Ambitious, intelligent, and desired by powerful men, Cleopatra VII came to power at a time when Rome had cast its eyes on the Egyptian Empire. Cleopatra lived her whole life at the centre of a complex power struggle for control of Egypt and Rome, and her death simultaneously heralded the end of the Ptolemaic dynasty, the loss of Egyptian political independence, and the beginning of the Roman imperial age. For later generations, Cleopatra's legacy has come to symbolize the potent force of female sexuality and power. the context of the cultures, countries, and people that surrounded her...
Ambitious, intelligent, and desired by powerful men, Cleopatra VII came to power at a time when Rome had cast its eyes on the Egyptian Empire. Cleopat...
The great pyramids at Giza are among the largest stone structures in the world, unsurpassed in size and scope since the days of antiquity. The Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops) is the only one of the ancient Seven Wonders of the World still standing. And yet, despite over four thousand years of study, some debate still surrounds these structures at the most basic levels. Who built the pyramids? How were such feats accomplished years before the advent of modern engineering? Why were the pyramids built in the first place? This volume explores the circumstances surrounding these mighty...
The great pyramids at Giza are among the largest stone structures in the world, unsurpassed in size and scope since the days of antiquity. The Grea...
When Justinian first assumed the title of Roman Emperor in 527 CE, his inherited empire--now based in Constantinople-- had lost almost all of its connection with the Eternal City itself, and was threatened from within by profound theological splits, and from without by the various barbarian kingdoms that surrounded it. By taking military action against the barbarian Ostrogoths, Visigoths, and Vandals, and signing an eternal peace with Persia, Justinian managed to reclaim much of the lands formerly held by Rome; while through his incessant legislation and monetary contributions to an...
When Justinian first assumed the title of Roman Emperor in 527 CE, his inherited empire--now based in Constantinople-- had lost almost all of its c...
The Han Dynasty created an enduring Chinese empire comparable to the Roman Empire. In this book, narrative chapters, biographical sketches, and translated primary documents give readers a unique overview of this important founding dynasty.
The Han Dynasty (206 B.C.E. to C.E. 221) ruled a large prosperous Chinese empire that was roughly contemporary with the Roman Empire and comparable in size. The Han was founded by Liu Bang who ruled as Emperor Gaozu. The Han emperors turned away from the harsh rule of their Qin predecessors and promoted Confucianism and other schools of...
The Han Dynasty created an enduring Chinese empire comparable to the Roman Empire. In this book, narrative chapters, biographical sketches, and tra...
In the 250 years between 250 and 500 C.E., Rome found itself transformed from a mighty global empire into a limited collection of Germanic kingdoms. The aspiration exhibited in these kingdoms (as well as in Constantinople and later in the person of Charlemagne) to recreate and reclaim the glory of the Roman Empire persists to this day, and an examination of this time is critical to anyone interested in politics or history. James Ermatinger's multifaceted account allows the reader a unique opportunity to view through various lenses the many and complex elements that contributed to the...
In the 250 years between 250 and 500 C.E., Rome found itself transformed from a mighty global empire into a limited collection of Germanic kingdoms...
Since ancient times, technological advances have increased man's chances for survival. From the practicality of a Roman aqueduct to the art of the written word, man has always adapted his environment to meet his needs, and to provide himself with sustenance, comfort, comfort, leisure, a higher quality of living, and a thriving culture. This concise reference source takes a closer look at six technological events that significantly impacted the evolution of civilization, from the Palaeolithic age to the height of the Roman Empire. As he touches on the common elements of ancient...
Since ancient times, technological advances have increased man's chances for survival. From the practicality of a Roman aqueduct to the art of the ...
The ancient Romans believed that only proper polytheistic worship could maintain the pax Romana, or Roman Peace. In the first century A.D., a splinter sect of Judaism began to crack this wall, bringing upheaval, persecution, and conversion into the lives of Romans, Jews, Christians, and pagans. This exciting volume explores the emergence of Christianity in Rome during the first four centuries of the Greco-Roman empire, from the first followers of Jesus Christ, to conflicts between Christians and Jewish kings under Roman occupation, to the torture of Christian followers, Diocletian's...
The ancient Romans believed that only proper polytheistic worship could maintain the pax Romana, or Roman Peace. In the first century A.D., a splin...
In the 6th century B.C.E., a young prince named Siddhartha Gotama set out on an ascetic quest to alleviate human suffering. In the middle ground between opulence and self-denial, he discovered a path to enlightenment and self awareness--and he dedicated his life to sharing that discovery. The man called Buddha, the Awakened One, traveled as an itinerant monk, imparting principles of enlightenment throughout India and what is now southern Nepal. He was not worshipped as a god, but became teacher and model to ascetics, royalty, and townsfolk alike. In the 2,500 years that followed, through...
In the 6th century B.C.E., a young prince named Siddhartha Gotama set out on an ascetic quest to alleviate human suffering. In the middle ground be...
Although the ethnic-religious tradition that became classical Judaism solidified around 100 CE, its roots are found in the ancient biblical tales of the Israelites. Stories of the descent into Egypt, the Exodus under Moses, and the eventual rise of the Israelite monarchy are essential to understanding classical rabbinic Judaism. Through the lens of modern biblical scholarship, Hayes explores the shifting cultural contexts--the Babylonian exile, the Roman Empire, the Byzantine period, the rise of Christianity--that affected Jewish thought and practice, and laid the groundwork for the...
Although the ethnic-religious tradition that became classical Judaism solidified around 100 CE, its roots are found in the ancient biblical tales o...
