Bøger i Classical World serien

This book aims to show how Euripides was continually reinventing himself. A truly Protean figure, he seems to set out on a new journey in each of his surviving nineteen plays. Morwood's chapters identify the themes that underlie the plays and concentrate, above all, on demonstrating the extraordinary diversity of this great dramatist.

Presents a survey of the most important aspects of life in Egypt under Roman domination, from the conquest by Octavian in 30 BC to the third century AD, as they emerge from the micro-level of the Egyptian papyri and inscriptions, but also from the ancient literary sources, and from the most important archaeological discoveries.

In the second and third quarters of the fifth century BC, when Athens became both politically and culturally dominant in the Greek world, Pericles became the leading figure in the city's public life. This introduction guides students through the key aspects of this most-studied period of ancient Greek history.

A concise introduction to the sources for and context of Roman law.

The Phoenicians played a fundamental role in shaping the history of the Mediterranean. Lauded by Homer as unrivalled navigators and traders, they are known to have founded colonies across the length of North Africa and into Southern Spain, yet as a people they have often remained an enigma. This introduction aims to unravel some of the mysteries surrounding this ancient culture. Presenting the latest research and archaeological discoveries, it explores the social, political, economic and ecological changes that occurred in Phoenicia between the Early Bronze Age and the start of the Hellenistic era. Phoenician government and society, agriculture and economy, trade and colonisation, warfare, religion, and art and architecture are all discussed in order to illustrate the character and achievements of this vibrant civilisation, which was able to maintain its unique identity and culture in the face of external threats from states such as Egypt, Assyria, Babylon and Persia.

Aimed at a student audience, this study introduces the archaeology of the three crucially important Roman towns of Pompeii, Herculaneum and Ostia.

Offers a comprehensive account of the multi-faceted Greek literature of the Roman Empire, focusing especially on the first three centuries AD. This work covers in turn the Greek novels of this period, the satirical writing of Lucian, and rhetoric, philosophy, scientific and miscellanistic writing that provide an introduction to key texts.

Religion and the Romans provides a short, modern introduction to religion in the Roman worl. This lively and accessible book will prove invaluable to students ofthe classical world providing a much needed general survey of Romanreligion.

Athens and Sparta were the two leading powers in the Classical Greek world. They represented two opposite systems of social organization, whose differences led to continuing ideological rivalry, culminating in the Peloponnesian War. This book looks at the two societies and their systems.

The author, who states that Latin literature gains from being viewed as performance, sees the creation of different characters or "masks" as a result of the Greco-Roman training in rhetoric. The implications of the use of these "masks" for authors and audiences of satire are explored.

A concise introduction to the ancient Greek civilisation of Mycenae.

What did 'history' mean to the Greeks and the Romans? This volume traces the development of conceptions of history and its practice from Homer to the writers of the Roman Empire. It contains sections on Herodotus, Thucydides, Xenophon, Polybius, Livy, Tacitus, Suetonius and others.

The latest volume in the Classical World series, this book offers a much-needed up-to-date introduction to Greek tragedy, and covers the most important thematic topics studied at school or university level. After a brief analysis of the genre and main figures, it focuses on the broader questions of what defines tragedy, what its particular preoccupations are, and what makes these texts so widely studied and performed more than 2,000 years after they were written. As such, the book will be of interest to students taking broad courses on Greek tragedy, while also being suitable for the general reader who wants an overview of the subject. All passages of tragedy discussed are translated by the author and supplementary information includes a chronology of all the surviving tragedies, a glossary, and guidance on further reading.

For two centuries classical Athens enjoyed almost uninterrupted democratic government. This was not a parliamentary democracy of the modern sort but a direct democracy in which all citizens were free to participate in the business of government. Throughout this period Athens was the cultural centre of Greece and one of the major Greek powers. This book traces the development and operation of the political system and explores its underlying principles. Christopher Carey assesses the ancient sources of the history of Athenian democracy and evaluates criticisms of the system, ancient and modern. He also provides a virtual tour of the political cityscape of ancient Athens, describing the main political sites and structures, including the theatre. With a new chapter covering religion in the democratic city, this second edition benefits from updates throughout that incorporate the latest research and recent archaeological findings in Athens. A clearer structure and layout make the book more accessible to students, as do extra images and maps along with a timeline of key events.

This authoritative short volume introduces readers to the Roman army, its structure, tactics, duties and development. One of the most successful fighting forces that the world has seen, the Roman army was inherited by the emperor Augustus who re-organized it and established its legions in military bases, many of which survived to the end of the empire. He and subsequent emperors used it as a formidable tool for expansion. Soon, however, the army became fossilized on its frontiers and changed from a mobile fighting force to a primarily defensive body. Written by a leading authority on the Roman army and the frontiers it defended and expanded, this is an invaluable book for students at school and university level, as well as a handy guide for general readers with an interest in military history, the rise and development and fall of the Roman legions, and the ancient world.

Examines the Roman games focusing on the practicalities of entertainment and architectural venues. This book offers an introduction to the main forms of spectacle in the Roman world, their nature, context and social importance. It also includes a section which reviews the modern reception of Roman spectacles, especially those involving gladiators.