Best of
Ancient-History

2012

Ancient Book of Enoch


Ken Johnson - 2012
    The Ancient Book of Enoch opens by addressing those in the Tribulation period. It contains numerous prophecies about the flood and fire judgments, and the two comings of the Messiah. It teaches that the Messiah is the Son of God and that He will shed His blood to redeem us and even predicts the generation that this would occur! The book of Enoch prophesies a window of time in which the Second Coming would occur and prophesies that there will be twenty-three Israeli Prime Ministers ruling in fifty-eight terms from AD 1948 to the beginning of the Tribulation period, and much more. Even though it prophecies that the Bible would be created and says we will be judged by our obedience to the Bible, it also makes it clear that this book is not to be added to the Canon of Scripture.The Ancient Book of Enoch recounts the history of the angels that fell in the days of Jared, Enoch’s father. It testifies to their marriages with human women and their genetic experiments. This commentary includes a previously unknown chapter from the Dead Sea Scrolls that actually explains how they did their genetic tampering. The commentary is from a fundamentalist Christian view, brought to you by Biblefacts Ministries, biblefacts.org.

Through the Eye of a Needle: Wealth, the Fall of Rome & the Making of Christianity in the West, 350-550 AD


Peter R.L. Brown - 2012
    Yet by the fall of Rome, the church was becoming rich beyond measure. Thru the Eye of a Needle is a sweeping intellectual & social history of the vexing problem of wealth in Christianity in the waning days of the Roman Empire, written by the world's foremost scholar of late antiquity. Brown examines the rise of the church thru the lens of money & the challenges it posed to an institution that espoused the virtue of poverty & called avarice the root of all evil. Drawing on the writings of major Christian thinkers such as Augustine, Ambrose & Jerome, Brown examines the controversies & changing attitudes toward money caused by the influx of new wealth into church coffers, & describes the spectacular acts of divestment by rich donors & their growing influence in an empire beset with crisis. He shows how the use of wealth for the care of the poor competed with older forms of philanthropy deeply rooted in the Roman world & sheds light on the ordinary people who gave away their money in hopes of treasure in heaven. Through the Eye of a Needle challenges the widely held notion that Christianity's growing wealth sapped Rome of its ability to resist the barbarian invasions & offers a fresh perspective on the social history of the church in late antiquity.

Britain Begins


Barry Cunliffe - 2012
    Today, ideas of our prehistoric origins are more likely based on ocean core samples, radio-carbon dating, and archeological artifacts. But as Barry Cunliffe reminds us in Britain Begins, an archaeologist writing of the past must be constantly aware that the past is, in truth, unknowable. Like the myth-making Celts, we too create stories about our origins, based on what we know today.Cunliffe here offers readers a vision of both worlds, looking at new myths and old, as he tells the fascinating story of the origins of the British and the Irish, from around 10,000 BC to the eve of the Norman Conquest. Using the most up-to-date archaeological evidence together with new work on DNA and other scientific techniques which help us to trace the origins and movements of these early settlers, Cunliffe offers a rich narrative account of the first islanders--who they were, where they came from, and how they interacted with one another. Underlying this narrative is the story of the sea, and Cunliffe paints a fascinating picture of early ships and sails and of the surprising sophistication of early navigation. The story told by the archaeological evidence is enhanced by historical texts, such as Julius Caesar's well-known if rather murky vision of Britain. Equally interesting, Cunliffe looks at the ideas of Britain's origins formed by our long-ago ancestors themselves, when they used what scraps there were, gleaned from Biblical and classical texts, to create a largely mythological origin for the British.

Rome's Last Citizen: The Life and Legacy of Cato, Mortal Enemy of Caesar


Rob Goodman - 2012
    Cato grappled with homegrown terrorists, a public and private debt crisis, a yawning gap between rich and poor, and a fractious ruling class whose lives took on the dimensions of soap opera.This is the story of this uncompromising man’s formation in a time of crisis and his lifelong battle to save the Republic.

Eskkar & Trella - The Beginning


Sam Barone - 2012
    But Eskkar’s story began many years earlier, when his family was brutally murdered in a blood feud. His name and heritage obliterated, young Eskkar flees his clan and the only life he knows. Condemned as an outcast, he learns to survive, hunted by his own kind, and hated and feared by all others. For fifteen years, Eskkar wanders the Land Between The Rivers, home of his hereditary enemies, fighting to stay alive and to reach manhood. All the while he is learning the skills that will one day make him not only a true warrior, but a leader of men on and off the battlefield. Trella, too, witnesses her family destroyed in a single night of vengeance, and her life of ease and privilege lost. Captured and sold to a slave trader, she must use her keen mind, extraordinary perception, and perfect memory to regain control of her life. While appearing to serve her masters, Trella learns to manipulate the powerful men who now own her body. Soon she becomes the unseen influence whose knowledge and training guide the way to the founding of an empire. Eskkar and Trella join together and form a unique bond that enables them to overcome the limits their world has placed upon them. These are the stories of their journeys toward one another and to their shared destiny – an enduring love that changes civilization forever.

The Science of Self: Man, God and the Mathematical Language of Nature


Supreme Understanding - 2012
    The book introduces readers to hundreds of scientific fields, peering into what quantum mechanics, genetics, anthropology, mathematics, and archaeology have to say about the past, present, and future of Black and brown people. As the first of a five-volume series, this text ventures beyond superficial ideas about history, science, and metaphysics, plunging into questions about the mathematical language that connects, man, God, and the laws of nature.THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE THE WAY YOU SEE HISTORYBased on over 28 years of combined research, with over 360 references, and a dozen reviewers, this book is history in the making. No other nonfiction text has attempted to cover nearly 14 billion years of Black history. How could all that possibly be Black history? You'll have to read the book to understand.THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE THE WAY YOU SEE REALITYWhat is the origin of Blackness? Why is melanin found in space? How did life evolve from one ancestor into the diversity we see today? What does quantum physics tell us about consiousness and reality? How did the Black man shape the Earth long before he built the pyramids? What is the mathematical blueprint that is hard-wired into our consciousness? Is there a difference between the mind and the brain? What does it mean to be the Original Man and Woman? All of these questions, and hundreds more, are answered within these pages.

The Persian Empire


John W.I. Lee - 2012
    But is this image really accurate?Recent scholarship examining the Persian Empire from the Persian perspective has discovered a major force that has had a lasting influence on the world in terms of administration, economics, religion, architecture, and more. In fact, the Persian Empire was arguably the world's first global power—a diverse, multicultural empire with flourishing businesses and people on the move. It was an empire of information, made possible by a highly advanced infrastructure that included roads, canals, bridges, and a courier system. And the kings of Persia's Achaemenid dynasty —Cyrus, Darius, Xerxes, and others—presided over an empire that created a tremendous legacy for subsequent history.The Persian Empire is your opportunity to see one of the greatest empires in the ancient world from a fresh new perspective: its own. Over the span of 24 fascinating lectures, Professor John W. I. Lee of the University of California, Santa Barbara—a distinguished teacher and an expert on the long-buried secrets of the ancient world—takes the role of a history detective and examines Persian sources to reveal what we now know about this grand civilization. Tapping into the latest scholarship on the Persian Empire, this course is sure to fill in some critical gaps in your understanding and appreciation of the sweep of ancient history and its undeniable effect on later civilizations—including our own.

The Knox Bible


Anonymous - 2012
    It was hailed as the finest translation of the 20th Century, approved for liturgical use & endorsed by Pope Pius XII, Archbishop Fulton Sheen etc. In the early 20th century, Msgr. Ronald Knox embarked on an entirely new English Bible. He wanted a Bible that didn't merely translate the original but made it read as if an Englishman had written it. His translation is spiritual & literary, graceful & lyrical, making it one of the most beautiful vernacular versions of the Holy Bible. The unique features of the Knox Bible are: Translated from the Latin Vulgate and compared with the Greek & Hebrew Texts single handedly by Ronald Knox over nine years. Uses timeless English, which is both sacral and reverent. Set in a single-column format with verse references placed at the side of the text in order to provide a clear and easily readable Bible. The full Bible is now available again for the first time in over 50 years, in an edition from Baronius Press, beautifully bound in leather with gilt edges.

The History of Rome Vol. 1-5 (Annotated)


Theodor Mommsen - 2012
    His work was received with widespread acclaim by the scholarly community and the reading public. In 1902 Mommsen was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature and acclaimed as 'the greatest living master of the art of historical writing'. Mommsen rejected traditional Enlightenment accounts, which glorified ancient Rome; instead, guided by a new and rigorous criticism of sources, Mommsen began the demythologisation of Roman history. In a vivacious and engaging style, Mommsen drew bold parallels between the nineteenth century and classical Rome. Volume 3 covers the turbulent period from the reforms of Tiberius Gracchus to the death of Sulla, with separate chapters on nationality, religion and education, and the Roman economy.

Archon Invasion: The Rise, Fall and Return of the Nephilim


Rob Skiba - 2012
    Who or what is an Archon? What is "The Genesis Six Experiment?" Who were the Nephilim? How did they return both before and after the Flood? What differentiates the days of Noah from the days of Jared? Were there female Nephilim? Could the giants reproduce? Why should we be concerned about the act of mixing animal and human DNA? Why did Jesus say the Last Days would be like the days of Noah? Find out in this information packed book by Rob Skiba!

Lost Worlds of South America


Edwin Barnhart - 2012
    Take an adventurous trek to these wilds of South America and the great civilizations of the ancients. In 24 eye-opening lectures, you'll take an in-depth look at the emerging finds and archaeological knowledge of more than 12 seminal civilizations, giving you rich insight into the creative vision and monumental achievements of these wellsprings of human life. The ancient South Americans show us striking models of how societies can function and organize themselves. The technologies and social structures seen here were wholly invented, using no preexisting models, as these dynamic peoples struggled to tame their environment and carve out societies and empires. Recently unearthed marvels include elaborately prepared and adorned mummies that predate Egypt's by 2000 years; imposing palaces, solar observatories, and dramatically decorated pyramids; stunning art objects in gold, turquoise, lapis lazuli, and ceramic; and evidence of huge urban civilizations in the Amazon. In their amazing sophistication and scale, the sites reveal some of the most remarkable ancient artifacts found anywhere in the world. The breathtaking valleys, mountains, and deserts you will study in this course reveal wonders that rival anything we know of the ancient world. Travel with us to a lost and splendorous past - a fountainhead of civilization that speaks unforgettably of human striving, vision, and the indomitable will to endure.Listening Length: 11 hours and 54 minutes

The City of Akhenaten and Nefertiti: Amarna and Its People


Barry J. Kemp - 2012
    Occupied for just sixteen or so years in the fourteenth century BC, the city lay largely abandoned and forgotten until excavations over the last hundred years brought it back into prominence. Based on more than three decades of research and excavation by Barry Kemp, the world authority on the city and its enigmatic pharaoh, this definitive account provides new insight into Amarna and its people. Professor Kemp brings to life the royal family and their offspring, including Tutankhamun, as well as prominent citizens such as the high priest Panehsy, the vizier Nakht, the general Ramose, and the sculptor Thutmose. It is a tour de force of archaeological writing, brilliantly illustrated with more than 260 photographs, evocative line drawings, and reconstructions by the author.

Rose Guide to the Temple


Randall Price - 2012
    Many of these images cannot be found in any other Temple book.24-inch-long fold-out poster of the Temple Mount over 2000 years by National Geographic.Six time lines with more than 100 events from the time of King David to modern day.Comparison of Three Full-Color Books on the TempleRose Guide to the Temple = Rose GuideSplendor of the Temple = SplendorPictorial Guide to the Temple = Pictorial1. Rose Guide to the Temple has more pages and has 3 clear plastic overlays so you can see inside the Temple.Rose Guide has 140 pages + 3 clear plastic overlays; Splendor has 96 pages; Pictorial has 322. Rose Guide has more images than the other two.Rose Guide has 156; Splendor has 75; Pictorial has 403. Rose Guide to the Temple has 100 key keys events and people.Splendor has 20 events; Pictorial has no time line4. Rose Guide has cross section diagrams of the First Temple, Second Temple, and Dome of the Rock. The others do not have all three.5. Rose Guide has a full description of the First Temple. Rose Guide has 30 pages; Splendor has 1 page; Pictorial has 3 pages.6. Rose Guide has a diagram of the interior of the First Temple (Solomon s Temple). The others do not.7. All three books have excellent descriptions of the Second Temple (Herod s Temple at the time of Jesus). Rose Guide has 40 pages + a clear plastic overlay; Splendor has 79 pages; Pictorial has 16 pages.8. Rose Guide to the Temple has a diagram of the inside of the Second Temple. The others do not.9. Rose Guide has 20 pages on the history of the Temple Mount from AD 70 to modern day. Splendor does not include this. Pictorial has 4 pages.10. Rose Guide has two 24-inch Posters: Herod s Temple Messiah in the Temple and National Geographic s Jerusalem s Holy Ground 11. Rose Guide has a diagram of the High Priest s garments with explanations. The other two do not.12. All three books contain information about Jesus in the Temple, the biblical feasts, and the sacrifices.Show More

The Archaeology of the Holy Land: From the Destruction of Solomon's Temple to the Muslim Conquest


Jodi Magness - 2012
    Special attention is paid to the archaeology of Jerusalem and the Second Temple period, in the time of Herod the Great and Jesus. For each period, the book offers a historical background for the Mediterranean world and the ancient Near East, as well as the events in Palestine. Major sites such as Masada, Caesarea Maritima and Petra are examined in archaeological and historical detail, along with the material culture – coins, pottery, glass and stone vessels – of each period. This book provides a thorough overview of the archaeology of this historically vibrant part of the world.

The Irish Origins of Civilization Volume One


Michael Tsarion - 2012
    Michael exposes the true origins of the world’s premier secret societies and reveals the remarkable mysteries they have been sworn to guard by sword and deception. He shows that the elements of civilization - megalithic construction, writing, music, astronomy, astrology, medicine, farming, navigation, and most importantly the principles of religion, originated in Britain, Ireland and Scandinavia. Every European needs to read this book to find out how the history of "Anglo-Saxon" man has been misrepresented and perverted. Michael explains the true meaning of the word Aryan and shows that it was the original name of Ireland. He explains the reason why so many tribes speak of the coming of the fair gods, the men of wisdom. He explains the connections between the Irish Druids and Egyptian Amenists and the ruin Akhenaton's Luciferian cult brought to Egypt and the world. As Michael wrote...

The Sumerian World


Harriet Crawford - 2012
    Including material hitherto unpublished from recent excavations, the articles are organised thematically using evidence from archaeology, texts and the natural sciences. This broad treatment will also make the volume of interest to students looking for comparative data in allied subjects such as ancient literature and early religions.Providing an authoritative, comprehensive and up to date overview of the Sumerian period written by some of the best qualified scholars in the field, The Sumerian World will satisfy students, researchers, academics, and the knowledgeable layperson wishing to understand the world of southern Mesopotamia in the third millennium.

Past the Last Island


Kathleen Flanagan Rollins - 2012
    Escaping by night, they leave the world they knew behind and take to the open sea in a quest to find what lies beyond the edge of the world. Their journey into a realm still ruled by spirits changes all of them. Some give their life to the quest. Others find it along the way. The navigators, the lovers, the warriors, the inventors, the woman condemned as a witch, the puppeteer, the visionary, the day keeper - seventeen in all - must figure out how to make a new life in a new world.

The Chronicles of Iona: Exile


Paula De Fougerolles - 2012
    Silver Prize Winner, 2012 "ForeWord Clarion" Book of the Year Awards, Historical Fiction. "Exile", the first novel in the historical fiction series "The Chronicles of Iona", is the story of the two men who laid the foundations of the Scottish nation, an Irish monk, Saint Columba, and a Scottish warlord, Aedan mac Gabran. They were a real-life sixth-century Merlin and King Arthur and their story has never been told. It is 563 A.D. The world has been plunged into chaos by the collapse of the Roman Empire and barbarian invasions: civilization holds on by a thread. Columba, a powerful abbot and prince of Ireland, is exiled for a violent act to the pagan colony of Dalriada on the west coast of Scotland. Awaiting him there is Aedan mac Gabran, the down-and-out second son of the colony's previous king, slain by the bloodthirsty Picts. Together, this unlikely pair travels the breadth of a lawless, divided realm, each in search of his own kind of unity. Their path is fraught with blood feuds, lost love, sacrifice, miracles, dark gods, and monsters. Beset on all sides, their only hope is to become allies-and to forge a daring alliance with the pagan Picts. How Columba overcame exile and a crisis of faith to found the famous monastery of Iona (one of the greatest centers of learning in Dark Age Europe) and, from it, the Celtic Church in the British Isles; and how Aedan avenged his father's death and became, against all odds, the progenitor of Scottish kings and the greatest warlord of his age, begins here. For both, what begins as a personal imperative becomes a series of events that lead to the foundation of Iona and the kingdom of Scotland-events that literally change the world. Historically authentic yet told with a bold fictional sweep, "The Chronicles of Iona: Exile" plunges the reader into the world of sixth-century Scotland and Ireland, the veritable Dark Ages-a world on the brink of either collapse or creation, poised between myth and history.

The Roman Republic: A Very Short Introduction


David M. Gwynn - 2012
    From humble beginnings on the seven hills beside the Tiber, the city of Rome grew to dominate the ancient Mediterranean. Led by her senatorial aristocracy, Republican armies defeated Carthage and the successor kingdoms of Alexander the Great, and brought the surrounding peoples to east and west into the Roman sphere. In this Very Short Introduction, David M. Gwynn provides a fascinating introduction to the history of the Roman Republic, ranging from the origins of Rome and the vivid Roman legends that surround the foundations of the city, to the overthrow of the monarchy in 509 BC, the five hundred years of republican rule, the rise of Julius Caesar and Caesar Augustus, and the establishment of the Principate. Gwynn considers the political structure of the Republic, including its unique constitution, and he highlights literary and material sources, bringing to life the culture and society of Republican Rome. He also reflects on the Roman values and beliefs of the time, in order to shed light on the Republic's dramatic rise and fall. Finally, Gwynn reflects on the remarkable legacy of the Roman Republic, including its modern-day resonance and legacy in literature and in film, where it is often presented as a model, a source of inspiration, but also a warning.

Herodotus' Histories Book 1: Greek Text with Facing Vocabulary and Commentary


Geoffrey D. Steadman - 2012
    Once readers have memorized the core vocabulary list, they will be able to read the classical Greek and consult all relevant vocabulary and commentary without turning a page.

Running the Roman Home


Alexandra Croom - 2012
    It is divided into sections on how the Romans collected water and fuel, milled flour, and produced thread; how they cleaned the house, illuminated it, did the washing up, cleaned their clothes, got rid of waste water and sewage, and threw out their garbage. The evidence is taken from literary, archaeological, and artistic sources, and often compared to historical or modern parallels from communities using the same methods.

Expedition to Disaster: The Athenian Mission to Sicily 415 BC


Philip Matyszak - 2012
    At this time (415 BC), Athens was locked in a decades-long struggle with Sparta for mastery of the Greek world. The expedition to Sicily was intended to give Athens the extra money and resources to crush the Spartans. New archaeological discoveries allow the ensuing siege to be reconstructed in greater detail than ever before. The cast of characters includes Alcibiades, the flamboyant, charismatic young aristocrat; Nicias, the aging, reluctant commander of the ill-fated expedition and Gylippus, the grim Spartan general sent to mastermind the defense of Syracuse. It was he who stopped the Athenians dead in their tracks within weeks of his arrival, then turned the tables on the invaders. The Athenians were in their turn surrounded, besieged, and forced to ask for mercy from a man who had none to give. In short, we have an epic story packed with colorful characters and dramatic episodes. There are battles on land and sea, siege and counter-siege and tales of self-sacrifice, villainy and heroism. Yet there is also the overarching unifying theme which is the story of the expedition itself. Philip Matyszak's combination of thorough research and gripping narrative makes him the perfect man to do justice to this famous story.REVIEWS a riveting account of the conflict, telling of the key players their motivations, their heroism, their failure, providing an educating narrative that does much to bring much understanding to people of the times is a must for history collections focusing on the Greeks and their military endeavors. Midwest Book Review"

The Velikovsky Heresies: Worlds in Collision and Ancient Catastrophes Revisited


Laird Scranton - 2012
    Immediately dismissed without any investigation and subject to vicious attacks, Velikovsky’s theory is now poised for reexamination in light of recent astronomical and archaeological findings. Exploring the key points of Velikovsky’s theories, Laird Scranton presents evidence from recent space probe missions to show that Venus still exhibits cometlike properties, such as its atmospheric composition, and could be a young planet. Reviewing the widespread cometlike descriptions of Venus from 1500 BCE to 750 BCE as well as Velikovsky’s observation that no records of Venus exist prior to 1600 BCE, Scranton reveals recently translated ancient texts from China, Korea, and Japan that further uphold Velikovsky’s theories. Examining evidence of major geomagnetic and climate-change events around 1500 BCE and 750 BCE, corresponding with close passes of the comet Venus and its impact with Mars, the author offers scientific explanations for many disputed aspects of Velikovsky’s theories, such as how Venus transformed from a comet into an orbiting planet. By updating this unresolved controversy with new scientific evidence, Scranton helps us to understand how it was that Worlds in Collision was the one book found open on Albert Einstein’s desk at the time of his death.

The Composition of the Pentateuch: Renewing the Documentary Hypothesis


Joel S. Baden - 2012
    In this book, Joel Baden presents a fresh and comprehensive argument for the Documentary Hypothesis. Critically engaging both older and more recent scholarship, he fundamentally revises and reorients the classical model of the formation of the Pentateuch. Interweaving historical and methodological chapters with detailed textual case studies, Baden provides a critical introduction to the history of Pentateuchal scholarship, discussions on the most pressing issues in the current debate, and a practical model for the study of the biblical text.

Zadayi Red (Cherokee Mists)


Meredith Blevins - 2012
    A young Shaman of the Galayi people has had a powerful and frightening vision: it is of the Eagle Feather Cape, the gift of the Thunderbird, which is worn by the Seer of the People to see the future and gain the guidance of the gods. The cape is torn and bloody, and it will no longer bring visions to the Seer of the People. But the Shaman's vision also tells her of the cure: a child will be born to the People, a hero who will restore the cape and return the goodwill of the gods to the People. Dahzi may be that hero, if he can survive the hatred of his grandfather. He was born after his mother’s death, as she fled from her father’s anger. But Dahzi carries the hope of all of his People, along with the power to become a great Chief. He will be tested--by his family, by his people, and by the Gods.Zadayi Red is a magnificent weaving from Cherokee legends. It brings to life an ancient people and a time of magic in a warm and intimate storyteller’s voice.

The Cicero Anthology (Texts From Ancient Rome Book 11)


Marcus Tullius Cicero - 2012
    Cicero is still celebrated to this day for his skills as a Roman Senator, rhetorician, orator, lawyer, and writer; and for the courage and conviction of his desperate efforts to preserve the Roman republic in the face of conspiracies and violence against the state.The clear lucidity of his written insight has preserved the power of his voice through the ages, and a vast collection of his works have been brought together here in this Bybliotech Anthology.This Anthology contains, "On Friendship", "On Old Age", "On Rhetoric", "On the nature of Good and Evil", "Academica", "On Topics", On the Commonwealth", "Scipio's Dream", "The Letters", "The Philippics", "An Oratory Against Brutus", "The Tusculum Disputations", "On the Nature of the Gods", and "On Oratory".This unexpurgated anthology has been compiled and optimised for e-readers. It includes an active table of contents for ease of navigation, and features unique illustrations as frontispieces for the individual books in the anthology

Demosthenes of Athens and the Fall of Classical Greece


Ian Worthington - 2012
    His political career spanned three decades, during which time Greece fell victim to Macedonian control, 1st under Philip II, then Alexander the Great. Demosthenes' defiance of Macedonian imperialism cost him his life but earned him a reputation as one of history's outstanding patriots. He also enjoyed a brilliant & lucrative career as a speechwriter. His rhetorical skills are still emulated today by politicians. Yet he was a sickly child with a challenging speech impediment, who was swindled out of much of his family's estate by unscrupulous guardians. His story is therefore one of triumph over adversity. In this biography--the 1st in English for almost a century--Ian Worthington brings the orator's career vividly to life. He provides a moving narrative of Demosthenes' difficult beginnings, his rivalries with other Athenian politicians, his victories & defeats in the public Assembly, & finally his posthumous influence as a politician & orator. In doing so, Worthington offers new insights into Demosthenes' motives & how he shaped his policy to achieve political power. Set against the rich backdrop of late classical Athens & Macedonia, this biography will appeal to all readers interested in the history of ancient Greece. All quotations from Demosthenes' speeches are translated & briefly discussed in order for readers to appreciate his rhetorical genius.Preamble: "Politicians & heroes"Demosthenes, son of DemosthenesGreece & the awakening of MacedoniaInto the public eye The aspiring politicianSwaying the Assembly An uneasy peace Resisting Philip"Speeches like soldiers"The end of Greek freedom"For the conqueror, death"Demosthenes & Alexander the GreatThe crown trial Decline & fallPoison from the penAppendix: Ancient coinage & months of the Attic yearNotes

Royal Cities of the Ancient Maya


Michael D. Coe - 2012
    This book pairs the leading Maya scholar and world's finest photographers of ancient sites to trace the rise and fall of Mayan civilization through its great royal cities.

Delphi Complete Works of Ovid (Illustrated) (Delphi Ancient Classics Book 6)


Ovid - 2012
    The Ancient Classics series provides eReaders with the wisdom of the Classical world, with both English translations and the original Latin and Greek texts. This comprehensive eBook presents the complete works of Ovid, with beautiful illustrations, informative introductions and the usual Delphi bonus material. (Version 1)* Beautifully illustrated with images relating to Ovid's life and works* Features the complete works of Ovid, in both English translation and the original Latin texts* Concise introductions to the poetry and other works* Provides both verse and prose translations of the METAMORPOHOSES and the AMOURS* Includes translations previously appearing in Loeb Classical Library editions of Ovid’s works* Images of famous paintings that have been inspired by Ovid’s works* Excellent formatting of the texts* Easily locate the poems or works you want to read with individual contents tables* Includes Ovid's rare works IBIS, TRISTIA and EX PONTO, first time in digital print* Features a bonus biography - discover Ovid's ancient world* Scholarly ordering of texts into chronological order and literary genresCONTENTS:The TranslationsAMOURS (VERSE)AMOURS (PROSE)HEROIDESWOMEN’S COSMETICSTO ART OF LOVELOVE’S CUREMETAMORPHOSES (VERSE)METAMORPHOSES (PROSE)FASTIIBISTRISTIAEPISTULAE EX PONTOThe Latin TextsLIST OF LATIN TEXTSThe BiographyTHE LIFE AND WORKS OF OVID by Arthur Leslie Wheeler

A History of Ancient Egypt: From the First Farmers to the Great Pyramid


John Romer - 2012
    Famed archaeologist John Romer draws on a lifetime of research to tell one history's greatest stories; how, over more than a thousand years, a society of farmers created a rich, vivid world where one of the most astounding of all human-made landmarks, the Great Pyramid, was built. Immersing the reader in the Egypt of the past, Romer examines and challenges the long-held theories about what archaeological finds mean and what stories they tell about how the Egyptians lived. More than just an account of one of the most fascinating periods of history, this engrossing book asks readers to take a step back and question what they've learned about Egypt in the past. Fans of Stacy Schiff's Cleopatra and history buffs will be captivated by this re-telling of Egyptian history, written by one of the top Egyptologists in the world.

A Companion to Women in the Ancient World


Sharon L. James - 2012
    Selected by Choice as a 2012 Outstanding Academic Title Awarded a 2012 PROSE Honorable Mention as a Single Volume Reference/Humanities & Social Sciences A Companion to Women in the Ancient World presents an interdisciplinary, methodologically-based collection of newly-commissioned essays from prominent scholars on the study of women in the ancient world.The first interdisciplinary, methodologically-based collection of readings to address the study of women in the ancient world Explores a broad range of topics relating to women in antiquity, including: Mother-Goddess Theory; Women in Homer, Pre-Roman Italy, the Near East; Women and the Family, the State, and Religion; Dress and Adornment; Female Patronage; Hellenistic Queens; Imperial Women; Women in Late Antiquity; Early Women Saints; and many more Thematically arranged to emphasize the importance of historical themes of continuity, development, and innovation Reconsiders much of the well-known evidence and preconceived notions relating to women in antiquity Includes contributions from many of the most prominent scholars associated with the study of women in antiquity

Greek and Roman Mosaics


Umberto Pappalardo - 2012
    Mosaic pavements with geometric and figural motifs first appeared in Greece at the end of the fifth century BC and subsequently spread throughout the entire classical world, from the palaces of the Greco-Bactrian rulers of present-day Afghanistan to the villas of Roman Britain. Local workshops cultivated many distinctive regional styles, while traveling teams of Hellenistic craftsmen produced figural mosaics of stunning refinement, often modeled after famous paintings; indeed, their work constitutes one of our only records of classical Greek painting, which has been almost entirely lost.The styles and techniques of the ancient mosaicist’s art are given a concise yet authoritative exposition in the first part of this handsome volume. The second, and larger, part conducts the reader on a chronological tour of the most important centers of the art form’s development, from the Macedonian capital of Pella, whose compositions in natural pebbles set a high artistic standard for mosaics at the very beginning of their history, to the Basilica of San Vitale at Ravenna, whose wall and vault mosaics, with their glittering vision of a triumphant Christianity, mark the transition between antiquity and the Middle Ages. Special attention is given to Pompeii and its surroundings, where the eruption of Vesuvius in AD 79 preserved intact an astonishing variety of mosaics, including such ambitious figural scenes as the famous Alexander mosaic, composed of some four million miniscule tesserae, as well as characteristically Roman pavements in black and white, and the brightly colored wall mosaics of garden grottoes.Featuring more than two hundred newly commissioned photographs, Greek and Roman Mosaics is the first survey of its subject to be illustrated in full color. It will be a necessary addition to every art lover’s library, and a worthy companion to Abbeville’s Italian Mosaics: 300–1300.

Pocket Genius: Ancient Egypt


Rob Scott Colson - 2012
    Featuring essential information, full-color images, glossary, and top ten lists, these books are a brand-new type of encyclopedia for young readers.King Tut, Egyptian gods, camels, pyramids, and more — with Pocket Genius Ancient Egypt, readers will learn about the ancient and intriguing land of Egypt.Supports the Common Core State Standards.

The Cambridge Companion to the Roman Economy


Walter Scheidel - 2012
    Focusing on the principal determinants, features, and consequences of Roman economic development and integrating additional web-based materials, it is designed as an up-to-date survey that is accessible to all audiences. Five main sections discuss theoretical approaches drawn from Economics, labor regimes, the production of power and goods, various means of distribution from markets to predation, and the success and ultimate failure of the Roman economy. The book not only covers traditionally prominent features such as slavery, food production, and monetization but also highlights the importance of previously neglected aspects such as the role of human capital, energy generation, rent-taking, logistics, and human wellbeing, and convenes a group of five experts to debate the nature of Roman trade.

Xenophon's Anabasis, or the Expedition of Cyrus


Michael A. Flower - 2012
    It tells the story of Cyrus, a young and charismatic Persian prince, who in 401 BC enlisted more thanten thousand Greek mercenaries in an attempt to seize the vast Persian empire for himself. Cyrus was killed in a great battle, most of the Greek commanders subsequently fell victim to treachery, and an Athenian aristocrat by the name of Xenophon found himself in the unexpected position of takingcharge and leading the Greeks from the vicinity of Babylon in modern Iraq back to the Greek cities in Turkey. This book both places the Anabasis in its historical and literary context and, by employing a variety of critical methods, opens up for the reader different ways of interpreting its majorthemes. Interrelated chapters investigate Xenophon's self-representation as a model leader, his possible didactic and apologetic purposes for writing, the generic expectations of his contemporary audience, the factual accuracy of the Anabasis, and the ways in which the gods are depicted asintervening in human affairs. This book unveils the literary artistry and narrative strategies that have gone into shaping one of the greatest survival stories of all time.

Reading Herodotus: A Guided Tour through the Wild Boars, Dancing Suitors, and Crazy Tyrants of The History


Debra Hamel - 2012
    Following the structure of the original work, Hamel leads the reader through a colorful tour of the central stories that comprise "The History." She highlights the more interesting and important parts of the story while providing readers who are new to Herodotus with the background information necessary to appreciate the author's wide-ranging subject matter. At once academic and a bit cheeky, the experience of this book is like reading Herodotus while simultaneously consulting a history of Greece and a scholarly commentary on the text."Hamel presents Herodotus and his material in an original, illuminating, and entertaining way. By leading the reader through Herodotus’s text from beginning to end, the book provides an accessible introduction both to Herodotus and to an exciting period of Greek history, which culminates in the Persian Wars." (Timothy E. Duff, University of Reading )

Pharaohs and Dynasties of Ancient Egypt


Kristine Carlson Asselin - 2012
    

Ancient Egyptian Myths


Kristine Carlson Asselin - 2012
    Discover how Egyptians used myths to make sense of their world.

The Complete Roman Legions


Nigel Pollard - 2012
    Complete-Roman-Legions

Moses: A Stranger Among Us


Maurice D. Harris - 2012
    Harris offers many angles on his subject, interweaving traditional religious interpretations, academic Bible scholarship, psychological and sociological analysis, feminist readings, and more. Combining deep respect for the biblical text with a willingness to question received tradition, Harris reveals a complex Moses whose life story gives us important tools for better understanding issues like religious fundamentalism, intermarriage, identity confusion, civil disobedience, gay and lesbian equality, and the nature of sacred mythic storytelling. Written in a refreshing, plainspoken voice for people of all faiths or none, the result is a volume of creative, thought-provoking, and exciting readings of the Bible. Endorsements: "Moses is one of the most famous personalities among the Abrahamic religions, but how well do we really know the biblical Moses? In this wonderfully engaging book, Harris lifts the veil of centuries of interpretation to show us Moses in a new light. Harris has succeeded in doing what few others can-he has brought Moses into the twenty-first century!" --S. Tamar Kamionkowski, PhD Associate Professor of Bible, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, Wyncote, Pennsylvania "Moses will never be the same again! Jewish insiders and outsiders alike have much to learn from this energetic exploration of the man Moses. Each chapter brings new delights, in turn inspiring, challenging, consoling. Rabbi Harris is both pastoral and prophetic. Above all, he is a consummate storyteller. Not only will you meet Moses in multiple new ways, you will also have a glimpse of the twenty-first-century rabbinate at its most caring and creative best." --Rabbi Nancy Fuchs Kreimer, PhD Associate Professor of Religious Studies, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College "Moses: A Stranger among Us challenges its readers to read the Bible with new eyes. The book combines insights from contemporary Bible scholarship, traditional commentaries, and Harris's own fresh readings of Exodus to respond to moral and religious challenges-both contemporary and eternal ones. People comfortable with the world as it is and their religious and moral lives as they are will not enjoy reading this book. Anyone who takes the Bible seriously but not literally and is concerned with the opportunities and challenges facing Judaism and Christianity will find this book thought provoking and refreshing." --Rabbi David A. Teutsch, PhD Wiener Professor of Contemporary Jewish Civilization, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College Author of A Guide to Jewish Practice: Everyday Living (2011) "Writing for a wide range of readers, Rabbi Harris mines the Moses saga in the Bible and unearths its relevance to many contemporary issues. Throughout, this fresh and thought-provoking study models engagement with the text that responsibly bridges its ancient and modern contexts. Moses (re)emerges as one of the Bible's most fascinating figures!" --Jacob L. Wright, PhD Professor of Hebrew Bible, Candler School of Theology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia Author Biography: Maurice Harris is a rabbi and writer living in Eugene, Oregon. A graduate of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, he has worked as a congregational rabbi and religious educator.

Tracing Old Norse Cosmology: The World Tree, Middle Earth and the Sun in Archeaological Perspectives


Anders Andrén - 2012
    The rituals, myths, and narratives of pre-Christian Scandinavia have been studied and interpreted in detail relying mainly on Christian Icelandic literature from the Middle Ages. Here, Anders Andrén offers a long-term perspective on Old Norse cosmology and argues that the fundamental ideas of an ordered universe, time, and space in Old Norse religion can be studied in a dialogue between archaeology and the Icelandic narrative tradition. Ideas about the world tree, middle earth, and the sun can be traced in images and material culture from Scandinavian prehistory. By combining the prehistoric representations with the later written record the author presents a fresh and nuanced study of the fascinating Old Norse world.Due to the rich and varied Icelandic literature from the 12th, 13th, and 14th centuries, Old Norse religion is considered one of the best-known pre-Christian religions in Europe. This collection of essays, however, explains via archaeology that Old Norse religion, in fact, transformed into a hybrid culture. Arguing that representations of cosmological elements—such as the sun, the worldtree, and the concept of Midgard or “Middle Earth”—can be traced to images and material culture throughout Scandinavian prehistory, this thorough study uncovers the pagan origins of Old Norse religion.

Women in Ancient Greece: A Sourcebook


Bonnie MacLachlan - 2012
    This volume is an essential resource supplying a compilation of source material in translation, with suggestions for further reading, a general bibliography, and an index of ancient authors and works. Texts come from literary, rhetorical, philosophical and legal sources, as well as papyri and inscriptions, and each text will be placed into the cultural mosaic to which it belongs. Ranging geographically from the Greek mainland and the communities along the eastern shores of the Mediterranean, to Egypt and the Greek West (modern day southern Italy and Sicily), the volume follows a clear chronological structure. Beginning in the eighth century BCE the coverage continues through Archaic and Classical Athens concluding with the Hellenistic era.

The Elements Encyclopedia of the Celts


Rodney Castleden - 2012
    Encompassing their iron-age beginnings, European colonization, the various strands of ‘Celticness’ (race, politics, and culture), as well as the Celtic Tiger of today, this encyclopedia gets to the very heart of Celtic origin and meaning, as well as delving into the cultural and mythical background that draws so many to claim their Celtic roots today.Including:• The Celtic People and Their Way of Life• Celtic Places• Celtic Religion• Myths, Legends, and Stories• Symbols, Ideas, and Archetypes• Celtic Twilight and RevivalAccompanied by illustrations and maps, which show the spread of Celts across the globe, as well as the symbols of Celtic mythology and religion

Isis and Osiris


Cari Meister - 2012
    When Set hosts a huge banquet for Osiris, Isis is worried. Osiris falls for Set's trickery, and is separated from his beloved Isis. Will Isis be able to save Osiris?

The Oxford Handbook of Warfare in the Classical World (Oxford Handbooks)


Brian Campbell - 2012
    Battles were resolved by violent face-to-face encounters: war was a very personal experience. At the same time, warfare and its conduct often had significant and wide-reaching economic, social, or political consequences. The Oxford Handbook of Warfare in the Classical World offers a critical examination of war and organized violence. The volume's introduction begins with the ancient sources for the writing of war, preceded by broad surveys of warfare in ancient Greece and Rome. Also included herein are chapters analyzing new finds in battlefield archaeology and how the environment affected the ancient practice of war. A second section is comprised of broad narratives of classical societies at war, covering the expanse from classical Greece through to the later Roman Empire. Part III contains thematic discussions that examine closely the nature of battle: what soldiers experienced as they fought; the challenges of conducting war at sea; how the wounded were treated. A final section offers six exemplary case studies, including analyses of the Peloponnesian War, the Second Punic War, and Rome's war with Sasanid Persia. The handbook closes with an epilogue that explores the legacy of classical warfare. Authored by experts in classics, ancient history, and archaeology, this handbook presents a vibrant map of the field of classical warfare studies.

Hadrian's Wall and the End of Empire: The Roman Frontier in the 4th and 5th Centuries


Rob Collins - 2012
    Examining Hadrian's Wall and the Roman frontier of northern England from the fourth century into the Early Medieval period, this book investigates a late frontier in transition from an imperial border zone to incorporation into Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, using both archaeological and documentary evidence. With an emphasis on the late Roman occupation and Roman military, it places the frontier in the broader imperial context.In contrast to other works, Hadrian's Wall and the End of Empire challenges existing ideas of decline, collapse, and transformation in the Roman period, as well as its impact on local frontier communities. Author Rob Collins analyzes in detail the limitanei, the frontier soldiers of the late empire essential for the successful maintenance of the frontiers, and the relationship between imperial authorities and local frontier dynamics. Finally, the impact of the end of the Roman period in Britain is assessed, as well as the influence that the frontier had on the development of the Anglian kingdom of Northumbria.

The Everlasting Empire: The Political Culture of Ancient China and Its Imperial Legacy


Yuri Pines - 2012
    During its two millennia, the empire endured internal wars, foreign incursions, alien occupations, and devastating rebellions--yet fundamental institutional, sociopolitical, and cultural features of the empire remained intact. The Everlasting Empire traces the roots of the Chinese empire's exceptional longevity and unparalleled political durability, and shows how lessons from the imperial past are relevant for China today.Yuri Pines demonstrates that the empire survived and adjusted to a variety of domestic and external challenges through a peculiar combination of rigid ideological premises and their flexible implementation. The empire's major political actors and neighbors shared its fundamental ideological principles, such as unity under a single monarch--hence, even the empire's strongest domestic and foreign foes adopted the system of imperial rule. Yet details of this rule were constantly negotiated and adjusted. Pines shows how deep tensions between political actors including the emperor, the literati, local elites, and rebellious commoners actually enabled the empire's basic institutional framework to remain critically vital and adaptable to ever-changing sociopolitical circumstances. As contemporary China moves toward a new period of prosperity and power in the twenty-first century, Pines argues that the legacy of the empire may become an increasingly important force in shaping the nation's future trajectory.

The Mutilation of the Herms: Unpacking an Ancient Mystery


Debra Hamel - 2012
    the Athenians woke to find that during the night most of the herms in Athens (priapic statues of the Greek god Hermes) had been vandalized. The damage was too widespread for the act to be dismissed as a youthful prank. What was it, then: a conspiracy brewing against the democracy? Or merely a bad omen for their upcoming expedition to Sicily? The so-called "mutilation of the herms" is an important episode in Athenian history. Nearly 2500 years later, basic questions about the crime continue to exercise scholars-who done it and why they done it. In "The Mutilation of the Herms: Unpacking an Ancient Mystery," Debra Hamel provides a comprehensible account of the vandalism and its aftermath. This booklet is written for an audience of general readers and students. No previous knowledge of the period is assumed. The text could profitably be assigned for undergraduate classes in Greek history. Topics discussed include the Eleusinian Mysteries, the role of drinking groups in the vandalism, Alcibiades' involvement in the affair, and Eva Keuls' feminist take on the episode.

The Children of Ra: Artistic, Historical, and Genetic Evidence for Ancient White Egypt


Arthur Kemp - 2012
    Fabulous photos plus DNA. Very convincing.” – Dr. J. Phillipe Rushton, Ph.D., D.Sc.This work refutes Afrocentrist nonsense which claims that “Egypt was black” through reviewing the historical record of Egyptian art, images of mummies, and new dramatic DNA evidence.Ra was the sun god of ancient Egypt, and part of the religion of that culture was a belief that the pharaohs were descended from him.The sun god was depicted with an eagle’s head and a human body, with the sun sitting on its head—thus the association of red and blond hair with royalty among the ancient Egyptians.Lavishly illustrated with over 106 full color pictures, DNA evidence and a complete historical overview, this book proves that white people created the initial Egyptian civilization—and that ancient Egypt culture came to an end once those people had been bred out of existence.Contains the dramatic DNA evidence which shows that Tutankhamun was of the same racial stock as present-day western Europeans, additional DNA evidence and much more. “Eurocentric history is back!”Contents1. Introduction. This deals with an overview of the competing theories (Euro and Afrocentrist);2. Timeline of Ancient Egypt. This provides a simple guide to identifying the historical time periods of ancient Egypt, and the major events which led to racial population changes in that country;3. The Origins of the Ancient Egyptians. This discusses the major theories behind the populating of ancient Egypt, coming out in favour of Sir Matthew Pietrie Flinders’s works;4. Ginger—the Oldest Mummy. This provides some details on the pre-dynastic Gebelein mummy set, focussing on its most famous member, “Ginger” and his blond-red hair;5. Statues—the Artistic Evidence. A long section with a number of original paintings, busts, and sculptures which all portray identifiable racial characteristics;6. Faces of the Dead—Mummies. This section shows how accurate ancient Egyptian artist were in reflecting their subjects, and includes full-colour pictures of the blondest mummies you will ever see;7. The Nine Bows—the Enemies of Egypt among Tutankhamen’s Treasure8. Writing on the Wall—Other Races as Portrayed in Egyptian Art. This section overviews the overtly racial images found in Tutankhamun’s tomb artefacts. No punches pulled here on the racial enemies of ancient Egypt;9. Nubian Pharaohs—the End of Ancient Egypt. There were black pharaohs—right at the end of the ancient Egyptian civilization. The Nubian invasion heralded the downfall and end of that culture and civilization;10. Carved in Stone—Egyptian Writings about Their Enemies. A nice sample of the work of Professor James Henry Breasted’s translations of ancient Egyptian racial writings.11. DNA—the Truth Leaks Out. An overview of the two most important DNA tests done in Egypt, one of the general population which still shows European remnants amongst its highly mixed nature; and of course, the Tutankhamun DNA material. Also included is the skull measurement data from AM Mourant, which confirms the DNA data.12. Conclusion. This is maybe the most important section, as it outlines what the artistic, historical and DNA evidence tells us: namely that the founders of ancient Egypt were white, but that society became increasingly mixed (or “diverse”) as time went on, until finally they became the mixed-race mass which is present-day Egypt.The disappearance of the originating white ruling class into this mass caused the end of ancient Egypt.“The Afrocentrist claim that these handful of black pharaohs “proves” that ancient Egypt was African in origin is as false as claiming that the United States of America was founded by blacks because it had a half-black president in 2011.“The appearance of blacks as pharaohs marks the beginning of the end of ancient Egypt, not its foundation.“To claim that ancient Egypt was black in origin is tantamount to claiming that the cities of Detroit or Washington DC in the US were founded by blacks “because their present-day populations are majority black and they have black mayors.”

In Search of First Contact: The Vikings of Vinland, the Peoples of the Dawnland, and the Anglo-American Anxiety of Discovery


Annette Kolodny - 2012
    In this book, she offers a radically new interpretation of two medieval Icelandic tales, known as the Vinland sagas. She contends that they are the first known European narratives about contact with North America. After carefully explaining the evidence for that conclusion, Kolodny examines what happened after 1837, when English translations of the two sagas became widely available and enormously popular in the United States. She assesses their impact on literature, immigration policy, and concepts of masculinity.Kolodny considers what the sagas reveal about the Native peoples encountered by the Norse in Vinland around the year A.D. 1000, and she recovers Native American stories of first contacts with Europeans, including one that has never before been shared outside of Native communities. These stories contradict the dominant narrative of "first contact" between Europeans and the New World. Kolodny rethinks the lingering power of a mythic American Viking heritage and the long-standing debate over whether Leif Eiriksson or Christopher Columbus should be credited as the first discoverer. With this paradigm-shattering work, Kolodny shows what literary criticism can bring to historical and social scientific endeavors.Annette Kolodny is College of Humanities Professor Emerita of American Literature and Culture at the University of Arizona. She is the author of Failing the Future: A Dean Looks at Higher Education in the Twenty-first Century and the editor of The Life and Traditions of the Red Man, by Joseph Nicolar, both also published by Duke University Press. In addition, she is the author of The Land Before Her: Fantasy and Experience of the American Frontiers, 1630–1860, and The Lay of the Land: Metaphor as Experience and History in American Life and Letters. "Having long argued that English-language texts alone provide an inadequate understanding of frontier history, Annette Kolodny now challenges the Eurocentric assumptions involved in what constitutes a 'literary' source. She makes the case that North American literary history begins not with the European exploration narratives customarily taken as its start, but with 'contact texts' culled from the pictographic materials of tribes in the Algonquian-speaking Wabanaki Confederacy and from the Norse sagas with which she suggests they intersect. Kolodny's sophisticated understanding of the theoretical implications of her findings, her meticulous and fair attention to previous scholarship, and her indefatigable and innovative efforts to mine material that has not previously figured prominently in these conversations result in a book that is exciting, fresh, and more ambitious and synthetic than any previous effort to explore contact narratives."—Shelley Fisher Fishkin, Joseph S. Atha Professor of Humanities and Director of the American Studies Program, Stanford University"In Search of First Contact contributes a great deal to scholarly knowledge of the Vinland narratives. Annette Kolodny explains what those stories help us to comprehend about the indigenous peoples of the northern Atlantic coast, and she illuminates the process by which people in Anglo-America have come to understand their own history on this continent. Her exposition of the sagas is absolutely superb. This is an outstanding and important work."—Robert Warrior, Director of the American Indian Studies Program, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and author of The People and the Word: Reading Native Nonfiction."In Search of First Contact is a tour de force. In this masterful exploration of the Anglo-American fascination with Vikings in North America, Annette Kolodny unravels the mythology around Viking contact with the continent and explains how it has inspired Americans' search for their roots, been used politically, and served to set newcomers apart from the inhabitants already here. She brings a penetrating perspective to bear on the notion of first contact and what it might have meant both to Native Americans and to the Norse. This brilliantly written book is bound to become a classic."—Birgitta Linderoth Wallace, archaeologist and author of Westward Vikings: The Saga of L'Anse aux Meadows.

Time's Anvil: England, Archaeology and the Imagination


Richard Morris - 2012
    Richard Morris brilliantly weaves a series of interconnecting studies of apparently unrelated things and periods that are normally considered in isolation. In the process he re-examines aspects of England's story from the end of the last glacial period 12,500 years ago to the present, touching upon such things as Britain's apparent emptiness for long stretches of deep prehistory, battlefields, and the human element of the Industrial Revolution. Morris not only describes the evolution of archaeology's craft but also explores an awakening curiosity and an open embrace of the mystery of the identity of the early inhabitants of our land, who have disappeared and left little trace of themselves but were more like us than we think. Combining the personal with the academic, amalgamating literature and myth with science, and reflecting on how and why archaeology goes about its business, the result is a fresh account of who we are and our relationship with Nature. 'Humanity's achievement', writes Morris, 'is to be the one animal out of one and a half million currently living on the planet to have discovered this story; its weakness is to suppose itself to be the story's subject'. TIME'S ANVIL challenges some popular assumptions of history, such as Domesday Book's comprehensiveness or the Romans as civilising colonists. The threads come seamlessly together a mile from where the book began, at the graveside of Cardinal Newman. The result is provocative, compelling and salutary.

Black Sumer: The African Origins of Civilisation


Hermel Hermstein - 2012
    They are supposed to have spoken a language which is not genetically related to any known language. This is known as the Sumerian Problem. This book represents the greatest discovery in ancient history for the last hundred years. It demonstrates that Sumerian was genetically related to the Niger-Congo languages of West Africa. Their descendants are the African Diaspora of North and South America and the Caribbean.Many claimed to have solved the Sumerian problem in the past. Hermstein's differs from previous attempts by first showing the reader how to identify genetically related languages through recurrent sound correspondences in basic vocabulary. He then gives examples from acknowledged genetic relationships such as Germanic to show the reader what the evidence should look like. The author also shows what false correspondences look like and how to tell the difference. He also makes use of a number of tests that would determine whether languages are related using probability. This is CLEARLY UNLIKE ANY PREVIOUS ATTEMPT at solving the Sumerian problem.The author reconstructs the epic voyage that took the ancestors of the Sumerians from a homeland in West Africa to Djibouti before making a journey by sea, around Oman and to the head of the Persian Gulf.The other major discovery in the book is that the Sumerians had a much more advanced system of astronomy than has been supposed. The constellations had geographic associations in the Classical period through myth. Hermstein shows how the geographic coordinates of the associated places closely correspond to the celestial coordinates of certain points within the constellations. It is impossible to develop such a system without knowing the earth is round. The text supplying the point of origin for the system of geo-celestial coordinate correspondence is from the Sumerian period.Two amazing discoveries in one book. Both humanity and civilization have an African origin! The ancients knew a lot more than we realized!

Adventures with Iphigenia in Tauris: A Cultural History of Euripides' Black Sea Tragedy


Edith Hall - 2012
    Yet, despite its influence andpopularity in the ancient world, the play remains curiously under-investigated in both mainstream cultural studies and more specialized scholarship. With Adventures with Iphigenia in Tauris, Edith Hall provides a much-needed cultural history of this play, giving as much weight to the impact of theplay on subsequent Greek and Roman art and literature as on its manifestations since the discovery of the sole surviving medieval manuscript in the 1500s. The book argues that the reception of the play is bound up with its spectacular setting on the southern coast of the Crimean peninsula in what isnow the Ukraine, a territory where world history has often been made. However, it also shows that the play's tragicomic tenor and escape plot have had a tangible influence on popular culture, from romantic fiction to Hollywood action films. The thirteen chapters illustrate how reactions to the playhave evolved from the ancient admiration of Aristotle and Ovid, the Christian responses of Milton and Catherine the Great, the anthropological ritualists and theatrical Modernists including James Frazer and Isadora Duncan, to recent feminist and postcolonial dramatists from Mexico to Australia.Individual chapters are devoted to the most significant adaptations of the tragedy, Gluck's opera Iphig�nie en Tauride and Goethe's verse drama Iphigenie auf Tauris. Richly illustrated and accessibly written, with all texts translated into English, Adventures with Iphigenia in Tauris argueselegantly for a reappraisal of this Euripidean masterpiece.

Cyrenaics Handbook


Aristippus - 2012
    It is not a summary or analysis of the Cyrenaic school. Rather it provides all of the (open and available) references to the Cyrenaic school within the ancient texts. Its main function is to put together in one place all of the disparate references spread across the Internet and libraries into one book. It is designed for the scholar and for the student. The scholar can use this resource to save time by having everything ready in one place. All references are taken from copyright-expired texts or open source (free) texts from places like Gutenberg and Archive.org. No copyrighted material is used in this book. All endnotes point to the source of each reference. The student of ancient philosophy will find this to be a starting point in their understanding of the Cyrenaic school. Many will undoubtedly use this book to aid their understanding of Hellenistic Philosophy and Epicurianism. BOOK CONTENTS Introduction Author Notes Cyreniac Genealogy (chart) Cyrenaic Resources Aristippus: Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology Aristippus: Satirical & Poetical Interpretation Aristippus: Suda Aristippus: Synopsis Aristippus: Socratic Aristippus: Opulence Aristippus: Examining Wealth and Fortune Aristippus: Examining Sexuality Aristippus: Tyrant Dionysius Aristippus: Xenophon's Testimony Aristippus: Other Testimony Relations of Aristippus: Doctrines and Persons Hegesias the "Death Persuader" Anniceris and His School Theodorus the Atheist Dionysius the Renegade Euhemerus Cyrenaic Doctrines ENDNOTES

Painted Caves: Palaeolithic Rock Art in Western Europe


Andrew J. Lawson - 2012
    Offering an up-to-date overview of the geographical distribution of the sites foundin southern France and the Iberian Peninsula, and examples known in Britain, Italy, Romania, and Russia, Lawson's expert study is not restricted to the art in caves, but places this art alongside the engravings and sculptures found both on portable objects and on rock faces in the open air.Written from an archaeological perspective, the volume stresses how the individual images cannot be considered in isolation, but should rather be related to their location and other evidence that might provide clues to their significance. Although many scholars have put forward ideas as to themeaning and function of the art, Lawson discusses some of the substantive theories and offers glimpses of his own experience in the field and enduring fascination for the subject.

Sparta's Kings


John Carr - 2012
    This book follows the lives of the 57 men who held office as Spartan king between Theopompos and the Agiad Kleomenes III who died in 222 BC.

The Complete Illustrated History of Ancient Rome Boxed Set


Nigel Rodgers - 2012
    The two books in this box set chronicle the story of one of the greatest historical periods. One examines the warfare, government, conquests and leadership of ancient Rome, while the other shows how people lived and worked during this cultural peak in world history.

Mysteries of the Ancient Past: A Graham Hancock Reader


Glenn Kreisberg - 2012
     With contributions by David Frawley, Geoff Stray, Joscelyn Godwin, Daniel Pinchbeck, Antoine Gigal, and other provocative, cutting-edge thinkers, this collection of essays commissioned by Graham Hancock, bestselling author of Fingerprints of the Gods, represents the latest, often controversial findings in alternative science, history, archaeology, and consciousness research. Covering topics ranging from the origins of the Inca and the secrets hidden in Vedic literature, to the architecture of the Giza pyramids and the Sphinx, to unified theories of physics and consciousness, this book shows how, by recovering our lost history, we too can experience the higher consciousness and advanced wisdom of the ancients.

Celtic Visions: Seership, Omens and Dreams of the Otherworld


Caitlín Matthews - 2012
    Drawn from ancient Gaelic and Welsh sources, this visionary guide reveals the truth behind the prophetic visions of the druids and seers. It explains their methods for communicating with the Otherworld through omens and fairy lore and explores the Celtic gift of “second sight”--the ability to perceive both the visible and the invisible aspects of reality.

Christ Circumcised: A Study in Early Christian History and Difference


Andrew S. Jacobs - 2012
    Jacobs turns to an unexpected symbol--the stereotypical mark of the Jewish covenant on the body of the Christian savior--to explore how and why we think about difference and identity in early Christianity.Jacobs explores the subject of Christ's circumcision in texts dating from the first through seventh centuries of the Common Era. Using a diverse toolkit of approaches, including the psychoanalytic, postcolonial, and poststructuralist, he posits that while seeming to desire fixed borders and a clear distinction between self (Christian) and other (Jew, pagan, and heretic), early Christians consistently blurred and destabilized their own religious boundaries. He further argues that in this doubled approach to others, Christians mimicked the imperial discourse of the Roman Empire, which exerted its power through the management, not the erasure, of difference.For Jacobs, the circumcision of Christ vividly illustrates a deep-seated Christian duality: the fear of and longing for an other, at once reviled and internalized. From his earliest appearance in the Gospel of Luke to the full-blown Feast of the Divine Circumcision in the medieval period, Christ circumcised represents a new way of imagining Christians and their creation of a new religious culture.

After Alexander: The Time of the Diadochi (323-281 BC)


Víctor Alonso Troncoso - 2012
    The time of the Successors (Diadochi) is usually defined as beginning in 323 BC and ending with the deaths of the last two Successors in 281 BC. This is a major publication devoted to the Successors and contains eighteen papers reflecting current research. Several papers attempt to unravel the source history of the very limited remaining narrative accounts, and add additional materials through cuneiform and Byzantine texts. Specific historical issues addressed include the role of so-called royal flatterers and whether or not Alexander's old guard did continue to serve into their sixties and seventies. Three papers reflect the recent conscious effort by many to break away from the Hellenocentric view of the predominantly Greek sources, by examining the role of the conquered, specifically the prominent roles played by Iranians in the administration and military of Alexander and his Successors, pockets of Iranian resistance which eventually blossomed into Hellenistic kingdoms ruled by sovereigns proclaiming their direct connection to an Iranian past and a continuation of Iranian influence through an examination of the roles played by certain of the Diadochis Iranian wives. The papers in the final section analyze the use of varying forms of propaganda. These include the use of the concept of Freedom of the Greeks as a means of manipulating opinion in the Greek world; how Ptolemy used a snake cult associated with the foundation of Alexandria in Egypt to link his kingship with that of Alexander; and the employment of elephant images to advertise the authority of particular rulers.

Greek and Macedonian Land Battles of the 4th Century B.C.: A History and Analysis of 187 Engagements


Fred Eugene Ray - 2012
    Greece has long held a fascination for military enthusiasts and the general public alike. Histories, biographies, and popular culture have turned the exploits of noted generals like Xenophon and Iphicrates of Athens, Epaminondas of Thebes, and the father-son team of Philip II and Alexander the Great of Macedonia into the stuff of legend. Drawing from ancient accounts along with suitable analogs, this detailed work offers meticulous reconstructions of 187 of the 4th century's most significant land engagements, considering tactical patterns, evolving trends, and the lasting impact of the era's most influential military minds. By separating myth from reality, these recreations provide incredible insight into past ways of war that continue to influence the course of combat today.

Highways, Byways, and Road Systems in the Pre-Modern World


Susan E. Alcock - 2012
    This international collection of readings providing a description and comparative analysis of several sophisticated systems of transport and communication across pre-modern cultures. Offers a comparative analysis of several sophisticated systems of overland transport and communication networks across pre-modern cultures Addresses the burgeoning interest in connectivity and globalization in ancient history, archaeology, anthropology, and recent work in network analysis Explores the societal, cultural, and religious implications of various transportation networks around the globe Includes contributions from an international team of scholars with expertise on pre-modern India, China, Japan, the Americas, North Africa, Europe, and the Near East Structured to encourage comparative thinking across case studies

Textile Production and Consumption in the Ancient Near East: Archaeology, Epigraphy, Iconography


Henriette Koefoed - 2012
    The Ancient Near East stands out in this respect with the overwhelming amount of documentation both in terms of raw materials, line of production, and the distribution of finished products. The thirteen intriguing chapters in Textile Production and Consumption in the Ancient Near East describe the developments and changes from household to standardised, industrialised and centralised productions which take place in the region. They discuss the economic, social and cultural impact of textiles on ancient society through the application of textile tool studies, experimental testing, context studies and epigraphical as well as iconographical sources. Together they demonstrate that the textile industries, production, technology, consumption and innovations are crucial to, and therefore provide an in-depth view of ancient societies during this period. Geographically the contributions cover Anatolia, the Levant, Syria, the Assyrian heartland, Sumer, and Egypt.

God Games: What do You do Forever?


Neil Freer - 2012
    Using their own genes, they genetically altered an inferior version of humankind for their own purposes and improved our stock. Humankind, with half-Terran and half-alien genes, has been placed on an accelerated evolutionary path. We have begun to eagerly emerge from racial adolescence as a direct result of this tampering. Freer describes what's in store for us as this dawning genetic enlightenment reveals the new human and racial maturity of a new planetary civilization on the horizon. We are about to break thie "godspell," create our own path and play our own "god games." Once we understand our true genetic history we will eventually move beyond the gods, religion, linear consciousness and even death. The sub-title, What Do You Do Forever? inspires us to contemplate the option of immortality and our ability to create our own evolutionary path. This book opens the door to our human potential and will cause one to think in new ways. It is a challenge to read, but will reward those who do so.

The Last Days of Pompeii: Decadence, Apocalypse, Resurrection


Victoria C. Gardner Coates - 2012
    79, Pompeii and other nearby sites are usually considered places where we can most directly experience the daily lives of ancient Romans.  Rather than present these sites as windows to the past, however, the authors of The Last Days of Pompeii: Decadence, Apocalypse, Resurrection explore Pompeii as a modern obsession, in which the Vesuvian sites function as mirrors of the present. Through cultural appropriation and projection, outstanding visual and literary artists of the last three centuries have made the ancient catastrophe their own, expressing contemporary concerns in diverse media—from paintings, prints, and sculpture, to theatrical performances, photography, and film. This lavishly illustrated volume—featuring the works of artists such as Piranesi, Fragonard, Kaufmann, Ingres, Chassériau, and Alma-Tadema, as well as Duchamp, Dalí, Rothko, Rauschenberg, and Warhol—surveys the legacy of Pompeii in the modern imagination under the three overarching rubrics of decadence, apocalypse, and resurrection. Decadence investigates the perception of Pompeii as a site of impending and well-deserved doom due to the excesses of the ancient Romans, such as paganism, licentiousness, greed, gluttony, and violence. The catastrophic demise of the Vesuvian sites has become inexorably linked with the understanding of antiquity, turning Pompeii into a fundamental allegory for Apocalypse, to which all subsequent disasters (natural or man-made) are related, from the San Francisco earthquake of 1906 to Hiroshima, Nagasaki, 9/11, and Hurricane Katrina. Resurrection examines how Pompeii and the Vesuvian cities have been reincarnated in modern guise through both scientific archaeology and fantasy, as each successive cultural reality superimposed its values and ideas on the distant past. An exhibition of the same name will be on view at the Getty Villa from September 12, 2012, through January 7, 2013; at the Cleveland Museum of Art from February 24 through May 19, 2013; and at the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec from June 13 through November 8, 2013.

Staying Roman: Conquest and Identity in Africa and the Mediterranean, 439-700


Jonathan Conant - 2012
    Using historical, archaeological and epigraphic evidence, this study argues that the fracturing of the empire's political unity also led to a fracturing of Roman identity along political, cultural and religious lines, as individuals who continued to feel 'Roman' but who were no longer living under imperial rule sought to redefine what it was that connected them to their fellow Romans elsewhere. The resulting definitions of Romanness could overlap, but were not always mutually reinforcing. Significantly, in late antiquity Romanness had a practical value, and could be used in remarkably flexible ways to foster a sense of similarity or difference over space, time and ethnicity, in a wide variety of circumstances.

Republicanism during the Early Roman Empire


Sam Wilkinson - 2012
    While some Romans wanted a return to the Republic, others wanted the emperor to ensure his reign was as close to Republican moral and political ideology as possible. Analysing the discourse of the period, the book charts how the view of law, morality and behaviour changed under the various Imperial regimes of the first century AD.Uniquely, this book explores how emperors could choose to set their regime in a more Republican or more Imperial manner, thus demonstrating it was possible for both the opposition and an emperor to be Republican. The book concludes by providing evidence of Republicanism in the first century AD which not only created opposition to the emperors, but also became part of the political debate in this period.

Cultures in Contact: From Mesopotamia to the Mediterranean in the Second Millennium B.C.


Joan Aruz - 2012
    at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, a series of lectures brought together major international scholars in a variety of fields concerned with the worlds of the Near East and the eastern Mediterranean in the middle and late Bronze Ages. Interconnections among these rich and complex civilizations extending from Mesopotamia to the Mediterranean were developed in detail, ranging from reports of new archaeological discoveries and insightful art historical interpretations of material culture, to innovative investigations of literary, historical, and political aspects of interactions among these great powers. This symposium volume, containing twenty-eight essays, is an ideal companion to the exhibition catalogue, providing compelling overviews of the ancient Near Eastern and eastern Mediterranean cultures during this period that are both broad and deep in their range.

Ancient Egyptians (Kingfisher Readers Level 5)


Philip Steele - 2012
    From the tombs in the Valley of the Kings to treasures, everyday life, architecture, hieroglyphs, mummies, and more, this book covers all of the essential topics in a format that is designed to help independent readers further build their fluency. Beautiful art and photography draws readers through the material, and supplementary information such as a timeline, callouts, and fact boxes reinforce key ideas. More than three dozen advanced vocabulary words are highlighted throughout the text and defined in the glossary, making this the perfect introduction to this popular subject.LEVEL 5 – READING FLUENTLY (yellow)At this level there will be a more sophisticated range of sentences, vocabulary and language features. Includes glossary and index.