Lietuvių autoriaus knyga apie antikinę Graikiją
Review of: Rita Regina Trimonienė - SIREIKA, JONAS. Antikinės Graikijos istorija. Šiauliai: Šiaulių universiteto leidybos skyrius, 2017. 384 p.
More...We kindly inform you that, as long as the subject affiliation of our 300.000+ articles is in progress, you might get unsufficient or no results on your third level or second level search. In this case, please broaden your search criteria.
Review of: Rita Regina Trimonienė - SIREIKA, JONAS. Antikinės Graikijos istorija. Šiauliai: Šiaulių universiteto leidybos skyrius, 2017. 384 p.
More...
Snake, the renowned slither, is a creature that has appeared in various shapes in myths across numerous cultures and nations. This creature comprises a great number of designs in Iran, as well. It seems that the image of the snake contains a special meaning, which has been used as a symbol and shares ties to people’s beliefs and the religion. Thus, the researcher’s attention has been turned to how the image of the snake has been used in the remaining artifacts from Elam and its neighboring regions, such as Jiroft, and its general differences to the Zoroastrian culture. In this paper, taking on a comparative descriptive approach, the repetition of the image of this creature in different designs is examined, a separate division is presented for each region (Elamite and Jiroft) and the mythological meanings and concepts related to each design are explained. In the end, the image of the snake in Zoroastrianism is briefly explained. The snake’s image in Elam reveals more than anything, its connection with God, water, fertility, and the other world. In Jiroft, the image of interwoven snakes, coiled snakes, and even snakes fighting other animals are seen. Afterwards, with the influence of the Zoroastrian culture in Iran, this creature finds a new and completely different role to the point where it is introduced as a devilish creature
More...
The subject of this paper is the impressive in its size rock image of ahuman head from the rock sanctuary located in the area Gradishteto, near themodern village of Dolno Dryanovo, Blagoevgrad region, Bulgaria. The place inthat area is defined as a prehistoric and Thracian rock sanctuary and one ofthe oldest megalithic sanctuaries in Southeastern Europe. The attention hereis focused only to the big rock head from the sanctuary of Dolno Dryanovoand an attempt is made to identify this remarkable image as well as its dating,and also to answer the question – who exactly has ordered making it to thisplace. According to the detailed observations of the magnificent rock portraitimage and having used the most suitable parallels, including gold and silvercoins, as well as two marble portrait images and one made of a black basalt,kept respectively in three major world museums, the conclusion was formed,that the big rock human head from Bulgaria in fact is a magnificent portraitimage of Ptolemy I Lagos, king of Hellenistic Egypt. According to the author ofthe paper here, this quite large in size and majestic rock portrait of the king ofHellenistic Egypt, Ptolemy I, was made in the lands of ancient Thrace by orderof the king of the Celtic/Galatian kingdom in Thrace, Kavaros. Because it wasalready found that the king Kavaros was the grandson of Ptolemy I on the sideof his mother. It was made around the middle of the 3rd c. BC as an apotheosisof the king of Egypt. Only in this historical context can be explained makingthis grandiose rock portrait image of Ptolemy I in the lands of ancient Thrace– now in present-day Bulgaria. In fact, this is the greatest portrait image of thedeified king Ptolemy I Soter, ever seen in the world.
More...
This article deals with self-representation of Maxentius, who ruled over Italy and North Africa between 306 and 312. It focuses on the imagery and language that was distributed through coins and portraits during Maxentius’ reign, as well as their reception under Constantine immediately after the Battle of the Milvian Bridge (312). It argues that Maxentius revitalized the tradition of a princeps at Rome in order to play upon sentiments of neglect felt at Rome and the time. In coinage, this was most explicitly done through the unprecedented use of the princeps title on the obverse, which initially may have caused a misunderstanding in the more distant parts of the Maxentian realm. The idea of the princeps was captivated in portraiture through visual similarities with revered emperors, especially with Trajan, and through insertion of Maxentius’ portraits in traditional togate capite velato. When Constantine defeated Maxentius in 312, he took over some of the imagery and language that had been employed by his deceased adversary. Constantine, too, presented himself as a princeps. This not only shows that Maxentius’ representational strategies had been effective, but also brings to light how Constantine managed to deal with the memory of someone who had been one of Rome’s greatest benefactors.
More...
Why is important to research the legal challenges on online auctions with artifacts? The evolution of online commerce with artifacts is a booming phenomenon that has apparently a set of rules established specific nationally and internationally.Today online auctions have an exponential growth trend generating important commercial benefits such as: the rate, the opportunity to participate in several auctions at the same time or in a very short time, the ability to communicate effectively and quickly with bidders; products can be up-to-date on over-stock or fluctuating stocks with significant value for specialized collectors, products sold can be unique art objects of immeasurable value.The question is whether globally online sale of artifacts is regulated in accordance with international law on the protection of cultural heritage and national law? The inconsistencies of legislation can cause serious damages related to: the existence of a grey market for stolen or illegally exported assets which come to the property of unknown private individuals and an abetment for criminal bands to steal and extract illegally valuable artifacts. Under these circumstances, many important historical sites are destroyed, devastated and the artifacts get illegally into criminal hands, and the loss cannot be undone in the future.
More...
In the year 211 BCE, Romans suffered one of the most devastating defeats during the Second Punic War. Their unsuccessful offensive undertaken by Publius Cornelius Scipio and Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio resulted in loss of the territories previously conquered in Hispania and deaths of the two Scipiones. Gaius Claudius Nero was then appointed to Hispania, having been chosen the new commander by the Centuriate Assembly. He was affiliated with the Fabii faction that by his nomination seized the control over that theatre of war. However, a decisive action by the Cornelii, aimed at regaining the lost influence, prompted his recall. Publius Cornelius Scipio the Elder applied for the vacancy and became the army commander in Hispania. Having reached the Iberian Peninsula, Scipio undertook vigorous actions in order to capture New Carthage. He utilised his fleet to increase the mobility of his troops, to subsequently set about marching towards to Carthaginians’ city. Seizure of the city proved to be the turning point, after which the Carthaginian rule in Iberia waned. It also brought about the eventual Roman victory.
More...
Ancient Romans struggled with manifold diseases affecting their animals, including the ones caused by external parasites. Among numerous parasitic diseases scabies was the most commonly diagnosed one — on the one hand, it caused serious economic losses to breeders, on the other hand, it was threatening to humans. Due to high contagiousness of scabies and big losses it caused, the breeders and veterinarians designed numerous treatments that were to prevent the occurrence of or eradicate the disease. Majority of extant ancient texts contained recipes for medicines administered to horses, cattle, and sheep. What captures our attention are considerable varieties of medicines applicable to particular species, which points to significant level of specialization and attempts to adjust treatments to specific needs of particular species of animals. A proportion of ancient recommendations and methods of fighting scabies remains valid until the present day.
More...
The purpose of the paper is to describe the fascinating myth of Perseus, son of Zeus and Danae, who became well known for his two great achievements: a) the beheading of gorgon Medusa and b) the killing of the Cetus sent to tear Princess Andromeda to pieces. The myth was so impressive that its personages were made constellations. The different scenarios proposed so far for Perseus but especially the various interpretations of the myth together with its symbolism and historical and technological significances are referred and discussed.Actually, our interest for the myth of Perseus started from the presence of its hero in the star catalogue of Ptolemy. The myth as such is a multi-level transposition of historical facts, human desires and imagined outcomes. It is the first coherent form of human knowledge, preceding philosophy and science. But the multiple symbolisms of the myth–and, concerning the myth of Perseus, it is only suggested here –deserves to be remembered, even if only for our belief in progress and development. More concretely, the technological objects that people dreamed of remind us that the first step of creation/innovation was –and is –imagination.
More...
When the Persians dominated Anatolia, they separated Anatolian territories into administrative zones called satrapy. One of these satrapy zones is Phrygia. However, there were two distinct Phrygia under the names of Phrygia of Hellespontos (Daskyleion) and the Greater Phrygia during the Persian era. There are many studies on Phrygia of Hellespontos which is also known as Coastal Phrygia. But studies that were done directly under the name of Greater Phrygia are quite limited. The main goal of this study is to make explainations on the matters happened in the Greater Phrygia, rulers who had powers in the region, the cities and road systems during the Persian era. There are several problems in this respect. The crux of the problems is that antique sources couldn't provide information sufficiently. As a result of our study we can say that the sources give more information about Greater Phrygia from the 4th century BC onwards, the region started to have problems especially as from Artaxerxes era, it did not take part in the events of the same century with respect to the uprisings and foreign interventions in the region when compared to the other satrapys locating in the Western Anatolia, the region has strategic importance due to its location in Royal Road and the city of Celaenae is a key city.
More...
The female head which was uncovered during foundation excavation of a house by a person in 1964 has not been published until today. Although it is difficult to date Kayseri piece, of which finding place and building connection are not known, based on only hair fashion and physiognomical features, it is tried to bring forward a proposal of period and identification to the female head by my evaluations and comparisons. The hairdressing fashion, plump face, the lack of depicting pupil and iris on Kayseri piece which I have written to add to the archeology literature are defining features that allow us to date the female head. “Ceres Type” hair fashion on the piece preserved in Kayseri Museum, closely resembles formal and private female portraits in Julio-Claudian Dynasty and Hadrian periods. Although only the hairdressing fashion on Kayseri head reminds the hair fashion in the periods of Julio-Claudian Dynasty, the lack of patetic expression distinguishes the female head from the stylistic features of this period. Though the hair fashion on the female head is also very similar to the hairdressing fashion on the female portraits of Hadrian period, the portrait of Kayseri does not include the expression of the physiognomic features by idealizaton seen in the portraits of Hadrian period as in the pieces of Julio-Claudian Dynasty. However, at the same time, the absence of a patetic expression on the piece, the "Ceres Type" hair fashion and the lack of depicting the pupil and iris make it possible to date the female portrait to the Early Hadrian period when the physiognomical features were not fully idealized. In my study, it has been aimed to give detailed information about the date of the piece, identification study and the reasons for the period I proposed by comparing the head of Kayseri with both periods in which the "Ceres Type" hairdressing fashion was seen.
More...
Within this paper we publish a critical review of the state of research on the military bathhouses from Roman Dacia. Moreover, our aim is to also provide a broader regional survey. It comprises a short discussion of the history of research, emphasizing the importance of the essential contributions to the study of military baths in Dacia, as well as the importance of the regional studies and of the monographs of different archaeological sites. Therefore, we decided, to review and update our knowledge of the military bathhouses uncovered in the Dacian provinces. According to the current state of research, there are 39 balnea recorded, including baths located within the forts (praetorium), as well as extra muros, in the civilian settlements. Upon reviewing the evidence, the paper stresses the variety of the military balnea discovered and points out the differences between legionary and auxiliary baths, shedding light on some of the local features of these baths.
More...
Epigraphic squeezes are a key tool for research and teaching. They also have historical and documentary value. They are reliable copies of inscribed text and become the only evidence that remains if inscriptions are lost or destroyed. This paper describes the Venice Squeeze Project for the preservation and enhancement of epigraphic squeezes in the Department of Humanities at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice. For the initial phase of the project, the Ca’ Foscari University collection of epigraphic squeezes was published in the digital ektypotheke E-stampages. The current phase involves developing a web application to digitise epigraphic squeezes according to the metadata architecture of E-stampages. The first part of this paper describes the background of the Venice Squeeze Project and methodological issues, which fostered the partnership with E-stampages. The second part describes the relational database that was set up to digitise the Ca’ Foscari collection. The third part introduces the project initiatives to promote a network of Italian institutions interested in digitizing their collections of epigraphic squeezes.
More...
EpiDoc is a set of recommendations, schema and other tools for the encoding of ancient texts, especially inscriptions and papyri, in TEI XML, that is now used by upwards of a hundred projects around the world, and large numbers of scholars seek training in EpiDoc encoding every year. The EpiDoc Front-End Services tool (EFES) was designed to fill the important need for a publication solution for researchers and editors who have produced EpiDoc encoded texts but do not have access to digital humanities support or a well-funded IT service to produce a publication for them.This paper will discuss the use of EFES not only for final publication, but as a tool in the editing and publication workflow, by editors of inscriptions, papyri and similar texts including those on coins and seals. The edition visualisations, indexes and search interface produced by EFES are able to serve as part of the validation, correction and research apparatus for the author of an epigraphic corpus, iteratively improving the editions long before final publication. As we will argue, this research process is a key component of epigraphic and papyrological editing practice, and studying these needs will help us to further enhance the effectiveness of EFES as a tool.To this end we also plan to add three major functionalities to the EFES toolbox: (1) date visualisation and filter—building on the existing “date slider,” and inspired by partner projects such as Pelagios and Godot; (2) geographic visualization features, again building on Pelagios code, allowing the display of locations within a corpus or from a specific set of search results in a map; (3) export of information and metadata from the corpus as Linked Open Data, following the recommendations of projects such as the Linked Places format, SNAP, Chronontology and Epigraphy.info, to enable the semantic sharing of data within and beyond the field of classical and historical editions.Finally, we will discuss the kinds of collaboration that will be required to bring about desired enhancements to the EFES toolset, especially in this age of research-focussed, short-term funding. Embedding essential infrastructure work of this kind in research applications for specific research and publication projects will almost certainly need to be part of the solution.
More...
The location choice of Stone Age settlements has been long considered to be influenced by environmental conditions. Proximity to water and sandy soils are most typical examples of those conditions. The notion of the influence resulted from the evidence from a relatively small amount of sites. During the recent decades the number of known settlements has increased to a level where statistical assessment of relation between environmental characteristics and settlement location choice is possible. To undertake this task we collected data about known Estonian Stone Age settlements and acquired environmental data of their locations using publicly available geological datasets. We provide univariate descriptive statistics of the distributions of variables describing site conditions and compare them to characteristics generally present in the environment. We experiment with a set of environmental variables including soil type, distance to water and a selection of geomorphometry derivatives of the digital elevation model. Quantitative assessment confirmed previous observations showing a significant effect towards the choice of sandy, dry location close to water bodies. The statistical analysis allowed us to assess the effect size of different characteristics. Proximity to water had the largest effect on settlement choice, while soil type was also of considerable importance. Abstract geomorphological variables such as Topographic Position Index and Topographic Wetness index also inform us about significant effects of surface forms. Differences of settlement locations during stages of the Stone Age are well observable. The environmental conditions of sites from the pre-pottery Mesolithic follow the general pattern but with the greater variation. Narva and Comb Ware stage settlement locations preferences are nearly identical to each other showing preference of sandy higher areas near the shoreline and indicating increased site investment. For Corded Ware period a new settlement mode is observable which is no longer directly related to water bodies and can be explained by semi-agrarian subsistence and decreasing dependence on aquatic resources.
More...
Information about employment and occupations in the Roman Empire can be obtained only partially, due to the limited focus of sources on this subject. Literary sources rarely mention physical work and those who performed it. The paper introduces the type of source that covers this topic best – funerary inscriptions. Epitaphs serve as an irreplaceable, and in many cases the only, source of information about the various occupations held by representatives of the middle and lower classes in the Roman Empire. Many tombstones of citizens, slaves, and freed slaves – men, women and children – have been preserved. The aim of this paper is to present specifically the occupations of women preserved on funerary inscriptions from the city of Rome and to introduce concrete, otherwise nameless persons never mentioned in other sources. The analysis is based on inscriptions from the city of Rome, set in the time of the late Republic and the early Roman Principate (1st century BC – 2nd century AD). The paper addresses concrete inscriptions dedicated to working women, or inscriptions that the employed women made, together with their analysis and translation. The paper can also be used as a source book on the topic of women’s professions.
More...
Tadeusz Zieliński was an outstanding scholar specialising in Greek and Roman literature as well as an accomplished orator, though nowadays he is not always appreciated. The best example of his vast knowledge and oratorical talent is undoubtedly the cycle of eight lectures on the broadly conceived Antiquity. In those lectures, Zieliński discussed the ancient world in terms of scientific research, its influence on modern culture and its role in educating the young generation. In order to ensure the effectiveness of his message, he first had to win favour with the audience. His prestige in the scientific community greatly facilitated it, while the numerous rhetorical and linguistic devices he used guaranteed that his persuasive message brought the expected results. Coherent and logical composition, clear and vivid language, topoi, expressions and phrases aimed at reducing the distance between the sender and the receiver, adjusting the style to the audience, numerous examples, references to authoritative figures, among other things, played a vital role here. Such devices were as important as the contents of the text itself as they ensured the effectiveness of the communication.
More...
In the long passage of De abstinentia, IV, 2–18, Porphyry mentions a series of “groups” (ἔθνη) as examples of abstinence from animal food: the ancient Greeks of the “golden age”, the Lacedaemonians of Lycurgus’ era, the Egyptian priests, the Essenes among the Jews, the Magi among the Persians and the gymnosophists among the Indians. Such an association does not seem at all accidental, since Porphyry refers to a tradition in which these communities have similar habits of life, including the prohibition of eating meat and drinking wine, sexual abstinence, absence of diseases and wars, separation from the civil sphere, devotion to the sacred. All these elements constitute the specific connotation of a human existence that evokes the “time of the origins”, substantially a paradisiac dimension, far from history. It is a deliberate symbolic shift. This brief research will investigate the reasons and the deep meaning of the connection based on utopian life traits.
More...
The article presents the history of ten praetorian prefects of Emperor Commodus. The prosopographical method used by the author of the article is extremely useful in the studies on individuals in the society of Imperium Romanum. In this type of research, it is particularly important to note that praefecti praetorio as a clerical elite were very well represented in ancient sources, which renders historical material highly representable for this group. During the twelve years’ rule of Commodus, the number of praefecti praetorio, representing nearly forty percent of these officials during the reign of the emperors of the Antonine dynasty (96–192), clearly indicates lack of stability and continuous political struggle in the Rome of those days. The presentation of ten praetorian prefects, the highest equestrian officials, sheds light on the political system of the last emperor of the Antonine dynasty. The article presented herein is a translation of an article published in “Klio. Journal of Polish and World History” 2012, vol. 20, pp. 3–44, therefore it does not include theliterature published later (apart from references to new volumes of PIR2). The minor changes introduced are mainly editorial and connected with the need to adapt the text forthe English speaking reader
More...
Herodes Atticus (Lucius Vibullius Hipparchus Tiberius Claudius Atticus Herodes) was a sophist, benefactor, Roman senator and one of the richest men of his time. His behavior often aroused a lot of controversy. He was often in conflict with the Roman officials and even emperors. The aim of this paper is to present complicated relation of Herodes with part of the Athenians. The author tries to explain the reasons for distrus and even dislike of the Athenians to Herodes. The most important part of the paper is an attempt to present the circumstances that led to the famous trial in Sirmium in 174 AD. This is a revised and supplemented version of the paper originally published as Herodes Attyk i Ateńczycy, “Klio” 2015, vol. 33 (2), pp. 3–32, DOI: 10.12775/KLIO.2015.016.
More...