The Crowd in Rome in the Late Republic
by Fergus Millar. From the dictatorship of Sulla to Caesar’s crossing of
the Rubicon, Millar shows how the politics of the crowd was central to the
events of the Republic. He argues that the dominance of the Senate and
the client-patron relationship has been greatly over-exaggerated, painting
a picture instead of an erratic and volatile democracy in which power was
exercised by the tiny proportion of citizens who bothered to vote.236p, 2
maps (Michigan UP 1998, Pb 2002) Pb £18.00
Cultural Identity in the Roman Empire
edited by Ray Laurence and Joanne Berry. Ten thought-provoking essays
which examine aspects of regional and ethnic identity within the Roman
Empire. Subjects include the image of the governor and his entourage, the
culture of Roman Sardinia, Roman imperialism in Italy, landscape and cultural
identity and ‘improvements’ in Britain, the spatial layout of Pompeiian houses
and the gladiators of Roman Nîmes.205p, 5 b/w pls, 20 figs (Routledge 1998,
Pb 2001) Hb £55.00, Pb £16.99
Debating Roman Demography
edited by Walter Scheidel. Five essays derived from a Colloquium held in
Cambridge in 1997. Contributors examining recent progress and recurring
problems in the study of ancient populations, analyse the seasonal birthing
cycle of Roman women, the recruitment and the size of the Roman
population from the 3rd to 1st century BC; the overpopulation of the
early Roman Empire; the demise of the ancient city in Late Antique Egypt.
242p (MnS 211, Brill 2001) Hb £68.00
Experiencing Old Age in Ancient Rome
by Karen Cokayne.The Romans were very conscious of old age, of losing
one’s looks and mental capacity, but did they wear purple and act
disgracefully? This study, based on a thesis, searches the written sources,
inscriptions and to a lesser extent, iconography, to uncover Roman attitudes
towards old age and the elderly. Cokayne looks at the factors that made
the elderly useful and earned them respect, such as experience and wisdom,
and also at issues of self-perception, self-confidence, status, their role within
families, within society and the kinds of dignified behaviour that were
expected of the older generation.238p, 14 b/w pls (Routledge Classical
Monographs 2003) Hb £50.00
Foreigners at Rome: Citizens and Strangers
by David Noy. Noy discusses the reaction of Roman citizens to the influx
of foreigners to Rome, particularly to the foreign military population which
was constantly changing, and Rome’s dependence on its slaves. The last
section of the book examines the daily life of a foreigner in Rome with the
influence of his native culture and religion on his Roman life and the
numerous problems he would encounter.360p (Wales CP 2000) Hb £45.00
Growing Up and Growing Old in Ancient Rome
by Mary Harlow and Ray Laurence.Drawing on demographic, documentary
and literary evidence the authors look at why men and women lived such
different lives and why marriage, kinship and rememberance of the dead
were so integral to the structure of Roman society. Well-illustrated.184p,
24 b/w illus, tbs (Routledge 2002) Hb £50.00, Pb £15.99
Person und Name
edited by Dieter Geuenich, Wolfgang Haubrichs and Jörg Jarnut.Seventeen
papers from a colloquium held in Hamburg in 1997 on the methodological
problems involved in creating lexicons of late antique and early medieval
personal and family names. Combining philological, onomastic and
prosopographic studies, contributors examine both specific, mostly
German, collections as well as more general themes. Mostly German text.
319p (de Gruyter 2002) Hb£105.00
Restless Youth in Ancient Rome
by Emiel Eyben. Asurvey of the perceptions of male upper-class youth
from 200 BC to 500 AD, and of the role of this group in a wide variety of
domains – philosophy, literature, education, the law, the army, politics,
leisure, amorous pursuits and family life. The book originally appeared in
French in 1977, and in German in 1987.367p (Routledge 1993) Hb £65.00
Roman Honor: The Fire in the Bones
by Carlin A Barton.The aim of this heavily annotated study is to uncover
the emotional and spiritual driving force that motivated the Romans on the
battlefield and in every other area of daily life. Barton focuses on
contemporary literary and documentary sources to examine how ideals of
honour were acted out and given physical embodiment by both aristocrats
and slaves. She also discusses the
consequences of failing to live up
to expectations.326p (California UP
2001) Hb £35.00
5 0
Roman Women and the Family
Childhood, Class and Kin in the Roman World
edited by Suzanne Dixon.Drawing on documentary, literary, legal,
architectural and artistic evidence, these fourteen contributions, presented
as a tribute to Beryl Lawson in Sydney in 1999, examine the place of
childhood, the lower-classes, women and family relationships in Roman
society across the empire. Aimed at specialists and general readers alike,
the volume provides a highly readable survey of an important aspect of
Roman culture.282p, 17 b/w illus, 2 maps, tbs (Routledge 2001) Hb£55.00
Imperial Women: A Study in Public Images, 40 BC AD 68
by Susan E Wood. This detailed study of Roman portraiture examines the
depiction of eleven imperial women in marble and on coins, including Octavia
Minor, Livia, Agrippina, Messalina and Poppaea. Wood contrasts the public
role of these works of propaganda with the varying degrees of influence
and power the women had on men such as Mark Antony, Augustus, Tiberius
and Nero. The book also considers their idealised portraits as role models
for other wealthy women.370p, 146 b/w illus (Brill 1999, Pb 2000) Pb £29.50
Reading Roman Women
by Suzanne Dixon. Thisdetailed study the ancient sources looks for the
truth behind the projected roles of women in Roman sexuality and morality,
in law, in business and in the ideology of Rome between c.201 BC and AD
180. Dixon initially examines the relationship between genre and content,
such as the references to the female body in satire. The second section
explores the representation of female sexuality in Latin literature and myth.
242p, 8p of b/w pls (Duckworth 2001) Pb £16.99
The Roman Mistress
by Maria Wyke.A collection of ten essays, all but two
of which have been previously published, which
explore the role of transgressive women in the works
of the Augustan elegists before tracing the
development of the representation of familiar
Roman mistresses, notably Cleopatra and Messalina,
in modern cinema. Wyke’s feminist study examines
themes of immorality, ‘male dependence and female
promiscuity’ in male poetry and shows how the
idealised image of theglamorous mistress persists today.
452p, b/w illus (Oxford UP 2002) Hb£40.00
Women and the Law in the Roman Empire
by Judith Evans Grubbs.This ‘Sourcebook on marriage, divorce and
widowhood’ focuses on the sources themselves. The author links the
extracts (all translated) from texts, papyri and inscriptions into a readable
prose. Subjects include the historical background, the status of women in
law, marriage, prohibited unions, divorce, widows and children. A useful
reference source.349p (Routledge 2002) Hb £55.00, Pb £17.99
Women Writing Latin
edited by Phyllis R Brown, Laura J Churchill and Jane E Jeffrey.A three-
volume anthology of women’s writings, providing texts, contexts and
translations of a wide variety of works, including dramatic, poetic and
devotional writing. Volume 1 covers Roman antiquity and early Christianity;
Volume 2 focuses on the Middle Ages; Volume 3 covers the early modern
period (1400-1700).3 vols: 1056p (Routledge 2002) Hb£250.00
Daily and Private Lives
Around the Roman Table
by Patrick Faas.This ‘mouth-watering ride through the ancient world’ is
part history and part cookbook, although you would be brave to try many
of the recipes. Faas explores the whole dining experience from 753 BC to
AD 476, from the use of different foodstuffs, condiments, wine and other
drinks, to the dining room layout and etiquette. The role of the cook and
his slaves and their preparation of meat, vegetables, birds, fish, spices and
so on, are discussed in detail. More than 150 recipes, such as Leek Vinaigrette,
Broad Beans and Meatballs, and Sardines stuffed with nuts, are adapted for a
modern appetite.371p, b/w illus (Macmillan 2003)Hb£15.99
Bathing in Public in the Roman World
by Garrett G Fagan.Drawing on epigraphic, literary and, to a lesser degree,
architectural evidence, this detailed study challenges the view that hygiene
was the principal motivation of Roman bathers. Focusing on the bather,
not the baths, Fagan demonstrates the importance of bathing to
townplanners, patrons, architects, emperors, writers and ordinary men and
women. The second half of the study comprises an anthology of 336
texts and inscriptions (in Latin or Greek with English translation and notes).
437p, 30 b/w illus, maps (Michigan UP 1999, Pb 2002) Pb £17.50
Empire of Pleasures: Luxury and Indulgence in the Roman World
by Andrew Dalby.A fascinating journey through the Roman Empire as it
was understood by its authors and poets between 50 BC and AD 150.
Translated extracts from various sources contribute to this reconstruction
of Roman tastes and daily life across the empire. Arranged geographically,
Dalby shows us what the Romans thought of other people, themselves,
dining, wine, city life, sex, idyllic rural life, entertainment, religion, and much
more.335p, 37 b/w figs (Routledge 2000, Pb 2002) Hb £40.00, Pb £12.99
In Vino Veritas
edited by Oswyn Murray and Manuela Tecusan. Over 20 papers from an
international conference on the place of wine in ritual, culture and society in
the ancient world. The subject is approached from historical, archaeological,
art historical and literary perspectives.318p, 76 illus (BSA 1995) Hb £39.99
Life and Leisure in Ancient Rome
by J P V D Balsdon. Very readable and informative throughout, this study
aims to answer every question one might have about the minutiae of daily
life in Rome. Sections consider types of work and leisure, retirement, what
people such as soldiers did for their holidays and where they went. Finally,
Balsdon looks at the many ways in which the state sought to entertain its
citizens.463p, 16 b/w pls (Bodley Head 1969, Phoenix Pb 2002) Pb £12.99
The Politics of Immorality in Ancient Rome
by Catharine Edwards.This book is concerned not with the question of
how immoral the ancient Romans were but why the literature they produced
is so preoccupied with immorality. Individual chapters focus on adultery,
effeminacy, the immorality of the theatre, luxurious buildings and the
dangers of pleasure.241p (Cambridge UP 1993, Digital Pb 2002) Pb £17.95
Roman Clothing and Fashion
by A T Croom. The ordinary civilian Roman is brought to life by examining
all aspects of their dress from the 1st to 6th century. Croom presents everyday
wear for men and women, including the tunic and toga, and the underwear
and footwear that went with them. Other sections look at clothes worn for
special occasions and trends in hats, hairstyles and jewellery, including a
section on provincial fashion, away from the trend-setting capital. A brief
introduction outlines the archaeological evidence and other sources.160p,
77 b/w and 25 col illus (Tempus 2000, Pb 2002) Pb £17.99
Roman Sex: 100 BC - AD250
by John R Clarke.Judging by this book, Roman houses were so awash
with paintings and objets d’art depicting sex in all its rich variety that it’s a
wonder they thought about anything else. Illustrated throughout in full
colour, the book looks at sex in the home, in the brothel or bathhouse,
taboos, homosexuality, voyeurism and more. Inevitably, images from
Pompeii are rife but Samian fragments, amulets, mosaics and sculptures
are also there in plenty.168p, many col illus (Abrams 2003)Hb£25.00
Voices of Imperial Rome
by Guy de la Bédoyère. A collection of translated sources, including personal
letters, inscriptions, literary texts and documents, which recreate the sounds,
smells and colours of life in the Roman world. Soldiers and warfare, circuses
and crowds, decadence, cruelty and vice, corruption, villa life, foreigners
and barbarians, disasters and omens, gods and demons and slaves and
masters are among the themes.256p (Tempus 2000) Pb £14.99
The World of Roman Costume
edited by Judith Lynn Sebesta and Larissa Bonfante.Thirteen scholarly
and well-illustrated essays survey, document and elucidate over a thousand
years of Roman garments and accessories, including Etruscan influences,
Near Eastern fashions and the transition towards early Christian garb.272p,
many b/w illus (Wisconsin UP 1994, Pb 2001) Pb £20.95
Zu Tisch Bei den Alten Romern
by Gudrun Gerlach.A cultural history of eating and drinking across the
Roman empire based on the representation of feasting in ancient works
of art and archaeological features and artefacts including kitchens, ovens,
querns, cooking implements, ceramics and glass vessels. Richly illustrated
throughout. German text.112p, 131 col pls (Theiss 2001) Hb£18.00
In the Arena
The Gladiator: The Secret History of Rome’s Warrior Slaves
by Alan Baker.Despite its claim to be an antidote to romanticised gladiators
in fiction and film, this is a popular account of a gladiator’s life inside and
outside the arena. In short sections Baker describes the development of
gladiatorial combat, famous fighters and spectators, fans, beasts and the
imaginative spectacles that were laid on at great human, animal, financial
and moral cost. A final unpleasant section graphically recreates a day in
the arena.216p (2000, Ebury Press 2002) Pb £6.99
5 1
Gladiators and Caesars: The Power of Spectacle in Ancient Rome
edited by Eckart Köhne and Cornelia Ewigleben. This guide to Roman mass
entertainment accompanies an exhibition held at the British Museum from
2000 to 2001. Includes a lively text accompanied by stunning illustrations of
weapons, sculptures, ceramics, arenas and graffiti, recreating the brutality
and excitement of gladiatorial combats, chariot racing and theatre.153p,
many col and b/w pls and illus (BMP Engl edn 2000) Pb £19.99
Sangue e Arena
edited by Adriano La Regina. This stunning book accompanies an
exhibition held in Rome from 2001-2002 presenting a catalogue of 137
objects associated with gladiators and the arenas in which contests took
place.Blood in the Arenaalso contains 18 thematic essays on a variety of
subjects although many naturally focus on the Colosseum. If you don’t
read Italian, perhaps you should learn – this is a great book. Italian text.
410p, hundreds of col pls (Electa 2001)Pb£55.00
Spectacles of Death in Ancient Rome
by Donald G Kyle. Kyle combines ancient evidence, current scholarship
and cross-cultural comparisons in asking who the victims of gladiatorial
combat, beast fights and stylised executions were, why they were killed in
such brutal and theatrical ways and what happened to their bodies. Full of
vivid detail.288p, 5 b/w illus, 2 maps (Routledge 1998, Pb 2001) Pb £15.99
The Story of the Roman Amphitheatre
by D L Bomgardner. Bomgardner traces the evolution of amphitheatre
design through examples drawn from across the Empire, but with emphasis
on the early Pompeiian theatre and the Colisseum. Social functions and the
entertainment that took place are also discussed as is their re-use in the post
Roman world. A selective study that is more a social history than an
architectural survey.276p, b/w pls and figs (Routledge 2000, Pb 2002) Pb £18.99
Politics, Law and Economics
Administration, Prosopography and Appointment Policies in
the Roman Empire
edited by Lukas de Blois.Seventeen contributions, from a workshop held
in Leiden in 2000, focus on the tremendous impact of Roman rule on all
aspects of life across the empire. Subjects include the career structures of
the Roman upper classes, army promotion and the consequences of
recruitment on the provinces, focusing on the Romanisation of two legions
in Germania Inferior. 11 English papers, 5 German, 1 French.271p (Impact
of Empire, Roman Empire 27 BC-AD 406, I, Gieben 2001) Hb £59.50
The Constitution of the Roman Republic
by Andrew Lintott. A major study on the origins, development and
complexities of Rome’s political institutions. Contents include: A Roman
Political Year; Polybius and the Constitution; The Origin of the Constitution;
Assemblies; Senate; Higher Magistrates and Pro Magistrates; Tribunes,
Aediles and Minor Magistrates; Criminal Justice; Society and religion; Balance
of the Constitution; Mixed Constitution and Republican Ideology. Clearly
written and informative, an essential reference for students of Roman political
h i s t o r y .297p (Oxford UP 1999, Pb 2003) Hb £59.50, Pb £19.99
Corpus der römischen Rechtsquellen zur antiken Sklaverei
IX: Irrtümlich als Sklaven Gehaltene freie Menschen und
Sklaven in unsicheren Eigentumsverhältnissen
by Alfred Söllner.An edition of Latin legal texts, with German commentary,
which define the identity and place of slaves and salaried free men in Roman
law. The texts, mostly taken from the Justinian and Theodosian Codes, are
preceded by a discussion of the legal issues surrounding the buying, selling
and ownership of slaves, foreign slaves and free men.157p (Akademie der
Wissenschaften und der Literatur, Steiner 2000)Hb£29.50
‘DassalleWeltgeschatztwurde’:VolkszahlungimRomischenReich
by Frank Umruh.This concise general study of the Roman census examines
the logistics and affects of the poll across the Roman world, including
Judaea, Germania and Rome itself. Illustrated throughout with maps,
sculptural reliefs, papyri, coins and other objects, the study asks why the
census was so necessary to Roman control and assesses its political and
religious significance. German text.67p, many b/w illus (Theiss 2001)Pb£9.50
Empire of Honour: The Art of Government in the Roman World
by J E Lendon.This book is primarily interested in the notion of power –
how the emperor got his officials and subjects to do what he wanted, how
officials procured the obedience of subjects, and how subjects and officials
could bend other officials, and even the emperor, to their will. Lendon
argues that the primary motivation was honour rather than force. A huge
study which sheds light on a key aspect of Roman history.320p (Oxford
UP 1997, Pb 2001) Hb £54.00, Pb £16.99
The Government of the Roman Empire
by Barbara Levick. A revised edition of Barbara Levick’s ‘user friendly’
sourcebook which contains 236 extracts, with commentaries, from
contemporary texts. The book concentrates on how the Roman Empire
governed a vast and varied geographical area between c.753 BC and AD
476 from a single city. Themes include: the Empire’s structure, force, law,
financing, communications, transport and supplies, the Emperor, patronage,
failings, resistence and patronage. A valuable reference tool.278p (1985,
Routledge rev 2nd edn 2000) Hb £55.00, Pb £16.99
Imperial Inquisitions: Prosecutors and Informants from
Tiberius to Domitian
by Stephen H Rutledge. The repressive and legal structures of the early
Principate were epitomised by the large numbers of prosecutors and
informants who flourished during the 1st century AD. This detailed study
examines the function and role of informers and accusers, as well as the
motivation and rewards of both informants and emperors.416p (Routledge
2001) Hb £60.00
Layers of Loyalty in Latin Panegyric, AD 289-307
by Roger Rees.‘Showpiece’ oratory was divided into two main types,
speeches blaming and criticising, or in praise of their subject. This is the
first monograph in English of fivep a n e g y r i cspeeches of praise given
between 289 and 307 in northern Gaul. These provide an important insight
into local preoccupations, and constitutional and adminstrative changes in
the provinces and are also a key source on the skill of the orators. Latin
extracts are translated into English.237p, 5 illus (Oxford UP 2002)Hb£40.00
Plebs and Politics in the Late Roman Republic
by Henrik Mouritsen. An examination of the paradox that lay at the heart
of Roman politics, where power supposedly lay in the hands of the Roman
masses, but in reality it was the aristocratic elite who controlled the
government, the judicial system, finances and the army. Mouritsen examines
both the ideology of the Roman constitution and the increasing gap
between the rich and poor of Rome.164p (Cambridge UP 2001) Hb £40.00
Political Life in the City of Rome
by John R Patterson. Patterson looks at the Roman political system of 200-
50 BC and the various methods of achieving success, ranging from persuasive
oratory, to extravagant entertainment and bribery, to lethal violence. In
particular, he examines how political rivalries transformed the appearance
of the city.90p, 10 illus (BCP 2000) Pb £9.99
Princes and Political Cultures: The New Tiberian Senatorial
Decrees
by Greg Rowe.In 29 BC Augustus promoted his nephew and stepson as
potential imperial successors in order to ensure the future stability of his
regime. This act essentially transformed the Roman state into a dynastic
monarchy where citizens became subjects and imperial successors were
set in place. Greg Rowe explores six key institutions in the Roman state
and assesses how their powers and function changed alongside the new
senatorial decree: the senate, equestrian order, urban plebs, colonies, Greek
cities, and legions. Rowe’s discussion is based around a dossier of
documents from the Tiberian senate.195p (Michigan UP 2002) Hb £33.00
Ritualisierte Politik: Zeichen, Gesten und Herrschaft im Alten Rom
by Egon Flaig. Roman politics was a ritualised business with gestures, signals
and rhetorical devices tailored to an audience that was well trained to
understand and appreciate them. Flaig examines the ritualised nature of the
elite and aristocratic Roman political community, its relationship with the
plebeian populace, the tradition behind the senate and the association of
politics with religion. This is a specialised study. German text.288p (Historische
Semantik I, Vandenhoeck und Ruprecht 2003) Hb £30.00
Rom und das Reich in der Hohen Kaiserzeit 44 v.Chr-260
n.Chr Band II: Die Regionen des Reiches
edited by Claude Lepelley.First published in French in 1998, this is a new
German edition of Lepelley’s authoritative overview of the administrative
and political systems of the Roman Empire. Arranged geographically the
volume traces the spread of Roman government, urbanism and military
might from Italy to Sicily, Sardinia, Africa, Spain, Gaul, Germany, Britain,
Greece, the Near East and Egypt.529p (1998, Saur 2001) Hb £98.00
Die Römischen Juristen: Herkunft und soziale Stellung
by Wolfgang Klunkel. Areprint of Klunkel’s meticulously detailed study
of Roman lawyers from the 4th century BC until the reign of Diocletian.
Analysis of the Roman legal system is combined with a prosopography of
56 Republican and 76 Imperial lawyers, providing a useful source of
reference. The study is introduced by a new foreword by Detlef Liebs.
415p (Böhlau 2nd edn 1967, new Pb edn 2001) Pb £19.50
5 2
Römische Rechtsgeschichten: Über Ursprung und Evolution
eines sozialen Systems
by Maries Theres Fögen.Fögen’s in-depth study examines the origin and
development of the Roman legal and social systems and considers the
ways in which institutions and individuals were represented, and often
mythologised, in the literature and art of the Roman, medieval and modern
worlds. This is a largely theoretical analysis of the replication of Roman
ideologies and legal rituals. Illustrated throughout. German text.227p, 32
col and b/w illus (Vandenhoeck and Ruprecht 2002) Pb £18.95
Specvlvm lvris: Roman Life as a Reflection of Social and
Economic Life in Antiquity
edited by Jean-Jacques Aubert and Boudewijn Sirks.To what extent were
imperial laws governed by, or influenced by, social concerns? These eight
essays, derived from the 1996 meeting of the American Philological Society,
examine a range of different case studies to discuss the ways in which
aspects of public and private law interacted with social and economic life,
From luxury consumption, the ban on gifts between husband and wife, to
the death penalty and the legal aspects of sea and land transport, the essays
are eclectic but most revealing about the concerns of the Roman elite
played out through legislation.203p (Michigan UP 2002) Hb £35.50
The Transformation of Economic Life under the Roman Empire
edited by Lukas de Blois and John Rich.This collection of studies forms
the proceedings of the second workshop of the international thematic
network ‘Impact of Empire’ (Roman Empire c.200 BC-AD 476) held in
Nottingham in 2001. Subjects include economic integration, taxes, state
transport, military supply, markets, food riots, the legality of business
activities, as well as the effects of Rome’s arrival and departure and the
transformation of economic life under the later empire.266p, 7 b/w figs
(Gieben 2002) Hb £62.00
Viva Vox Iuris Romani: Essays in Honour of Johannes Emile Spruit
edited by L De Light, J De Ruiter and E Slobe t a l. A Festschrift of thirty-
nine specialised papers which reflects Spruit’s lifelong interest in legal
history, particularly Roman law. Contributors discuss in detail specific laws,
making comparisons with court decisions today, Roman legal bodies, legal
treatises and the principles behind Roman law. Other papers trace the
influence of Roman law well into the Middle Ages. English, German,
French and Dutch papers.440p (Gieben 2002) Hb £80.50
Western Aristocracies and Imperial Court AD 364-425
by John Matthews.An unaltered reprint of the 1990 edition of this work
that explores the lives, conduct, attitudes and aspirations of the Roman
upper classes in the late Western Empire. In particular, Matthews focuses
on the individuals that found authority and power during the later 4th and
early 5th century and the gradual shift in government of the Empire from
public to private hands, the role of the imperial court and its
Christianisation.445p (Oxford UP 1975, 1990, rep 2001) Pb £21.50
Agriculture
Agriculture méditerranéenne: Variété des techniques anciennes
edited by M-Cl Amouretti and G Comet.This volume contains fifteen
essays on various agricultural techniques practised in the ancient
Mediterranean. The contributors cover a variety of subjects including
medieval irrigation in Andalucia, Roman agricultural practices in Spain,
meat production and consumption in the Iron Age and
Roman Mediterranean, olives and olive-
growing, mills and hydrology, wine and
viticulture in medieval Italy. Papers in
F r e n c h a n d I t a l i a n .2 9 5 p , b / w i l l u s
(Université de Provence 2002) Pb £20.50
Columelle: De l’agriculture
A French translation of Columella’sD e r e r u s t i c awritten in c.AD 60-65
shortly after Rome had suffered a serious agrarian crisis. Comprising twelve
books, the treatise contains instructions and advice on all aspects of the
rural economy, including sowing and harvesting, vines, vineyards and viniers,
cattle, sheep and goats, pigs, bees, gardens and gardening, and the work
of the farmer himself.336p (Errance 2002) £27.00
La moissonneuse gallo-romaine
edited by Georges Raepsaet and Fabre Lambeau.These thirteen papers,
taken from seminars held between 1996 and 1999, discuss the evidence
for harvesting techniques in the Gallo-Roman period. They include studies
of the literary evidence, iconographic evidence of harvesting wagons
especially on funerary stelae, and experimental and ethnographic work.
French text.115p, b/w figs and pls (Université Libre de Bruxelles 2000)Pb£12.50
The Sea
Merchants, Sailors and Pirates in the Roman World
by Nicholas K Rauh.During the 1st century BC the Romans dominated
the Mediterranean, largely due to their extraordinary success in trade.
However, sailors must have dreaded the pirates who flourished in equal
measure. Rauh identifies Rome’s most important trading centres around
the coasts, pirates’ coves and strongholds and the forts that were built by
the Romans to counteract them. Rauh also considers daily life onboard,
the stuffs traded, the difficulties of navigating the shallow sea, ports and
harbours. Illustrated throughout.224p, 33 col pls, 70 b/w illus (Tempus 2003)
Pb £17.99
La Piraterie en Europe du Nord-Ouest à L’Époque Romaine
by Michel-Pierre Detalle.A study of piracy in north-west Europe
from the 1st century and the Julio-Claudians to the 5th century
AD. Detalle’s analysis is based on various sources
including epigraphy, coinage, artefacts,
archaeology, textual material, boats and
boat models and experimental work.
French text.103p, 26 b/w pls (BAR S1086,
2002) Pb £34.00
Science and Technology
L’arpentage romain
by Gérard Chouquer and Françoise Favory.Thecorpus gromatiqueis a corpus
of Latin texts concerned with geometry, surveying and the land written in
the early Empire. Chouquer and Favory draw on this impressive series of
texts in their history of Roman surveying. Their study includes discussion
of the texts, their authors and dates, surveying instruments and techniques,
conflicts over land ownership and the legal system concerning land rights.
A glossary containing 1300 terms helps the reader get to grips with the
terminology. French text.491p, b/w illus (Errance 2001) Pb £27.50
L’Astrologie à Rome
by Béatrice Bakhouche.Astrology is part of a long divinatory tradition
but it is something that on a practical level was welcomed by Republican
Rome. This study explores why and when these beliefs took hold in Rome
and the role astrology had in rural and urban life, in an intellectual, cultural
and political sense. French text.241p, 5 b/w figs (Peeters 2002)Pb £45.00
Astronomy and Calendar in Ancient Rome: The Eclipse Festivals
by Leonardo Magini.Magini argues that the astronomical knowledge of
early Rome, as shown in the eclipse festivals of the Numan Calendar (c.715-
673 BC), was forgotten by the historic period. This concise study examines
the likely Mesopotamian origins of early Roman astronomy and assesses
the extent of their knowledge, particulary of solar and lunar eclipses, and
its expression.133p, b/w figs, tbs (L’Erma di Bretschneider 2001)Pb£43.50
Homo Faber: Studies on Nature, Technology, and Science at
the Time of Pompeii
edited by Jürgen Renn and Giuseppe Castagnetti. This collection of thirteen
papers, all in English, is taken from a conference in Munich that supported
an exhibition held in Naples, Los Angeles, Munich, Paris and Tokyo between
2000-2002. The contributors explore craftmanship and technology, and
practical and theoretical knowledge at the time of Pompeii, looking in
particular at hydraulics, vines and wine production, glass, ancient ‘machines’,
optics and visual arts, meteorology, medical knowledge and mechanics.
187p, b/w figs and pls, col pls (L’Erma di Bretschneider 2002)Pb£90.00
Power and Knowledge
by Tamsyn S Barton.Subtitled ‘Astrology, physiognomics, and medicine
in the Roman Empire’ this book argues that the ancient sciences are best
understood in terms of rhetoric. Barton makes new readings of texts to
undermine the distinction between ‘science’ and ‘pseudoscience’. Texts
include Galen’s treatises on pulses and urines, the physiognomical works
of Polemo, the astrological writings of Dorotheus of Sidon, and the
‘handbooks’ used in teaching.254p (Michigan UP 1994, Pb 2002) Pb £18.00
Ptolemy’s Geography
translated by J Lennart Berggren and Alexander Jones.An annotated
translation of the theoretical chapters of Ptolemy’s 2nd-century influential
treatise on cartography. The translation of Books 1, 2, 7 and 8 of Ptolemy’s
Guide to Drawing a Map of the Worldis preceded by a useful introductory
discussion of Ptolemy’s understanding of the world, his influences, the
manuscripts and modern editions. The volume concludes with colour
reproductions of maps from early editions and Ptolemy’s interpretations
of the earlier efforts of Marinos.192p, 1 b/w and 6 col pls, 13 maps, 20 b/w
figs (Princeton UP 2000, Pb 2001) Hb £37.95, Pb £17.95
5 3
Roads, Water Systems and Sanitation
Frontinus’ Legacy: Essays on Frontinus’d e
aquis urbis Romae
edited by Deane R Blackman and A Trevor Hodge.
Twelve interdisciplinary papers examine Frontinus’
unusual work which provides a highly technological and
detailed engineer’s account of the construction of Rome’s
aqueducts. Primarily intended for students of ancient
engineering, the study includes papers on the theory
behind the arithmetic and hydraulics of the project and studies on the
practicalities of Roman engineering, such as instruments and methods
of planning and levelling. Other subjects include resources and workforce,
financing projects, maintenance and Frontinus’ life.170p, b/w figs (Michigan
UP 2001) Hb £30.00, Pb £15.00
Müll und Marmorsäulen: Siedlungshygiene in der römischen
Antike
by Günther E Thüry. A dustbin lorry emerging from a reconstructed Roman
fort on the cover of this book provides a graphic illustration of its theme –
sanitation in Roman antiquity. Illustrated throughout with photographs and
reconstruction drawings, this general study looks at how Roman toilets
worked, how canals and drains removed waste through the streets and how
Romans coped with their rubbish day-to-day. Thüry also demonstrates the
importance of Roman rubbish and cess pits for our understanding of the
daily lives of ordinary Romans. German text.68p, 39 col and 29 b/w illus (Von
Zabern 2001) Hb £20.00
Reisewge der Antike: Unterwegs im Römischen Reich
by Werner Heinz. Rome’s roads still criss-cross much of Europe’s
countryside, including some some of its most inaccessible parts. This well-
illustrated book celebrates Rome’s achievements by illustrating numerous
examples of road and trackway, some of which are still in use today, the
surviving bridges, aqueducts, causeways, arches and tunnels as well as some
of the less spectacular remnants, such as milestones, distance markers and
wheel ruts. Heinz discusses the engineering expertise that built the road
system, the construction of roads, bridges and tunnels, the buildings and
resting stations that were built at regular intervals, sacred ways and how the
Roman engineers and surveyors rose to meet the challenge of the Alps. The
emphasis is on the roads of Italy but other examples are also considered.
German text.128p, 134 col illus, figs (Theiss 2003) Hb £20.50
Roads in Roman Britain
by Hugh Davies. For a full description please see page 83.
The Roads of Roman Italy
by Ray Laurence. The impact and importance of building a network of
roads in Italy can not be under estimated. Drawing on archaeological,
epigraphic and literary evidence for Roman communications, Ray Laurence
looks at the administration and maintenance of the road system, the
relationship between the road and the human landscape, monumentalism
and economic implications of road building.221p, 65 b/w illus (Routledge
1999) Hb £55.00
Roman Aqueducts and Water Supply
by A Trevor Hodge.A complete well-illustrated examination of the
technology and engineering behind the Roman system of water supply
across the Empire, from wells and cisterns, to hydraulics, planning and
surveying, urban distribution, drains and sewers. The second edition has a
new preface and extended bibliography.504p, 241 b/w illus (Duckworth 1992,
2nd edn Pb 2002) Pb £25.00
The Water Supplies and Related Structures of Roman Britain
by Alfonso Burgers. For a full description please see p83.
Water Use and Hydraulics in the Roman City
edited by Ann Olga Koloski-Ostrow.Roman cities are well known for their
innovative methods of water supply and disposal. However, these eight
papers, from a ‘water colloquium’ held in New York in 1996, argue that
Roman architects, hydraulic engineers and town planners were not
motivated by concerns over public hygiene but by ‘their own religious,
social and political ideologies’. Based on the analysis of archaeological
remains and documentary evidence,
the contributors discuss public and
private water supply and usage
across the Roman world. The
papers are illustrated with
numerous plans and maps.131p,
figs, maps (AIA Colloquia and
Conference Papers 3, 2001) Pb £25.00
Medicine and Disease
Arztekunst und Gottvertrauen: Antike und mittelalterliche
Schnittpunkte von Christentum und Medizin
edited by Christian Schulze and Sibylle Ihm.This concise book contains
five essays which examine the state of medical knowledge and medical
practices during Late Antiquity. The essays are supported by numerous
extracts from contemporary Greek and Latin treatises and texts and discuss,
for example, the contrast between Platonic and Christian medical theory,
the representation of the doctor in Byzantine Greek literature, Hugo de
Folieto’sDe medicina animae, Christian doctors in antiquity and the activities
of ancient nurses. German text. A knowledge of Greek and Latin would
be useful.138p (Spudasmata 86, Olms 2002) Pb £21.50
Les cachets à collyres dans le monde romain
by Jacques Voinot.A catalogue of more than 300 small inscribed stone
blocks, termed collyrium stamps because of the information they contain
about eye conditions and remedies. Largely found in the North-west
provinces of the Roman Empire, Voinot looks at their distribution and
the names inscribed on them, before presenting a large catalogue where
each entry includes details on where they were found, where they are now
housed, characteristics, inscription, names mentioned, eye affliction and
the remedy. French text.368p, b/w pls (Monographies Instrumentum 7, Monique
Mergoil 1999) Pb £37.00
Galen on the Brain: Anatomical Knowledge and Physiological
Speculation in the 2nd Century AD
by Julius Rocca.This specialist thesis scrutinises Galen’s understanding of
the brain, both anatomically and philosophically, and his theories
surrounding the nature of the mind as the driving force of the body.
Sections examine Galen’s philosophical and medical heritage, Galen’s public
dissection demonstrations, the Greek understanding of the brain’s
architecture and the ventricular system and psychic pneuma. There is a
Greek-English glossary of medical terms but prior knowledge of Greek
would be helpful.313p (Brill 2003) Hb£65.00
Galen on Food and Diet
translated by Mark Grant.On the Humours, On Black Bile, On Uneven Bad
Temperament, On the Causes of Disease, On Barley Soup, On the Powers of Food –
this book provides the reader with an English translation of these curious
treatises by Galen (AD 129-c. AD 210). In these texts Galen set out the
influential theory of the four humours and described in detail the effects
of a vast range of foods on human health. Includes a glossary of plant
names.214p (Routledge 2000) Hb £55.00, Pb £17.99
Galen and Galenism
by Luis García-Ballester.A collection of nineteen essays by García-Ballester
which were first published between 1979 and 1998 and here retain their
original pagination and type-setting. The essays examine Galen’s life, his
work and the transformation of his ideas during the Middle Ages,
particularly in Montpellier and by Jewish and Islamic practitioners in Spain.
The papers also examine evolving ideas concerning the role of medical
science in natural philosophy.320p (VCS, Ashgate 2002) Hb£57.50
Galen: On the Properties of Foodstuffs
by Owen Powell.A translation of Galen’sDel alimentorum facultatibus, h i s
2nd-century physiological treatise which presents Galen’s Aristotelian
thinking on the medicinal benefit, or otherwise, of a wide range of common
and exotic foods. The translation is followed by an extensive commentary
and preceded by a discussion of Galen’s ideas, the structure of the treatise
and its cultural background.206p (Cambridge UP 2003) Hb £40.00
Galen: Selected Works
translated with introduction and notes by P N Singer.A new edition of
Singer’s major collection of writings by Galen (born c.AD 129), the
physician to the gladiators of Pergamum who eventually became the
personal physician of Marcus Aurelius in Rome. This anthology reflects
Galen’s remarkable range of philosophical and medical interests whilst
also providing a vivid insight into the medical practice and everyday life of
ancient Rome.448p (Oxford UP 1997, rep 2001) Pb £7.99
Malaria and Rome: A History of Malaria in Ancient Italy
by Robert Sallares.Emphasising that ‘malaria has an awesome power as a
determinant of demographic patterns’, Robert Sallares studies the spread
of malaria in Italy in the Roman period and its effects on demographic
profiles and mortality rates among different age groups. Using
contemporary sources and comparative material from later periods, as well
as data from modern microbiology, he ties in evidence from textual sources
with evidence of changes in Tuscany, the Pontine Marshes, Apulia and the
city of Rome.341p, 37 b/w illus, 7 maps, 9 tbs (Oxford UP 2002) Hb£50.00
5 4
Medical Latin in the Roman Empire
by D R Langslow. A systematic account of Latin medical writing in the
Roman world, dwelling on the linguistic rather than strictly historical evidence.
Langslow looks at vocabulary and its extension at the beginning and end of
the Empire, terms that have been borrowed from the Greek, the semantics
of terms and the use of phrasing. Although a large body of evidence is
included, a large part of the study focuses on the works of Celsus and
Cribonius Largus in the 1st century AD and Theodorus Priscianus and
Cassius Felix in the 5th century AD.517p (Oxford UP 2000) Hb £82.50
Pedanius Dioscurides aus Anazarba: Fünf Bücher über die
Heilkunde
translated by Max Aufmesser. A new German translation of the
pharmacological and botanical treatiseFive Books on Medicine. Written during
the 1st century AD by a military doctor working for the Roman army, the
books present around 850 descriptions and medical applications of mostly
plant substances. Includes a short introduction. German text.364p (Olms
2002) Pb £50.00
The Unknown Galen
edited by Vivian Nutton.These thirteen papers, from a joint symposium
held in 1999 by the Institute of Classical Studies and the Wellcome Institute
for the History of Medicine, endeavour to draw attention to a larger number
of Galen treatises by discussing texts that were not included in Kühn’s
standard twenty-volume edition of 1821-33. The specialised
contributions focus on the content and transmission of
these works, demonstrating that much of it was preserved
in Arabic, Hebrew and other Near Eastern languages.
Particular Galen texts includeOn My Own Books, On the
Thinning Diet, On the Unclear Movementsand pregnancy in the
Epidemics. Knowledge of Greek would be an advantage.179p
(Institute of Classical Studies 2002)Pb£45.00
Literacy and Education
Becoming Roman, Writing Latin? Literacy and Epigraphy in
the Roman West
edited by Alison E Cooley.Ten papers examine the spread of Latin literacy
across the Roman empire, based on analyses of epigraphic evidence, and
consider the ways in which this reflects the process of assimilation.
Contents: Latin and the epigraphic culture in Sicily; Latin on coins in the
western empire; Writing Latin in the Roman province of Lusitania;
Language, culture and society in north Italy and south Gaul; The survival
of Oscan in Roman Pompeii; Seal-boxes and the spread of Latin literacy
in the Rhine delta; Pottery stamps, coin designs and writing in late Iron
Age Britain; Language and literacy in Roman Britain; Writing to the gods
in Roman Britain; How the Latin West was won.192p, b/w figs, tbs (JRA
Supplementary Series 48, 2002) Hb£60.00
TheChreia and Ancient Rhetoric: Classroom Exercises
edited by Ronald F Hock and Edward N O’Neil.Thec h r e i awas a particular
form of educational text that was important from the early Roman empire
to the late Byzantine period. Thec h r e i ataught pupils how to write letters
and form them into words, how to write the correct forms and endings of
Greek and Latin sentences and how to learn stylistic skills through creating
an essay. This volume includes 36 examples illustrating the use ofc h r e i a i n
all three stages of the ancient educational curriculum. Extracts are
accompanied by an English translation.411p (Brill 2002) Hb£88.50
Gelehrte in der Antike
edited by A Goltz, A Luther and H Schlange-Schöningen.This Festschrift
for Alexander Demandt comprises eighteen contributions that examine
the nature of classical education, including its subjects, goals and most
prominent teachers. The specialised papers discuss, for example, the social
history of early education, Seleucid teaching, the role of philosophy, Roman
political and historical writing, the education of Roman women, Biblical
instruction, the Late Antique school and the learning, if any, of the
barbarian.330p (Böhlau 2002) Hb£29.99
Quintilian I: The Orator’s Education Books 1-2
edited and translated by Donald A Russell.Quintilianus (c.35-c.95 AD)
was head of Rome’s school of Oratory and was teacher to members of
the royal family. HisInstitutio Oratoriawhich insists that an orator must be
trained from birth, includes an assessment of contemporary education
and a review of Greek and Roman literature.430p (LCL 124, Harvard
UP 2001) Hb £14.50
The 17 Books have recently been reprinted and are available in five LCL volumes
(124-127 and 494), at £14.50 each