Yet, however unsatisfactory the definition of Ancient History may be (seen from the angle of an Assyriologist, an Egyptologist, or an Iranologist), the appearance of this well–edited, wide ranging and most interesting volume is a felicitous event, proving that under the reign of Wikipedia there is still need to replace the dethroned Pauly–Wissowa with general studies of the highest quality. Assyriologists, Egyptologists, and Iranologists will certainly find much useful material here for them as well. (Scripta Classica Israelica, 2012)
"The quality of the presentation is high; maps, a timeline, and indices are provided and will be of help to new students of the discipline. (Bryn Mawr Classical Review, April 2010)
List of Figures xi
List of Maps xii
Notes on Contributors xiii
Preface xix
Abbreviations, Reference Works xx
Abbreviations and Glossary, Ancient Authors xxiii
Timeline xxx
1 Personal Perspectives 1 Josiah Ober, Peter Derow, Andrea Giardina, Neil McLynn, Kathryn Welch
Part I: Evidence 11
2 Historiography 13 John Marincola
3 Epigraphical Cultures of the Classical Mediterranean: Greek, Latin, and Beyond 23 Gregory Rowe
4 Papyrology 37 Alan K. Bowman
5 Numismatics 48 A. R. Meadows
6 Archaeology and Ancient History 59 Stephen L. Dyson
7 Oratory 67 Catherine Steel
8 Ancient History Through Ancient Literature 77 Tim Whitmarsh
Part II: Problems and Approaches 87
9 Ancient History Today 89 J. A. North
10 Political History 99 Robert Morstein–Marx
11 Economic and Social History 112 Neville Morley
12 Ethnicity and Culture 123 Edward Herring
13 Population and Demography 134 Walter Scheidel
14 Writing Women into History 146 Amy Richlin
15 Interpreting Myth 154 Carol Dougherty
16 Environmental History 164 Robert Sallares
Part III: People and Places 175
17 The Near East 177 Maria Brosius
18 Egypt under the Pharaohs 189 John Ray
19 The Jews 201 Gideon Bohak
20 The Greeks 213 Thomas Harrison
21 Asia Minor 222 Peter Thonemann
22 Rome 236 Christer Bruun
23 Italy beyond Rome 248 Kathryn Lomas
24 North Africa 260 Josephine Crawley Quinn
25 The Iberian Peninsula in the Roman Period 273 A. T. Fear
26 The Celts 284 Constanze Witt
Part IV: Encountering the Divine 299
27 Religion 301 Mark Humphries
28 The Emergence of Christianity 312 John Curran
Part V: Living and Dying 327
29 The Family 329 Mary Harlow and Tim Parkin
30 Food 342 John Wilkins
31 Eros: Love and Sexuality 352 James Davidson
32 Housing 368 Lisa C. Nevett
33 Entertainment 381 David Potter
34 Education 392 Jason König
35 Medicine 403 Helen King
36 Death 414 David Noy
Part VI: Economy 427
37 The Mediterranean and the History of Antiquity 429 R. Bruce Hitchner
38 Ancient Economies 436 John Davies
39 Labor: Free and Unfree 447 Peter Fibiger Bang
40 The Countryside 462 Robert Witcher
41 Finance and Resources: Public, Private, and Personal 474 Paul Millett
42 Ancient Technology 486 Tracey Rihll
Part VII: Politics and Power 497
43 Structures 499 Hans Beck
44 Citizenship 510 Andrew Lintott
45 Law 520 Elizabeth A. Meyer
46 Warfare 531 Louis Rawlings
Part VIII: Repercussions 543
47 The Impact of Antiquity 545 Rosamond McKitterick
48 Ancient History and National Identity 555 Andrew Erskine
49 Hollywood s Ancient World 564 Lloyd Llewellyn–Jones
Bibliography 580
Index 654
Andrew Erskine is head of Classics at University of Edinburgh. He has held an Alexander von Humboldt fellowship at the University of Munich. His publications include
A Companion to the Hellenistic World (Blackwell, 2003),
Troy between Greece and Rome: Local Tradition and Imperial Power (2001), and
The Hellenistic Stoa: Political Thought and Action (1990).
This Companion provides a comprehensive introduction to key topics in the study of ancient history.
Comprising more than 40 essays by leading international scholars, this volume moves beyond a conventional focus on Greece and Rome and provides coverage of the many cultures within the ancient Mediterranean. Examining a diverse range of material, from ancient texts and archaeology to contemporary research on gender and sexuality, the Companion explores the problems, approaches, and major themes in the study of ancient history.
An essential resource for any student of ancient history, this authoritative overview reflects the most recent and exciting scholarship in the field.