor. He explains how megalithic stone sites near Skara Brae conform to Dogon cosmology, each representing sequential stages of creation as described by Dogon priests, and he details how the houses at Skara Brae also represent a concept of creation. Citing a linguistic phenomenon known as “ultraconserved words,” the author compares words of the Faroese language at Skara Brae, a language with no known origin, with important cosmological words from Dogon and ancient Egyptian traditions, finding obvious connections and similarities.Trade Review“Antiquarian scholar Laird Scranton has done it again. In his latest book, The Mystery of Skara Brae, he takes the reader to one of the most remote locations in the British Isles, then proceeds to lay out the heretofore unknown story of a well-organized yet mysterious culture that flourished off the western coast of Scotland, only to decamp forever around 2600 BCE. Who were the inhabitants of Skara Brae, and what connection did they have with the peoples who went on to create ancient Egypt? What knowledge did they share with the ancient African tribe the Dogon? Where did they come from, and to where did they disappear? Scranton guides us through time and tradition in an account that both novices and scholars will embrace. . . . marvelous and highly educational. I would recommend it unhesitatingly to anyone interested in ancient mysteries.” * Peter Robbins, coauthor of Left at East Gate *“If you are interested in ancient mysteries, then you must read the writings of Laird Scranton. . . . The Mystery of Skara Brae is a welcome addition to his amazing library of work. Connections between ancient cultures that would not seem to be related at first glance have long fascinated me, and no one explores these connections better than Laird, both in his scholarship and level of detail. If you want to explore the evidence on the eerie similarities between ancient civilizations, get your copy of The Mystery of Skara Brae today.” * Jim Harold, host of The Paranormal Podcast *Table of ContentsIntroduction Some Thoughts on Comparative Cosmology 1 A Brief History of Skara Brae 2 Footholds to a Theory of Origin for Skara Brae 3 Reexamining Skara Brae in Overview 4 Comparing Skara Brae and Dogon Structures 5 Dogon, Egyptian, and Faroese Words of Cosmology 6 Cosmological Sites of the Orkney Region 7 The Dogon Field of Arou 8 The Field of Arou and the Elysian Fields 9 Further Correlations to Faroese Words 10 Argat: An Ancient Name for Orkney Island 11 Orkney Island as an Archaic Sanctuary 12 The Overthrown Boat 13 Reconsidering Possible Roles for Orkney Island 14 The Emergence of Dynastic Egypt 15 The Advent of the Egyptian Hieroglyphs 16 Correlating Regional Kingships at 3000 BCE 17 Seshat and the Egyptian House of Life 18 Views on the Papae and the Peti 19 Words of the Scottish-Gaelic Language 20 The Druids and Other Pieces of the Puzzle 21 The Hindu Parable of the Seven Houses 22 The Egyptian Tale of the “Seven Houses in the Other World” 23 Conclusions and Observations Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisDid the ancient Greeks and Romans have conspiracy theories? How did they prove their identity? And how much of the modern gold supply comes from the Romans?In a series of short and humorous essays, Insane Emperors, Sunken Cities, and Earthquake Machines features more answers to questions that ancient historian Garrett Ryan is frequently asked in the classroom, in online forums, and on his popular YouTube channel Told in Stone. Unlike most books on the classical world, the focus is not on famous figures or events, but on the fascinating details of daily life. Learn the answers to:Did a tsunami inspire the Story of Atlantis?How did they send long-distance messages?What if Caesar had survived the Ides of March?How did the Romans build the aqueducts?Did they practice Buddhism?How deadly was the eruption that destroyed Pompeii?What if the Roman Empire hadn’t been ravaged by the Antonine Plague?Did they attend concerts?How did they pay taxes?Was Caligula actually insane?Did they have tattoos?

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Book SynopsisTales of the forty-eight classical constellations have captured the human imagination from ancient times to the present. Compiled from literature spanning from Homer to Claudius Ptolemy, with illustrations and star charts reconstructed from ancient sources, Ancient Skies immerses the reader in the world of ancient cosmology and constellation mapping.

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Book Synopsis#1 NEW RELEASE ON AMAZONThe Great Roman Empire was no stranger to rebellions, but who were the rebels behind these lost causes, and what fueled their brazen plights?Despite their many differences, the rebels of the Roman Empire had one thing in common: all were Romans, or onetime Roman allies, who attempted to overthrow Roman rule within the bounds of the Roman Empire. Many of these rebels succeeded in humbling Rome, for a time. But in the end, Rome always prevailed, occasionally through the ineptitude of the rebels, but more often through the skills of Roman generals who rose to the occasion after others had failed.Rome’s greatest rebels took on many forms—including royalty, enslaved people, foreigners serving in the Roman army, over-ambitious Roman governors, a handful of genuine freedom fighters—but all had the courage and audacity to oppose the greatest empire the world had known to that time. These are their stories . . .Trade Review“Boudicca, Spartacus, Arminius, and Simon Bar-Kochba join twenty lesser-known heroes in this fascinating compendium of people who, having tasted Roman life, spit it out and turned against it in revolt, threatening the empire itself. They failed, but they failed magnificently. An absorbing journey into the long history of Rome and the threats from within it faced to survive.” —Margaret George, New York Times bestselling author of The Confessions of a Young Nero and The Splendor Before the Dark“Stephen Dando-Collins never fails to provide a thrilling and educational read.” —Cameron Reilly, co-host of The Life of Caesar podcast series“Reading Rebels Against Rome was a pleasure, much like reading a good novel . . . The book is enjoyable and we can highly recommend it for those interested in the events of the late Roman Empire, a fascinating subject of great importance to the Western World that reverberates through time to this day. Enjoy.” —Major Dan, History & Headlines“An enthralling read! In his selection of two dozen extensively researched case studies, Dando-Collins dissects rebellions that regularly changed the course of Roman history. In his writings he reveals the symptoms of revolution and charts the fates of charismatic freedom fighters, power hungry bureaucrats, and brilliant generals. He also reveals the brutality used to maintain this power. His words make these individuals real to the reader, beyond simple historical facts. In doing so, Dando-Collins provides brilliant insight into the way the Roman Empire dealt with the cancer of internal revolt.” —Dr. Terry J. Hannan, author of Heard Healed Helped: The Healing Power of Storytelling

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Book SynopsisFrom antiquity, when the Great Pyramid was revered as a wonder of the ancient world, to the Cleopatra of Shakespeare’s stage, and from the medieval Arab scholars who sought hieroglyphs’ mystical wisdom, to the biblical stories still told today, Visions of Ancient Egypt explores how ongoing engagement with ancient Egypt has shaped centuries of art and design. Accompanying a ground-breaking exhibition, it unpicks the constructed fantasies of this ancient civilisation and charts how ancient Egypt’s iconic motifs and visual style have been re-imagined over time – revealing not just an enduring artistic fascination with Egypt, but a story of how Egypt’s own heritage has been reinvented and appropriated by different cultures over time, and a history closely entwined with imperial conquest and colonial politics.Beautifully illustrated throughout and with contributions by leading scholars, this book explores the imagined construction of ancient Egypt promoted through painting, sculpture, photography, architecture and film, as well as design, fashion and jewellery. It traces the journey across time, beginning with the ancient Romans who looted Egyptian monuments and adopted Egyptian gods into their Pantheon; to Napoleon Bonaparte’s invasion of Egypt, and the elite taste for all things Egyptian it prompted; as well as the Victorian creation of an Orientalist fantasy popularised at World Fairs. Presented in a nuanced way, the story is not Eurocentric. For the first time, it also places Egypt’s own story firmly into the narrative, exploring for example Egyptian artists’ responses to nationalist calls for independence spurred by the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922, while also addressing the popular impact of the ‘Tutmania’ craze in the West and its influence on Art Deco. The book also examines the enduring appeal of ancient Egypt in global contemporary art, across media from painting and sculpture, to film and multimedia installations. Artists both within and beyond Egypt continue to look to its ancient imagery to make statements about heritage, identity and race.The book invites readers to debate and to discuss this complex history of the construction of ancient Egypt in art and design, and to ask who these visions serve – both then and now.

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Think that Ancient Egypt is just a load of old obelisks?Don't bet your afterlife on it.Ancient Egypt should be deader than most of our yesterdays. After all it was at its height 5,000 years ago. Yet we still marvel at its mummies and ponder over its pyramids. It's easy to forget these people once lived and laughed, loved and breathed ... though not for very long.These were dangerous days for princes and peasants alike. In Ancient Egypt - a world of wars and woes, poverty and plagues - life was short. Forty was a good age to reach. A pharaoh who was eaten by a hippo ended up as dead as a ditch-digger stung by a scorpion. Unwrap the bandages and you'll find that the Egyptians' bizarre adventures in life were every bit as fascinating as the monuments they left to their deaths.

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Book SynopsisWidely revered as the father of Western literature, Homer was the author of the Iliad and the Odyssey, the epic poems which immortalised such names as Achilles, Cyclops, Menelaus, and Helen of Troy. In this vivid introduction, Elton Barker and Joel Christensen celebrate the complexity, innovation, and sheer excitement of Homer’s two great works. Investigating the controversy surrounding the man behind the myths, they ask who Homer was and whether he even existed. Making parallels between Homeric hexameter and rap, and between his battle scenes and The Lord of the Rings, the authors highlight how his hugely influential epics deal with ageless questions that still confront us today. Perfect for new readers of the great poet and full of insights that will delight Homeric experts, this book will inspire you to discover – or rediscover – his masterpieces first-hand.Trade Review"A really good introduction to the Iliad and Odyssey, wearing its learning lightly and conveying a sense of both the delights and the profundity of the Homeric poems." Christopher Pelling, Regius Professor of Greek, University of Oxford, UK "Provides readers with exactly what they need to know in order to read the epics with the greatest comprehension and enjoyment." Erwin Cook, T. F. Murchison Distinguished Professor of the Humanities, Trinity University, USA "Interesting, thoughtful, and well written. The book covers an admirably wide range of issues with clarity and assurance." Barbara Graziosi, Professor of Classics, Durham University, UK "A smart book and a stylish piece of writing." Bruce Heiden, Professor of Classics, The Ohio State University, USA "Barker and Christensen have written the best introduction I know to the Homeric poems. They explain the main themes, scenes, and characters in clear, jargon-free language that is a pleasure to read, whether for those new to Homer or advanced students." Pura Nieto, Senior Lecturer in Classics, Brown University, USA "Barker and Christensen make fantastic guides to understanding the master of story telling - an enjoyable and compelling read that is sure to get people hooked on Homer." Assistant Professor of Classics, University of Warwick, UK'Lively and wide-ranging... pulls readers right into the vast impace of Homer on our own world. Anyone needing to justify the reading and study of Homer should read this.' * Classical Journal *

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Book SynopsisIn AD 66 a local disturbance in Caesarea caused by Greeks sacrificing birds in front of a local synagogue exploded into a pan-Jewish revolt against their Roman overlords. Gaining momentum, the rebels successfully occupied Jerusalem and drove off an attack by the Roman legate of Syria, Cestus Gallius, who was defeated at the battle of Beth Horon. The emperor Nero dispatched the Roman general Vespasian along with reinforcements and, having crushed the revolt in Galilee he became embroiled in the events of the Year of the Four Emperors that would lead to his assumption of the Imperial throne. His son Titus was left to carry on the war which culminated in the dramatic siege of Jerusalem in AD 70. Remorselessly, the legions strangled the life out of the defense street by street, leaving nothing but rubble and ashes in their wake. The apotheosis of the conflict was the final stand of the last holdouts in the Temple precinct itself, and the utter annihilation of this, the physical manifestation of Judaism itself. The last remnants held out in the mountain fortress of Masada until AD 73 when with the Romans breaking down the walls the defenders committed mass suicide bringing the revolt to an end.Table of ContentsOrigins of the campaign /Chronology /Opposing commanders /Opposing fleets /Orders of battle /Opposing plans /The campaign /Aftermath /Further reading /Index

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Book SynopsisThe outcome of a brutal war, which took place 1,885 years ago, continues to reverberate in the Near East today. It is a tale largely unknown outside Israel, and yet it helps explain why the region continues to be engulfed by strife. "As a historian I learned about the Bar Kokhba War, but the explanations for why and how it happened seemed confused," said historian and author Lindsay Powell. "As with King Arthur, fact and myth have become muddled. To establish the truth, I travelled across three continents. BAR KOKHBA: The Jew Who Defied Hadrian and Challenged the Might of Rome is the result." This amazing and consequential story involves an epic struggle between the two strong-willed leaders over who would rule a nation. One protagonist was Hadrian, the cosmopolitan ruler of the vast Roman Empire, then at its zenith, who some regarded as divine. He is best known today for the famous wall he built in northern Britain. The other was Shim'on, a Jewish military leader in a district of a minor province; some believed him to be the 'King Messiah' after sage Rabbi Akiba allegedly saw him fulfilling biblical prophecy and named him 'Bar Kokhba' ('Son of a Star'). It is also the tale of the clash of two ancient cultures. One was the conqueror, seeking to maintain control of its hard-won dominion they called Judaea; the other was the conquered, seeking to break free and establish a new nation. Shim'on called his new country Israel. Several causes for the war have been suggested, such as bans on circumcision or studying Torah which Powell evaluates in his book. Most likely it was the decision by Hadrian to rebuild then ruined Jerusalem as a pagan city for retired Roman soldiers. He called it Aelia Capitolina after his own family and the triad of Roman gods whose shrine may have been erected over the remains of the Second Temple. It may or may not have been Hadrian's intention, but the Jews took it as a direct insult. During the ensuing conflict - called the 'Second Jewish War' (AD 132-136) - the highly motivated Jewish militia sorely tested the highly trained - and normally invincible - professional Roman army. Powell said: "Amazingly, the Jewish rebels withstood the Roman onslaught for three-and-a-half years. They established an independent nation with its own administration led by Shim'on as its president (nasi). They minted their own coins by overstriking Roman coins with Jewish iconography, cheerfully obliterating the image of the emperor and pagan gods with every strike of the hammer." Found in caves in the Judaean Desert in the 1950s and 1960s, letters from Shim'on to his lieutenants survive revealing how deeply involved he was in day-to-day actions, and his increasing frustration with their laziness. For reasons Powell explains in his book, the Jews ultimately lost. In retribution, Hadrian expelled the Jews from Judea and barred them from entering Aelia Capitolina and its holy sites. He even changed the name of the Roman province to Syria Palaestina - the origin of Palestine. "The outcome of that David and Goliath contest was of great consequence, both for the people of Judaea and for Judaism itself," said Powell. "Centuries of bloodshed followed." In death, Bar Kokhba became a legend. Over the ages, this flawed rebel with a cause become a hero for the increasingly persecuted Jews in the Diaspora longing to found a new Jewish homeland. Across Europe in the early twentieth century, there were athletic teams competing in sports events under the moniker 'Bar Kochba' as part of a movement to create the image of the 'Muscular Jew'. The last games were held in Berlin in 1936, just two years before Kristallnacht. Eric H. Cline, Professor of Classical and Ancient Near Eastern Studies and Anthropology, George Washington University, writes in the foreword of the book: "There are a very limited number of people whose life, and death, still impact other centuries after they have shuffled off this mortal coil. There are fewer still who inspire entire movements, and migrations, such as the return to what is now modern Israel by the Zionists, after that same length of time." In the interwar years in Palestine, armed Jewish resistance groups championed Bar Kokhba as a figure of inspiration in their own struggle against the British and Palestinian Arabs to establish a new State of Israel; it finally came into being in 1948. Today modern Israelis still celebrate Bar Kokhba with bonfires and songs on the annual Lag B'Omer holiday. In researching his book, Powell went on a journey stretching from Hollywood to London, Jerusalem to Tel Aviv and Caesarea, and Herodium to Ein Gedi. He drew upon archaeology, art, coins, inscriptions, militaria, as well as secular and religious documents, to produce a compelling and complete account of the people and events at a crucial time in world history. Commenting on the new book, Cline said: "Let it be said that Powell's researches have resulted in an enthralling journey through history. It is a marvelous search for the man behind the myth, which is well worth reading. I hope that you enjoy it as much as I did."

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Book SynopsisIn ancient times, the first communities, societies and civilizations in the Iberian peninsula, according to archaeological evidence, began to develop following a progressive local evolution tempered by the significance of outside contacts. In order to reconstruct our history, resorting to ancient poets, we strive to distinguish reality from myth in the pursuit of a bond of certainty between the data provided by historical and literary sources and the excavated remains. Greek epics, based on the Illiad and the Odyssey, are the basis for the first speculations that link societies all along the Mediterranean coast, from east to west, with a common thread. However, how many times have we been told about mythical places, such as cities of great splendour and unique cultural progress? Did the land which Plato called Atlantis and Adolf Schulten linked to Tartessos truly exist? These answers may never be revealed (they are not at the forefront of research interests nowadays); for the time being, they are lost into a mythical and legendary world. Nonetheless, they remain alive over time. Spanish description: En tiempos lejanos, ahora sepultadas bajo la caída de los años, comienzan a formarse las primeras comunidades, sociedades y civilizaciones que se irán desarrollando en la Península Ibérica, por una progresiva evolución local, sin descuidar la atención de los contactos foráneos previa contrastación arqueológica. Refugiándonos en figuras creadas por los antiguos poetas, tratamos de discernir entre lo que comúnmente se ha denominado mito-leyenda y lo real, buscando un vínculo de certeza entre los datos que revelan las fuentes literario-históricas y los vestigios que se desentierran de nuestra primera historia, aquella que tratamos de reconstruir. La épica occidental apoyada en los relatos homéricos de la Ilíada y la Odisea, son la base de las primeras conjeturas que con un hilo, unen a las sociedades que conviven en el Mar Mediterráneo desde Oriente hasta Occidente. Pero ¿cuántas veces hemos oído contar relatos sobre míticas ciudades de gran esplendor e inigualable progreso cultural? ¿Existió aquella tierra denominada por Platón “Atlántida” y que fue asociada por Adolf Schulten a Tartessos? Estas respuestas quizá nunca lleguen a desvelarse (tampoco están en la vanguardia de los intereses de la investigación), por ahora sólo están inmersas en un mundo mítico y legendario, pero es cierto que se mantienen vivas, nostálgicas, con el paso del tiempo.Table of Contents1. Introducción.; 2. ¿Crecientes intercambios, contactos interregionales, formas de contacto?; 3. Una visión historiográfica del II milenio a. C. en el Sur de la Península Ibérica.; 4. El proceso de análisis de los yacimientos prehistóricos de Llanete de los Moros (Montoro, Córdoba) y Fontanar de Cábanos (Córdoba).; 5. Metodología y tipología para el estudio del material cerámico.; 6. El yacimiento protohistórico El Llanete de los Moros (Montoro, Córdoba).; 7. El yacimiento protohistórico El Fontanar de Cábanos (Córdoba).; 8. Contactos e influencias provenientes de Oriente.; 9. Conclusiones.; 10. Bibliografía.; 11. Catálogo.; 12. Lista de figuras, cuadros, mapas, tablas, gráficos y muestras.

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Book SynopsisThe Classic Maya (AD 250-900) of central and southern Yucatan were long seen as exceptional in many ways. We now know that they did not invent Mesoamerican writing or calendars, that they were just as warlike as other ancient peoples, that many innovations in art and architecture attributed to them had diverse origins, and that their celebrated “collapse” is not what it seems. One exceptionalist claim stubbornly persists: the Maya were canny tropical ecologists who managed their fragile tropical environments in ways that supported extremely large and dense populations and still guaranteed resilience and sustainability. Archaeologists commonly assert that Maya populations far exceeded those of other ancient civilizations in the Old and New Worlds. The great center of Tikal, Guatemala, has been central to our conceptions of Maya demography since the 1960s. Re-evaluation of Tikal’s original settlement data and its implications, supplemented by much new research there and elsewhere, allows a more modest and realistic demographic evaluation. The peak Classic population probably was on the order of 1,000,000 people. This population scale helps resolve debates about how the Maya made a living, the nature of their sociopolitical systems, how they created an impressive built environment, and places them in plausible comparative context with what we know about other ancient complex societies.Table of ContentsIntroduction; A Short History of Maya Demographic Estimates and their Implications; Comparative Demographic Estimates for Other Civilizations; University of Pennsylvania Tikal Project Population Estimates; The “Managed Forest” Model for the Lowland Maya: Implications for Tikal; Biases and Limitations of the Tikal Research and some Comparisons with Copan; How Many Maya Lived in the Central and Southern Lowlands during Late and Terminal Classic Times? ; Discussion and Conclusions; Appendix A: Population Density Calculations; Appendix B: The Big Stuff; Appendix C: Agricultural Intensification; Appendix D: Maya Food Shortfalls and Their Consequences; Appendix E: Agrarian Capital, Land Tenure, Inheritance, Entitlements, and Agency; Appendix F: Classic Maya Political Organization and Institutions; Appendix G: Malthus, Boserup, and the Maya References cited

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Book SynopsisThe first volume of the series EMMS, 'Études Mésopotamiennes – Mesopotamian Studies' presents a collection of articles, communications and preliminary reports representing the advancement, in recent years, of human sciences - archaeological, historical, philological and cultural researches –concerning ancient Mesopotamia area studies. It contains the first results of some excavation and survey programs carried out by different European teams namely in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, developed since the reopening of this large territory to international research after the long pause due to war. The volume includes also studies, debates, reflections preparing and illustrating the new trends of the research launched now in Mesopotamia. Marked by the continuity of the scientific traditions, they show the changes induced by the evolution of mentalities and by new methods, techniques and instruments of work. The proceedings of an international congress held in Paris in 2013, show also the orientation of Iraqi archaeologists’ researches, and their perceptions of the new, possible collaboration starting now in the region. In the same spirit, to allow a better circulation and sharing of their contents, the texts are accompanied by large summaries translated into Arabic and Kurdish.Table of ContentsAvant-propos – by Le comité éditorial / The editorial board; A- Publication du Colloque Archéologie et Histoire des empires : modèles, projets et travaux en cours en Mésopotamie du Nord. Nouveaux programmes au Kurdistan d’Irak; Présentation et programme du Colloque international – by Maria Grazia Masetti-Rouault; New Perspectives in Archaeology in Iraqi Kurdistan – by Abubakir O. Zainadin (Mala Awat); Heritage conservation and traditional houses: problems and solutions – by Nader Babakr Mohammed; Welcoming Archaeological Projects in Iraqi Kurdistan: The Kurdish Point of View – by Gouhar Shemdin; Sulaymaniyah Museum and its History – by Hashim Hama Abdullah; Rethinking Assyrian History: New Archaeological Research at Qasr Shemamok, Iraqi Kurdistan (2011-2013) – by Maria Grazia Masetti-Rouault; Quelques réflexions autour des fouilles à Kilizu, aujourd’hui Qasr Shemamok (Erbil, Kurdistan d’Iraq) : ville et territoire – by Pedro Azara, Joan Borrell, Marc Marín et Eric Rusiñol; The Ancient History of the City of Erbil ab urbe condita to the coming of Alexander – by John MacGinnis; An Ubaid Kiln at Tell Nader (Kurdistan Region in Iraq) – by Konstantinos Kopanias; Rapport préliminaire sur la première campagne de fouilles à Kunara (Mission Archéologique du Peramagron 2012) niveaux fin Bronze Ancien, début Bronze Moyen. – by Christine Kepinski; Prospection dans la haute vallée du Tanjaro (Mission archéologique du Peramagron 2011) – by Aline Tenu; Les voies de communication dans le pays assyrien l’exemple de la plaine sud d’Erbil (Kurdistan irakien) – by Lionel Marti et Christophe Nicolle; La cité sainte de Muṣaṣir dans les sources écrites – by Mirjo Salvini; Les décors des croix portatives de Bazyan – by Narmen Ali Muhamad Amen et Alain Desreumaux; Une inscription hébraïque médiévale découverte dans le Bet Garmaï (Kurdistan d’Irak) – by Alain J. Desreumaux; Tell Feres, a failed pathway towards urbanism in Northern Mesopotamia – by Régis Vallet; B- Varia; Étude numismatique de deux Fals nohasi atabékides de Tell Kilik Mishik, à Erbil – by Narmen Ali Muhamad Amen; Urbilum/Erbil and the Northern Frontier of the Ur III State – by Piotr Michalowski; The Hinterland of the Arbīl City: A Survey of Tell Baxçan, Iraqi Kurdistan – by Karel Nováček, Stefano Valentini, Petr Šída and Narmen Ali Muhamad Amen; Qasr Shemamok-Kilizu (Kurdistan d’Irak), les campagnes de 2011 (9 avril-15 mai et 16 octobre-5 novembre) – by Olivier Rouault, Maria Grazia Masetti-Rouault, Ilaria Calini, John MacGinnis, Jason Ur et Quentin Vitale; The Archaeological Character of an Imperial Frontier: Assyrian Control Policy in the Hula Valley – by Yifat Thareani; Compte-rendu de Konstantinos Kopanias and John MacGinnis (eds) 2016, The Archaeology of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and Adjacent Regions – by Catherine Breniquet

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Book SynopsisIn this compelling tour of the classical world, Peter Jones reveals how it is the power, scope and fascination of their ideas that makes the Ancient Greeks and Romans so important and influential today. For over 2,000 years these ideas have gripped Western imagination and been instrumental in the way we think about the world. Covering everything from philosophy, history and architecture to language and grammar, Jones uncovers their astonishing intellectual, political and literary achievements.First published twenty years ago, this fully updated and revised edition is a must-read for anyone who wishes to know more about the classics - and where they came from.Trade ReviewWell-argued and engaging * Mary Beard, TLS *If this book doesn't encourage a rebirth in interest in the Classics, nothing will. * Contemporary Review *Fascinating... It is learned but an easy read, a rare combination. * Christopher Howse, Daily Telegraph on Memento Mori *An often amusing, always illuminating, guide which offers an intriguing vantage point at which to examine Roman life. * All About History on Memento Mori *Table of Contents0: Introduction 1: Classical Connections: 700 bc to ad 500 2: The Survival of Ancient Literature 3: Excavating the Past: Ephesus and the Temple of Artemis 4: Democracy's Brief Day 5: Men on Women 6: Emperor and Empire 7: The City of Lepcis Magna 8: The English Vocabulary 9: The Language of Grammar 10: Stoics and Epicureans 11: Breaking the Ancient Stranglehold

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Book SynopsisNow available in paperback, Egyptomania takes us on a historical journey to unearth the Egypt of the imagination, a land of strange gods, mysterious magic, secret knowledge, monumental pyramids, enigmatic sphinxes and immense wealth. Egypt has always exerted a powerful attraction on the Western mind, and an array of figures have been drawn to the idea of Egypt. Even the practical-minded Napoleon dreamed of Egyptian glory and helped open the antique land to explorers. Ronald H. Fritze goes beyond art and architecture to reveal Egyptomania's impact on religion, philosophy, historical study, literature, travel, science and popular culture. All those who remain captivated by the ongoing phenomenon of Egyptomania will revel in the mysteries uncovered in this book.Trade Review'A broader interpretation of the subject, going back to the Greek historian Herodotus and forward to Cecil B. DeMille and Tutankhamen . . . Fritze reminds us that what fascinated later artists and their public was not what Egyptologists considered important. Largely self-nourishing, Egyptomania was often detached from its original sources, and the stream of dime novels and films about mummies and their curses have, according to scholars, more to do with Western guilt over imperialism than with the supernatural. Even the artifacts exhumed from Tutankhamens tomb with great fanfare beginning in 1922 did not, in fact, add much to our knowledge of ancient Egypt, although they were responsible for the museum world’s first blockbuster traveling exhibition . . . Document[s] an enduring fascination with its subject, based, as the author points out, on the fact that it is both comfortably familiar and intriguingly exotic.' - The New York Times, 'The richness, distinction and diversity of ancient Egyptian culture has fired imaginations for millennia. Here, historian Ronald Fritze examines Egyptomania in detail and through time. As Herodotus and other classical scholars extolled Giza’s pyramids and the great lighthouse at Alexandria, Egyptian cults and esoteric tracts seeped into Greece and Rome to later fascinate and befuddle medieval and Renaissance scholars. The cracking of hieroglyphs, discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb, and mummymania from the nineteenth century onwards ensured that the craze persists almost unabated today.' - Nature, 'Ronald H. Fritze proves himself an expert guide on this journey through the history of our fascination with Ancient Egypt in all its forms ranging from the serious study of Egyptology to its more bizarre manifestations in popular culture . . . an entertaining, enlightening work.' - Minerva magazine, 'Fritze has used this amazingly fertile field to produce a well-researched and comprehensive history of enthusiasm for all things Egyptological, from ancient times right up to the twenty-first century, spanning the whole spectrum. It is a remarkable achievement and makes for a fascinating read . . . there is a rich mine of factual material here which could repay detailed study.' - Ancient Egypt Magazine, 'Fritze surveys the bewildering variety of Egyptian rites dreamed up by the Rosicrucians, Freemasons and Theosophists, and takes us on an entertaining tour of fringe and alternative history set in the Land of the Nile.' - Fortean Times, 'The particular craze that’s the focus of veteran historian Ronald Fritzes new book Egyptomania is one of the oldest intellectual fads in the history of mankind: the fixation with ancient Egypt that’s been felt by the rest of the world for so long that it actually started when ancient Egypt wasn’t even ancient . . . Fritze’s narrative is dense with historical detail and frequently sparkles with wit. Anyone who has ever felt the touch of Egyptomania . . . will find plenty in these pages to feed their curiosity.' - Open Letters Monthly, 'It’s an enormous subject, and Fritze works his way through it all with a thoroughness no other account has ever quite matched . . . Delves into how the realities of Egyptology have been reimagined or misinterpreted as sources of hermeticism, portals to another reality, or tokens to confer knowledge and respectability . . . Fritze’s entertaining and enlightening work does well in separating ancient Egypt’s actual legacy from the pseudo-history of occultists and assorted charlatans.' - Publishers Weekly, 'From Medieval Christians and Muslims to Napoleon, a detailed but readable account of how Ancient Egypt has been a focus of fascination throughout history, capturing our imagination through its strange gods, murky magic, secret knowledge, immense wealth and mystifying mummies.' - The Bookseller, 'a fascinating read for any who are interested in Egyptian culture.' - Decatur Daily, 'Ron Fritze has an enviable ability to dig deep into the worlds of popular history. Well written, his new book, which goes right up to date, is wide-ranging, both chronologically and thematically. Fritze covers the pyramids, archaeology, film, popular fiction and a wide range of concerns and forms. Deserves wide attention.' - Jeremy Black, author of Contesting History.Table of ContentsIntroduction Part One: Egyptomania through the Ages One: The Real Egypt Two: Ancient Egyptomania: Hebrews, Pharaohs and Plagues Three: Classical Egyptomania: The Greeks and Romans Four: Medieval Egyptomania: From St. Augustine to the Renaissance Five: Egyptomania from the Renaissance to the Enlightenment Six: Napoleon’s Expedition to Egypt and the Birth of Modern Egyptomania Seven: Nineteenth-century Egyptomania to the Discovery of Tut Eight: The Rise of Mass Egyptomania: Tutankhamun, Tutmania and the Curse of the Mummy Part Two: Varieties of Modern Egyptomania Nine: Occult Egyptomania Ten: Egyptomania on the Fringe of History Eleven: African American Egyptomania Twelve: Egyptomania and Fiction Postscript References Select Bibliography Acknowledgements Photo Acknowledgements Index

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Book SynopsisIn this rich and surprising book, Frances F. Berdan casts fresh light on the enigmatic ancient Aztecs. She casts her net wide, covering topics as diverse as ethnicity, empire-building, palace life, etiquette, origin myths and human sacrifice. While often described as ‘stone age’, the Aztecs’ achievements were remarkable. They constructed lofty temples and produced fine arts in precious stones, gold and shimmering feathers. They crafted beautiful poetry and studied the sciences. They had schools and libraries, entrepreneurs and money, and a bewildering array of deities and dramatic ceremonies. Based on the latest research and lavishly illustrated, this book reveals the Aztecs to be a civilization of sophistication and finesse.Trade Review"In Mexico, the Aztecs are far from lost, argues archaeologist and anthropologist Berdan. . . . Most of this knowledgeable and accessible introduction to the Aztecs—the fruit of a lifetime’s study—is concerned with matters such as food and drink, textiles and dress, pottery and art objects, dwellings and architecture, the social divisions of society, trade and the economy, religion and mythology, and, inevitably, the notorious Aztec penchant for human sacrifice. This latter custom was integral to Aztec myths and ceremonies. 'Humans were burdened with a debt to their gods for their very existence,' and they believed they must repay it with their blood, and sometimes with their lives." * Science *“The Aztecs is wonderfully informative and insightful, totally up to date, and draws together a large body of evidence about Aztec society and culture, from codices to ethnohistory and archaeology. Written by a leading Aztec scholar who has spent decades producing pivotal and groundbreaking research, this book is a delight—accessible yet intellectually challenging, and full of stimulating information and captivating detail.” -- Elizabeth Baquedano, Senior Honorary Lecturer at the Institute of Archaeology, University College London

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Book SynopsisNubia, the often overlooked southern neighbour of Egypt, has been home to groups of vibrant and adaptive peoples for millennia. This book explores the Nubians’ religious, social, economic and cultural histories, from their nomadic origins during the Stone Ages to their rise to power during the Napatan and Meroitic periods, and it concludes with the recent struggles for diplomacy in North Sudan. Situated among the ancient superpowers of Egypt, Aksum and the Graeco-Roman world, Nubia’s connections with these cultures shaped the country’s history through colonialism and cultural entanglement. Sarah M. Schellinger presents the Nubians through their archaeological and textual remains, reminding readers that they were a rich and dynamic civilization in their own right.

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Book SynopsisCompared to modern standard, the Roman army of the imperial era was surprisingly small. However, when assessed in terms of their various tasks, they by far outstrip modern armies – acting not only as an armed power of the state in external and internal conflicts, but also carrying out functions which nowadays are performed by police, local government, customs and tax authorities, as well as constructing roads, ships, and buildings.With this opulent volume, Thomas Fischer presents a comprehensive and unique exploration of the Roman military of the imperial era. With over 600 illustrations, the costumes, weapons and equipment of the Roman army are explored in detail using archaeological finds dating from the late Republic to Late Antiquity, and from all over the Roman Empire. The buildings and fortifications associated with the Roman army are also discussed. By comparing conflicts, border security, weaponry and artefacts, the development of the army through time is traced.This work is intended for experts as well as to readers with a general interest in Roman history. It is also a treasure-trove for re-enactment groups, as it puts many common perceptions of the weaponry, equipment and dress of the Roman army to the test.Trade ReviewThe range of material covered in this work is remarkable, making this book a useful resource for students looking deeper into the material culture of the Roman army, including dress, equipment, and infrastructure. Fischer’s book provides a strong notion of the development over time of military equipment and infrastructure. All readers will find the tools of this book—illustrations and end matter—especially useful. This book is a great starting point for learning about the hierarchy and structure, the equipment used, buildings and infrastructure, and other material culture of the Roman military. It can serve as a reference work that sums up the archaeological and historical evidence. * H-Net Reviews *In this work, Thomas Fischer gives an excellent overview of the buildings and equipment of the Roman military from the Republic to Late Antiquity, completed by the excellent contributions of the co-authors. All authors involved are proven experts, which is all too clear in the contributions. Numerous illustrations and the presentation of numerous finds, some of which have not yet been published, complete the book. This is certainly a standard work on the Roman military and can only be warmly recommended to anyone who is interested. * Bonner Jahrbücher *Table of ContentsTranslator’s Preface Acknowledgements Introduction The state of research The iconographic sources On armament, equipment, and the buildings Basic information on the history and structure of the Roman army Notes to introduction Part I Iconographic sources for the Roman military by Dietrich Boschung 1. Introduction 2. Republican representations 3. The Early Empire: Augustus to Domitian 4. Representations from the middle imperial period 5. Representations from the Tetrarchic period 6. Representations from Late Antiquity Notes to Part I Part II General remarks on the Roman army 1. Introduction 2. A history of research 3. Armament and equipment 4. Find contexts of Roman weapons and equipment parts 5. Legionary or auxiliary equipment? 6. Rank insignia 7. On the reconstruction of Roman fighting methods 8. Comments on the re-enactment scene 9. Forgeries Notes to Part II Part III Costumes, weapons, and equipment of the army from original archaeological finds 1. Infantry 2. Cavalry 3. Artillery 4. Standards and instruments for signalling 5. Awards and decorations 6. Pioneer tools, tents, field pack Notes to Part III Part IV The buildings of the Roman army 1. Introduction 2. Roman camps and forts 3. The most important types of camps and forts 4. Late Roman fortifications 5. Military infrastructure 6. Limites and ripae Notes to Part IV Part V The development periods of Roman military history 1. Introduction 2. Republic 3. The early Imperial period from Augustus to Nero 4. The middle Imperial period from Vespasian to Trajan 5. The middle Imperial period from Hadrian to Septimius Severus 6. The middle Imperial period from Caracalla to the reforms of Diocletian 7. Late Antiquity Notes to Part V Part VI The Roman navy 1. Arming and equipping the marines 2. Bases of the Roman fleets in the Imperial period by Thomas Schmidts 3. Roman warships by Ronald Bockius Notes to Part VI End matter 375 Bibliography Abbreviations Illustration credits Index Persons and peoples Places Subjects

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Book SynopsisBritannia Romana: Roman Inscriptions and Roman Britain is based on the author’s 40 years’ experience of the epigraphy of Roman Britain. It collects 487 inscriptions (mostly on stone, but also on metal, wood, tile and ceramic), the majority from Britain but many from other Roman provinces and Italy, so as to illustrate the history and character of Roman Britain (AD 43–410). Each inscription is presented in the original (in Latin, except for eight in Greek), followed by a translation and informal commentary; they are linked by the narrative which they illustrate, and more than half (236) are accompanied by photographs. All Latin terms in the narrative and commentary are translated and explained. The author demonstrates his unrivalled ability to read and understand Roman inscriptions and their importance as a source of historical knowledge. They are treated by chronology or theme in 14 chapters. The first eight take the narrative from Claudius’ invasion (AD 43) to the death of the last emperor to attempt the conquest of Britain, Septimius Severus (AD 211). The next four cover the general themes of soldier and civilian, economy and society, government, religion. The last two continue the narrative to the death of the last emperor to rule Roman Britain, Constantine III (AD 411).Trade ReviewThis book is a joy, learned, insightful and witty. His [Roger Tomlin’s] contributions have ever been amongst the most erudite, informative and readable contributions to that journal. Now Tomlin has drawn on his deep knowledge of the Roman inscriptions from Britain, and also Roman inscriptions relating to Britain from elsewhere in the empire, to offer us a personal panorama of life and death in the province. * Northern History *

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Book SynopsisTextile production and the manufacture of clothing was one of the most essential daily activities in prehistory. Textiles were significant objects of practical use, and at the same time had cultural, social and symbolic meaning, crucial for displaying the identity, gender, social rank and status, or wealth of their users. However, evidence of ancient clothing is scarce due to unfavourable preservation of organic materials. Only occasionally are prehistoric textiles and associated implements preserved, mainly as a result of exceptional environmental conditions, such as waterlogged contexts like bogs, or in very dry or cold climates. In other cases textiles are sporadically mineralised, carbonised or preserved by metal corrosion. Textiles and leather can also be visible as imprints on clay.The beginning of textile manufacture is still vague, but can be traced back to the upper Palaeolithic. Important developments in textile technology, e.g. weaving, spinning with a spindle, introduction of wool, appeared in Europe and the Mediterranean throughout the Neolithic, Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age. This book is devoted to the early textile production in Europe and the Mediterranean and aims to collect and investigate the combined evidence of textile and leather remains, tools, workplaces and textile iconography.The chapters discuss the recent achievements in the research of ancient textiles and textile production, textile techniques such as spinning, fabric and skin manufacture, use of textile tools and experimental textile archaeology. The volume explores important cultural and social aspects of textile production, and its development.Trade ReviewThis is an important, well-illustrated and well-edited publication that I highly recommend to anyone interested in prehistory and ancient protohistory. * Revue de l’Archéologie du Vêtement et du Costume *Table of ContentsList of contributors Preface 1. Introduction Małgorzata Siennicka, Lorenz Rahmstorf and Agata Ulanowska 2. Early loom types in ancient societies Eva Andersson Strand 3. Discussing flax domestication in Europe using biometric measurements on recent and archaeological flax seeds – a pilot study Sabine Karg, Axel Diederichsen and Simon Jeppson 4. From adorned nudity to a dignitary’s wardrobe: symbolic raiment in the southern Levant 13 500 BC–3900 BC Janet Levy 5. The earliest cloth culture in Denmark Ulla Mannering 6. Loom weights and weaving at the archaeological site of São Pedro (Redondo, Portugal) Catarina Costeira and Rui Mataloto 7. Evidence of textile technology in the Early Neolithic site of La Draga (Banyoles, Spain). Some hypotheses Miriam de Diego, Raquel Piqué, Antoni Palomo, Xavier Terradas, Maria Saña, Ignacio Clemente and Millán Mozota 8. From east to west: the use of spinning bowls from the Chalcolithic period to the Iron Age María Irene Ruiz de Haro 9. From the loom to the forge. Elements of power at the end of Neolithic in western Europe: a focus on textile activities Fabienne Médard 10. Textile manufacture in the prehistoric pile dwellings of south-west Germany: planned investigation Johanna Banck-Burgess 11. Late Neolithic weaving tools from Melk-Spielberg in Austria: experiments with crescent-shaped weights Karina Grömer 12. Two sides of a whorl. Unspinning the meanings and functionality of Eneolithic textile tools Ana Grabundžija 13. Plant textiles in a grave mound of the Early Bronze Age in eastern Romania Neculai Bolohan and Ciprian-Cătălin Lazanu 14. Social contexts of textile production in Bulgaria during the Late Chalcolithic: from multimedia work-areas to material, social and cultural transformations Petya Hristova 15. Experimenting with loom weights. More observations on the functionality of Early Bronze Age textile tools from Greece Agata Ulanowska 16. Textile tools and manufacture in the Early Bronze Age Cyclades: evidence from Amorgos and Keros Giorgos Gavalas 17. Fibre crafts and social complexity: yarn production in the Aegean islands in the Early Bronze Age Sophia Vakirtzi 18. In search of ‘invisible’ textile tools and techniques of band weaving in the Bronze Age Aegean Agata Ulanowska 19. The Early Bronze Age textile implements from the Eskişehir region in inland north-western Anatolia Deniz Sarı 20. Investigating continuity and change in textile making at Arslantepe (Malatya, Turkey) during the 4th and 3rd millennia BC Romina Laurito

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Book SynopsisThis book shows how a military colony became a large, impressive and prosperous city. Legendary for its walls and port, it was able to play a basic role in the great strategy of ancient Rome between the Po and the Danube, spanning the centuries from its foundation (181 BC) to the fateful days of blood and violence of its fall (AD 452).Based on a study of ancient sources, contemporary literature and the latest archaeological research, and written in a fast-paced and accessible style, the book provides a portrait of Aquileia in a diachronic key, under various aspects; it sets the city in the complex societal and political system of the time, gives a thorough account of the great events of which it was a protagonist or victim and offers detailed portraits of key figures, whether famous or less well-known, and analyses of epic battles.Combining academic scholarship with storytelling, biographies of important personalities and stories of political intrigue, assassinations and full-scale warfare which narrate the evocative epic of the rise, decline and disappearance of ancient cities, the volume highlights a significant topic in Roman political, social, economic, religious and military history, but one which has been inexplicably neglected in the Anglo-Saxon world until now.Trade ReviewThis book traces the history of the Roman city-fortress of Aquileia, the fulcrum of the defensive system of the eastern Alps, from its foundation in 181 BCE. to its fall in 452 CE. to Attila the Hun, based on a study of ancient sources, contemporary literature, and the latest archaeological research. It shows how what started as a military colony became a large, impressive, and prosperous city, legendary for its wall and its port on the Adriatic Sea, and able to play a fundamental role in the strategy of ancient Rome between the Po and the Danube. * New Testament Abstracts *Table of ContentsAbbreviations Preface Introduction: The background 1. The northernmost stronghold 2. Caesar's seat for Illyrian affairs 3. The capital of the Regio X-Venetia et Histria 4. A portrait of a Roman city in the Early Empire 5. In the whirlwind of the Marcomannic Wars 6. Aquileia’s War 7. The Great Constantinian Aquileia 8. A residence of emperors and an evangelizing Church 9. Aquileia in the sunset of the Empire 10. Aquileia's fall Appendix: The Roman expansion in northern Italy Chronology Contemporary references Further reading

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Book SynopsisThe Danubian provinces represent one of the largest macro-units within the Roman Empire, with a large and rich heritage of Roman material evidence. Although the notion itself is a modern 18th-century creation, this region represents a unique area, where the dominant, pre-Roman cultures (Celtic, Illyrian, Hellenistic, Thracian) are interconnected within the new administrative, economic and cultural units of Roman cities, provinces and extra-provincial networks. This book presents the material evidence of Roman religion in the Danubian provinces through a new, paradigmatic methodology, focusing not only on the traditional urban and provincial units of the Roman Empire, but on a new space taxonomy. Roman religion and its sacralised places are presented in macro-, meso- and micro-spaces of a dynamic empire, which shaped Roman religion in the 1st-3rd centuries AD and created a large number of religious glocalizations and appropriations in Raetia, Noricum, Pannonia Superior, Pannonia Inferior, Moesia Superior, Moesia Inferior and Dacia.Combining the methodological approaches of Roman provincial archaeology and religious studies, this work intends to provoke a dialogue between disciplines rarely used together in central-east Europe and beyond. The material evidence of Roman religion is interpreted here as a dynamic agent in religious communication, shaped by macro-spaces, extra-provincial routes, commercial networks, but also by the formation and constant dynamics of small group religions interconnected within this region through human and material mobilities. The book also presents for the first time a comprehensive list of sacralised spaces and divinities in the Danubian provinces.Trade ReviewThis book presents the material evidence of Roman religion in the seven Danubian provinces through a new methodology, focusing not only on the traditional urban and provincial units of the Roman empire, but on a new space taxonomy. * New Testament Abstracts *Table of ContentsList of illustrations Foreword 1. Introduction 2. Emerging Roman religion: the beginnings 3. Lived religion and its macro-spaces in the Danubian provinces 4. Space sacralisation in meso-spaces 5. Religious experience in micro-paces: housing the gods 6. Conclusions: beyond the materiality of Roman religious communication Annexes 1. Sanctuaries in the Danubian provinces 2. Divinities in the Danubian provinces 3. Diagrams Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisDress is at the core of dance. It adorns dancers, defines various roles and forms symbolic expressions that, for example, either bind people together or opposes them. It is a communicative tool that gives crucial information for understanding the dance as well as the culture and the sociological effects of a group of people. As such, dress transcends how it is seen visually to address what is being communicated. Nonetheless, studies in ancient dance have rarely taken clothing into consideration.This volume provides new perspectives and insights on ancient dances and their ancient textiles. Comprehension of ancient dance benefits from investigations undertaken through the lens of dress, and research on ancient dress is understood through its relation to body movement and performative rituals, thus reinforcing the progressive integration of an anthropological and sociological dimension into historical analysis of ancient textiles. For the first time, the two-way transfer of knowledge between dance studies and costume studies is connected via an innovative approach. Among the issues that are specifically addressed are the movement design of dress for dance, its sensory experience, gender and identity, re-enactment and reception.The chronological range of the book is focused on the ancient world (3rd-millennium BC to 5th-century AD), with a broad geographical definition in order to promote a comparative, interdisciplinary approach and cross-cultural dialogue.Table of ContentsIntroduction Audrey Gouy Practicalities 1. Practical Perspectives on Dance and Clothing Elizabeth J. W. Barber Movement and Design 2. Dancing in flames - fabulous designs from the desert sands. Reconstructing the east Central Asien skirts’ construction secret Ulrike Beck 3. The whirling dance of Baukis: reinterpreting our sources Elena Miramontes Seijas 4. Dance and Metatheatre in Menander’s Theophoroumene Evangelia Keramari Embodiment and Communication 5. The unhellenic attire of choruses as image of the ‘other’ in ancient Greek tragedy Leonidas Papadopoulos. 6. The Dress of the dancing Lares Alexandra Sofroniew 7. Dance and Clothing in Ancient Egypt ‒ the Earliest Evidence Heidi Köpp-Junk Cognition and Sensory Experience 8. Soft cloth and sounding jewellery – sound fields of rich women in Eastern Hallstatt Culture Karina Grömer and Beate Maria Pomberger 9. Flowing White Dresses for Dancing Initiates in the Mysteries of Eleusis Aikaterini-Iliana Rassia 10. Fashioning Sensescapes through Ancient Egyptian Dance Jordan Galczynski and Robyn Price Images and Metaphors 11. Dancing around the Goddess’ dress Angela Bellia 12. ‘Wearing’ tattoos in Ancient Egypt. Evidence from Middle Kingdom mummies and feminine figurines Vittoria Rapisarda Modern Reception 13. Egyptologist Dancers – Re-enacting ‘Ancient Egyptian’ Dances at the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Gerrit Berenike Heiter

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Book SynopsisMacedonia is a region that provides its own intriguing questions due to its position on the fringe of the classical Greek world. It is also an area that is of special interest to students of history and archaeology of Roman period Greece, since it was the first to be incorporated in the Roman state. Macedonia shared a similar path of development with Achaea during the imperial period. As provinces far from productive zones and frontiers, both played a minor role in the imperial administrative structure. Beneath this similarity, however, lie many differences: in Macedonia’s proximity to the Balkans, its early contact with Rome, its relatively low level of urbanization, its multicultural context and its sizeable economy, which played their own role in the formation of the urban and rural environments.With a focus on elements of the built environment and human habitat, this book examines old and new archaeological evidence to present a concise overview of the archaeology of the area and develop a better perception of the region in terms of archaeology of the built environment, architecture and architectural influences, urbanization and use of land and resources from the 2nd century BC to the early 4th century AD. Driven by a set of key questions that are addressed through the archaeological evidence, the book explores key issues in understanding the archaeology of the area, like the role of architectural tradition and innovation, the interdependency between practical bases of architecture and socio cultural aspects, the exploitation of local resources, and the role of external influences. Special importance is given to the interaction of Greek, Roman and local cultures and the ways that the formation of the built environment eventually led to the assimilation of ideas from East and West in terms of workmanship, use of materials, design and function.Trade Review[T]here is no other book, to my knowledge, that discusses Roman Macedonia in an overall manner… The author undoubtedly dedicated many working hours to gathering all the evidence for the built environment of the area, scattered mostly in Greek publications and thus difficult for the international public to access. Moreover, he offered useful and detailed remarks on the architecture of the region, and most importantly, having created the “big picture,” facilitated the comparison with other provinces. * American Journal of Archaeology *[T]here is much to like about this book. Evangelidis strings together the full spectrum of architectural features within a large “built environment,” and creates useful syntheses of new and ongoing archaeological work in northern Greece and elsewhere. * Bryn Mawr Classical Review *Table of ContentsList of illustrations Foreword Acknowledgments Introduction by D. Grigoropoulos Part I. Roman Macedonia: history, people, cities and resources 1. The historical framework: Roman Macedonia. From the revolt of Andriscus to the reign of Galerius 2. Land and Resources: Ownership and exploitation 3. Decline and continuity of settlements: urban and rural sites 4. Via Egnatia and the provincial road network Part II. Built Environment: the archaeological evidence 5. The archaeology of Built Environment. A short history of the archaeological research of Roman Macedonia 6. The transformation of old and the construction of new public spaces: Agoras and fora 7. Public and administrative Buildings 8. Buildings for commerce and industry 9. The architecture of ritual space: temples and sanctuaries 10. An architecture of entertainment: Theatres and spectacle buildings 11. An architecture of water: aqueducts, baths, latrines, fountains 12. An architecture of movement and passage: colonnaded streets and gates 13. Housing in urban and peri-urban contexts 14. An architecture of defence: the refortification of the cities 15. Deathscapes: Urban and rural burial grounds 16. Outside the cities: villas, farms and other types of rural sites Part III. Urban and rural environments in Roman Macedonia 17. Building methods – construction techniques 18. Urban Environments: The course of development 19. Rural Environments. Villas and beyond 20. Macedonia in a wider perspective: contrasts and comparisons Epilogue Bibliography

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Book SynopsisThe Archaeology of Roman Portugal contributes to the wider debate on Roman imperialism and expansionism, by bringing to the fore a much-underrepresented area of the Roman empire, at least in English-language scholarship: its westernmost edge in modern day Portugal. Highlighting the perspective from Roman Portugal contributes to our understanding of the Roman empire, through presenting both an extraordinary landscape in the sense of economic opportunities (ocean resources, marble and metal mining), and also settlement history. The volume presents new data and insights from both archaeology and ancient history, discussing their significance for our understanding of Roman expansion and imperialism.A key goal of the volume is to discuss how the Portuguese panorama compares to other areas of the Iberian peninsula, and to better integrate Portuguese scholarship in the academic debate on the Mediterranean Roman world, and to contextualise it firmly within the wider Iberian and Western Mediterranean. The volume brings together an internationally diverse team of scholars in archaeology and ancient history from Portugal, Spain, Germany, the UK, the US, the Netherlands, Belgium and Italy. It explicitly discusses different national and disciplinary research traditions and historical frameworks in order to assess the potential of integrating best practices in archaeological approaches and methodology.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements List of contributors Introduction Tesse D. Stek and André Carneiro I. Contested landscapes: between pre-Roman polities and early Roman encroachment 1. Exploring Rome’s early military deployment strategies in the north-east of the Iberian Peninsula Jordi Principal and Carles Padrós Gómez 2. Late Iron Age and early Roman conflict and interaction in southern Callaecia (north-west Iberia) João Fonte 3. Towers, territory, and the negotiation of a colonial landscape in the early Roman Central Alentejo Joey Williams, Rui Mataloto, and Karilyn Sheldon 4. The last frontier: Late Iron Age society, Roman conquest, and the Romanisation of the territory north of the River Duero Jesús García Sánchez II. Economic targets: integrating and energising resources 5. Upgrading town appearances: relating white marble exploitation and town development in Roman Lusitania Devi Taelman 6. Shifting landscapes: change and adaptation in the Lusitanian territory during the first globalisation André Carneiro 7. Adding complexity to a complex world: the role of tableware imports in Portugal during the 2nd and 1st centuries BC Vincenzo Soria III. Cities and hillforts: settlement organisation in the Roman west 8. Land-use and settlement patterns around Ercavica in Antiquity: initial findings Miguel Ángel Valero Tévar 9. Understanding the town-territory relationship: a case study from Lusitania Cristina Corsi 10. Why would we need a city? The dispersed civitates in Lusitania Pieter Houten 11. Roman rural life in the far west: the case study of the Serena Region (Badajoz, Spain) Victorino Mayoral Herrera, Martina Cecilia Parini, and Luis Sevillano Perea IV. Local religious and cultural identity 12. The role of cult places in shaping landscapes during the Roman expansion: an Iberian perspective on a Mediterranean process Ignasi Grau Mira 13. Men, women, children, animals: the votive statuary from the sanctuary of Endovellicus at São Miguel da Mota/Alandroal (Portugal) Thomas G. Schattner 14. Romanising the mountains? Exploring cultural change through archaeological spatial analysis in western Sierra Morena (Spain) Maria del Carmen Moreno Escobar 15. Oppida and public spaces: constructing identities in Late Iron Age and early Roman north-west Iberia Manuel Fernández-Götz and Marco V. García Quintela 16. Funerary practices and material culture: a ‘portrait from life’ in the fields of Lusitania Mónica Rolo

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Book SynopsisThe Roman world was diverse and complex. And so were religious understandings and practices as mirrored in the enormous variety presented by archaeological, iconographic, and epigraphic evidence. Conventional approaches principally focus on the political role of civic cults as a means of social cohesion, often considered to be instrumentalised by elites. But by doing so, religious diversity is frequently overlooked, marginalising ‘deviating’ cult activities that do not fit the Classical canon, as well as the multitude of funerary practices and other religious activities that were all part of everyday life.In the Roman Empire, a person’s religious experiences were shaped by many and sometimes seemingly incompatible cult practices, whereby the ‘civic’ and ‘imperial’ cults might have had the least impact of all. The authors rethink these methodologies, arguing for a more dynamic image of religion that takes into account the varied and often contradictory choices and actions of individual, which reflects the discrepant religious experiences in the Roman world. Is it possible to ‘poke into the mind’ of an individual in Roman times, whatever his/her status and ethnicity, and try to understand the individual’s diverse experiences in such a complex, interconnected empire, exploring the choices that were open to an individual? This also raises the question whether the concept of individuality is valid for Roman times. In some periods, the impact of individual actions can be more momentous: the very first adoption of Roman-style sculpture, cult practices or Latin theonyms for indigenous deities can set in motion long-term processes that will significantly influence people’s perceptions of local deities, their characteristics, and functions. Do individual choices and preferences prevail over collective identities in the Roman Empire compared to pre-Roman times? To examine these questions, this volume presents case studies that analyse individual actions in the religious sphere.Table of ContentsList of figures List of tables Contributors 1. Introduction: the dynamics of religious individualisation Ralph Haeussler, Anthony King, Francisco Marco Simón and Günther Schörner 2. Religious individualisation: a bottom-up approach to religious developments in the Roman world Ralph Haeussler 3. Discrepant behaviour: on magical activities in the Latin West Francisco Marco Simón 4. Individual religious choice: the case of the ‘mystery’ cults Jaime Alvar Ezquerra 5. Sons and mothers: the matres, the military and religious choice in Roman Britain Elizabeth Blanning 6. Pre-Roman deities along the north-eastern Adriatic: continuity, transformation, identification Marjeta Šašel Kos 7. Private devotions at temples in Central and Eastern Gaul Isabelle Fauduet 8. Tradition, diversity and improvisation in Romano-British cremation burials in south-east England Jake Weekes 9. Individual choices in burial ritual and cult activity in and around the Iron Age and Romano-British town of Baldock, Hertfordshire, UK Gilbert R. Burleigh 10. Religious individualisation in extremis: human remains from Romano-Celtic temples in Britain and Gaul Anthony King 11. Indigenous arae and stelae: symbolic landscapes and individualisation in north-west Roman Hispania Fernando Alonso Burgos 12. Indigenism and identity shaping: the case of the Irrico group in Central Spain Jesús Alberto Arenas-Esteban 13. The religious construction of ‘household’ in Roman Italy: the case of the Casa dei Vettii Günther Schörner 14. Types of Interpretatio and their users in the Keltiké: explicationes and translationes vs. identificationes and adaptationes Patrizia de Bernardo Stempel 15. Religious individualisation in an entangled world: how to pick and mix favourite deities in the Roman Keltiké Ralph Haeussler

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Book SynopsisThis book brings together an international team of scholars to re-evaluate Roman-period architecture outside Rome and the Italian Peninsula, looking at the regions that formed part of the Roman Empire over a broad time frame: from the 2nd century BCE to the 3rd century CE. Moving beyond traditional views of ‘Roman provincial architecture’, they highlight the multi-faceted features of these architectures, their function, impact and significance within the local cultures, and the dynamic discourse between periphery and centre.Architecture is intended in the broad sense of the term, encompassing the buildings’ technological components as well as their ornamental and epigraphic apparatuses. The geographic framework under examination is a broad one: along with well-documented areas of the ancient Mediterranean, attention is also paid to the territories of north-west Europe. The discussion throughout the volume focuses on three interrelated themes – models, agency, and reception. The broader scope of these essays gives a reinvigorated impetus to the scholarly debate on the role and influence of ancient architectures beyond the centre of Empire. The book has a strong interdisciplinary character, reflecting the authors’ diverse expertise in the fields of archaeology, architecture, ancient history, art and architectural history.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements List of figures List of abbreviations 1. Architectures of the Roman World: An introduction Niccolò Mugnai 2. …incorrupti imbribus, ventis, ignibus omnique caemento firmiores? Earthen building materials in the Roman West Ben Russell, Christopher Beckett, Tanja Romankiewicz, J. Riley Snyder and Rose Ferraby 3. Unusual terracotta tiles for the vaulting of Roman baths: An investigation into the exchange and diffusion of technical knowledge in the western Roman Empire Lynne C. Lancaster 4. From dry to mortared construction: Building at Nikopolis and Olympia between the first century BCE and the first century CE Paolo Vitti 5. Green shoots: Architectural transfer and sustainability in the architecture of the Roman provinces Edmund Thomas 6. Building cities on the Rhine and on the Danube: The socio-ecological diversity of Roman construction Dominik Maschek 7. Provincial-sized monumentality: The construction site of the Roman theatre of Augusta Raurica (Switzerland) Thomas Hufschmid 8. Building public baths outside Rome: The case study of Nora, Sardinia Caterina Previato 9. What have the Romans ever done for us? Early Roman Jerusalem as an urban centre between local tradition and Roman rule Orit Peleg-Barkat 10. Building and reshaping public spaces in North Africa in the early imperial period: The examples of Thugga, Lepcis Magna, and Cyrene Niccolò Mugnai 11.Responding to ‘Classical’ architecture in Roman-era Athens Christopher Siwicki 12. A matter of perspective: The reception of early imperial composite column capitals in Asia Minor Phil Stinson 13. Where do we live? Local stonescapes and globalized architecture in Cyrenaica and Cyprus Eleonora Gasparini 14. Architectures of the Roman World: Some conclusions Janet DeLaine

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Book SynopsisThis volume follows on from papers presented at the 13th International Cretan Congress in 2022 and covers the period from the 1st century BC to 4th5th centuries AD, with the articles in the volume set around the topic of upheavals and disruptions, and in particular those evidenced with the arrival of Rome, the creation of the Roman Province, along with those resulting from the dividing of the Roman Empire and the emergence of the Byzantine world. The volume is set against the background of the Roman conquest of Crete in 67 BC, which heralded the end of the power and control of the Greek city-states, which were themselves steeped in age-old traditions and governed by a variety of legal frameworks, some of which had their roots in Archaic times. The ensuing changes, when they arrived, took centuries to develop but resulted in the establishment of a Greco-Roman culture and society that was far removed from its Hellenistic predecessor. Roman Crete witnessed several significant periods of d

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Book Synopsis‘Cultural Interactions during the Zhou Period (c. 1000-350 BC): A study of networks from the Suizao corridor’ examines cultural interactions during the Zhou period of China (c. 1000- 350 BCE) between the Suizao corridor (near the present-day Yangtze River region) and its contemporaries within or outside the Zhou realm. It concentrates mainly, but not exclusively, on bronze ritual vessels from the Suizao corridor, and discusses the underlying social and political relations between the dominant cultures and the regional ones in this particular area (the Zeng state for example), which are central to understanding the ways in which the dominant cultures joined their disparate territories into a whole. Newly excavated archaeological evidence show that there were at least three periods when people in the corridor learned about the current traditions employed elsewhere, which are: 1) Yejiashan period (from the 11th to the 10th century BCE); 2) post-Ritual Reform period (from the mid-9th to the mid-7th century BCE); and 3) Marquis Yi’s period (from the mid- 6th to the mid-4th century BCE). In these periods, local people were involved in networks of enormous and constantly changing complexity, in which people, objects, practices, and ideas were mixed together through inter-regional contacts. The choices of local people in adopting foreign materials and ideas from either the dominant cultures or other places depended heavily on the subjective view of their social identity, which can be constructed, maintained, or transited to adapt to different social and political environments.Table of ContentsChapter One: Introduction; Chapter Two: Yejiashan Period; Chapter Three: Post-Ritual Reform Period; Chapter Four: Marquis Yi’s Period; Chapter Five: Conclusion; Bibliography

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Book SynopsisSidonius Apollinaris was an inhabitant of southern Roman Gaul in the mid fifth century AD, when it was threatened by invasions from beyond the boundaries of the Roman Empire and by competing warlords. His many poetic works include three panegyrics to emperors at the beginnings of their reigns; these are carefully translated and annotated, and provided with comment and synopses. His multiple shorter poems, in a variety of metres, are translated into good and lively English and given separate introductions and notes of various kinds, historical and literary. There is an extensive and informative introduction to the whole work.This book by Roger Green, a lifelong expert in Late Antiquity, gives a firsthand account of the political strife and manoeuvring of the times but also a vivid picture of the lives of Sidonius’s like-minded friends in an almost post-Roman episode of Rome’s existence. Sidonius was read widely in the Middle Ages, with a golden age in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries and also in the fifteenth century revival of Late Antique literature. Today his poetry will awaken new study and interest, without the archaism of many older translations and with a fresh and updated approach to many issues.

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Book SynopsisFertile Crossroads examines how, despite the lack of large-scale institutional support throughout the ancient world, small-scale leaders persisted in long-distance interactions and established the foundations for Iron Age polities.

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Book SynopsisIn this book, the late period of the Roman army begins with the accession of the Emperor Diocletian in AD 284 and ends with the culmination of the reign of Justinian I. This was a turbulent period during which the Roman state and its armed forces changed. Wonderfully illustrated with historical reenactments, Gabriele Esposito explores the organization, structure, equipment, weapons, combat history and tactics of Late Roman military forces.

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Book SynopsisBetween Roman Culture and Local Tradition presents a detailed analysis of the Roman provincial coinage of Bithynia and Pontus during the reign of Trajan (98-117), when 14 cities struck coins. The book characterises individual mints, the rhythm of monetary production, iconography and legends, and considers the attribution and dating of individual issues. Context is provided by studies on other categories of artefacts discovered in the local area, including epigraphic and material ones, such as fine art, sculptures and architectural remains. The extent of circulation is also analysed, as well as the coinage of the border centres of neighbouring provinces such as Thrace, Asia and Galatia-Cappadocia. Reference is made to historical sources, principally the correspondence of Pliny the Younger with the emperor, which can help to show the realities of life for the inhabitants of individual centres, including ongoing construction projects or local problems. Overall the book aims to reconstruct the coinage policy of individual cities and culture and religion in various centres during this period, as well as contacts and relationships among the local communities. In turn, the studies of individual cities allow for the creation of a general picture of coinage in the province.Table of ContentsPreface ; Introduction ; The Roman Empire and Bithynia and Pontus during the reign of Trajan ; Mints in the province of Bithynia and Pontus ; Chronology ; Metrology and denominations ; Iconography and legends of coins of Bithynia and Pontus during the reign of Trajan ; Coins without an ethnic with uncertain attributions ; Pseudo-autonomous coins of Bithynia and Pontus ; Production in the provincial centres ; Circulation ; The coinage of Bithynia and Pontus and issues of the neighbouring Roman provinces ; Summary ; Plates ; References ; Appendix 1: Legends on the coins of Bithynia and Pontus during the reign of Trajan ; Index of Mythological Characters ; Index of Names ; Topographical and Geographical Index

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Book SynopsisAdvances in UAE Archaeology details the results of new excavations conducted across the United Arab Emirates over the last few years. These excavations have revealed a wealth of new data on all periods of UAE archaeology from the Palaeolithic to the recent past. Some of these discoveries have filled in important gaps in our knowledge, while others have fundamentally revised what we thought we knew already. For example, the Marawah Island excavations have added a new facet to our understanding of the Neolithic period by revealing intriguing and hitherto unknown funerary rituals. Excavations in Al Ain in the emirate of Abu Dhabi continue to reveal extraordinary evidence of falaj irrigation, stretching back 3000 years. The ubiquity of this system across this oasis city further validates its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Of particular importance is the discovery of extensive remains from the Late Pre-Islamic period, a significant time in his

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Book SynopsisÉtudes Mésopotamiennes Mesopotamian Studies 4 fournit la première présentation complète de la céramique entière venant des niveaux liés à l'occupation d'époque néo-assyrienne de Tell Masaïkh, fouillé par une mission archéologique franco-syrienne entre 1996 et 2010. Situé dans la vallée du Moyen Euphrate syrien, dans une région-carrefour pour les rencontres, axe d'échange privilégié pour les communications et les commerces allant de l'Assyrie à la Méditerranée, et de l'Anatolie à la Babylonie, Tell Masaïkh correspond à l'ancienne ville de Kar-Assurna?irpal, fondée en rive gauche de l'Euphrate par Aššurna?irpal II au cours de ses conquêtes militaires, et devenue par la suite l'un des lieux de résidence du gouverneur assyrien Nergal-eresh. Mais au lieu de montrer l'imposition d'une culture matérielle conforme uniquement aux modèles de l'empire assyrien, la production céramique de Tell Masaïkh témoigne d'un horizon culturel ouvert, où traditions assyriennes, babyloniennes, kassites et levantines se mélangent et composent les unes avec les autres. À la lumière de données qui documentent la mémoire du patrimoine archéologique syrien dans une région dont l'histoire ancienne présente encore des zones d'ombres, ce livre ne propose pas seulement un catalogue de mobilier inédit, mais ancre l'étude de ce matériel dans une réflexion historienne de plus large portée sur les modes de présence du pouvoir assyrien dans un contexte régional spécifique.

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Book SynopsisThe extraordinary sixty-thousand-year history of how the Pacific islands were settled. 'Takes readers on a narrative odyssey' Wall Street Journal, Books of the Year 'Highlights a dizzying burst of new research' The Economist 'A refreshing addition to the canon of literature that contemplates Oceanic navigation' Noelle Kahanu 'I would not be surprised if, after reading this masterpiece, many readers are compelled to take up voyaging themselves' Science Magazine Thousands of islands, inhabited by a multitude of different peoples, are scattered across the vastness of the Pacific. The first European explorers to visit Oceania, from the sixteenth century on, were astounded and perplexed to find populations thriving so many miles from the nearest continents. Who were these people and where did they come from? In Voyagers, the distinguished anthropologist Nicholas Thomas charts the course of the seaborne migrations that populated the islands between Asia and the Americas. Drawing on the latest research, including insights gained from linguistics, archaeology, and the re-enactment of voyages, Thomas provides a dazzling account of these long-distance migrations, the sea-going technologies that enabled them, and the societies that they left in their wake.Trade ReviewWeaving together material culture and personal accounts of the author's own time in some of these islands, the book is an elucidating, accessible, and well-illustrated guide to the long history of Oceanic settlement and connections * Minerva Magazine *How and why did these explorers cross vast ocean distances to unseen landfalls?... Nicholas Thomas takes readers on a narrative odyssey to match their intrepid journeys' * Wall Street Journal, Books of the Year *Highlights a dizzying burst of new research that draws on advanced genetics, linguistics and, not least, a revival of voyaging itself by indigenous navigators * Economist *Thomas should be commended for his engaging writing style, which regularly had me looking forward to turning the page. I would not be surprised if, after reading this masterpiece, many readers are compelled to take up voyaging themselves * Science Magazine *Blending ethnohistory, archaeology, and linguistics, Thomas asks the big questions about a civilization that has seldom been recognized as such... Brings a welcome world-systems approach to Oceania, an understudied region' * Kirkus Reviews *With lucid explanations of modern advances in historical anthropology and evocative reflections on the author's own fascination with Oceania, this is an accessible introduction to an astounding chapter in human history * Publishers Weekly *Thomas successfully draws readers into this fascinating, often-overlooked history and offers plenty of resources for those looking to read more * Library Journal *Written in an engaging style, Thomas points to indigenous technologies and the reactivation of navigational knowledge which perfectly captures the vital and energetic relationship Pacific peoples enjoy today with the ocean that defines their lives -- Maia Nuku, Curator for Oceanic Art, Metropolitan Museum of ArtVoyagers will deeply engage and delight new readers of Pacific histories, while scholars will marvel at the author's elegant, concise chronicle -- Matt Matsuda, Rutgers UniversityThe peopling of the Pacific is one of humanity's greatest feats of imagination, ingenuity, and courage. Voyagers authoritatively recounts that achievement with both sympathy and wonder -- David Armitage, Harvard UniversityVoyagers is a refreshing addition to the canon of literature that contemplates Oceanic navigation... At once global yet intimate, shaped by Thomas's own Pacific journeys, and filled with wonderful images, historical and contemporary, that pay homage to Oceania's profound relationship with the sea -- Noelle Kahanu, University of Hawai'i

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Book SynopsisJourney through the Labyrinth to meet the Minoan deities of ancient Crete, who are still very much alive in the modern world

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Book SynopsisAudrey Cruse looks at the many different aspects of medicine and health in the Roman Empire, particularly Roman Britain.

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