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Priests, Tongues, and Rites: The London-Leiden Magical Manuscripts and Translation in Egyptian Ritual, 100-300 CE (Religions in the Graeco-Roman World) (Religions in the Graeco-Roman World)
Jacco Dieleman Manufacturer: Brill Academic Publishers ProductGroup: Book Binding: Hardcover ASIN: 9004141855 |
Book Description
This book is an investigation into the sphere of production and use of two related bilingual magical handbooks found as part of a larger collection of magical and alchemical manuscripts around 1828 in the hills surrounding Luxor, Egypt. Both handbooks, dating to the Roman period, contain an assortment of recipes for magical rites in the Demotic and Greek language. The library which comprises these two handbooks is nowadays better known as the Theban Magical Library.
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Middle Judaism: Jewish Thought, 300 B.C.E. to 200 C.E.
Gabriele Boccaccini Manufacturer: Fortress Pr ProductGroup: Book Binding: Hardcover Similar Items:
ASIN: 0800624939 |
Customer Reviews:
Various types of Judaism at the turn of the eras.......2004-03-21
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Ancient Greek Fortifications 500-300 BC (Fortress)
Nic Fields Manufacturer: Osprey Publishing ProductGroup: Book Binding: Paperback Similar Items:
ASIN: 1841768847 Release Date: 2006-01-31 |
Book Description
The development of the city-state in the Classical period of Greek history ensured a shift in the nature of fortifications in the region. No longer were fortresses designed to defend a ruler and his entourage, rather the whole of the citizen body had to be protected against any outside threats. The enceintes of these Greek city-states did not have to be very high or strong as city-state conflict was still decided by spear and shield, though some thought was still given to the science of fortification. This book details the construction and ongoing development of the defences that protected some of the most illustrious sites in Greece during the most famous period of her history.
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Coinage in the Roman Economy, 300 B.C. to A.D. 700 (Ancient Society and History)
Kenneth W. Harl Manufacturer: The Johns Hopkins University Press ProductGroup: Book Binding: Hardcover Similar Items:
ASIN: 0801852919 |
Book Description
The premier form of Roman money since the time of the Second Punic War (218-201 B.C.), coins were vital to the success of Roman state finances, taxation, markets, and commerce beyond the frontiers. Yet until now, the economic and social history of Rome has been written independently of numismatic studies, which detail such technical information as weight standards, mint output, hoards, and finds at archaeological sites. In Coinage in the Roman Economy, 300 B.C. to A.D. 700, noted classicist and numismatist Kenneth W. Harl brings together these two fields in the first comprehensive history of how Roman coins were minted and used.
Drawing on literary and documentary sources as well as on current methods of metallurgical study and statistical analysis of coins from archaeological sites, Harl presents a sweeping overview of a system of coinage in use for more than a millennium. Challenging much recent scholarship, he emphasizes the important role played by coins in the overseas expansion of the Roman Republic during the second century B.C., in imperial inflationary policies during the third and fourth centuries A.D., and in the dissolution of the Roman Mediterranean order in the seventh century A.D. He also offers the first region-by-region analysis of prices and wages throughout Roman history with reference to the changing buying power of the major circulating denominations. And he shows how the seldom-studied provincial, civic, and imitative coinages were in fact important components of Roman currency.
Richly illustrated with photographic reproductions of nearly three hundred specimens, Coinage in the Roman Economy offers a significant contribution to Roman economic history. It will be of interest to scholars and students of classical antiquity and the Middle Ages, as well as to professional and amateur numismatists.
Customer Reviews:
Addresses what many numismatic works don't.......2007-08-16
Excellent referance.......2005-04-19
First rate information about the role of coins in Rome.......2002-10-19
"Coinage in the Roman Economy" is unabashedly, unflinchingly academic in its approach to its subject. Expect no whimsical anecdotes about mad emperors; don't imagine that there will be thrilling descriptions of great battles. It is safe to say that Brad Pitt's agent is not negotiating for screen rights to the book. Page after page, Harl details the intricacies of Roman monetary policy, how emperors gradually (and sometimes not so gradually) diluted the precious metal content of the coins, reduced their weight, and repeatedly altered exchange rates in efforts to achieve financial stability. Yet, there is an oddly compelling flow and rhythm to that description of one thousand years of coin history as we watch the story of this instrument of Roman power and art play out against a distant background of civil wars, invasions, foreign wars, and calamities. To tackle this book, a reader should already be familiar with the central events and personalities in the long history of Rome. Otherwise, the information presented cannot be integrated with the larger story. But for the student of Roman history, there is much here not readily available elsewhere, including insights into the standard of living in those distant centuries.
For collectors of ancient coins, of course, there is another entire realm of information contained in this book: explanations of the how those treasured bits of metal were manufactured and distributed, how much a denarius could buy under Augustus and how little under Claudius Gothicus, why new eras brought new coins such as the aurelianus and the nummus.
The ideal reader of "Coinage in the Roman Economy" is one who blends interests in both Rome and the coins themselves. It is not light reading, by any means, but effort expended will be rewarded by a new appreciation of the real importance of these small pieces of metal to that complex and now-vanished world.
Tough to read.......2000-07-19
This overview of the roman monetary system and coinage in use for a millennium in the Roman world is compelling. Prices and wages are also analyzed, as far as extant documents allow.
Politicians from around the world could learn a lot about how Gresham's law, the economic principle that bad money drives out good (good money automatically disappears because of hoarding) works; Rome provided good example that people can't be fooled easily.
Rating this book with four stars, I'm judging it as a numismatist interested in roman history and economics. I'd like to see ratings from people with other concerns.
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Medieval and Modern Greek
Robert Browning Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press ProductGroup: Book Binding: Paperback ASIN: 0521299780 |
Book Description
To speakers of Modern Greek the Homeric poems of the seventh century B.C. are not a foreign language. The Greek language has enjoyed a continuous tradition from earliest times until now. This book traces its history from the immediately post-classical or Hellenistic period to the present day. The aim is both to analyse the changing structure of a language stabilised by a peculiarly long and continuous literary tradition, and to show how changing historical circumstances are reflected, in the development of the language. In particular the historical roots of Modern Greek internal bilingualism are traced.The questions treated will be of interest not only to students of Greek but also to students of linguistics.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent overview of the history of the Greek language.......2005-07-23
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A Patristic Greek Lexicon
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA ProductGroup: Book Binding: Hardcover Similar Items:
ASIN: 019864213X |
Customer Reviews:
Good Idea but Incomple.......2005-01-22
Indispensable for the study of Patristic.......2003-02-05
Quite a helpful resource!.......1999-07-09
wowie zowie greek puflowie!.......1999-03-06
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Medieval Chinese Warfare, 300-900 (Warfare and History)
David Graff Manufacturer: Routledge ProductGroup: Book Binding: Library Binding Similar Items:
ASIN: 0415239540 |
Book Description
China's history has been shaped by war. Shortly after 300 AD, barbarian invaders from Inner Asia toppled China's Western Jin dynasty, leaving the country divided and at war for several centuries. Despite this, the empire gradually formed a unified imperial order. Medieval Chinese Warfare, 300-900 explores the military strategies, institutions and wars that reconstructed the Chinese empire that has survived into modern times.
Drawing on classical Chinese sources and the best modern scholarship from China and Japan, David A. Graff connects military affairs with political and social developments to show how China's history was shaped by war. The first survey of medieval Chinese military history to be published in English, this seminal text will be of appeal to readers of both military and Chinese history.
Customer Reviews:
An indispensable reference, unless you can read Chinese.......2002-12-13
David Graff is perhaps the only academic currently specialising in medieval Chinese military history, and his impressive and very helpful bibliography demonstrates the level of research that has gone into the book. Still, the format of a single book can scarcely contain the fruits of that research. The issue of whether the pivotal Battle of the Fei River was a mere myth, first suggested by Michael Rogers and largely ignored since then by experts in both China and the West, at least gets a mention but not the discussion it deserves. Similarly, the evolution of tactics and weapons in response to horse archery and armoured cavalry is briefly described, but not really placed in the context of the key battles narrated elsewhere. Where he does excel is in considering the different problems of logistics facing the cavalry-based North and the riverine South in the chapter "North versus South". In addition, the Introduction's overview of past historiography and scholarship (or rather the lack of it) in Chinese military history is sufficient to make this book a worthwhile read for readers who, like myself, always wondered why the field was so disgracefully neglected.
Graff does make some errors in transliteration, mostly in the tedious process of converting earlier English-language sources from the Wade-Giles system to Hanyu Pinyin. His maps are also too sketchy and few to help the reader much - those fluent in Chinese are encouraged to read Bo Yang's translation of the "Zizhi Tongjian" into modern Chinese (published in Taiwan) for the best available battle maps for this period. Nonetheless, David Graff must be credited for writing a long-needed introduction to early Chinese warfare for Western military enthusiasts. Anyone looking for richer historical detail would proabably have to learn Chinese and read the excellent series by Bo Yang.
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Scythians 700-300 B.C. (Men at Arms Series, 137)
E.V. Cernenko Manufacturer: Osprey Publishing ProductGroup: Book Binding: Paperback Similar Items:
ASIN: 0850454786 Release Date: 1983-03-24 |
Book Description
Though the 'Scythian period' in the history of Eastern Europe lasted little more than 400 years, the impression these horsemen made upon the history of their times was such that a thousand years after they had ceased to exist as a sovereign people, their heartland and the territories which they dominated far beyond it continued to be known as 'greater Scythia'. From the very beginnings of their emergence on the world scene the Scythians took part in the greatest campaigns of their times, defeating such mighty contemporaries as Assyria, Urartu, Babylonia, Media and Persia. This highly illustrated book details their costume, weapons and the way they waged war.Customer Reviews:
Skythoi Warriors.......2007-04-02
One of the Best sources of Nomadic History.......2005-06-23
Fantastic introductory book on the Scythians.......2005-05-23
Nomadic warriors.......2003-01-04
Excellent layout on the compound bow a real plus, as are draw-
ings of grave goods, used by both male and female warriors. Yes, Virginia, there really were Amazons, and they kicked some
serious butt.
Excellent intro to making your own Scythian-style armaments and
clothing. Cover picture alone is worth the price of the book.
One of my favourite Osprey books.......2002-04-23
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Asia's Maritime Bead Trade: 300 B.C. to the Present
Peter Francis Manufacturer: University of Hawaii Press ProductGroup: Book Binding: Hardcover Similar Items:
ASIN: 082482332X |
Book Description
This fascinating study is the first detailed description of the ancient and enduring trade in beads that spans more than two millennia and once stretched from the Middle East to East Asia and affected areas as far apart as West Africa and the American Pacific coast. Beads are universal and among the earliest art forms. Made of glass, semiprecious stone, or precious organic materials such as amber and coral, they were ubiquitous in the ancient world, serving as decorations, magical charms, mnemonic and counting devices, symbols of wealth and status. Much of the ancient bead trade was incorporated in Asian maritime commerce, and many of the beads involved have Asian origins.Peter Francis, Jr., a pioneer in bead studies, incorporates firsthand knowledge of beads and beadmaking in the field with years of solid, scholarly research, effectively eliminating much of the hearsay and speculation that so often characterize works on beads. In addition to the production, use, and provenance of beads, he examines the importance of the bead trade for the economies of the countries involved and provides insights into the lives of its many participants: artisans, mariners, and merchants. He covers the widely-dispersed Indo-Pacific beads (sometimes called Trade Wind beads or mulisalah), Chinese glass beads, Middle Eastern glass beads, Indian stone beads, heirloom beads in Southeast Asia and Micronesia, and other minor beads and bead industries involved in the trade. Well illustrated with maps, drawings, and black-and-white and color photographs, Asia's Maritime Bead Trade will be of great interest to historians and archaeologists trying to understand the dynamics of Asia's evolving cultures, and will prove invaluable to collectors, dealers, and students of beads.
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Western Origin of the Early Chinese Civilisation from 2,300 B. C. to 200 A. D.
Albert étienne Terrien de Lacouperie Manufacturer: Adamant Media Corporation ProductGroup: Book Binding: Paperback ASIN: 1402192797 Release Date: 2005-11-30 |
Product Description
This Elibron Classics edition is a facsimile reprint of a 1894 edition by Asher & Co., London.Books:
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