Rome, the Greek World, and the East - (Studies in the History of Greece and Rome) by Fergus Millar (Paperback)

About the Book

Rome, the Greek World, and the East: Volume 3: The Greek World, the Jews, and the East

Book Synopsis

This volume completes the three-volume collection of Fergus Millar's essays, which, together with his books, transformed the study of the Roman Empire by shifting the focus of inquiry onto the broader Mediterranean world and beyond. The eighteen essays presented here include Millar's classic contributions to our understanding of the impact of Rome on the peoples, cultures, and religions of the eastern Mediterranean, and the extent to which Graeco-Roman culture acted as a vehicle for the self-expression of the indigenous cultures. In an epilogue written to conclude the collection, Millar argues for rethinking the focus of "ancient history" itself and for considering the Levant and the eastern Mediterranean from the first millennium B.C. to the Islamic conquests a valid scholarly framework and an appropriate educational syllabus for the study of antiquity. English translations of extended ancient passages in Greek, Latin, and Semitic languages in all the essays make Millar's most important articles accessible for the first time to specialists and nonspecialists alike.

Review Quotes

"[Millar] explores this dauntingly broad topic with an admirable breadth of knowledge. . . . The collection allows a glimpse into what great academic careers are made of: seemingly insatiable intellectual curiosity and the courage to explore new avenues."
-"Arctos"

"Those who have learned much from [Millar] will be delighted with this volume, and will find much to stimulate new avenues of exploration. . . . The book belongs in every library used by those studying the classical, Jewish and Christian sources and world."
-- "Journal of Jewish Studies"

"[A] significant contribution to the sum of knowledge about the Roman empire. . . . It opens up the world of the Roman empire to those readers who do not have an ancient language background, yet desire to know more about the background and culture of Imperial Rome from a scholar who must be considered one of the most influential historians of our time."
-- "Bryn Mawr Classical Review"

This second volume in the three-volume series includes essays by Fergus Millar which explore the role of the emperor and the functions of the Roman Empire's treasury, courts, penal system, and equestrian civil service in the first three centuries A.D. Other essays deal with the Roman citizenry, paying particular attention to the cultural exchange between Rome and Greece.