But he desperately wants to become a Roman citizen.He calls upon his Greek slave Ikaros of Apollonius. Ikaros was once a soldier, nobleman and engineer, but, after his country was invaded by the Romans, he was forced into a life of servitude. Known for his mind-reading abilities, Ikaros is believed by some to have magical powers.Londinium is in need of a method to raise the water for the Imperial Baths. So Scorteus calls upon Ikaros’ talents to design such a structure. If this project is accepted, Scorteus will finance the project for Londinium in the hope of winning citizenship. And once he becomes a Roman citizen, Scorteus promises to make Ikaros a free man.But, things do not go as planned… A member of the Scorteus household is discovered murdered. Everyone believes that it must be the work of a servant. Under a vicious Roman law Senatus Consultum Silanianum, if any slave killed the master, then every slave in the house was put to death, meaning hundreds of innocent people.Ikaros is sure no-one in the household is to blame. With his mind-reading powers, it is suggested that he may be able to solve the murder.With the support of Morganus, First Javelin of the Twentieth Legion and his men, Ikaros sets out to solve the mystery. And when further blood is shed their investigations take them to other parts of Roman Britain in an attempt to find the truth ...Will Ikaros unmask the culprit before innocent blood is shed?Death in Londinium is a gripping historical mystery set in Roman Britain.Praise for John Drake’s Fletcher series "Swashbuckling adventure on the high seas doesn't get much better than this. […] John Drake writes beautifully, and you'll be torn between savoring the words and quickly flipping the pages. Any favorable comparison to Stevenson or Patrick O'Brian is totally justified." – Nelson DeMille, #1 New York Times bestselling authorJohn Drake trained as a biochemist to post-doctorate research level before realizing he was no good at science. His working career was in the television department of ICI until 1999 when he became a full-time writer. John's hobby is muzzle-loading shooting, and his interests are British history and British politics (as a spectator), plus newspapers, TV news, and current affairs. He is married with a son and two grandchildren. Endeavour Press is the UK's leading independent digital publisher. For more information on our titles please sign up to our newsletter at www.endeavourpress.com. Each week you will receive updates on free and discounted ebooks. Follow us on Twitter: @EndeavourPress and on Facebook via http://on.fb.me/1HweQV7. We are always interested in hearing from our readers. Endeavour Press believes that the future is now.

    In addition to fieldwork and traditional methods, paleoanthropologists and archaeologists now draw upon genetics and other cutting-edge scientific techniques. In fifty chapters, Prehistoric Investigations tells the story of the many thought-provoking discoveries that have transformed our understanding of the distant past.

    To his only child, Julia, he brings an unlikely companion—Selene, the daughter of the conquered Egyptian queen and her lover.Under the watchful eye of Augustus’s wife, Livia, Selene struggles to accept her new home among her parents’ enemies. Bound together by kinship and spilled blood, these three women—Livia, Selene, and Julia—navigate the dangerous world of Rome’s ruling elite, their every move a political strategy, their most intimate decisions in the emperor’s hands.Always suppressing their own desires for the good of Rome, each must fulfill her role. For astute Livia, this means unwavering fidelity to her all-powerful husband; for sensual Julia, surrender to an arranged marriage and denial of her craving for love and the pleasures of the flesh; for orphaned Selene, choosing between loyalty to her family’s killers and her wish for revenge.Can they survive Rome’s deadly intrigues, or will they be swept away by the perilous currents of the world’s most powerful empire?

    Photographs and diagrams point out specific details and typical examples to help the curious Spotter ‘ get their eye in’ and understand what they’ re looking at, or looking for. Specially commissioned illustrations bring to life the processes that shaped the landscape (from medieval ploughing to Roman road building).  Stand-alone capsules explore interesting aspects of history (like the Highland Clearances or the coming of Christianity), and text boxes provide definitions of jargon or handy references as required (like a glossary of what different field names mean).   Each chapter culminates in a checklist of key details to look for, other things it might be, and gives details of where to find some of the best examples in Britain.

    But the MacVie brothers are not hell bent on riches. They became highwaymen to fight against the tyranny of King Edward of England. In the aftermath of the Berwick massacre, Lady Isabella Redesdale is risking it all, journeying north into war-torn Scotland to be with her sister. But when her carriage is attacked by a band of villains, another gang descends to steal her away. Although they come from different worlds, Jack and Isabella are more alike than they first realize. They both crave freedom from war and despair, but in a world where kings reign and birth dictates one’s station, freedom is not won, it is stolen.

    Along the way, the author, a practicing shaman himself, tells of spontaneous medical diagnoses, all-night shamanic ceremonies, and miraculous healings, all welling from a rich culture in which divination, soul-retrieval, and spirit depossession are a part of everyday life.   Shamanism, described in the 1950s by Mircea Eliade as "archaic techniques of ecstasy," is alive and well in Mongolia as a means of accessing "nonordinary realities" and the spirit world. After centuries of suppression by Buddhist and then Communist political powers, it is exploding in popularity in Mongolia. Turner gives compelling accounts of healings and rituals he witnesses among Darkhad, Buryat, and Khalkh shamans, and goes on to provide us with his insights into a universal shamanism, principles that lie at the heart of shamanic traditions worldwide. This astounding, inspiring book will appeal to shamans and shamanic therapists, students of Mongolian culture and comparative religion, and fans of off-grid travel memoirs.

     Rome is a city of myth and legend. The Eternal City, the city of the seven hills, the sacred city, the caput mundi, the center of the world, Roma, Rome, by any of her many names is a city built of history and blood, marble and water, war and conquest. Inside you will read about... ✓ Legendary Beginnings ✓ The Senate and the People ✓ Ave Caesar ✓ Empire ✓ Rulers of the World ✓ The Fall ✓ Legacy From legendary beginnings, a city rose from the swamp surrounded by the seven hills and split by the Tiber River. Built and rebuilt, a sacred republic and a divine empire, blessed by a thousand gods and by One, the story of her rise and fall has been told and retold for a thousand years and is still relevant in today’s world, as echoes of her ancient glory have shaped our culture, laws, lifestyle and beliefs in subtle and pervasive ways.

    Set in the 3rd century CE, The Medicus Codex is a sweeping tale told from the perspective of a physician, a medicus, from that of unwelcome transplant from Galilee to the Roman Emperor's personal physician. The human conflict reaches a crescendo, underscoring timeless struggles rooted in power, money, sex and survival. Next in the series will be Stein's equally epic novel Caligula and I (Balcony 7, 2017), and Master of the Mint (Balcony 7, 2018). Cy Stein s mastery of ancient Rome is evident on multiple layers, from geography to coinage, from ancient medicine to historical truths, as well as in his realistic descriptions of personality, everyday life and human struggle. Roma comes to life in all its fantastic and disturbing glory, with angles rarely explored let alone expounded upon in such eloquent detail, fraught with peril and eerily reminiscent of Western civilization today. With great attention to historical accuracy, especially for those in positions of power, The Medicus Codex offers rich enlightenment in a unique and timeless saga. "

    M. Cornford explains why the life and work of Socrates stand out as marking a turning-point in the history of thought. He shows how Socrates revolutionized the concept of philosophy, converting it from the study of Nature to the study of the human soul, the meaning of right and wrong, and the ends for which we ought to live.This is, in fact, the story of the whole creative period of Greek philosophy—the Ionian science of Nature before Socrates, Socrates himself, and his chief followers, Plato and his pupil Aristotle. It tells of the different contributions each made, and shows how within three centuries the Greek tradition grew to maturity and the fullness of intellectual power.‘Refreshing and stimulating...it is not only a masterly piece of condensation, nor only a delightful introduction to further reading; it is more, and it claims the attention of every serious student of the subject.’—Journal of Hellenic Studies‘It can be confidently recommended to those who wish for a competent statement in a short compass of what the Greek philosophers believed and why.’—C. E. M. JOAD in New Statesman‘Provides a clear insight into the development of Greek philosophy and a brilliant commentary on the Greek mind and its attitude to life. The first chapter forms one of the most attractive introductions to philosophy that it is possible to find.’—The Times Literary Supplement

     This book is perfect for today's Westerner, who understands the basic principles of Christianity, yet wants to expand their knowledge into more galaxial realms. Outwitting Tomorrow is inspired writing - a timely, practical prescription for survival and growth through the cataclysmic events aligning for this planet, as prophesied of old. The author's mastery becomes apparent due to the complete absence of authoritarian rules. Instead, he focuses on how to expand one's perspective in an intuitive, positive, life-affirming, self-loving way.

    This volume contains twelve essays—five translated from Italian, three translated from French, and four in their original English—that answer the questions about the history and possible future of women deacons. Essays by: Yves Congar, OP  Philippe Delhaye Peter Hünermann Valerie A. Karras Corrado Marucci, SJ Pietro Sorci, OFM Jennifer H. Stiefel Cipriano Vagaggini, OSB Cam Phyllis Zagano Ugo Zanetti, OSB

    Popular attitudes during classical antiquity saw these readings as signs from the gods while modern scholars have treated such beliefs as primitive superstitions. In this book, Peter Struck reveals instead that such phenomena provoked an entirely different accounting from the ancient philosophers. These philosophers produced subtle studies into what was an odd but observable fact--that humans could sometimes have uncanny insights--and their work signifies an early chapter in the cognitive history of intuition.Examining the writings of Plato, Aristotle, the Stoics, and the Neoplatonists, Struck demonstrates that they all observed how, setting aside the charlatans and swindlers, some people had premonitions defying the typical bounds of rationality. Given the wide differences among these ancient thinkers, Struck notes that they converged on seeing this surplus insight as an artifact of human nature, projections produced under specific conditions by our physiology. For the philosophers, such unexplained insights invited a speculative search for an alternative and more naturalistic system of cognition.Recovering a lost piece of an ancient tradition, Divination and Human Nature illustrates how philosophers of the classical era interpreted the phenomena of divination as a practice closer to intuition and instinct than magic.

    

    Senator Titus Carinna, who helped him succeed to the throne, knows the inexperienced young ruler needs a companion he can trust. It's a pity the Senator's older son, Caligula's closest friend, committed suicide after being charged with treason. But that still leaves Marcus, his second son. Headstrong and hot-tempered, Marcus would rather prove his courage by leading legions against Rome's enemies. Yet when his father calls him home from the frontier, he has no choice but to befriend Caligula -- the man he blames for not saving his brother. Caught in a web of deceit, conspiracy, and betrayal reaching from Palatine mansions to the city's grimy, teeming streets, he will uncover a dark secret that threatens his family, the woman he desires, even his life... and may bring chaos to the young Roman Empire. PRAISE FROM REVIEWERS: "A complete page turner.... I found myself reading until two or three in the morning sometimes, unable to put it down" -- Historical Fiction Obsession "An epic story... filled with historical accuracy and vivid portraits of the brutality and duplicity of Roman life" -- Bill Bushnell, Central Maine Newspapers "A story that captivates and enthralls.... Marcus is an amazing character, passionate, intelligent and fascinating" -- Book Lovers Paradise "Right up there with some of my favorite authors in the same genre like Kate Quinn and Ben Kane. I loved it!" -- Bookfever "What a treat! The details, the historical setting, the characters.... Can't wait for the next one in the series" -- Beth's Book Blog

    In itself it is a meditation. You can enjoy and benefit without any special prior knowledge. There are insights into astrology but the main focus is enlightening the consciousness and providing a rebalancing of the energies represented by the planets. This will happen automatically as one reads through the mantras and their commentaries. There are 108 names expressed as mantras for each of the nine planets used in Vedic Astrology. These mantras activate the positive values of the planet throughout the Zodiac. For the first time ever, the mantras are listed with translation and commentary. Even if you only read the commentaries, you will get some of the benefit. If the planet is weak or afflicted, then this acts as a remedy. If it already strong, this helps to enliven its full potential. Easy techniques are also given that will allow you to find out which of the mantras will especially enliven your personal chart and, hence, have the greatest benefit for you. There is also a bonus section at the end which, for the first time, explains the sequence and lengths of the famous Vimshottari Dasha and gives new insights into how to interpret them. This system of prediction is so remarkable that even Western Astrologers often use it.

    Mohism faded away in the imperial era, leaving the impression that it was not as vital as other Chinese philosophical traditions, yet a complete understanding of Confucianism or Daoism is impossible without appreciating the seminal contribution of Mohist thought.The Philosophy of the M�zi is an extensive study of Mohism, situating the movement's rise and decline within Chinese history. The book also emphasizes Mohism's relevance to modern systems of thought. Mohism anticipated Western utilitarianism by more than two thousand years. Its political theory is the earliest to outline a just war doctrine and locate the origins of government in a state of nature. Its epistemology, logic, and psychology provide compelling alternatives to contemporary Western mentalism. More than a straightforward account of Mohist principles and practice, this volume immerses readers in the Mohist mindset and clarifies its underpinning of Chinese philosophical discourse.

    Yet they still capture the imagination today, through a wave of successful action films, novels and documentaries. The mass-media popularity of these famed warriors has, however, helped spawn a number of misconceptions about them. Drawing on classical literature, archaeology and the latest data from physical, behavioral and medical science, this study of hoplite equipment, tactics and command seeks to separate modern myths from observable facts. The authors resolve some persistent controversies and advance new theories about the nature of ancient Greek warfare.

    The engagement ended the Second Punic War, waged from 218 until 201 BC. The armies were led by two of the most famous commanders of all time--the legendary Carthaginian general Hannibal, renowned for crossing the Alps with his army into Italy, and the Roman general Publius Cornelius Scipio, who along with his father was among the defeated at the battle of Cannae in 216 BC.Drawing upon years of research, author Mir Bahmanyar gives a detailed account of this closing battle, analyzing the tactics employed by each general and the forces they had at their disposal. Stunning, specially commissioned artwork brings to life the epic clash that saw Hannibal defeated and Rome claim its spot as the principal Mediterranean power.

    Although the former has been studied extensively, less has been written and understood about the naval forces of the Roman empire and, in particular, the regional navies which actively participated in most military operations and policed the seas and rivers of the Empire. Until the mid-third century, in a British context, this navy was the Classis Britannica—a strong fighting force in its own right. The composition, ship types, roles, tactics, and technology have never been studied at length. Here Elliot tells the story of this illustrious naval force in their metal-beaked galleys and their exploits defeating enemies of the Empire and keeping the peace around the British Isles.

    His stories of Fionn and the Old Grey Magician reclaim a world of heroic exploits and honour, of wizardry, and druidic mystery. These tales are more ancient and authentic than James MacPherson's 'Poems of Ossian'. They provide a vital missing link in the Fionn cycles of Scotland and of Ireland. In this groundbreaking volume Ossian is truly reclaimed by the oral tradition.

     Taking a no holds barred approach to many taboo subjects which have been instilled into us since time began, the author sheds a fascinating light on evidence that has long been hidden in a veil of secrecy. In this authentic, credible and intelligent book, the author proves that the Great Pyramids were not, in fact, built by the Egyptians; their antiquity is far older than we have been led to believe. He also proves that our true ancestors are the Annunaki (as depicted by the ancient Sumerians) and explains the scientific data which corroborates this theory. And he also explores the ‘true’ Apollo programme – which, he claims, is ‘the greatest story never told’. Join him on this incredible and ancient journey where he shows that we are the new kids on the block in a universe teeming with intelligent life. Delve into his lesser-known stories about Einstein, Wallace, Darwin, Hitler, Rutledge and Aldrin. Listen to his notion that the moon landing images were fake (and NASA’s attempts to hide the truth). But most of all, get ready to open your mind and question everything you thought you knew. Take a glimpse through the ‘Look Inside’ feature now and you’ll see precisely what we mean.

    The ancient Egyptians knew her as Aset and her name was written with the hieroglyph of a stylised throne, emphasising her association with royalty and kingship. She was the sister of the mysterious goddess Nephthys, mother to Horus, wife and sister to Osiris, known as a great magician and healer – and associated with events of cosmic significance. Throughout the millennia of her worship she held many roles, evidenced by the many temples, symbols and writings left behind by her devotees. As the popularity of her cult grew in importance and diversified over time the Greco-Roman Isis kept all her Egyptian powers and added more from the strong Greek influence in Egypt. She became a beneficial Goddess of nature, a Saviour and to many the sole Goddess. The author examines this and questions whether the Isis of the Old Kingdom of Egypt was the same Isis who became the All-Goddess of the Greco-Roman period. Her worship spread beyond Egypt before the Greek conquest as Egyptian diplomats, merchants and other travellers who spent time in Egypt spread her cult overseas. In this extensive work the author Lesley Jackson draws on two of the principal sources of information on Isis - the texts of the Ancient Egyptians and those of the Classical writers - to present the most complete presentation of her worship to date. Her beginnings, her birth, her place of origin, her names, her attributes, her iconography, her relationships, her symbols (including the ankh, tyet, sistrum and situla) and the development of her cult, are all carefully considered.

    The Codex compiles legal proclamations issued by Roman emperors from the second to the sixth centuries CE. Its influence on subsequent legal development in the medieval and early modern world has been almost incalculable. But the Codex has not, until now, been credibly translated into English. This translation, with a facing Latin and Greek text (from Paul Kruger's ninth edition of the Codex), is based on one made by Justice Fred H. Blume in the 1920s, but left unpublished for almost a century. It is accompanied by introductions explaining the background of the translation, a bibliography and glossary, and notes that help in understanding the text. Anyone with an interest in the Codex, whether an interested novice or a professional historian, will find ample assistance here.Published in 3 volumes.

    Diodorus of Sicily, a first century BC author, is the only one to have written a comprehensive history (the Βιβλιοθήκη ἱστορική (Bibliotheca Historica or Historical Library)) in which more than cursory attention is paid to Persia. The Bibliotheca Historica covers the entire period from Persia's prehistory until the arrival of the Parthians from the East and that of Roman power throughout Asia Minor and beyond from the West, some 750 odd years or more after Assyrian rule ended.Diodorus' contribution to our knowledge of Persian history is therefore of great value for the modern historian of the Ancient Near East and in this book Jan Stronk provides the first complete translation of Diodorus' account of the history of Persia. He also examines and evaluates both Diodorus' account and the sources he used to compose his work, taking into consideration the historical, political and archaeological factors that may have played a role in the transmission of the evidence he used to acquire the raw material underlying his Bibliotheca.

    Largely casting aside the anachronistic assumptions of late republican writers like Livy and Dionysius of Halicarnassus, it instead examines the general modes of behaviour evidenced in both the literature and the archaeology for the period and attempts to reconstruct, based on these characteristics, the basic form of Roman society and then to 're-map' that on to the extant tradition. It will be important for scholars and students studying many aspects of Roman history and warfare, but particularly the history of the regal and republican periods.

    Born over 2,600 years ago on the Greek island of Lesbos, and writing amorously of women and men alike, she is the namesake lesbian. What's left of her writing, and what we know of her, is fragmentary. Shrouded in mystery, she is nonetheless repeatedly translated and discussed - no, appropriated - by all. Sappho has most recently undergone a variety of treatments by agenda-driven scholars and so-called poet-translators with little or no knowledge of Greek. Classicist-translator Jeffrey Duban debunks the postmodernist scholarship by which Sappho is interpreted today and offers translations reflecting the charm and elegant simplicity of the originals. Duban provides a reader-friendly overview of Sappho's times and themes, exploring her eroticism and Greek homosexuality overall. He introduces us to Sappho's highly cultured island home, to its lyre-accompanied musical legends, and to the fabled beauty of Lesbian women. Not least, he emphasizes the proximity of Lesbos to Troy, making the translation and enjoyment of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey a further focus.More than anything else, argues Duban, it is free verse and its rampant legacy - and no two persons more than Walt Whitman and Ezra Pound - that bear responsibility for the ruin of today's classics in translation, to say nothing of poetry in the twentieth century. Beyond matters of reflection for classicists, Duban provides a far-ranging beginner's guide to classical literature, with forays into Spenser and Milton, and into the colonial impulse of Virgil, Spenser, and the West at large.

    Each of these games provides evidence of contact between Egypt and its neighbours. From pre-dynastic rule to Arab and Ottoman invasions, Egypt's past is visible on game boards.This volume starts by introducing the reader to board games as well as instruments of chance and goes on to trace the history and distribution of ancient Egyptian games, looking particularly at how they show contact with other cultures and civilizations. Game practices, which were also part of Egyptian rituals and divination, travelled throughout the eastern Mediterranean. This book explores the role of Egypt in accepting and disseminating games during its long history. Over the last few years, the extent and the modes of contact have become better understood through museum and archival research projects as well as surveys of archaeological sites in Egypt and its surrounding regions. The results allow new insight into ancient Egypt's international relations and the role of board games research in understanding its extent.Written by three authors known internationally for their expertise on this topic, this will be the first volume on Ancient Egyptian games of its kind and a much-needed contribution to the field of both Egyptology and board games studies.

    The polarity of her nature is reflected in her role as goddess of sexual love and war, and has made her difficult to characterise in modern scholarship. By exploring this complexity, Ishtar offers insight into Mesopotamian culture and thought, and elucidates a goddess who transcended the limits of gender, divinity and nature. It gives an accessible introduction to the Near Eastern pantheon, while also opening a pathway for comparison with the later Near Eastern and Mediterranean deities who followed her.