After its founding in 509 BCE, Rome grew from an unremarkable Italian city-state to the dominant superpower of the Mediterranean world. Through it all, the Romans never allowed a single man to seize control of the state. Every year for four hundred years the annually elected consuls voluntarily handed power to their successors. Not once did a consul give in to the temptation to grab absolute power and refuse to let it go. It was a run of political self-denial unmatched in the history of the world. The disciplined Roman republicans then proceeded to explode out of Italy and conquer a world filled with petty tyrants, barbarian chieftains, and despotic kings.But the very success of the Republic proved to be its undoing. The republican system was unable to cope with the vast empire Rome ruled. Bankrolled by mountains of imperial wealth and without a foreign enemy to keep them united, ambitious Roman leaders began to stray from the republican austerity of their ancestors. Almost as soon as they had conquered the Mediterranean, Rome would become engulfed in violent political conflicts and civil wars that would destroy the Republic less than a century later.The Storm Before the Storm tells the story of the beginning of the end of the Roman Republic--the story of the first generation that had to cope with the dangerous new political environment made possible by Rome's unrivaled domination over the known world. The tumultuous years from 133-80 BCE set the stage for the fall of the Republic.The Republic faced issues like rising economic inequality, increasing political polarization, the privatization of the military, endemic social and ethnic prejudice, rampant corruption, ongoing military quagmires, and the ruthless ambition and unwillingness of elites to do anything to reform the system in time to save it--a situation that draws many parallels to present-day America. These issues are among the reasons why the Roman Republic would fall. And as we all know, those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

    The Fate of Rome is the first book to examine the catastrophic role that climate change and infectious diseases played in the collapse of Rome's power--a story of nature's triumph over human ambition.Interweaving a grand historical narrative with cutting-edge climate science and genetic discoveries, Kyle Harper traces how the fate of Rome was decided not just by emperors, soldiers, and barbarians but also by volcanic eruptions, solar cycles, climate instability, and devastating viruses and bacteria. He takes readers from Rome's pinnacle in the second century, when the empire seemed an invincible superpower, to its unraveling by the seventh century, when Rome was politically fragmented and materially depleted. Harper describes how the Romans were resilient in the face of enormous environmental stress, until the besieged empire could no longer withstand the combined challenges of a "little ice age" and recurrent outbreaks of bubonic plague.A poignant reflection on humanity's intimate relationship with the environment, The Fate of Rome provides a sweeping account of how one of history's greatest civilizations encountered, endured, yet ultimately succumbed to the cumulative burden of nature's violence. The example of Rome is a timely reminder that climate change and germ evolution have shaped the world we inhabit--in ways that are surprising and profound.

    But archaeological and historical evidence challenges this narrative. The first agrarian states, says James C. Scott, were born of accumulations of domestications: first fire, then plants, livestock, subjects of the state, captives, and finally women in the patriarchal family—all of which can be viewed as a way of gaining control over reproduction.   Scott explores why we avoided sedentism and plow agriculture, the advantages of mobile subsistence, the unforeseeable disease epidemics arising from crowding plants, animals, and grain, and why all early states are based on millets and cereal grains and unfree labor. He also discusses the “barbarians” who long evaded state control, as a way of understanding continuing tension between states and nonsubject peoples.

    In the Gospels there are few people who understand love for Jesus as well as Mary Magdalene, which is the reason she is a prophetess of eucharistic love.This work is an extended meditation on the life of Saint Mary Magdalene, known as the "Apostle to the Apostles" because the Risen Christ appeared to her first and then sent her to announce the Resurrection to the apostles. Based on the biblical texts traditionally associated with Mary Magdalene, this book helps readers to learn from her inspiring example and to enter more deeply into adoration of Jesus Christ truly present in the Blessed Sacrament.In telling the story of Mary Magdalene's profound conversion after the Lord had to expel seven demons from her soul, this book shows how she is a shining witness to the transforming power of an encounter with Jesus Christ. Mary Magdalene is the perfect model for those who have experienced the redeeming love of Christ and who seek to deepen their devotion to him and to the Eucharist.

    Urged to tell what he was seeing through the small opening he had cut in the door to the tomb, the Egyptologist famously replied, "I see wonderful things." Carter's fabulous discovery is just one of the many spellbinding stories told in Three Stones Make a Wall.Written by Eric Cline, an archaeologist with more than thirty seasons of excavation experience, Three Stones Make a Wall traces the history of archaeology from an amateur pursuit to the cutting-edge science it is today by taking the reader on a tour of major archaeological sites and discoveries, from Pompeii to Petra, Troy to the Terracotta Warriors, and Mycenae to Megiddo and Masada. Cline brings to life the personalities behind these digs, including Heinrich Schliemann, the former businessman who excavated Troy, and Mary Leakey, whose discoveries advanced our understanding of human origins. The discovery of the peoples and civilizations of the past is presented in vivid detail, from the Hittites and Minoans to the Inca, Aztec, and Moche. Along the way, the book addresses the questions archaeologists are asked most often: How do you know where to dig? How are excavations actually done? How do you know how old something is? Who gets to keep what is found?Taking readers from the pioneering digs of the eighteenth century to the exciting new discoveries being made today, Three Stones Make a Wall is a lively and essential introduction to the story of archaeology.

    This is a classic example of a PSYOP a psychological operation, a mission to change what you believe by feeding you information that is inaccurate, incomplete, or an outright lie. This PSYOP is one of many by entities who've been at war with God since the Garden of Eden. The Bible calls them gods. God Himself calls them gods. But we've been taught that they're imaginary, so we stumble around the battlefield completely unprepared to defend ourselves. In The Great Inception, you will learn: How we know the war between God and the gods is real *The importance of mountains and the holy mountain where the final battle will be fought *Why the Tower of Babel was not in Babylon and the real reason God stopped it *Where God led His heavenly army to battle the chief god of the Canaanites *The true identities of Satan and Apollyon, king of the demons in the abyss *The mystery behind what God meant when He told Abraham about the sin of the Amorites *Why the Red Sea crossing was a literal battle between God and Ba`al (and why a Canaanite god was in Egypt in the first place) *Connects Titans of Greek mythology, the Nephilim of Genesis 6 with people who fought Israel from the time of Moses to the present *Jesus did battle with the rebel gods *How the moon-god of ancient Babylon influences world events today *Where Armageddon will be fought (it s not where you think) *Possible end-times scenario that includes the most diabolical double-cross in history Combining research from scholars of ancient history, languages, archaeology, and Bible prophecy, Derek P. Gilbert shows that the Bible is anything but a boring list of thou-shalt-nots; it's an epic tale of a war between God and the rebel gods who want to usurp His throne before He can restore humanity to His holy mountain and the place we once had in the divine council.

    But Silus’ has darker ambitions, for Albinus to follow in his footsteps in the army. But, as the conflicts between father and son come to a head, a growing threat comes down from the vengeful Germanic tribes to the north. Just as Albinus and Licina are about to marry, their settlement is raided by barbarians and Silus and his veteran comrades are brutally killed, while Licina is kidnapped by the raiders and taken to their king as a gift. Believing her to be alive, Albinus sets out on a quest to find Licina, finally fulfilling his father’s wishes as training as a soldier, even as he is spurred to avenge his father’s death. As the barbarian hordes gather and plan major rebellion against the Romans, Albinus finds a new fighting spirit within him and grows in stature among the legionaries. Licina meanwhile has a fight of her own, to escape from slavery and find Albinus. Time is running out, as the northern tribes head for Rome, decimating everything in their path… With historically accurate details and including characters from legend, Adam Lofthouse’s novel recounts the brutal battles between the Romans and the Germanic tribes, while also telling the heart-wrenching coming-of-age narrative of one young soldier within the Roman camp. Adam Lofthouse has for many years held a passion for the ancient world. As a teenager he picked up Gates of Rome by Conn Iggulden, and has been obsessed with all things Rome ever since. After ten years of immersing himself in stories of the Roman world, he decided to have a go at writing one for himself. The Centurion’s Son is Adam’s first novel. He lives in Kent, with his wife and three sons.

    Thyme is a fascinating account of the Lemurian civilization and, more importantly, what it meant to be a Lemurian. The wondrous civilization of Lemuria, having existed many thousands of years ago, can be a difficult subject to grasp. Certainly, as time has passed, physical evidence is more difficult to find. And yet the interest in Lemuria is stronger now than ever. Lauren O. yme, with the guidance of channeled information from the Lemurian Elders, has created a striking account of the customs, lifestyle, and harmonious community of people known as Lemurians. is information is almost impossible to find anywhere else, and Lauren has done a masterful job of showing what life was like during this ancient civilization. e Lemurian Way includes chapters with surprisingly detailed accounts and descriptions of growing up Lemurian, the Lemurian Light Temples, childbirth customs, Lemurian communities, Lemurian vocations, rites of passage, a typical day in Lemuria, and much more. From what information we can surmise about Lemuria, it was not a perfect civilization. Not only that, but it is believed that Lemuria was surpassed by Atlantis in terms of scientific and technological achievement. So what was it that was so special about Lemuria? Lemuria was a civilization which valued the community, the individual, and a peaceful coexistence in the world. Lemuria rose far above third dimensional issues of struggle and strife. It was a civilization like none before it or seen since here on Earth. Lemuria, also known as the motherland or Mu, evolved to be a supremely ascended and fully conscious civilization. In fact, Lemuria is believed to have achieved the highest level of civilization on Earth. e Lemurian Wayhelps us remember that greatness within ourselves. If you feel drawn to Lemuria, or Mu, for whatever reason, and would like to learn more, e Lemurian Way provides you with a truly wonderful understanding and awareness of the Lemurian civilization, and the glory that Lemuria was. And by exploring, studying and remembering our distant past, we can better understand why we are here now. —Andrew Lutts, Founder, Salem New Age Center and the Lemuria Mailing List

    These contain commands for their children, moral lessons, and prophecy. This legend is not only repeated among the Essene community, but fragments of twenty such records have been found in the Dead Sea scrolls! In this book you will read for yourself the testaments of Enos (Adam’s grandson), Enoch, Lamech (Noah’s father), Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Levi, Judah, Naphtali, Joseph, Benjamin, Kohath (son of Levi, and father of Amram), Amram (father of Moses, Aaron, and Miriam), and Aaron. You will see many extra-biblical prophecies of the Messiah, including Aaron’s warning about the Messiah's First Coming.

    Far from being meek and mild, they were violent, ruthless and fundamentally intolerant. Unlike the polytheistic world, in which the addition of one new religion made no fundamental difference to the old ones, this new ideology stated not only that it was the way, the truth and the light but that, by extension, every single other way was wrong and had to be destroyed. From the 1st century to the 6th, those who didn't fall into step with its beliefs were pursued in every possible way: social, legal, financial and physical. Their altars were upturned and their temples demolished, their statues hacked to pieces and their priests killed. It was an annihilation.Authoritative, vividly written and utterly compelling, this is a remarkable debut from a brilliant young historian.

     For a while it seemed as though both could rule together, but when Antonius started his affair with Cleopatra, his hold on the reigns of Rome grew weaker and allowed Augustus to take control. A complex man, Augustus was in turn both a womaniser and a puritan, a politician and a dictator, a soldier and a peace-maker. His reign began with bloodshed but it ushered in a new world. In this book, John B. Firth will introduce you to a man of conviction, of strength, of arrogance and tyranny. And you will meet Augustus Cæsar, a man whose thirst for power drove him to become the most powerful man on earth. The man who took Rome from a city to an Empire.

    Learn what Ancient Egyptians wore, what's inside a pyramid, how a mummy is made and much much more by lifting the flaps and discovering the secrets hiding underneath!

    Each clique of scientists has a part of the story correct, but new evidence shows they are all fundamentally wrong.On the one side, we have academics highlighting the astonishing fossil record of China with multiple sites now producing modern human fossils aged between 80 - 120 thousand years, or older. Several extremely ancient fossil finds in China, including Dali, Maba and Jinniushan, place archaic Homo sapiens in this region up to 260,000 years ago.On the other side, we have scientists pointing to Africa's impressive fossil record with its evidence of potential ancestors going back around 6 million years. The evidence of extreme genetic diversity among Africans and the discovery of 300,000-year-old archaic Homo sapiens fossils in Morocco tends to further support the idea that humans came out from Africa. We can understand why both sides are so sure of their positions, and why the debate continues. While leading academics focussed on their own agendas, they overlooked significant evidence. Between the two poles of Out of Africa and Out of Asia Theory, exists a 'Middle Way'. The Forgotten Exodus: The Into Africa Theory of Human Evolution, reveals that within the known fossil record, the current genetic studies and recent paleoclimate models there is compelling evidence for a superior theory of human origins, representing a paradigm displacement.The Into Africa Theory does not dispute the evidence placing the earliest hominins in Africa.However, it does not agree with the consensus view that Homo sapiens emerged there first and later migrated to Eurasia.The Into Africa Theory recognises the extraordinary evidence for critical stages in our development occurring in East and Southeast Asia. It is abundantly clear that as a new concerted effort to gather and evaluate fossil evidence begins in earnest we see astonishing new discoveries. The Into Africa Theorydisputes the claims of Out of Africa and Out of Asia(or Europe) adherents over the starting point for the migration which populated Eurasia approximately 60,000 years ago and identifies the actual location.Amazing facts that you will encounter:-Homo heidelbergensis was not ancestral to modern humans -Denisovan fossils in Siberia carried DNAfrom Australian Aboriginals-An Indonesian supervolcano brought about the end for multiple hominin species-Climate catastrophe locked humans in Africa from 73,000 to 59,000 years ago-There is no African fossil DNA over 10,000 years in age-While supposedly isolated, Aboriginal Australians interbred with Denisovans 44,000 years agoYou will gain access to a long-forgotten conversation involving the famous evolutionary scientists Allan Wilson and Rebecca Cann, in which they admitted that their data suggested Aboriginal Australians were ancestral to all modern humans.Learn why the appearance of the haplogroups foundational to Eurasians, L3 and CT, had to come from a population incursion rather than an in-situ mutation.Explore the cutting-edge scientific findings of 2016 and 2017 alongside a broad range of anomalies long suppressed or ignored in academic circles.The Forgotten Exodus' author Bruce R. Fenton began his journey towards a new understanding of human origins after an expedition to a mysterious megalithic complex in the Ecuadorian Amazon. The Information Systems professional and lifelong scholar of ancient cultures, found himself tracing the threads of the human story across six continents and through 6,000,000 years of history. You will come away with a unique view of humanity and a sense of excitement for revelations still set to arrive. This book reminds all of us that we have a collective ability to overcome enormous obstacles.

    What transformed a humble city into the preeminent power of the region? In The Rise of Rome, the historian and archaeologist Kathryn Lomas reconstructs the diplomatic ploys, political stratagems, and cultural exchanges whereby Rome established itself as a dominant player in a region already brimming with competitors. The Latin world, she argues, was not so much subjugated by Rome as unified by it. This new type of society that emerged from Rome’s conquest and unification of Italy would serve as a political model for centuries to come.Archaic Italy was home to a vast range of ethnic communities, each with its own language and customs. Some such as the Etruscans, and later the Samnites, were major rivals of Rome. From the late Iron Age onward, these groups interacted in increasingly dynamic ways within Italy and beyond, expanding trade and influencing religion, dress, architecture, weaponry, and government throughout the region. Rome manipulated preexisting social and political structures in the conquered territories with great care, extending strategic invitations to citizenship and thereby allowing a degree of local independence while also fostering a sense of imperial belonging.In the story of Rome’s rise, Lomas identifies nascent political structures that unified the empire’s diverse populations, and finds the beginnings of Italian peoplehood.

    Spanning the dawn of human civilization through the present, it provides a tour of every site of key archaeological importance. From the prehistoric cave paintings of Lascaux to Tutankhamun's tomb, from the buried city of Pompeii to China's Terracotta Army, all of the world's most iconic sites and discoveries are here. So too are the lesser-known yet equally important finds, such as the recent discoveries of our oldest known human ancestors and of the world's oldest-known temple, Gobekli Tepe in Turkey. A masterful combination of succinct analysis and driving narrative, this book also addresses the questions that inevitably arise as we gradually learn more about the history of our species. Written by an international team of archaeological experts and richly illustrated throughout, Archaeology: A Comprehensive Guide to Our Human Past offers an unparalleled insight into the origins of humankind.

    In each hour of the day we meet a new character - from emperor to slave girl, gladiator to astrologer, medicine woman to water-clock maker - and discover the fascinating details of their daily lives.

    But this myth obscures a troubled and complex heritage: a long struggle to reconcile the ethics of nonviolence with the need to use violence to rule. Upinder Singh documents the dynamic tension between violence and nonviolence in ancient Indian political thought and practice over twelve hundred years.Political Violence in Ancient India looks at representations of kingship and political violence in epics, religious texts, political treatises, plays, poems, inscriptions, and art from 600 BCE to 600 CE. As kings controlled their realms, fought battles, and meted out justice, intellectuals debated the boundary between the force required to sustain power and the excess that led to tyranny and oppression. Duty (dharma) and renunciation were important in this discussion, as were punishment, war, forest tribes, and the royal hunt. Singh reveals a range of perspectives that defy rigid religious categorization. Buddhists, Jainas, and even the pacifist Maurya emperor Ashoka recognized that absolute nonviolence was impossible for kings.By 600 CE religious thinkers, political theorists, and poets had justified and aestheticized political violence to a great extent. Nevertheless, questions, doubt, and dissent remained. These debates are as important for understanding political ideas in the ancient world as for thinking about the problem of political violence in our own time.

    Cleopatra has been defined by her relationships with powerful Roman statesmen Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, both of whom fathered her children, but there is much more to Cleopatra's story than romantic intrigue. Inside you will read about... - The Ptolemaic Dynasty - Cleopatra as Queen - Cleopatra and Julius Caesar - Mark Antony and Cleopatra - Propaganda Wars - The Last Pharaoh of Egypt: Cleopatra's Suicide And much more! One of the first independent female rulers of an ancient kingdom, Cleopatra was a gifted diplomat, efficient administrator, and accomplished linguist who ruled her kingdom with more courage than the majority of her male predecessors. Cleopatra's death ended an era, but her life promised the dawn of a new age, one where women might dare to rule the world.

    Ever moving and ever changing in mood, it is a place without time, in contrast to the land which is fixed and scarred by human activity giving it a visible history. While the land is familiar, even reassuring, the sea is unknown and threatening. By taking to the sea humans put themselves at its mercy. It has often been perceived to be an alien power teasing and cajoling. The sea may give but it takes.Why, then, did humans become seafarers? Part of the answer is that we are conditioned by our genetics to be acquisitive animals: we like to acquire rare materials and we are eager for esoteric knowledge, and society rewards us well for both. Looking out to sea most will be curious as to what is out there--a mysterious island perhaps but what lies beyond? Our innate inquisitiveness drives us to explore.Barry Cunliffe looks at the development of seafaring on the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, two contrasting seas-- the Mediterranean without a significant tide, enclosed and soon to become familiar, the Atlantic with its frightening tidal ranges, an ocean without end. We begin with the Middle Palaeolithic hunter gatherers in the eastern Mediterranean building simple vessels to make their remarkable crossing to Crete and we end in the early years of the sixteenth century with sailors from Spain, Portugal and England establishing the limits of the ocean from Labrador to Patagonia. The message is that the contest between humans and the sea has been a driving force, perhaps the driving force, in human history.

    

    Inconsistency in the Torah

    These objects tell the story of the origin of the Roman state (Latium) from the Early Iron Age cultures of Etruria and the pseudo-historical “period of the kings” (753–509 BCE), through to the end of the Late Empire in the West in 476 CE. Over a period of more than 1,000 years, Roman culture evolved administratively, socially, and politically, with many elements still recognizable in the sociopolitical infrastructure of the modern Western world.Richly illustrated with detailed photographs of every object, the informative text reveals how each artifact is a key object in its own right—a creation that commemorates a great event or heralds the start of a new era in creativity or politics. From coins of the fifth century BCE to pottery made at the time of the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 CE, all the objects reveal an important insight into this highly influential ancient civilization.

    But in the past fifty years it has experienced a remarkable recovery and rebirth. In this important book, leading environmental historian Nancy Langston offers a rich portrait of the lake’s environmental and social history, asking what lessons we should take from the conservation recovery as this extraordinary lake faces new environmental threats.   In her insightful exploration, Langston reveals hope in ecosystem resilience and the power of community advocacy, noting ways Lake Superior has rebounded from the effects of deforestation and toxic waste wrought by mining and paper manufacturing. Yet, despite the lake’s resilience, threats persist. Langston cautions readers regarding new mining interests and persistent toxic pollutants that are mobilizing with climate change.

     Twelve bestselling historical authors bring to life to the glory of the ancient world in three novels spanning golden Greece to blood-soaked Rome: SONGS OF BLOOD AND GOLD A DAY OF FIRE (Authored by: Stephanie Dray, Ben Kane, E. Knight, Sophie Perinot, Kate Quinn, Vicky Alvear Shecter) Pompeii: a lively resort flourishing in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius at the height of Rome's glory. When Vesuvius erupts in an explosion of flame and ash, the entire town struggles to flee the mountain's wrath: soldiers and politicians, villains and heroes, young and old. But who will escape, and who will be buried for eternity? A YEAR OF RAVENS (Authored by: Ruth Downie, Stephanie Dray, E. Knight, Kate Quinn, Vicky Alvear Shecter, SJA Turney, Russell Whitfield) Britannia: land of mist and magic clinging to the western edge of the Roman Empire. A red-haired queen named Boudica leads her people in a desperate rebellion against the might of Rome, an epic struggle destined to consume warriors and peacemakers, slaves and queens, Roman and Celt. But who will survive to see the dawn of a new Britannia, and who will fall to feed the ravens? A SONG OF WAR (Authored by: Christian Cameron, Libbie Hawker, Kate Quinn, Vicky Alvear Shecter, Stephanie Thornton, SJA Turney, Russell Whitfield) Troy: city of gold, gatekeeper of the east, a haven destined to last a thousand years. But the Fates have other planes--the Fates, and a woman named Helen. In the shadow of Troy's gates, all must be reborn in the greatest war of the ancient world: heroes and cowards, seers and kings, innocent and guilty. But who will lie forgotten in the embers, and who will rise to shape the dawn of a new age?

    On the Gods and the World is the production of Sallust, a 4th century pagan philosopher. It is a beautiful epitome of the Platonic philosophy, in which the most important dogmas are delivered with such elegant conciseness, perfect accuracy, and strength of argument, that it is difficult to say to which the treatise is most entitled—our admiration or our praise. The Sentences of Demophilus are a collection from the works of ancient Pythagoreans, by whom they were employed like proverbs, on account of their intrinsic excellence and truth. Along with five hymns by the philosopher Proclus, this volume also includes five hymns by the translator, Thomas Taylor.

    Fully outfitted for comprehension and efficient referencing, this special edition contains the following features: 1. Almost 300 detailed, scholarly footnotes 2. Extended introduction describing the political and military systems of the Roman republic 3. Maps, diagrams, and photographs 4. Topical organization charts 5. Chronological tables 6. Textual commentary 7. Detailed index Considered the first of the great Roman historians, Sallust has been read for centuries for his penetrating character studies, timeless moral insights, and matchless rhetoric. His profiles of flawed men led inexorably to ruin by excessive ambition or character defects resonate with us today more powerfully than ever. Intrigue…murder…the lust for power…and the fatal hubris that leads men to their dooms. These are some of the historian’s gripping themes. Deeply concerned with the moral decay and corruption he saw around him, Sallust’s pragmatic views of historical forces, personalities, and the psychology of power were aided by his own direct participation in the highest levels of Roman politics. “The Conspiracy of Catiline” tells the dramatic story of renegade senator Lucius Catiline’s attempt to seize power in Rome during the waning days of the republic. “The War of Jugurtha” recounts the rise and ultimate destruction of the headstrong Numidian king Jugurtha, who waged an insurgent war against Rome from 112 to 106 B.C. And as the fates of men play themselves out on the stage of history, strength of character and the will of Fortune will be the ultimate arbiters of human destiny. Quintus Curtius can be found at qcurtius.com

    Richard Carrier explores the social history of scientists in the Roman era. Was science in decline or experiencing a revival under the Romans? What was an ancient scientist thought to be and do? Who were they, and who funded their research? And how did pagans differ from their Christian peers in their views toward science and scientists? Some have claimed Christianity valued them more than their pagan forebears. In fact the reverse is the case. And this difference in values had a catastrophic effect on the future of humanity. The Romans may have been just a century or two away from experiencing a scientific revolution. But once in power, Christianity kept that progress on hold for a thousand years—while forgetting most of what the pagans had achieved and discovered, from an empirical anatomy, physiology, and brain science to an experimental physics of water, gravity, and air. Thoroughly referenced and painstakingly researched, this volume is a must for anyone who wants to learn how far we once got, and why we took so long to get to where we are today.

    This magnificently illustrated book presents more than 200 objects currently housed in public collections around the world that offer both context and immediacy to the rich culture of ancient Greece. From the bifacial hand tools of the Lower Palaeolithic to the Hellenistic Great Altar of Pergamon,the artifacts presented here reveal a complex sociocultural history of shifting priorities, spiritual beliefs, and cultural traditions. Objects from across the Greek world, valued in life and in death, reflect the transmission of shared ideals across vast distances through relationships maintained for centuries at a time.Pocket Museum: Ancient Greece also offers an insight into the history of collecting and methods of interpretation, examining how the perception of objects has changed over time. Beautifully illustrated with photographs of each featured artifact, this is an absorbing introduction to a culture that has exerted an unparalleled influence on Western civilization.

    They established a rich nomadic culture originating in southern Siberia and extending to northern China and as far as the northern Black Sea. Mobility and mastery of local resources were central to their culture and their achievements. Forerunners of the Sarmatians, the Huns, the Turks, and the Mongols, the Scythians were feared adversaries and respected neighbors of the Assyrians, Persians, and ancient Greeks. They left no written records of their own and historians have previously relied on the descriptions by the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, but archaeological research now adds considerable new information about their origins and lifestyle.This book offers unique insights into the life and funerary customs of the Scythians with exceptionally well preserved organic objects buried in conditions of permanent frost in the high Altai mountains. Some of the objects are from new excavations and others come from the famous Siberian Collection of Peter the Great. They include many rare finds of personal garments and possessions made from gold, leather, fur, and felt and reveal the impact and achievements of one of the earliest great nomadic peoples.

    

    When Renaissance artists sought to imitate ancient sculpture, their medium of choice was pure, white marble, but little did they know that the works they emulated were originally painted in dazzling and powerful hues--from red ocher and cinnabar to azurite and malachite. By illustrating painted reconstructions of well-known sculptures in relation to original examples, this volume reveals how ancient artists in Egypt, Mesopotamia, the Aegean, Greece, and Rome brought unexpected and breathtaking color to their artworks. Accompanying these reproductions are watercolors of Greece's landscapes dating from different years, which show how our perception of ancient art has changed over time. Generously illustrated, this book testifies that the study of ancient sculpture is incomplete without an understanding of the many ways that color was employed to bring such art to life.

    

    Perfect for children studying the Romans or Roman Britains. Titles in the Set are The Thieves of Ostia, The Secrets of Vesuvius, The Pirates of Pompeii, The Assassins of Rome, The Dolphins of Laurentum, The Twelve Tasks of Flavia Gemini.

    Thomas R. Horn, radio legend Stephen Quayle, and two teams of investigators and film crews (following a secret conference with leaders of the Ute Nation, Zuni, and Hopi tribes) the most compelling evidence is finally unveiled involving pre-Columbian, dragon/giant-worshiping interlopers who traversed the Atlantic Ocean and secret Anasazi routes to corrupt the earliest Americans with portal-opening sorcery, human sacrifices, ritual cannibalism, and technology of the fallen ones. NOW, FOR THE FIRST TIME, IN UNEARTHING THE LOST WORLD OF THE CLOUDEATERS: DISCLOSED! The truth behind the great Smithsonian cover up REVEALED! The pre-Flood architecture of the Giant Kings DECIPHERED! Pre-Flood angel civilizations and the remnants of Watchers UNCOVERED! The secret of the Anasazi and why they disappeared overnight UNVEILED! Ancient hidden stargates that medicine-men still use to see the future CONFESSED! The sacred mountains where the giant bones are kept EXPOSED! What tribal elders confessed about returning giants UNMASKED! Giant, cannibalistic gods that demanded human sacrifice DISCOVERED! Children of Cloudeaters, six-fingered, six-toed mutants UNWRAPPED! Shapeshifters, Skinwalkers, and other sky people UNEARTHED! Where the gates will open when the Cloudeaters return Learn the secrets to America s earliest history and the truth about the giants in its past and future as you travel with Dr. Thomas R. Horn and Stephen Quayle into the most groundbreaking, history-altering investigation primed to challenge predominant, institutional dogma and scientific orthodoxy.

    Before Orion explores a deeper root for this monomyth by looking at how hunter-gatherers viewed themselves within the natural and spiritual worlds through Paleolithic cave art from 40,000 years ago. Biological Time author and naturalist Bernie Taylor proposes that select cave paintings are fundamental pieces in the human journey to self-realization, the foundation of written language, and a record of biological knowledge that irrevocably impacted some of the artistic styles, religious practices, and stories that are still with us. Taylor addresses a profound archaeological elephant in the room by opening up an uncharted place in our history, which points to the cultural ancestors of mankind. Before Orion will change the idea of who you think you are.

    

    Gaiseric, however, was no moronic thug, proving himself a highly skilful political and military leader and was one of the dominant forces in Western Mediterranean region for almost half a century. The book starts with a concise history of the Vandals before Gaiseric's reign and analyses the tactics and weaponry with which they carved a path across the Western Roman Empire to Spain. It was in Spain that Gaiseric became their king and he that led the Vandals across the straits of Gibraltar to seize a new home in North Africa, depriving Rome of one of its most important remaining provinces and a key source of grain. Roman attempts at reconquest were defeated and the Balearic Islands, Sicily, Corsica and Sardinia were all added to Gaiseric's kingdom. His son, Huneric, was even betrothed to Eudoxia, daughter of the Emperor Valentinian III and it was her appeal for help after her father's murder that led Gaiseric to invade and sack Rome. He took Eudoxia and the other imperial ladies back to Africa with him, subsequently defeating further attempts by the Eastern Roman Empire to recapture the vital North African territory. Ian Hughes' anaylsis of the Gaiseric as king and general reveals him as the barbarian who did more than anyone else to bring down the Western Roman Empire, but also as a great leader in his own right and one of the most significant men of his age.

    

    The excavations captured in this innovative book - the governor's palace, military barracks and mansions of the rich - chart the empire's history from its expansion in the early 9th century BC to its dramatic fall three centuries later, providing insights into the daily lives of both the commoners and Assyrian elites who inhabited this ancient frontier city.Fieldwork over 18 seasons uncovered areas of both the lower town and the great mound of Ziyaret Tepe which looms 22 metres above it, a record of thousands of years of human occupation. Today in southeast Turkey, near the Syrian border, Tushan yielded exceptional finds, such as elaborate wall paintings, a hoard of luxury items burned in a cremation ritual 2,800 years ago, and a cuneiform tablet that hints at a previously unknown language. The story of the project is told by the specialists who dedicated years of their lives to it. Geophysicists, ceramicists, readers of cuneiform, experts in weaving, board games and Neo-Assyrian politics joined archaeologists, zooarchaeologists, archaeobotanists and many others. But this is no dry field book of dusty digging. Both accessible and scholarly, it is a lively, copiously illustrated record of teamwork, a compelling demonstration of the collaboration - the science, artistry and imaginative reconstruction - that makes modern archaeology so absorbing.

    Rejecting the traditional image of limited, ritualised battle, Konijnendijk sketches a world of brutally destructive engagements, restricted only by the stubborn amateurism of the men who fought. The resulting model of hoplite battle does away with most received wisdom about the nature of Greek battle tactics, and redefines the way they reflected the values of Greek culture as a whole.

    Vesuvius in 79 CE-and its implications for urbanism in the Roman empire. Eric E. Poehler, an authority on Pompeii's uniquely preserved urban structure, distills over five hundred instances of street-level "wear and tear" to reveal for the first time the rules of the ancient road. Through a thorough, yet lively, investigation of every facet of the infrastructure, from the city's urban grid and the shape of the streets to the treatment of their surfaces and the individual elements of construction, the intricacies of the Pompeian traffic system and the changes to its operation over time emerge in vivid detail. Though archaeological expertise forms the backbone of this book, its findings have equally important historical and architectural implications. Later chapters probe how the street design and infrastructure affected social roles and hierarchies among property owners in Pompeii, illuminating the economic forces that push and pull upon the shape of urban space. The final chapters set the road system into its broader context as one major infrastructural and administrative artifact of the Roman empire's deeply urban culture. Where does Pompeii's system fit within the history of Roman traffic control? Is it unique for its innovation, or only for the preservation that permitted its discovery? Poehler marshals evidence from across the Roman world to examine these questions. His measured and thoroughly researched answers make The Traffic Systems of Pompeii a critical step forward in our understanding of infrastructure in the ancient world.

    Of Varro’s more than seventy works, his treatise ‘On Agriculture’ survives complete and a significant part of his magnum opus ‘On the Latin Language’, revealing his deep interest in antiquarian matters. Delphi’s Ancient Classics series provides eReaders with the wisdom of the Classical world, with both English translations and the original Latin texts. This comprehensive eBook presents Varro’s complete extant works, with illustrations, informative introductions and the usual Delphi bonus material. (Version 1) * Beautifully illustrated with images relating to Varro’s life and works * Features the complete extant works of Varro, in both English translation and the original Latin * Concise introductions to the extant works * Provides two translations of ‘On Agriculture’ (William Davis Hooper and F. H. Belvoir) * Includes translations previously appearing in the Loeb Classical Library edition of Varro * Features the rare translation by ‘On the Latin Language’ by Roland G. Kent, first time in digital print * Excellent formatting of the texts * Easily locate the sections you want to read with individual contents tables * Provides a special dual English and Latin text of ‘On Agriculture’, allowing readers to compare the sections paragraph by paragraph – ideal for students * Features two bonus biographies – discover Varro’s ancient world * Scholarly ordering of texts into chronological order and literary genres Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to explore our range of Ancient Classics titles or buy the entire series as a Super Set CONTENTS: The Translations ON AGRICULTURE ON THE LATIN LANGUAGE The Latin Texts LIST OF LATIN TEXTS The Dual Text DUAL LATIN AND ENGLISH TEXT The Biographies INTRODUCTION TO MARCUS TERENTIUS VARRO by Roland G. Kent MARCUS TERENTIUS VARRO by F. H. Belvoir Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to browse through our range of exciting titles

    This beautifully illustrated resource introduces God’s love story to children while helping them to understand how the Catholic Church is the body of Christ on Earth – and shows them what part they play in God’s plan. Build a foundation of faith with your family today!

    His poetry features panegyrics and short poems addressed to friends, while his nine books of letters shed valuable light on Roman culture in the late Empire. Delphi’s Ancient Classics series provides eReaders with the wisdom of the Classical world, with both English translations and the original Latin texts. This comprehensive eBook presents Sidonius’ complete extant works, with relevant illustrations, informative introductions and the usual Delphi bonus material. (Version 1) * Beautifully illustrated with images relating to Sidonius’ life and works * Features the complete extant works of Sidonius, in both English translation and the original Latin * Concise introductions to the texts * Includes W. B. Anderson’s poetry translation, previously appearing in the Loeb Classical Library edition of Sidonius * O. M. Dalton’s translation of the letters * Excellent formatting of the texts * Easily locate the works you want to read with individual contents tables * Provides a special dual English and Latin text of all nine books of the letters, allowing readers to compare the sections paragraph by paragraph – ideal for students * Features two bonus biographies – discover Sidonius’ ancient world * Scholarly ordering of texts into chronological order and literary genres Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to explore our range of Ancient Classics titles or buy the entire series as a Super Set CONTENTS: The Translations POEMS LETTERS The Latin Texts LIST OF LATIN TEXTS The Dual Text DUAL LATIN AND ENGLISH TEXT The Biographies INTRODUCTION TO SIDONIUS by W. B. Anderson SIDONIUS APOLLINARIS by Henry Wace Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to browse through our range of exciting titles

    These new scholarly contributions have substantially reshaped contemporary understanding of society and life in this ancient civilization.The only detailed up-to-date introduction providing a scholarly overview of ancient Assyria in English within the last fifty years Original essays written and edited by a team of respected Assyriology scholars from around the world An in-depth exploration of Assyrian society and life, including the latest thought on cities, art, religion, literature, economy, and technology, and political and military history

    Although solidly part of the Greek world for as long as there has been one, Rhodes, located just off the coast of Asia Minor, was also from its earliest times a port opening to the civilizations of the Eastern Mediterranean, and Rhodes was involved in every significant moment in ancient Greek history. The island often played a key role in world events which far surpassed its small size, and at one point even stood side-by-side with much larger kingdoms as one of the main powers in the Greek world. In the Archaic and Classical periods, Rhodes often stood as a prime exemplar of the highs and lows of its fellow Greek cities, and as the largest island of the Dodecanese, Rhodes’ history is largely in line with that of the rest of those islands. Rhodes was first colonized by the Greeks of the Dorian tribe around the 8th century BCE, and it aligned with its fellow Dorian cities on the surrounding islands and the mainland of Asia Minor to form the so-called Doric Hexapolis. After the Ionian revolt near the end of the 6th century BCE, Rhodes, along with other islands, was in the path of the Persian fleet that crossed the Aegean to face off against the Greeks in the Persian Wars. In the aftermath of the Persian Wars, along with the rest of the islands and with Greek Asia Minor, Rhodes was subsumed into the Athenian alliance, which would soon become the Athenian Empire. However, Athens would soon lose its power, and around the end of the Peloponnesian War against Sparta, its hold on its allies would wane. In fact, in 408 BCE, Rhodes, sharing a Dorian heritage with Sparta, would be among the first and most powerful of Athens’ allies to revolt, and it played a key role in the end of the Peloponnesian War by providing a basis for the new Spartan fleet to challenge Athenian naval supremacy. In the following century, Rhodes would vacillate between the Athenian and Spartan spheres of influence, all the while remaining too large to be permanently subdued by either city, and thus constantly growing in power. Rhodes would reach the zenith of its power in the Hellenistic period following the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BCE. Even as the rest of the city-states waned compared to the much larger kingdoms of Alexander’s successors in Egypt and Asia, Rhodes would come to the forefront as a main power in the Greek world, standing toe-to-toe with these Hellenistic kingdoms. Rhodes was for a time the foremost naval power in the Eastern Mediterranean, and one of the most powerful and richest cities in the world. It was during this time that the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, was built on the island to celebrate Rhodes’ equally monumental triumph over the armies of Demetrius the Besieger. Rhodes also gained a foothold on other islands, and an extensive presence in Asia Minor. It was only due to the rise of Rome that Rhodes, along with the rest of the Greek world, lost power, and it was gradually integrated into the Roman sphere of influence as an ally before finally being annexed into the empire. Ancient Rhodes: The History and Legacy of the Famous Greek Island in Antiquity examines the history of one of the most important Greek powers of the ancient world. Along with pictures depicting important people, places, and events, you will learn about Rhodes like never before.

    -If we are true to who we are, we will naturally find what is right.- -Beauty is in the eyes and mind of the beholder.- -What is good in life is not always obvious.- These morals are inspired by the teachings Taoist philosopher Chuang Tzu (fourth century b.c.e.), who through charming and sometimes cryptic fables explained to his students the qualities of humility, modesty, simplicity, acceptance, and contentment. In -The Sea Turtle and the Frog, - two creatures share their unique perspective on the world. -The Happy Fish- offers a reflection on what makes for a good leader. And -The White Peacock- demonstrates the virtues of a simple life rather than one adorned with material riches. Beautifully illustrated in the traditional Asian style by artist Mark McGinnis, this book collects thirty-three of these traditional Taoist wisdom tales that will teach readers young and old about the Taoist view of living in harmony with the natural world.

    Armed to the teeth with their distinctive round shield (aspis or hoplon), high-crested helmet (corys) and long spear (dory), the hoplites were some of the most efficient soldiers of their time. They fought in the tight phalanx formation, and beyond the confines of their small poleis, Greek hoplites were also prized as mercenaries throughout the ancient world. Most historians believe that the hoplite became the dominant infantry soldier in nearly all the Greek city-states around the 8th century BCE. Hoplites were responsible for acquiring their own equipment, so not every hoplite might have been equally armed, but considering the style of warfare, they needed as much uniformity as possible. Like most infantry outside of Greece, the hoplites also carried spears, but while the Persian weapons were short and light for example, the Greek spears were thick shafts anywhere between seven and nine feet long. These spears were topped by a 9-inch spearhead, with a “lizard-sticker” buttspike at the bottom which could be used as a secondary spearhead if the main weapon was snapped off, or to plant the spear upright when at rest. Each hoplite also carried a shortsword, designed specifically for thrusting in the close confines of a melee (the Spartan weapon, the xiphos, was so short as to be virtually a dagger, its blade barely over a foot long). For the Greeks, a hoplite was only as strong as the hoplite next to him; without hoplites on the sides, both flanks were exposed, and heavy infantry units are not mobile. Thus, they implemented the phalanx formation, one of history’s most important military innovations. The phalanx was a line of infantry as wide across as the battlefield dictated, anything from five to 30 men deep, with each rank of men officered by a veteran. The formation also included an additional, expert file-closer at the back of each file, to keep the formation cohesive. The Spartans, due to the ferocity of their training and the intensity of their drill, were peerless at phalanx warfare. They were Greece’s only full-time soldiers, with most other cities fielding citizen militias instead, so they avoided the traditional hoplite problem of edging to the right, into the “shadow” of their rankmate’s shield. This edging meant that undisciplined formations often found themselves outflanked, and all armies, including the Spartans, fielded their elite unit (in the Spartans’ case the hippeis) to the far right to keep the line steady. The left was traditionally reserved for the skiritai, the Spartan rangers, who considered it their post of honor. It was only with the advent of the more mobile Roman legion, and the defeat of phalanxes in battles like Cynoscephalae (197 BCE) and Pydna (168 BCE), that the hoplite phalanx was finally outclassed, although not without a long fight: the last of Alexander’s successor kingdoms, Ptolemaic Egypt, only fell in 31 BCE. Hoplites: The History and Legacy of the Ancient Greek Soldiers Who Revolutionized Infantry Warfare examines how hoplites changed the world. Along with pictures depicting important people, places, and events, you will learn about hoplites like never before.

    It has survived the harsh climate of Egypt for thousands of years and will remain long after our own civilization is gone. According to orthodox Egyptology, the Sphinx was built around 2500 BCE as a memorial to the pharaoh Khafre. Yet this “fact” has scant to no supportive evidence. When was the Sphinx really built and, most importantly, why?In this provocative collaboration from two Egyptology outsiders, Robert M. Schoch, Ph.D., and Robert Bauval combine their decades of research to show how the Sphinx is thousands of years older than the conventional Egyptological timeline and was built by a long forgotten pre-Pharaonic civilization. They examine the known history of the Sphinx, contrasting what Egyptologists claim with prominent historical accounts and new research, including updates to Schoch’s geological water weathering research and reanalysis of seismic studies. Building on Bauval’s Orion Correlation Theory, they investigate the archaeoastronomical alignments of the monuments of the Giza Plateau and reveal how the pyramids and Sphinx were built to align with the constellations of Orion and Leo. Analyzing the evidence for a significantly older construction phase at Giza and the restoration and recarving of the Sphinx during the Old Kingdom era, they assert that the Sphinx was first built by an advanced pre-Pharaonic civilization that existed circa 12,000 years ago on the Giza Plateau, contemporaneous with the sophisticated Göbekli Tepe complex. The authors examine how the monuments at Giza memorialize Zep Tepi, the Golden Age of legend shown here to be an actual historical time period from roughly 10,500 BCE through 9700 BCE. Moving us closer to an understanding of the true age and purpose of the Great Sphinx, Schoch and Bauval provide evidence of an early high civilization witnessed by the Great Sphinx before the end of the last ice age.

    He was the last non-Christian ruler of the Roman Empire and it was his wish to bring the Empire back to its ancient Roman values in order to save it from ‘dissolution’. He purged the top-heavy state bureaucracy and attempted to revive traditional Roman religious practices at the expense of Christianity. Delphi’s Ancient Classics series provides eReaders with the wisdom of the Classical world, with both English translations and the original Greek texts. This comprehensive eBook presents Julian’s complete extant works, with illustrations, informative introductions and the usual Delphi bonus material. (Version 1) * Beautifully illustrated with images relating to Julian's life and works * Features the complete extant works of Julian, in both English translation and the original Greek * Concise introductions to the texts * Features Wilmer C. Wright’s translation, previously appearing in the Loeb Classical Library edition of Julian * Excellent formatting of the texts * Easily locate the works you want to read with individual contents tables * Includes Julian's rare fragments, first time in digital print * Provides a special dual English and Greek text of the major works, allowing readers to compare the sections paragraph by paragraph – ideal for students * Features a bonus biography – learn about Julian's ancient world * Scholarly ordering of texts into chronological order and literary genres Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to explore our range of Ancient Classics titles or buy the entire series as a Super Set CONTENTS: The Translations ORATIONS LETTERS TO THEMISTIUS TO THE SENATE AND PEOPLE OF ATHENS TO A PRIEST THE CAESARS MISOPOGON LETTERS EPIGRAMS AGAINST THE GALILAEANS FRAGMENTS The Greek Texts LIST OF GREEK TEXTS The Dual Texts DUAL GREEK AND ENGLISH TEXTS The Biography INTRODUCTION TO JULIAN by Wilmer C. Wright Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to browse through our range of exciting titles

    In these wars, Roman soldiers had to fight in a range of different climates and terrains, from the deserts of the Middle East to the islands of the eastern Mediterranean.Using full-color artwork, this book examines the variation of equipment and uniforms both between different military units, and in armies stationed in different regions of the Empire. Using evidence drawn from recent archaeological finds, it paints a vivid portrait of Roman army units in the Eastern provinces in the first two centuries of the Imperial period.

    J. Fleure’s A Natural History of Man in Britain (1951) has the New Naturalist Library included a volume focused on the study of early humans and their environment.In this long overdue new book, distinguished archaeologist Nick Ashton uncovers the most recent findings, following the remarkable survival and discovery of bones, stone tools and footprints which allow us to paint a picture of the first human visitors to this remote peninsula of north-west Europe.As part of the Ancient Human Occupation of Britain project and subsequent research, Ashton is involved in an unrivalled collaborative effort involving archaeologists, palaeontologists, and earth scientists at different British institutes, including the Natural History Museum and the British Museum. Using an interdisciplinary approach, the book explores the latest discoveries such as footprints at Happisburgh, Norfolk that are thought to be nearly one million years old, flint artefacts at Pakefield in Suffolk and mammoth remains at West Runton, among others. These remarkable remnants help our quest to unravel the interactions between the changing environments and their ancient human occupants, as well as their lifestyles and migrations.Early humans colonised our remote corner of the European mainland time and again, despite being faced with ice age climates with far-reaching consequences. Setting the scene on the Norfolk coast almost a million years ago, Ashton tells the story of the fauna, flora and developing geography of Britain against the backdrop of an ever-changing climate. Above all, he explores how early people began as brief visitors to this wild remote land, but over time through better ways of acquiring food and developing new technologies, they began to tame, shape and dominate the countryside we see today.

    The periods at either end of the early middle ages are associated with iconic forms of unfreedom: Roman slavery at one end; at the other, the serfdom of the twelfth century and beyond, together with, in Southern Europe, a revitalized urban chattel slavery dealing chiefly in non-Christians. How and why this major change took place in the intervening period has been a long-standing puzzle. This study picks up the various threads linking this transformation across the centuries, and situates them within the full context of what slavery and unfreedom were being used for in the early middle ages.This volume adopts a broad comparative perspective, covering different regions of Western Europe over six centuries, to try to answer the following questions: who might become enslaved and why? What did this mean for them, and for their lords? What made people opt for certain ways of exploiting unfree labor over others in different times and places, and is it possible, underneath all this diversity, to identify some coherent trajectories of historical change?

     Three hundred years later there died by her own hand Cleopatra, last of her line, destined for immortality at the hands of Shakespeare. Between Alexander’s officer and the lover of Caesar and Antony stretched an unbroken line of descent, and for three centuries the land of Egypt was ruled for better or for worse by the dynasty of the Ptolemies. The administrative and economic conditions of Ptolemaic Egypt have been exhaustively examined, and there is an abundance of textbooks on these subjects. But the kings and queens of the period, virile if not specially virtuous rulers, have received less attention. This book has been written with the object of rescuing their personality from oblivion, and it gives to the general public a colourful picture of a period of world history which is normally confined to the text-books of the student.

    The poems made characters like Paris, Helen, Odysseus, Achilles, Hector, and Ajax instantly recognizable, and they also influenced other ancient poets like Virgil, whose Aeneid is clearly modeled after them. The epic poems also literally put Troy on the map, motivating Heinrich Schliemann to search for and ultimately find the city of Troy in the 19th century. Believed to be penned around the 8th century BCE or 7th century BCE, the Iliad and the Odyssey served as both entertainment and a moral guidebook of sorts for the ancient Greeks, as well as the foundation for Western literature. Although there is some scholarly debate regarding the epic’s authorship, it is generally attributed to Homer. Given that he lived nearly 2800 years ago, not much is actually known about Homer; even his birthplace is debated, but due to the dialect of Greek in which the works attributed to him were written, it is generally believed that he lived in Iona. The only other aspect of Homer’s life that is generally agreed upon is that he was a blind poet, possibly also a bard. That naturally raises the question of how he wrote his epic poetry, but scholars assume he probably dictated them to a scribe, as the format suggests they were comprised from various shorter forms of oral poetry. Even people who don’t know much about ancient Greek mythology can probably still name Achilles, the Trojan Horse, and a number of other gods that play a part in the story of the Trojan War. The enduring nature of this story led to many great people claiming descent from one of the characters found within it; for example, Alexander the Great was said to have slept with a copy of Homer’s Iliad every night during his campaigns, a description of the legendary war that describes the epitome of pre-hoplite warfare and is still taught at military academies around the world today. The entire story, from its fickle beginnings to its catastrophic end, has made its way to modern readers via surviving sources which, when combined, form a biopsy of ancient Greek myth and many of its finest elements. Most people could be forgiven for mistakenly believing that the Iliad encompasses the entire story of the Trojan War, but the Iliad tells the story of just four days in the ninth year of the war. In many ways, the Iliad is the story of “Achilles’s wrath,” which actually serves as a subtitle in some editions, but in order to gain an idea of the full story of what occurred at Troy between ancient heroes Achilles, Hector, Menelaus, and Paris, among others, readers must collate sources (often fragmentary) stretching from the 8th century BCE to Roman sources in the 1st century CE. Indeed, piecing the story together is one of the intentions of this epic poem. Another intention of the Iliad is to highlight the nature of the story as a work of mythology — not history. Although there are certainly historical elements in the story, as well as certain seminal moments that affected cult activity in ancient Greece, emphasis is placed on the narrative methods that make it an enduring and iconic mixture of myth, legend, and folklore.

    Throughout the Roman world, neighborhood street corners, farm boundaries, and household hearths featured small shrines to the beloved lares, a pair of cheerful little dancing gods. These shrines were maintained primarily by ordinary Romans, and often by slaves and freedmen, for whom the lares cult provided a unique public leadership role. In this comprehensive and richly illustrated book, the first to focus on the lares, Harriet Flower offers a strikingly original account of these gods and a new way of understanding the lived experience of everyday Roman religion.Weaving together a wide range of evidence, Flower sets forth a new interpretation of the much-disputed nature of the lares. She makes the case that they are not spirits of the dead, as many have argued, but rather benevolent protectors--gods of place, especially the household and the neighborhood, and of travel. She examines the rituals honoring the lares, their cult sites, and their iconography, as well as the meaning of the snakes often depicted alongside lares in paintings of gardens. She also looks at Compitalia, a popular midwinter neighborhood festival in honor of the lares, and describes how its politics played a key role in Rome's increasing violence in the 60s and 50s BC, as well as in the efforts of Augustus to reach out to ordinary people living in the city's local neighborhoods.A reconsideration of seemingly humble gods that were central to the religious world of the Romans, this is also the first major account of the full range of lares worship in the homes, neighborhoods, and temples of ancient Rome.

    The lives are composed in a concise, readable style and they are invaluable for their use of reliable sources. Delphi’s Ancient Classics series provides eReaders with the wisdom of the Classical world, with both English translations and the original Latin texts. This comprehensive eBook presents Nepos’ complete extant works, with relevant illustrations, informative introductions and the usual Delphi bonus material. (Version 1) * Beautifully illustrated with images relating to Nepos’ life and works * Features the complete extant works of Nepos, in both English translation and the original Latin * Concise introduction to the extant works * Features John Selby Watson’s translation of LIVES OF EMINENT COMMANDERS * Excellent formatting of the texts * Easily locate the sections you want to read with individual contents tables * Includes Watson’s original footnotes * Provides a special dual English and Latin text, allowing readers to compare the sections paragraph by paragraph – ideal for students * Features a bonus biography – discover Nepos’ ancient world * Scholarly ordering of texts into chronological order and literary genres Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to explore our range of Ancient Classics titles or buy the entire series as a Super Set CONTENTS: The Translation LIVES OF EMINENT COMMANDERS The Latin Text CONTENTS OF THE LATIN TEXT The Dual Text DUAL LATIN AND ENGLISH TEXT The Biography BRIEF BIOGRAPHY: CORNELIUS NEPOS Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to browse through our range of exciting titles

    The objective is to go back to the shift from animal to human articulated language. Homo Sapiens some 300,000 years ago, found himself endowed with mutations selected by his being a long distance fast bipedal runner: a very low larynx; a complex articulating apparatus; a sophisticated coordinating system bringing together diaphragm, breathing, heartbeat, legs and general body posture. These three physiological improvements permitted new linguistic possibilities: more consonants; more vowels; a brain able to construct a mind both producing and produced by articulated language. This developed the ability to conceptualize and develop abstract thinking. The phylogeny of language from a purely linguistic and cognitive point of view activates three articulations to generate human language: vowels and consonants; the morphology of the word from root to stem and then frond; the syntactic structures of utterances. This is based on the communicational syntax conveyed by the human communicational situation that requires the power to conceptualize, both daily procedural communication and inter/intra-generational cognitive and didactic communication. Homo Sapiens evolved in Africa from previous hominins (Homo Faber or Homo Ergaster) that already migrated out of Africa to the Middle East and Central Asia where Neanderthals and Denisovans respectively evolved from them. The nest of this evolution is debated due to recent archaeological discoveries, but the first migration was in Africa from sub-Saharan Africa to Northern Africa. Then out of Africa.I assume the migrations took place every time the phylogeny of language stabilized on the basis of each articulation. The first migration was on the basis of the simple consonant-vowel articulation producing root languages (all consonantal root languages). The second migration on the basis of the morphological articulation produced stems categorized as nouns or verbs, spatial or temporal. These languages are isolating invariable-character languages. The third migration corresponded to the production of fronds, words syntactically categorized as functional nominals and conjugated verbals ready to build syntactic utterances. The communicational syntax was essential to build discourse in root language and little by little was integrated in langue itself reducing the extension and role of discourse, and in the last forms many categories integrated in words are exteriorized outside the words as determiners, prepositions, auxiliaries, adverbs, thus realizing in langue abstract systems of categorizing operations and forms.These migrations lead us to three phylogenic linguistic families: consonantal root languages; isolating invariable-character stem languages; and agglutinative or synthetic-analytical frond languages. These languages spread in the world along with the successive migrations of Homo Sapiens. The answer then to the question about Cro-Magnon’s language is simple and clear: an agglutinative Turkic set of languages and dialects we could call Old European languages to be replaced after the Ice Age by Indo-European languages coming from the Iranian plateau and Mesopotamia. Follow the detail of this exploration in this book, a life-time research and exploration and the first stage of a vaster research. The next stage is the linguistic psychogenesis of human children and language learners. That next stage will come soon. The final stage will be the exploration of how acculturation-deculturation-acculturation is the very human process of human civilization and corresponds to the Buddhist birth-death-rebirth vision invented in the other branch of Indo-Iranian languages, viz. the Indo-Aryan languages that migrated from the same nest as Indo-European languages but east instead of west.

    This book, which presents the findings of new archaeological research in southeastern Kazakhstan, analyzes these findings to present important conclusions about the nature of Inner Asian society in this period. Pots, animal bones, ancient plant remains, and mudbricks are details from the material record proving that the ancient folk cultivated wheat, barley, and the two millets, and also husbanded sheep, goats, cattle, and horses. The picture presented is of societies which were more complex than heretofore understood: with an economic foundation based on both herding and farming, producing surplus agricultural goods which were exported, and with a hierarchical social structure, including elites and commoners, made cohesive by gift-giving, feasting, and tribute, rather than conflict and warfare. The book includes material on the impact of the first opening of the Silk Route by the Han emperors of China.

    While the reasons vary, it is an irony that Christianity, often regarded as responsible for the proliferation and spread of books and book culture, was likewise active in suppressing and destroying books in Late Antiquity.Author Dirk Rohmann assembles the evidence for the role played in book-burning by Christian institutions, writers, and saints during the Roman Empire. Rohmann analyzes a broad range of literary and legal sources, paying special attention to which genres and book types were likely to be targeted. Rohmann concludes that, in addition to heretical, magical, astrological, and anti-Christian books, other less obviously subversive categories of literature were also vulnerable to destruction and censorship through prohibition of manuscript copying. These texts included works from materialistic philosophical traditions, texts that were to become the basis for modern philosophy and science.While book-burning functioned as a recognized cultural practice, and Rohmann acknowledges the wide variety of motivations at work in the various practices of censorship, he ultimately asks to what extent Christian book-burning and accompanying practices negatively affected the survival of pagan and pre-Christian literary and philosophical texts. Christianity's rejection, even obliteration, of books--so contrary to its own worldview--testifies both to the perilous nature of texts in transmission as well as to the enduring cultural and ideological power of the written word.

    Thinkers of the European Enlightenment, searching for ancient models to understand contemporary affairs, were the first to critically interpret Alexander’s achievements. As Pierre Briant shows, in the minds of eighteenth-century intellectuals and philosophes, Alexander was the first European: a successful creator of empire who opened the door to new sources of trade and scientific knowledge, and an enlightened leader who brought the fruits of Western civilization to an oppressed and backward “Orient.”In France, Scotland, England, and Germany, Alexander the Great became an important point of reference in discourses from philosophy and history to political economy and geography. Voltaire, Montesquieu, and Robertson asked what lessons Alexander’s empire-building had to teach modern Europeans. They saw the ancient Macedonian as the embodiment of the rational and benevolent Western ruler, a historical model to be emulated as Western powers accelerated their colonial expansion into Asia, India, and the Middle East.For a Europe that had to contend with the formidable Ottoman Empire, Alexander provided an important precedent as the conqueror who had brought great tyrants of the “Orient” to heel. As The First European makes clear, in the minds of Europe’s leading thinkers, Alexander was not an aggressive militarist but a civilizing force whose conquests revitalized Asian lands that had lain stagnant for centuries under the lash of despotic rulers.

    The books in the series will make the wealth of early Christian thought available to new generations of students of theology and provide a valuable resource for the Church. This volume focuses on how Scripture was interpreted and used for teaching by early Christian scholars and church leaders.Developed in light of recent Patristic scholarship, Ad Fontes volumes will provide a representative sampling of theological contributions from both East and West. The series aims to provide volumes that are relevant for a variety of courses: from introduction to theology to classes on doctrine and the development of Christian thought. The goal of each volume is not to be exhaustive, but rather representative enough to denote for a non-specialist audience the multivalent character of early Christian thought, allowing readers to see how and why early Christian doctrine and practice developed the way it did.

    Given that ancient Greece was very much a man's world, most books on ancient Greek society still tend to focus on men; this book redresses the imbalance by shining the spotlight on that neglected other half: women had significant roles to play in Greek society and culture--this book illuminates those roles. Women in Ancient Greece asks the controversial question: how far is the assumption that women were secluded and excluded just an illusion? It answers it by exploring the treatment of women in Greek myth and epic; their treatment by playwrights, poets and philosophers, and the actions of liberated women in Minoan Crete, Sparta and the Hellenistic era when some elite women were politically prominent. It covers women in Athens, Sparta and in other city states; describes women writers, philosophers, artists and scientists; it explores love, marriage and adultery, the virtuous and the meretricious, and the roles women played in death and religion. Crucially, the book is people-based, drawing much of its evidence and many of its conclusions from lives lived by historical Greek women.

    Dionysius states that his objects in writing history were to please lovers of noble deeds and to repay the benefits he had enjoyed while living in Rome, though he wrote also to reconcile Greeks to Roman rule. Delphi’s Ancient Classics series provides eReaders with the wisdom of the Classical world, with both English translations and the original Greek texts. This comprehensive eBook presents Dionysius’ complete extant major works, with relevant illustrations, informative introductions and the usual Delphi bonus material. (Version 1) * Beautifully illustrated with images relating to Dionysius’ life and works * Features the complete extant works of Dionysius, in English translation and the original Greek * Concise introduction to ‘Roman Antiquities’ * Includes Earnest Cary’s translation of ‘Roman Antiquities’, previously appearing in the Loeb Classical Library * Excellent formatting of the texts * Easily locate the sections you want to read with individual contents tables * Includes Dionysius’ rare letters THE THREE LITERARY LETTERS, first time in digital print * Provides a special dual English and Greek text of the eleven extant books of ‘Roman Antiquities’, allowing readers to compare the sections paragraph by paragraph – ideal for students * Features a bonus biography – discover Dionysius’ ancient world * Scholarly ordering of texts into chronological order and literary genres Please note: there are no unknown translations of Dionysius’s lesser known essays and fragments in the public domain and so they cannot appear in English. Once new texts become available, they will be added to the eBook as a free update. Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to explore our range of Ancient Classics titles or buy the entire series as a Super Set CONTENTS: The Translations ROMAN ANTIQUITIES ON LITERARY COMPOSITION THE THREE LITERARY LETTERS The Greek Texts LIST OF GREEK TEXTS The Dual Text DUAL GREEK AND ENGLISH TEXT The Biography INTRODUCTION TO DIONYSIUS by Earnest Cary Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to browse through our range of exciting titles