A Cabinet of Roman Curiosities

Download A Cabinet of Roman Curiosities PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Oxford University Press
ISBN 13 : 0199750521
Total Pages : 272 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (997 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis A Cabinet of Roman Curiosities by : J. C. McKeown

Download or read book A Cabinet of Roman Curiosities written by J. C. McKeown and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2010-06-01 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Here is a whimsical and captivating collection of odd facts, strange beliefs, outlandish opinions, and other highly amusing trivia of the ancient Romans. We tend to think of the Romans as a pragmatic people with a ruthlessly efficient army, an exemplary legal system, and a precise and elegant language. A Cabinet of Roman Curiosities shows that the Romans were equally capable of bizarre superstitions, logic-defying customs, and often hilariously derisive views of their fellow Romans and non-Romans. Classicist J. C. McKeown has organized the entries in this entertaining volume around major themes--The Army, Women, Religion and Superstition, Family Life, Medicine, Slaves, Spectacles--allowing for quick browsing or more deliberate consumption. Among the book's many gems are: ? Romans on urban living: The satirist Juvenal lists "fires, falling buildings, and poets reciting in August as hazards to life in Rome." ? On enhanced interrogation: "If we are obliged to take evidence from an arena-fighter or some other such person, his testimony is not to be believed unless given under torture." (Justinian) ? On dreams: Dreaming of eating books "foretells advantage to teachers, lecturers, and anyone who earns his livelihood from books, but for everyone else it means sudden death" ? On food: "When people unwittingly eat human flesh, served by unscrupulous restaurant owners and other such people, the similarity to pork is often noted." (Galen) ? On marriage: In ancient Rome a marriage could be arranged even when the parties were absent, so long as they knew of the arrangement, "or agreed to it subsequently." ? On health care: Pliny caustically described medical bills as a "down payment on death," and Martial quipped that "Diaulus used to be a doctor, now he's a mortician. He does as a mortician what he did as a doctor." For anyone seeking an inglorious glimpse at the underside of the greatest empire in history, A Cabinet of Roman Curiosities offers endless delights.

A Cabinet of Greek Curiosities

Download A Cabinet of Greek Curiosities PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Oxford University Press
ISBN 13 : 0199982104
Total Pages : 303 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (999 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis A Cabinet of Greek Curiosities by : J. C. McKeown

Download or read book A Cabinet of Greek Curiosities written by J. C. McKeown and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2013 with total page 303 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A miscellany of odd stories and facts about the ancient Greeks, demonstrating how much they were--and were not--like us.

A Cabinet of Ancient Medical Curiosities

Download A Cabinet of Ancient Medical Curiosities PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Oxford University Press
ISBN 13 : 0190610433
Total Pages : 289 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (96 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis A Cabinet of Ancient Medical Curiosities by : J. C. McKeown

Download or read book A Cabinet of Ancient Medical Curiosities written by J. C. McKeown and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2017 with total page 289 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There are few disciplines as exciting and forward-looking as medicine. Unfortunately, however, many modern practitioners have rather lost sight of the origins of their discipline. 'A Cabinet of Ancient Medical Curiosities' aspires to make good this lapse by taking readers back to the early days of Western medicine in ancient Greece and Rome. Quoting the actual words of ancient authors, often from texts which have never been translated into English, it gives a glimpse into the beginnings of such fields as surgery, gynecology, pediatrics, preventive medicine, and pharmacology, as well as highlighting ancient views on such familiar topics as medical ethics and the role of the doctor in society.

A Cabinet of Greek Curiosities

Download A Cabinet of Greek Curiosities PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Oxford University Press
ISBN 13 : 0199982120
Total Pages : 240 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (999 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis A Cabinet of Greek Curiosities by : J. C. McKeown

Download or read book A Cabinet of Greek Curiosities written by J. C. McKeown and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2013-04-29 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The ancient Greeks were a wonderful people. They gave us democracy, drama, and philosophy, and many forms of art and branches of science would be inconceivable without their influence. And yet, they were capable of the most outlandish behavior, preposterous beliefs, and ludicrous opinions. Like its companion volume, A Cabinet of Roman Curiosities, this is an uproarious miscellany of odd stories and facts, culled from a lifetime of teaching ancient Greek civilization. In some ways, the book demonstrates how much the Greeks were like us. Politicians were regarded as shallow and self-serving; overweight people resorted to implausible diets; Socrates and the king of Sparta used to entertain their children by riding around on a stick pretending it was a horse. Of course, their differences from us are abundantly documented too and the book may leave readers with a few incredulous questions. To ward off evil, were scapegoats thrown down from cliffs, though fitted out with feathers and live birds to give them a sporting chance of survival? Did a werewolf really win the boxing event at the Olympic Games? Were prisoners released on bail so that they could enjoy dramatic festivals? Did anyone really believe that Pythagoras flew about on a magic arrow? Other such mysteries abound in this quirky and richly illustrated journey into the "glory that was Greece." "The loveliest thing on the black earth." Sappho of Lesbos "Well worth getting a copy." Pisistratus of Athens "Meticulously written, a must for every library." Ptolemy of Alexandria "Unputdownable." Atlas the Titan "Fantastic! Incredible!" Cassandra, priestess of Apollo "The ideal gift." Laocoon of Troy "Not too long." Callimachus of Cyrene "I find something new every time I dip in." Archimedes of Syracuse

A Cabinet of Byzantine Curiosities

Download A Cabinet of Byzantine Curiosities PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Oxford University Press
ISBN 13 : 0190625953
Total Pages : 240 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (96 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis A Cabinet of Byzantine Curiosities by : Anthony Kaldellis

Download or read book A Cabinet of Byzantine Curiosities written by Anthony Kaldellis and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2017-09-01 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Weird, decadent, degenerate, racially mixed, superstitious, theocratic, effeminate, and even hyper-literate, Byzantium has long been regarded by many as one big curiosity. According to Voltaire, it represented "a worthless collection of miracles, a disgrace for the human mind"; for Hegel, it was "a disgusting picture of imbecility." A Cabinet of Byzantine Curiosities will churn up these old prejudices, while also stimulating a deeper interest among readers in one of history's most interesting civilizations. Many of the zanier tales and trivia that are collected here revolve around the political and religious life of Byzantium. Thus, stories of saints, relics, and their miracles-from the hilarious to the revolting-abound. Byzantine bureaucracy (whence the adjective "Byzantine"), court scandals, and elaborate penal code are world famous. And what would Byzantium be without its eunuchs, whose ambiguous gender produced odd and risible outcomes in different contexts? The book also contains sections on daily life that are equally eye-opening, including food (from aphrodisiacs to fermented fish sauce), games such as polo and acrobatics, and obnoxious views of foreigners and others (e.g., Germans, Catholics, Arabs, dwarves). But lest we overlook Byzantium's more honorable contributions to civilization, also included are some of the marvels of Byzantine science and technology, from the military (flamethrowers and hand grenades) to the theatrical ("elevator" thrones, roaring mechanical lions) and medical (catheters and cures, some bizarre). This vast assortment of historical anomaly and absurdity sheds vital light on one of history's most obscure and orthodox empires.

A Cabinet of Roman Curiosities

Download A Cabinet of Roman Curiosities PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Oxford University Press
ISBN 13 : 9780199752782
Total Pages : 272 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (527 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis A Cabinet of Roman Curiosities by : J. C. McKeown

Download or read book A Cabinet of Roman Curiosities written by J. C. McKeown and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2010-06-01 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Here is a whimsical and captivating collection of odd facts, strange beliefs, outlandish opinions, and other highly amusing trivia of the ancient Romans. We tend to think of the Romans as a pragmatic people with a ruthlessly efficient army, an exemplary legal system, and a precise and elegant language. A Cabinet of Roman Curiosities shows that the Romans were equally capable of bizarre superstitions, logic-defying customs, and often hilariously derisive views of their fellow Romans and non-Romans. Classicist J. C. McKeown has organized the entries in this entertaining volume around major themes--The Army, Women, Religion and Superstition, Family Life, Medicine, Slaves, Spectacles--allowing for quick browsing or more deliberate consumption. Among the book's many gems are: ? Romans on urban living: The satirist Juvenal lists "fires, falling buildings, and poets reciting in August as hazards to life in Rome." ? On enhanced interrogation: "If we are obliged to take evidence from an arena-fighter or some other such person, his testimony is not to be believed unless given under torture." (Justinian) ? On dreams: Dreaming of eating books "foretells advantage to teachers, lecturers, and anyone who earns his livelihood from books, but for everyone else it means sudden death" ? On food: "When people unwittingly eat human flesh, served by unscrupulous restaurant owners and other such people, the similarity to pork is often noted." (Galen) ? On marriage: In ancient Rome a marriage could be arranged even when the parties were absent, so long as they knew of the arrangement, "or agreed to it subsequently." ? On health care: Pliny caustically described medical bills as a "down payment on death," and Martial quipped that "Diaulus used to be a doctor, now he's a mortician. He does as a mortician what he did as a doctor." For anyone seeking an inglorious glimpse at the underside of the greatest empire in history, A Cabinet of Roman Curiosities offers endless delights.

The Cabinet of Curiosities

Download The Cabinet of Curiosities PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : A&C Black
ISBN 13 : 1408811839
Total Pages : 213 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (88 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Cabinet of Curiosities by : Paul Dowswell

Download or read book The Cabinet of Curiosities written by Paul Dowswell and published by A&C Black. This book was released on 2010-07-05 with total page 213 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When Lukas Declercq is orphaned, his uncle summons him to Prague, a refuge for Europe's greatest alchemists and natural philosophers, offering to take him on as an apprentice. Uncle Anselmus is court physician to Rudolph II, the reclusive and unstable Emperor. He is also curator of Rudolph's bizarre Cabinet of Curiosities, a series of vast rooms stuffed with wonders and scientific marvels such as a nail from Noah's Ark, phoenix feathers and monstrous freaks of nature, which fascinate Lukas. As Rudolph retreats further into his fantasy world, the threat of rebellion hangs in the air. Dorantes, a diplomat from Spain, comes with his daughter, Celestina, on a mission from Philip II to persuade Rudolph to give up his heretical ways. But he discovers the court is full of diplomats who have been waiting months or years for an audience with the Emperor. Dorantes notices how some had wormed their way into the Emperor's favour by presenting him with fantastic gifts for his Cabinet, and sets about creating a device that he says will stop time. But it works only in the presence of the Emperor. Lukas knows the terrible truth behind Dorantes's mission. But sinister forces have plans for Lukas too, and before he can thwart the plot against the Emperor, Lukas must gamble on Celestina's loyalty in order to save his own life.

Art and Curiosity Cabinets of the Late Renaissance

Download Art and Curiosity Cabinets of the Late Renaissance PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Getty Research Institute
ISBN 13 : 160606679X
Total Pages : 246 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (6 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Art and Curiosity Cabinets of the Late Renaissance by : Julius von Schlosser

Download or read book Art and Curiosity Cabinets of the Late Renaissance written by Julius von Schlosser and published by Getty Research Institute. This book was released on 2021-01-19 with total page 246 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For the first time, the pioneering book that launched the study of art and curiosity cabinets is available in English. Julius von Schlosser’s Die Kunst- und Wunderkammern der Spätrenaissance (Art and Curiosity Cabinets of the Late Renaissance) is a seminal work in the history of art and collecting. Originally published in German in 1908, it was the first study to interpret sixteenth- and seventeenth-century cabinets of wonder as precursors to the modern museum, situating them within a history of collecting going back to Greco-Roman antiquity. In its comparative approach and broad geographical scope, Schlosser’s book introduced an interdisciplinary and global perspective to the study of art and material culture, laying the foundation for museum studies and the history of collections. Schlosser was an Austrian professor, curator, museum director, and leading figure of the Vienna School of art history whose work has not achieved the prominence of his contemporaries until now. This eloquent and informed translation is preceded by Thomas DaCosta Kaufmann’s substantial introduction. Tracing Schlosser’s biography and intellectual formation in Vienna at the turn of the twentieth century, it contextualizes his work among that of his contemporaries, offering a wealth of insights along the way.

The Classical Tradition

Download The Classical Tradition PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Harvard University Press
ISBN 13 : 9780674035720
Total Pages : 1188 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (357 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Classical Tradition by : Anthony Grafton

Download or read book The Classical Tradition written by Anthony Grafton and published by Harvard University Press. This book was released on 2010-10-25 with total page 1188 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The legacy of ancient Greece and Rome has been imitated, resisted, misunderstood, and reworked by every culture that followed. In this volume, some five hundred articles by a wide range of scholars investigate the afterlife of this rich heritage in the fields of literature, philosophy, art, architecture, history, politics, religion, and science.

The Wonderbox

Download The Wonderbox PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Profile Books(GB)
ISBN 13 : 9781846683947
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (839 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Wonderbox by : Roman Krznaric

Download or read book The Wonderbox written by Roman Krznaric and published by Profile Books(GB). This book was released on 2012-11 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Just as a Renaissance 'Wunderkammer' was a curiosity cabinet full of fascinating objects, each with a story behind it, "The Wonderbox" is full of stories and ideas from history, each of which sheds invaluable light on the decisions we make every day, whether we think about the different uses of the senses or changing attitudes to time. History is usually read for pleasure or for insight into current affairs, but "The Wonderbox", stepping into the territory of Alain de Botton and Theodore Zeldin, is 'practical history' - using the past to think about our day to day lives." -- Provided by publisher.

The First Man in Rome

Download The First Man in Rome PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : HarperCollins
ISBN 13 : 0063019795
Total Pages : 1152 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (63 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The First Man in Rome by : Colleen McCullough

Download or read book The First Man in Rome written by Colleen McCullough and published by HarperCollins. This book was released on 2020-04-07 with total page 1152 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With extraordinary narrative power, New York Times bestselling author Colleen McCullough sweeps the reader into a whirlpool of pageantry and passion, bringing to vivid life the most glorious epoch in human history. When the world cowered before the legions of Rome, two extraordinary men dreamed of personal glory: the military genius and wealthy rural "upstart" Marius, and Sulla, penniless and debauched but of aristocratic birth. Men of exceptional vision, courage, cunning, and ruthless ambition, separately they faced the insurmountable opposition of powerful, vindictive foes. Yet allied they could answer the treachery of rivals, lovers, enemy generals, and senatorial vipers with intricate and merciless machinations of their own—to achieve in the end a bloody and splendid foretold destiny . . . and win the most coveted honor the Republic could bestow.

The Prince of Medicine

Download The Prince of Medicine PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Oxford University Press, USA
ISBN 13 : 019976767X
Total Pages : 367 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (997 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Prince of Medicine by : Susan P. Mattern

Download or read book The Prince of Medicine written by Susan P. Mattern and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2013 with total page 367 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is a biography of the physician Galen of Pergamum (A.D. 129 - ca. 216), who began his remarkable career tending to wounded gladiators in provincial Asia Minor. Later in life he achieved great distinction as one of a small circle of court physicians to the family of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, at the very heart of Roman society. --From publisher's description.

A Cabinet of Byzantine Curiosities

Download A Cabinet of Byzantine Curiosities PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Oxford University Press
ISBN 13 : 0190625945
Total Pages : 249 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (96 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis A Cabinet of Byzantine Curiosities by : Anthony Kaldellis

Download or read book A Cabinet of Byzantine Curiosities written by Anthony Kaldellis and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2017 with total page 249 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Byzantium has long been regarded by many as one big curiosity - decadent, degenerate, superstitious, theocratic, effeminate. With its tales and trivia - ranging across religion, bureaucracy, food, theatre, medicine, xenophobia, warfare - this book will confirm some of these prejudices, but also open eyes to the life of this extraordinarily interesting civilization.

Rome Resurgent

Download Rome Resurgent PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Oxford University Press
ISBN 13 : 0199362750
Total Pages : 304 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (993 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Rome Resurgent by : Peter Heather

Download or read book Rome Resurgent written by Peter Heather and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2018-05-01 with total page 304 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Between the fall of the western Roman Empire in the fifth century and the collapse of the east in the face of the Arab invasions in the seventh, the remarkable era of the Emperor Justinian (527-568) dominated the Mediterranean region. Famous for his conquests in Italy and North Africa, and for the creation of spectacular monuments such as the Hagia Sophia, his reign was also marked by global religious conflict within the Christian world and an outbreak of plague that some have compared to the Black Death. For many historians, Justinian is far more than an anomaly of Byzantine ambition between the eras of Attila and Muhammad; he is the causal link that binds together the two moments of Roman imperial collapse. Determined to reverse the losses Rome suffered in the fifth century, Justinian unleashed an aggressive campaign in the face of tremendous adversity, not least the plague. This book offers a fundamentally new interpretation of his conquest policy and its overall strategic effect, which has often been seen as imperial overreach, making the regime vulnerable to the Islamic takeover of its richest territories in the seventh century and thus transforming the great Roman Empire of Late Antiquity into its pale shadow of the Middle Ages. In Rome Resurgent, historian Peter Heather draws heavily upon contemporary sources, including the writings of Procopius, the principal historian of the time, while also recasting that author's narrative by bringing together new perspectives based on a wide array of additional source material. A huge body of archaeological evidence has become available for the sixth century, providing entirely new means of understanding the overall effects of Justinian's war policies. Building on his own distinguished work on the Vandals, Goths, and Persians, Heather also gives much fuller coverage to Rome's enemies than Procopius ever did. A briskly paced narrative by a master historian, Rome Resurgent promises to introduce readers to this captivating and unjustly overlooked chapter in ancient warfare.

A Cabinet of Greek Curiosities

Download A Cabinet of Greek Curiosities PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Oxford University Press
ISBN 13 : 0199982112
Total Pages : 240 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (999 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis A Cabinet of Greek Curiosities by : J. C. McKeown

Download or read book A Cabinet of Greek Curiosities written by J. C. McKeown and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2013-04-29 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The ancient Greeks were a wonderful people. They gave us democracy, drama, and philosophy, and many forms of art and branches of science would be inconceivable without their influence. And yet, they were capable of the most outlandish behavior, preposterous beliefs, and ludicrous opinions. Like its companion volume, A Cabinet of Roman Curiosities, this is an uproarious miscellany of odd stories and facts, culled from a lifetime of teaching ancient Greek civilization. In some ways, the book demonstrates how much the Greeks were like us. Politicians were regarded as shallow and self-serving; overweight people resorted to implausible diets; Socrates and the king of Sparta used to entertain their children by riding around on a stick pretending it was a horse. Of course, their differences from us are abundantly documented too and the book may leave readers with a few incredulous questions. To ward off evil, were scapegoats thrown down from cliffs, though fitted out with feathers and live birds to give them a sporting chance of survival? Did a werewolf really win the boxing event at the Olympic Games? Were prisoners released on bail so that they could enjoy dramatic festivals? Did anyone really believe that Pythagoras flew about on a magic arrow? Other such mysteries abound in this quirky and richly illustrated journey into the "glory that was Greece." "The loveliest thing on the black earth." Sappho of Lesbos "Well worth getting a copy." Pisistratus of Athens "Meticulously written, a must for every library." Ptolemy of Alexandria "Unputdownable." Atlas the Titan "Fantastic! Incredible!" Cassandra, priestess of Apollo "The ideal gift." Laocoon of Troy "Not too long." Callimachus of Cyrene "I find something new every time I dip in." Archimedes of Syracuse

The Lost World of Pompeii

Download The Lost World of Pompeii PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Getty Publications
ISBN 13 : 9780892366873
Total Pages : 192 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (668 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Lost World of Pompeii by : Colin Amery

Download or read book The Lost World of Pompeii written by Colin Amery and published by Getty Publications. This book was released on 2002 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Richly illustrated with historical images and new images of the site by acclaimed photographer Chris Caldicott, The Lost World of Pompeii tells the fascinating story of the ghosts of a bygone era raised from the ashes."--BOOK JACKET.

Romanland

Download Romanland PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Harvard University Press
ISBN 13 : 0674239695
Total Pages : 392 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (742 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Romanland by : Anthony Kaldellis

Download or read book Romanland written by Anthony Kaldellis and published by Harvard University Press. This book was released on 2019-04-01 with total page 392 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Was there ever such a thing as Byzantium? Certainly no emperor ever called himself Byzantine. While the identities of eastern minorities were clear, that of the ruling majority remains obscured behind a name made up by later generations. Anthony Kaldellis says it is time for the Romanness of these so-called Byzantines to be taken seriously.