About this item
Highlights
- Offers a broad range of texts spanning six centuries of imperial Roman history--Volume II of Empire of the Romans, from Julius Caesar to Justinian Empire of the Romans: From Julius Caesar to Justinian: Six Hundred Years of Peace and War, Volume II: Select Anthology is a compendium of texts that trace the main historical changes of the empire over six hundred years, from the death of Julius Caesar to the late Middle Ages.
- About the Author: JOHN MATTHEWS is Professor Emeritus of Classics and History, Yale University, USA.
- 512 Pages
- History, Ancient
Description
About the Book
"Flamininus' proclamation, made on behalf of himself and the Roman senate, is a classic example of the uses of history in the service of politics. In declaring the end of Macedonian tyranny, it echoed the great debates that we know from fourth-century Athens, as Demosthenes warned of the dangers to freedom presented by the rise of the first great Macedonian king, Philip I. Those events were not so very far distant (150 years is not much in the longue durâee of history), but in the meantime the reign of Philip's son Alexander had changed beyond recognition the shape of east Mediterranean politics. Whether or not they realized or wanted it, the Romans were themselves the heirs of Macedon"--Book Synopsis
Offers a broad range of texts spanning six centuries of imperial Roman history--Volume II of Empire of the Romans, from Julius Caesar to Justinian
Empire of the Romans: From Julius Caesar to Justinian: Six Hundred Years of Peace and War, Volume II: Select Anthology is a compendium of texts that trace the main historical changes of the empire over six hundred years, from the death of Julius Caesar to the late Middle Ages. The second volume of Empire of the Romans, from Julius Caesar to Justinian, this anthology balances literary texts with other documentary, legal, and epigraphic sources. Acclaimed author John Matthews presents texts that reflect individual, first-person experiences rather than those from historians outside of the time periods of which they write.
Each selection includes an introduction, annotations on points of interest, author commentary, and suggestions for further reading. Excerpts are organized thematically to help readers understand their meaning without requiring an extensive knowledge of context. Six sections--running in parallel to the structure and content to Volume I--explore the topics such as the building of the empire, Pax Romana, the new empire of Diocletian and Constantine, and barbarian invasions and the fall of the Western Empire. Selected texts span a wide array of subjects ranging from political discourse and Roman law, to firsthand accounts of battle and military service, to the civic life and entertainment of ordinary citizens. This volume:
- Covers a vast chronological and topical range
- Includes introductory essays to each selected text to explain key points, present problems of interpretation, and guides readers to further literature
- Balances the different categories and languages of original texts
- Enables easy cross-reference to Volume I
- Minimizes the use of technical language in favor of plain-English forms
Whether used as a freestanding work or as a complement to Volume I, the Select Anthology is an ideal resource for students in Roman history survey courses as well as interested general readers seeking a wide-ranging collection of readings on the subject.
From the Back Cover
Offers a broad range of texts spanning six centuries of imperial Roman history Volume II of Empire of the Romans, from Julius Caesar to Justinian
Empire of the Romans: From Julius Caesar to Justinian: Six Hundred Years of Peace and War, Volume II: Select Anthology is a compendium of texts that trace the main historical changes of the empire over six hundred years, from the death of Julius Caesar to the early Middle Ages. The second volume of Empire of the Romans, from Julius Caesar to Justinian, this anthology balances literary texts with other documentary, legal, and epigraphic sources. Acclaimed author John Matthews presents texts that reflect individual, first-person experiences rather than those from historians outside of the time periods of which they write.
Each selection includes an introduction, annotations on points of interest, author commentary, and suggestions for further reading. Excerpts are organized thematically to help readers understand their meaning without requiring an extensive knowledge of context. Six sections running in parallel to the structure and content to Volume I explore the topics such as the building of the empire, Pax Romana, the new empire of Diocletian and Constantine, and barbarian invasions and the fall of the Western Empire. Selected texts span a wide array of subjects ranging from political discourse and Roman law, to firsthand accounts of battle and military service, to the civic life and entertainment of ordinary citizens. This volume:
Whether used as a freestanding work or as a complement to Volume I, the Select Anthology is an ideal resource for students in Roman history survey courses as well as interested general readers seeking a wide-ranging collection of readings on the subject.
About the Author
JOHN MATTHEWS is Professor Emeritus of Classics and History, Yale University, USA. He received his PhD from Oxford University in 1969 and taught Greek and Roman history at Oxford for many years before moving to Yale in 1996. He was elected Fellow of the British Academy in 1990. He is author of many books including Western Aristocracies and Imperial Court, A.D. 364-425, The Roman Empire of Ammianus, Laying Down the Law: A Study of the Theodosian Code, and Roman Perspectives: Studies in the social, political and cultural history of the First to Fifth Centuries. He is also co-author of the acclaimed Atlas of the Roman World.