History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)

Average customer rating:

Check and see
Suprise! Suprise!
Prescient St Augustine?
Something of a disappointment
Romulus courts Helen, Paris founds Rome, Moses goes to Troy..

History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)
Anatoly T Fomenko
Manufacturer: Delamere Resources LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 2913621066

Product Description

`History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2` is the second volume of the most explosive and astounding tractate on history ever written - however, every theory it contains, no matter how unorthodox, is backed by rock solid scientific data. The book is easy and pleasant to read; it is well-illustrated, contains hundreds of charts, graphs and illustrations, copies of ancient manuscripts, and countless facts attesting to the falsity of the chronology used nowadays. You will be amazed to discover: - That the chronology universally accepted today and taken for granted is simply wrong; - That ALL methods of dating of ancient sources and artefacts known today are erroneous or non-exact; - That there is not a single document that could be reliably dated earlier than the XIth century; The Author refers to the Middle Ages as the Antiquity and proves mutual superimposition of the Second and the Third Roman Empire, both of which become identified as the respective kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Furthermore, he asserts that the famous reform of the Occidental Church in the XI century by Pope Gregory Hildebrand was the reflection of the XII century reforms of Byzantine emperor Andronicus who in his turn identifies with Jesus Christ. The Trojan war counted by Homer happened only as late as of the XIII century A.D. and the great poet actually lived in XIV century A.D. No stone in history of Antiquity is left unturned. Literally. This book is the beginning of a major correction to the chronology we live with.

Customer Reviews:

Check and see.......2007-06-21

I don't care what other people say of this book. Those affirmig it's fake, they hadn't ever read it. Or have some special reasons to do so. "Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see..." This book won't make you feel comfortable. It'll make you feel free. It'll make you feel you're "not the only one" to feel you'd been lied to for centuries.

Suprise! Suprise!.......2007-03-22

Here is a serie of books which turns "the whole world" upside down. I learned a lot of it and I hope that a new book from A.T. Fomenko will follow very quick. A absolute must for everybody who is interested in history or even a little bit from it.

Prescient St Augustine?.......2006-02-05

We can so far divide the New Chronology into the following three parts:

a) The verifiable theory that proves consensual chronology wrong with the aid of astronomy, statistics and mathematics;

b) The new chronology hypothesis based on a new understanding of known historical facts and the most likely logical explanation of the most obvious inconsistencies inherent in the official version of history;

c) The history conjectures, that is experimental historical reconstructions based on assumptions that the authors believe to make sense in the light of their research and linguistic parallels - void of ironclad factual support to date.

Fomenko's theory complies with the most rigid scientific standards as a whole:

It gives a coherent explanation of what we already know.

- It is consistent: independent lines of inquiry all lead to the same conclusion.

- The predictions it makes are confirmed empirically.

Fomenko goes by the following axioms:

- Chronology is the basis of history;

- Human evolution has always been linear, gradual and irreversible;

- The "cyclic" nature of human civilization is a myth, likewise all the gaps, duplicates, "dark ages" and "renaissances" that we know from consensual history;

- The accumulation of geographical knowledge as reflected in cartography is a gradual and irreversible process;

- The chronological distance between a given manuscript and the events described therein is proportional to the amount of distortions it contains;

- There is no "useless" information in authentic ancient sources.

Why the mainstream historians do not shower mathematician Academician Dr.Prof Fomenko with thanks and laurels?

The Russians:

Because Fomenko asserts that there was no such thing as the Tartar and Mongol invasion followed by three centuries of slavery, providing a formidable body of documental evidence to prove his assertion. The so-called "Tartars and Mongols" were the actual ancestors of the modern Russians, living in a bilingual state with Arabic spoken as freely as Russian. The ancient Russian state was governed by a double structure of civil and military authorities. The hordes were actually professional armies with a tradition of lifelong conscription (the recruitment being the so-called "blood tax"). Their "invasions" were punitive operations against the regions that attempted tax evasion. Fomenko proves that Russian history as we know it today is a blatant forgery concocted by a host of German scientists brought to Russia by the usurper dynasty of the Romanovs, whose ascension to the throne was the result of coup d'état, charged with the mission of making their reign look legitimate. Fomenko proves Ivan the Terrible to be a collation of four rulers, no less. They represented the two rival dynasties - the legitimate rulers and the ambitious upstarts. The winner took it all! Over some 30 years of controversy, Russian historians have made a most remarkable transition - they were initially accusing the young mathematician Fomenko of anticommunist dissident activity and attempts to deface the historical legacy of Soviet Russia; nowadays the middle-aged mathematician is accused of adhering to "pro-communist Russian nationalism" and defacing the proud historical legacy of Great Russia.

The Westerners:

Because Fomenko blows consensual Russian history to smithereens, successfully removing a crucial cornerstone from underneath the otherwise impeccable edifice of World History. Fomenko adds insult to injury, wiping out one by one the Ancient Rome (the foundation of Rome in Italy is dated to the XIV century A. D.), the Ancient Greece and its numerous poleis, which he identifies as the mediaeval crusader settlements on the territory of Greece, and the Ancient Egypt (the pyramids of Giza become dated to the XI-XV century A. D. and identified as the royal cemetery of the Global "Mongolian" Empire, no less). The civilization of the Ancient Egypt is irrefutably dated to the XII-XV century A. D. with the aid of the ancient Egyptian horoscopes cut in stone. He was the first one to decipher and date all such horoscopes, coming up with mediaeval dates in every case. English historians rage at the suggestion that the history of Ancient England was de facto a Byzantine import transplanted to the English soil by the fugitive Byzantine nobility. To reward the English historians who consider themselves the true scribes of World History, the cover of the present book portrays Tintoretto's Jesus Christ crucified on the Big Ben.

The Chinese:

Because Fomenko wipes out the Ancient History of China outright. No such thing. Full point. The compilation of the so-called Ancient Chinese History is reliably datable to the XVII-XVIII century only. It is perfectly recognizable as the Ancient European history, reworked and transcribed in hieroglyphs as yet another historical transplantation, this time performed on the Chinese soil by the loving Jesuit hands. The Chinese are the next in line to go berserk. Chinese history is inevitably bound to get both more ancient and more eventful, proportionally to the growing involvement of China in the world affairs. Chinese historians will keep on finding valid proof of prehistoric Chinese spaceflights until the Politburo orders them to shut up.

The Arabs:

Too bad. Islam with all its key figures is datable to XV-XVI century A. D. Arabic historians may find consolation in the crucial historical role of the Ottoman Empire in the XVI-XVII century. The trouble is that this empire was initially a Christian state, with Hagia Sophia identifiable as Temple of Solomon, according to Fomenko! We can only guess if the acquisition of Alexander the Great (a Macedonian and a Christian) as the founder of the Muslim World Empire will make Fomenko's theories more acceptable to the Arabic mainstream. He certainly does not spare any holy cows at all, claiming The Stone of Qa'Aba in Mecca to contain the lost Arch of the Covenant.

The Divinity:

Despite of reiterated statement that his theory is all about chronology and not Religion, Fomenko stirs up a whole condominium of wasp nests. His collection of anathemas, fatwa, and other condemnations from all parties concerned is already considerable. Little wonder, considering that the history of religions à la Fomenko looks as follows: the pre-Christian period (before the XI century and JC), Bacchic Christianity (XI-XII century, before and after JC), JC Christianity (XII-XVI century) and its subsequent mutations into Orthodox Christianity, the Catholicism, Islam, Buddhism, and so on.

According to Fomenko we know strictly NOTHING about the events that predate the X century A. D.

St Augustin was prescient when he spoke unto us: "be wary of mathematicians, particularly when they speak the truth."

Something of a disappointment.......2005-09-09

After having read the first volume of this expected series of 7 volumes I was triggered by the thesis of these authors that ancient Greek and Roman history did in fact take place in the Middle Ages. So I started studying medieval history of the Middle East - also known as Islamic history - to find out if the opponents of the ancient Greeks and Romans - the Acheamenid Persians, Sassanids, Scythians, Egyptians, etc. - also have their duplicates in medieval history. My search was disappointing: none of the many medieval Islamic dynasties seemed to correspond to the ancient middle eastern rulers.

However, I did find a close correspondence between Herodotus' Persian kings and medieval events:

- the defeat and capture of an Anatolian king - the Lydian Croesus - by the Persian conqueror Cyrus is identical to the defeat and capture of another Anatolian king - sultan Bayezid - by the Asian/Mongol conqueror Tamerlane;
- the Persian conquest of Egypt by the cruel tyrant Cambyses reds almost exactly as the Ottoman conquest of Egypt by Selim the Grim (note the nickname!);
- Darius the Lawgiver of the Persian Empire looks very much alike to Sulayman the Magnificent, the Lawgiver in Islamic history;
- Xerxes, whose main claim to fame is to be defeated by the Greeks at the naval battle of Salamis, looks like Selim II (the Sot) whose main claim to fame is to be defeated by a Spanish-Italian alliance at the naval battle of Lepanto.

I should have expected Fomenko et al. to arrive at similar conclusions, however, they claim that the Persian kings are the alter egos of the Angevin kings of Sicily whose biographies do not contain the exploits of the Persian kings.

The similiarities I indicate lead to the conclusion that Herodotus must have written his Histories at the close of the 16th century. But this is extremely late, given that Herodotus is "the Father of History", so therefore all other "ancient" histories must have been fabricated even later. Yet, the founders of modern chronology - Scaliger and Petavius - laid their foundations also at the close of the 16th century and had the full corpus of ancient histories already at their disposal.

It seems to me that Fomenko has to address these inconsistencies, maybe in the forthcoming 5 volumes?

Another critique of their book is that the correspondencies between different rulers are often based on a superficial comparison of the biographies; upon a more thorough comparison many details appear that do not correspond at all.

Finally, the authors rely heavily on the works of Gregorovius (1821-1891!!) - his medieval histories of Rome and Athens - as the source of medieval history; these works are - at least in the West - hoplessly outdated and have been superceded by more up-to-date works (for instance, Julius Norwich's trilogy on Byzantine history is not even cited).

Romulus courts Helen, Paris founds Rome, Moses goes to Troy.........2005-07-30

If you agree with Fomenko that Roman chronology is basically the foundation of the entire edifice of global chronology; you would also certainly agree that despite its numerous gaps and inconsistencies, Roman history is the best-documented field of ancient history, and thus a reference scale. But how well is the actual date of the Eternal City's foundation known?

Firstly, Rome is supposed to have been founded by the Trojans who had to flee after the fall of Troy. Some claim Rome to have been founded by Aeneas and Ulysses shortly after Troy had fallen; others are of the opinion that there was an entire dynasty that ruled for 500 years between the fall of Troy and the foundation of Rome.

Well, that's just an innocent 500 years long misunderstanding compared with what heretic Fomenko says, asserts, proves in his second volume: Second Roman Empire, Third Roman Empire, Biblical Kingdom of Israel, Biblical Kingdom of Judah, Holy Roman Empire are stories about basically same events, written from different points of view at different times. The underlying events have actually taken place during xii-xv cy. These histories have been written and perfected by multitude of highly talented humanist and clerical writers of xiii-xvi cy disguised as "ancients" with glorious names like Homer, Pluto, Thucydides etc..Chronology 2.0 beta..

Historians are kindly invited to report the bugs.

Rome's Gothic Wars: From the Third Century to Alaric (Key Conflicts of Classical Antiquity)

Average customer rating:

a needed addition to the subject of the Goths and the Roman Empire
Historiography at its best
Evalualtion of Sources
Provocative, but Unconvincing
"Deeds of the Goths"

Rome's Gothic Wars: From the Third Century to Alaric (Key Conflicts of Classical Antiquity)
Michael Kulikowski
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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From the Prologue:

Before the Gates of Rome

Late in august 410, a large troop of soldiers bore down on the city of Rome. At their head rode the general Alaric, in the full insignia of a magister militum. It was the highest command in the Roman army, won after years of politicking and military success. But Alaric was more than a Roman general. He was also a Gothic chieftain, some might have said a king. As far as contemporaries were concerned, the soldiers who followed him were Goths. Sometimes, to be sure, Alaric had put his followers at the service of the Roman emperor. When he did so, they became a unit in the Roman army. But their loyalty was to Alaric, not to the emperor or the empire, and everyone knew it. Alaric might be a Roman general, but no one ever mistook his followers for Roman soldiers. They were the Goths, and Alaric had led them against regular imperial armies more than once. In the early fifth century, the line between Roman regiment and barbarian horde was a fine one, and Alaric straddled it as best he could. But no one was quite taken in by appearances, and Alaric never succeeded in turning himself into the legitimate Roman commander he so desperately wanted to be.

Want more? Read the prologue in its entirety.

Book Description

Late in August 410, Rome was starving, its residents were turning on one another, and, to make matters worse, the Gothic army camped at Rome's gates was restless. The Gothic commander was Alaric, a Roman general and barbarian chieftain. Leading an army that was short of food and potentially mutinous, sacking Rome was his only way forward. The old heart of Rome's empire fell to a conqueror's sword for the first time in eight hundred years. For three days, Alaric's Goths sacked the eternal city. In the words of a contemporary, the mother of the world had been murdered. Alaric's story is the culmination of a long historical journey by which the Goths came to be a part of the Roman world. Whether as friends or foes of the Roman empire, the Goths and their history are entwined with the larger history of Rome in the third and fourth centuries. Rome's Gothic Wars explains how the Goths came into existence on the margins of the Roman world, how different Gothic groups dealt with the enormous power of Rome just beyond their lands, and how, in two traumatic years, thousands of Goths entered the imperial provinces and destroyed the army that was sent to suppress them, leaving the emperor of the eternal city dead on the field of battle. Unlike other histories of the barbarians, Rome's Gothic Wars shows exactly how and why modern historians understand the Goths the way they do Â- and why our understanding is so controversial. Michael Kulikowski is associate professor of history at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. A recipient of the Solmsen Fellowship at the Institute for Research in the Humanities at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, he is the author of Late Roman Spain and Its Cities, which was awarded an Honorable Mention in Classics and Archaeology from the Association of American University Presses. His scholarly articles have appeared in Early Medieval Europe, Britannia, Phoenix, and Byzantium, and he has appeared on the History Channel's Barbarians series.

Customer Reviews:

a needed addition to the subject of the Goths and the Roman Empire.......2007-09-14

Rome's Gothic Wars: From the Third Century to Alaric (Key Conflicts of Classical Antiquity) by Michael Kulikowski is a needed addition to the subject of the Goths and the Roman Empire. It's a must-read for all interested in this era of history and hopefully encourages readers to further exploration.

The book may appear controversial to some: Aside from presenting the history of the Goths from the 3rd century CE to Alaric, the author looks at modern views on Gothic history, a touchy subject among modern scholars, who "support their own positions with an intensity that most people reserve for their favourite football team or rock band ... I am no exception." (He certainly isn't...)

That discussion revolves around the trustworthiness - or lack thereof - of the ancient writer Jordanes, whose Getica is the predominantly accepted source for the origin and migration of the Goths. The author lays out in great detail why he has concluded that Jordanes is not only unreliable but "deeply misleading." He states that the Getica underpins nearly every modern treatment of the Goths, consciously or not. He sees the narrative as so pervasive because the idea of northern Gothic roots has played an over-arching role in conceptualizing the northern European past.

The story of the Goths and Mr. Kulikowski's arguments are well laid out. The time period he discusses reaches from a brief chapter The Goths before Constantine (with a discourse on the "Scythians") to the sack of Rome by Alaric and its aftermath, in sequence titled The Roman Empire and and the Barbarian Society, Imperial Politics and the Rise of Gothic Power, Goths and Romans, The Battle of Adrianople, Theodosius and the Goths, Alaric and The Sack of Rome, and The Aftermath of Alaric.

The chapters are divided in sub-chapters with bolded titles which makes it easy to go back to individual sections. The book has two helpful glossaries, a Glossary of Ancient Sources and a Biographical Glossary, as well as a chapter "Further Readings," and there are four excellent maps.

Historiography at its best.......2007-09-10

Michael Kulikowski's book is one of the best works on Gothic history. The author achievs a clarity and elegance of language that is very rarely found in history books. The argumentation and conclusions are original and cutting edge. The scope of the book exceeds the boundaries suggested by the title. In short, this is an excellent book and that I highly recommend it to anyone interested in the history of late antiquity.

Evalualtion of Sources.......2007-05-09

This the first book I have read that evaluates the ancient sources and puts comtemporary research in perspective. I was particularly interested in the uses to which the NAZIS used ideas on germanic migrations to further their racial ideas.

Provocative, but Unconvincing.......2006-12-24

After acknowledging "the historian has a duty to make history intelligible" (p. xi), Professor Kulikowski proceeds to further obscure the already obscure subject of Romano-Gothic relations. Rather than "help those who are just beginning the advanced study of late antiquity," he abandons serious scholarship and builds a house of cards which admits little scrutiny.

Professor Kulikowski starts with the humble-sounding premise that "even the most basic facts are either unknown or else uncertain because of contradictory evidence" (p. 12), then proceeds to savage his our sources.

Even more startling is his thesis that "the Roman empire create[d] the Goths as we know them." (p. 13) Time and again throughout the first half of Wars, Kulikowski tells us "as we will see", then spends the second half saying "as we have seen" never having supported his intriguing thesis. In the end the reader is left with an assertion--a plausible scenario, but not the only plausible scenario.

The key chapter is "The Search for Gothic Origins" in which Kulikowski deconstructs ancient and modern theories that the Goths or their prehistoric antecedents came from the region of modern Scandinavia and/or Poland. Then he examines archeological evidence in the region from which the Goths first came to the attention of classical cultures. While he acknowledges that the Alans and Sarmatians lived as a horse culture on top of an agricultural substrata, he avows that the remains uncovered in the Sântana-de-Mureº/Èernjachov cultural zone support his assertion "that there was no Gothic history before the third century. The Goths are a product of the Roman frontier, just like the Franks and the Alamanni who appear at the same time." (p. 67)

In addition to needing a refresher in logic, the good professor should have sought grammar assistance from his school's English department. The text is replete with participles and passive constructions, which will not help those beginning students he proclaimed as his target audience. While Professor Kulikowski tends to cite (and analyze the reliability of) ancient sources, he rarely quotes those sources, leaving the reader to accept his analysis of what the source did nor did not report.

Maps in Wars are woefully inadequate, both in number and detail. Kulikowski's statement on page xii that the Department of History "produced [them] at short notice" implies that all the maps were an afterthought.

Make no mistake, Professor Kulikowski's theory is a provocative and insightful one. But the norm for historical writing these days is provocative new theories. Modern historians are not content to stand on the shoulders of their predecessors for a slightly better view. Modern historians feel compelled to tear down everything before them and start anew--even if it means they are writing fiction. Kulikowski explains his new theory well enough; he just never proves it.

Despite its shortfalls, Rome's Gothic Wars offers a good review of the current state of knowledge about Romano-Gothic relations between A. D. 376 and 410. Professor Kulikowski offers insights to Rome's degeneration from an externally invincible empire to a shadow of its former self--the "eternal city" sacked and independent barbarian kingdoms established within its borders.

Guardedly recommended.

"Deeds of the Goths".......2006-11-17

This is a short book and easy to read but is packed with eye openers, it is valuable both for a hobbiest like myself and the professional. I recently read Peter Heather's "The Fall of the Roman Empire" (2005), as well as other survey accounts of the Goths including Gibbon and Bury (and of course the History Channel "Barbarians") - Kulikowski's writing style is great, it's difficult to tire of such an incredible story, everyone tells it a little differently adding new ideas and perspectives.

More than a survey, Kulikowski makes a bold (and convincing) case about the origins of the Goths and what motivated them (or not) to cross the Danube in 376. In addition we learn about the latest approach to barbarian ethnicity (called "ethnogenesis") which is applicable to all the ancient peoples and important to understand in the face of so much racist and nationalistic scholarship out there; an excellent historiography of Gothic studies which reveals some interesting connections to modern educational institutions; a general overview of the barbarians and the Roman Empire; a "Further Reading" where we get the authors recommendations on the best books available for specific topics; a list of key names with short descriptions (about 150 names).

This is the first in a series which is described in the opening matter: "This series is composed of introductory-level texts that provide an essential foundation for the study of important wars and conflicts of classical antiquity. Each volume provides a synopsis of the main events and key characters, the consequences of the conflict, and its reception over time. An important feature is the critical overview of the textual and archaeological sources for the conflict, which is designed to teach both historiography and the methods that historians use to reconstruct events of the past."

Food and Society in Classical Antiquity (Key Themes in Ancient History)

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Food and Society in Classical Antiquity (Key Themes in Ancient History)
Peter Garnsey
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Food in the Ancient World (Ancient Cultures)
Food: A Culinary History (European Perspectives)
Cities, Peasants and Food in Classical Antiquity: Essays in Social and Economic History
Food in Antiquity (Classical Studies)
Dining in a Classical Context

ASIN: 0521645883

Book Description

This is a broad-based, comprehensive general study of food in antiquity. The book deals with food as food or nutrition, the discussion revolving around the concrete issues of food availability and the nutritional status of the population. It also treats the nonfood uses of food, focusing on the role of food in forming and marking the social hierarchy. Food defines the group, whether social, religious, philosophical or political.

Download Description

This is the first study of food in classical antiquity that treats it as both a biological and a cultural phenomenon. The variables of food quantity, quality and availability, and the impact of disease, are evaluated and a judgement reached which inclines to pessimism. Food is also a symbol, evoking other basic human needs and desires, especially sex, and performing social and cultural roles which can be either integrative or divisive. The book explores food taboos in Greek, Roman, and Jewish society, and food-allocation within the family, as well as more familiar cultural and economic polarities which are highlighted by food and eating. The author draws on a wide range of evidence new and old, from written sources to human skeletal remains, and uses both comparative historical evidence from early modern and contemporary developing societies and the anthropological literature, to create a case-study of food in antiquity.

The Ancient City: Life in Classical Athens and Rome

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Hail Centurian! Rome and Athens are at your feet
Ancient Greece and Rome come alive.
Superb introductory text .
Good News
A Gorgeous and Fascinating book

The Ancient City: Life in Classical Athens and Rome
Peter Connolly , and Hazel Dodge
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
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Binding: Paperback

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Warfare in the Classical World: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Weapons, Warriors and Warfare in the Ancient Civilisations of Greece and Rome
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ASIN: 0195215826

Amazon.com

Peter Connolly's marvelous full-color drawings of the public and private structures of Athens and Rome are the perfect illustrative counterpart to his detailed description of city life (cowritten by Hazel Dodge) in the classical era. The Ancient City covers the Greece of the golden years of Athens (approximately the 4th to 3rd centuries B.C.), and the Roman Empire from the reign of Augustus to the reign of Septimius Severus (27 B.C. to A.D. 211). In addition to such monuments as the Parthenon and the Colosseum, adolescent readers--and adults just beginning to study the ancient world--can learn about the two era's different forms of government, contemporary fashions, home life, and entertainment.

Book Description

In this superbly illustrated volume, Athens and Rome, the two greatest cities of antiquity, spring to life under the masterful pen of Peter Connolly. All the historical and archaelogical evidence has been seamlessly pieced together to reconstruct the architectural wonders of these mighty
civilizations. Re creating public buildings, religious temples, shops, and houses, Connolly reveals every aspect of life in glorious detail, from religion and food to drama, games, and the baths. In addition to the great monuments and moments of classical Greece and Rome, readers learn about a
typical day in the life of an Athenian and a Roman. They read about and see the houses people inhabited; attend 5 day festivals and go to the theater; fight great battles and witness the birth of Rome's navy; visit temples and spend a day at the chariot races. The spectacular artwork and vivid
descriptions provide a window into the fascinating history of these two extraordinary cities and civilizations. The Ancient City is the crowning achievement of Peter Connolly's distinguished career.

Customer Reviews:

Hail Centurian! Rome and Athens are at your feet.......2006-03-03

The past is another country, and the farther back in time we try to go, the harder it is to get there. If it is difficult to understand daily life in Rome and Athens today, even if we are there in person, able to see the sights and walk the streets with a native guide, then imagine how much more difficult the task to go back several thousand years. The natives are long gone, and only the shattered remains of marble buildings and monuments remain to guide us.

"The Ancient City" shows us, with a wealth of pictures and artistic reproductions, what life may have been like when Rome and Athens were the centers of their respective empires. Illustrator Peter Connolly draws on the latest archaeological finds to recreate buildings that range from the well-known, such as the Parthenon and the Colosseum, to tenements, temples, public baths and latrines (of the one in Rome -- dedicated to topping any other city -- boasted of one that featured an open-air design and over 100 seats).

Connolly also recreates statues, reliefs, frienzes and pottery, sometimes adding the original color scheme, creating a startling effect to an eye used to seeing plain white marble. The text, co-written with Hazel Dodge, describes daily life, how the people dressed, wed, entertained, worshiped and died.

Short of building your own time machine, "The Ancient World" is a worthwhile passport to the past.

Ancient Greece and Rome come alive........2005-08-03

I teach Classical Studies from the junior school to the senior student and am always on the lookout for resource material which can make the subject more inherently interesting. This book has it all-a wealth .of information presented in a great format with brilliant illustrations. I have posters by the author hanging in my classroom but in this production he outdoes himself. I can now readily picture what the great Panathenaic procession might have looked like , what happened in bathing establishments and how the average citizen coped with the problems of everyday life.
If anyone ever thought the Classics were dull, I would encourage him or her to peruse this book. A new adventure awaits the reader.

Superb introductory text ........2003-04-02

I wanted a basic overview text on Greek and Roman civilizations. Luckily I stumbled upon this book by Connolly and Dodge. The book is terrific. The layout is excellent. The writing is succinct and the text moves along smoothly. I now have a basic knowledge of Greek and Roman eras. I got a lot more out of this book by also reading Edith Hamilton's The Greek Way. However, I must confess, this book is far more interesting and keeps one glued. A joy to read. Very highly recommended.

Good News.......2001-06-22

The Ancient City: LIfe in Classical Athens and Rome is a good book because it has a good description of the two civilizations. Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece are two different periods, and the book divides the two with clarity and nice colorfull pictures. It will give you good information that you can't find in a encyclopedia.

A Gorgeous and Fascinating book.......2001-01-25

Having returned from my first visit to Rome I was looking for answers to many questions about how the Coloseum was built used. The 27 pages here devoted to the Colosseum are far more informative than other books more specifically focused on the subject. The architectural illustrations throughout are outstanding.

Many other aspects of daily life, food, plumbing, politics, marriage customs (Ancient Athens had wedding cakes), idioms (the origin of "deus ex machina"), philosophy and the arts are richly told and illustrated.

Book Description

Did Christianity transform the Roman world in which it began, or did the Roman world shape Christianity? This work explores current debates and new interpretations of Early Christianity in Roman Society. Adopting an interdisciplinary and thematic approach, it offers the student unfamiliar with the Christian tradition, a comprehensive introduction to its role in the Roman world.

Customer Reviews:

New Standard Intro to the Subject.......2006-09-10

Chadwick's Early Church is still recommended, but Clark's book is a fantastic companion to get a quick, organized, detailed and accurate understanding of the position of Christians, in all their variety, in Roman society.

She underscores all of the main issues relating to the trainistion from Jew to Christian in the sense of societal perception, heretics, gnostics, pagans, etc. All top notch and very up to date bibliography, which is great for further study.

She has a few minor erros in dating, and glosses over some of the nuances of Jewish monotheism, sacrifice and conversion, but this is now, in my view, one of the best books to get on the subject. And its slim size adds attraction to students who are assigned 14 books for a semester in one class!

Excellent and readable.......2005-02-09

Gillian Clark has written an excellent book. It is highly readable and will be of interest to those seeking to get to the bottom of essential religious debates which occurred in the early centuries AD. The book also transports the reaer very much into th epsychology of the period, with its intensive treatment of such difficult phenomena as martyrdom and asceticism.

Clark is an unpretentious prose writer and does her best to simplify advanced discussion with pithiness. This is an effective strategy and enhances the readability of the book. For anyone seriously interested in ingesting alot of importnat material quickly, this is the place to go: a top class ancient historian is the guide and she provides ample referencing to enable further enquiry. Clark, though, is not afraid to write provocatively: her thinly veiled criticism of Ramsay Macmullen at one point is interesting.

If you can't see youorself lasting the course of the epic Chadwick/Frend contributions on the early church, this is a very viable alternative staring place and is more user friendly to boot.

Average customer rating:

Roman Holiday
Good enough, but not top-notch
Terrific Guide to Rome
Rome at its most enchanting

Key to Rome
Frederick Vreeland , and Vanessa Vreeland
Manufacturer: Getty Trust Publications: J. Paul Getty Museum
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Companion Guide to Rome (Companion Guides) (Companion Guides)
Rome from the Ground Up (From the Ground Up)
Rome: An Oxford Archaeological Guide (Oxford Archaeological Guides)
The Colosseum (Wonders of the World)
Rome in Detail: A Guide for the Expert Traveler

ASIN: 0892368020

Book Description

Unlocking the door to the hidden treasures of the imperial capital's multifaceted cultural history, Key to Rome is a tour book unlike any other. Author Frederick Vreeland, former U.S. senior diplomat in Rome, and his artist wife, Vanessa, guide visitors and armchair travelers through layers of
time-from the ruins of antiquity to Renaissance palaces to the trendiest new shops and restaurants--exploring major sites and revealing insider secrets.
Written in a brisk, anecdotal style, this gorgeously illustrated handbook is packed with photographs, historical drawings, sidebars, foldout maps, and floor plans and has been completely updated from its original Italian edition. Organized into four sections--Ancient, Christian, Renaissance and
Baroque, and Shopping and the Grand Tour--the guidebook's succinct descriptions of the sights are framed by historical timelines and punctuated by special "must-see" highlights. A comprehensive reference section at the back details day trips of interest, a guide to Italian food, the newest in
specialty shops and boutiques, "Rome by Night" and "Rome for Kids," as well as transportation facts, hotel and restaurant suggestions, and much more.

Customer Reviews:

Roman Holiday.......2007-04-03

I highly recommend Key to Rome by Vanessa and Frederick Vreeland, two of Rome's most knowledgable and stylish residents. The book is a treasure trove of historical and anecdotal information arranged by period - ancient, christian, renaissance and baroque. Their impeccable taste is also reflected in the dining and shopping tips which are always spot on. Key to Rome is a beloved travelling companion which one can continue to enjoy long after the Roman holiday has ended.

Good enough, but not top-notch.......2006-11-02

KEY TO ROME, while interesting and informative a good part of the time, is a guidebook that does not take the reader through Rome very smoothly. Not as well laid out as the Eyewitness Guide to Rome, but it does have some fascinating asides about various attractions.

Terrific Guide to Rome.......2006-05-01

Key To Rome by Frederick and Vanessa Vreeland is one of the most beautiful travel books we have seen. It is a complete guide to this Eternal City written by residents of 25 years.... the Vreelands, one an American and one a British citizen, have been in the positions in Rome as Counselor at the U.S. Embassy, Director General of Aspen Institute Italy, and VP of John Cabot University in Rome. Italy and decided to stay. They loved Rome and decided to stay. They have divided the book into sections by historic periods: Ancient Rome, Christian Rome, Renaissance & Baroque Era, and Grand Tour & Shopping, telling their favorite places for each period and also describing many more. The book contains maps, fees & times of opening for all the points of interest, history, and much more than just listing restaurants, hotels, transportation and points of interest, all of which they describe well. The only problem with it is that some travelers tear pages out of their travel guide to take in their purse on various days to mark the route of each daily venture, and you will not want to do that with this one. The book is far more than just a travel guide: it is also your Rome souvenir because the photographs and drawings in it make it a wonderful book to keep and display as a coffee table book so you can really share your trip with your friends after returning

Rome at its most enchanting.......2001-07-25

This book is an excellent overview of Rome in all its glory, from anecdotal stories, to historical perspectives and unique presentation. Full of beautiful graphics and maps. A must read as a travel guide, but also for the lover of Italian culture.

Banking and Business in the Roman World (Key Themes in Ancient History)

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Roman banking: nuts and bolts

Banking and Business in the Roman World (Key Themes in Ancient History)
Jean Andreau
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
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The Ancient Economy (Sather Classical Lectures , No 43)
Money and Government in the Roman Empire
The Ancient Economy
Structure and Scale in the Roman Economy
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ASIN: 0521389321

Book Description

This is the first book to present a synthetic view of Roman banking and financial life from the fourth century BC to the end of the third century AD. It describes the business deals of the elite and the professional bankers and the interventions of the state. It shows to what extent the spirit of profit and enterprise predominated over the traditional values of Rome, what economic role these financiers played, and how that role compares with that of their later counterparts.

Customer Reviews:

Roman banking: nuts and bolts.......2007-09-13

The nuts and bolts of money lending and banking in the Roman empire are explained here. But beyond that, this book is almost a sociology of how people dealt with money in the Roman era.

Three major themes emerge, largely in comparison with how banking systems have developed in the modern era. First, the government had no large banks to resort to when funding deficit spending, and where there were no bills of exchange (i.e., money was metal, although there might have been a secondary market in personal notes of moderate sums of indebtedness). Second, there was a prevalent attitude that, with the exception of a small number of professionals (who are described very well), money was seen as a secondary asset (ascribed presumptively simply to attitude, rather than with any better explanation). Third, unlike modern governments, the largess of Emperor and senate is a suprisingly large economic factor.

If there are two criticisms, then the first is that, at times, the assertion of opinion and the potshots taken at other writers, both being often without supporting evidence, can create skepticism; perhaps this reflects the Gallic academic background of the author. Second, in the absence of any separate treatment elsewhere, the opportunity to compare Roman 'maritime' loans with modern marine insurance systems has been missed.

If you want to understand how monetary systems worked during the Roman empire, then this is your book. And the current liquidity crisis in the modern international banking system (late summer 2007) generates even more to reflect upon within these fascinating pages.

Tony Fox

Vespasian (Roman Imperial Biographies) (Routledge Key Guides)

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Boring? You must be joking!
Levick's Vespasian -- the only game in town.
Levick Strikes Again...
History Not A Biography
Great disappointment

Vespasian (Roman Imperial Biographies) (Routledge Key Guides)
Dr Barba Levick
Manufacturer: Routledge
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Binding: Hardcover

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69 AD: The Year of Four Emperors

ASIN: 0415166187

Book Description

In AD 69 the Roman Empire seem endangered by civil war and rebellion. The plebeian and uncharasmatic Emperor Vespasian restored peace and confidence and ensured a smooth succession. His reputation in antiquity gained momentum in the medieval and modern era to present a universally acknowledged picture of an emperor who instigated economic advances and improved government which led to the "Golden Age" of the Empire in the second century.
Barbara Levick outlines how this able individual gained the necessary military experience and political skills that enabled him to stage his successful bid for empire in AD 69 and go on to consolidate his supremacy and that of his dynasty in the decade that followed. She explores how Vespasian managed to cope with the military, political and economic problems of his reign as well as the solutions to those problems. Finally, she examines Vespasian's posthumous reputation.
Vespasian presents a comprehensive, engaging and lavishly illustrated biography of an emperor who was credited with unsurpassed achievement and lauded as the bestower of peace and confidence within the empire.

Customer Reviews:

Boring? You must be joking!.......2007-01-23

I am incredulous that one reviewer would term Caligula, Claudius, and Vespasian as "boring." There are dozens and dozens of boring Emperors. But these guys? Caligula, dressing up as a Pharoh (or a woman) and parading the streets of Rome with a fake falling-off beard. Claudius, proclaimed Emperor by the Praetorian Guards as a joke--that backfired. Except for his choice of wives, such as his niece Agrippina (too bad about that. It gave the world Nero. Oh, and Messalina, the party girl!) he did rather well. And Vespasian himself, who would have thought! He brought stability to the empire, paid off the debts, put a tax on urine, and got to sleep with Antonia Caenis as well. These guys were anything but boring. And given the paucity of solid stuff on Vespasian, I'll take what I can get.

Levick's Vespasian -- the only game in town........2003-04-21

The previous half dozen reader reviews of this book (mostly lukewarm) have fallen into two catagories: quibbles by other period specialists and complaints from those who wish Levick would try to impart some readability to her scholarship. Of course the specialists beg to differ, that's what specialists do. No two would ever make the same choices in attempting to capture the same complex period. Those who assert that this book is very "dry" are right, but those who dub it "boring" have missed the point. Try to find another booklength biography of Vespasian in English! If one wants to learn about this man, this is an essential book and for that reason it deserves more than three stars. Levick is a scholar emerita. We can regret that she did not learn her craft in an era when some historians recognize the value of writing for a wider audience than the tiny circle of their fellow cognoscenti, but we do her wrong if we fail to credit her with writing a work that is the first of its kind.

Levick Strikes Again..........2002-01-07

I have read all of Barbara Levick's works and find them consistently dry, ponderous and distorted with one-sided theses. To be fair, the work is well researched and intricate, yet is at the same time lacking the spark of fascination so characteristic of Roman history but so difficult to describe. Because a book is devoid of imagination, spirit and narrative for an emphasis on sheer exegesis does not neccesarily make that work particularly "scholarly": in fact, it makes that work boring. More's the pity for Roman studies.

History Not A Biography.......2001-10-18

This book is better termed a history of the Flavians rather than a biography of Vespasian. Despite a glowing review (in the Bryn Mawr Classical Review), I have reservations about the achievement of Barbara Levick in writing this book.

I was looking forward "Vespasian" since, until now, there has been no biography in English about this emperor. Aside from a history of his reign, I was hoping this new book would provide some insight into Vespasian's personality and his relations with Titus and Domitian. To an extent, Professor Levick fulfilled this expectation but not on the level I was hoping. For example, I was interested in a broader assessment of the fortunes of the Flavians, particularly their rise under Caligula and Claudius and Vespasian's fall from grace. I would have liked more about Titus' education with Britannicus and his presumed presence at the poisoning of Claudius' son. I think the latter instance is pure Flavian propaganda.

The Judean War is related as a recitation of the facts with little elaboration. We do not get a full picture of Titus's role in the war. He was an inexperienced commander and showed this in more than a few mistakes he made. If Vespasian allowed him the glory of capturing Jerusalem he made sure that his son has a seasoned professional to advise him: Tiberius Julius Alexander. Titus' pivotal role was in handling the delicate negotiations between the parties involved in the Flavian rebellion met with scant attention. Without his traveling from person to person, Vespasian's rebellion would never have happened. The role Queen Berenice in these negotiations is not brought up. Since her brother, Agrippa II, was in Rome until after the Flavian rebellion began, and she was romantically involved with Titus it would have been interesting to have more insight into her role.

A discussion about Nerva from Professor Levick is sorely wanting. He is briefly mentioned, which I think is odd for such a pivotal Flavian supporter. I would like to know her ideas about his mysterious contribution to the Flavian cause that earned him an ordinary consulship with Vespasian, the only consulship he did not share with Titus.

The best parts of the book for me were the last two chapters (Vespasian and His Sons and Conclusion) where Professor Levick brilliantly sums up the Flavians and their impact on history. However, Vespasian does not emerge from this book as a flesh-and-blood personality. Some of the chapters, particularly Restoration of the Roman World, which deals with events in every part of the empire, would have benefited by adding headings in the text. This would provide easy access to the information. I was perturbed over Professor Levick's shorthand in referring to ancient sources. The Annals of Tacitus, for example, are abbreviated TA and the notes are crowded. The source is not immediately identifiable and I wish more intuitive abbreviations were used.

I cannot agree with other reviewers that Professor Levick selects "boring" emperors. Tiberius and Claudius were anything but boring, and their reigns were pivotal in the history of the principate. I think that there is room for another biography of Vespasian, written in the form of a true life of the subject, and including chapters dealing with the state of the empire, army, art and literature. Ms. Levick's book is not the last word on her subject.

Great disappointment.......2001-06-06

There is no fault to be had with Levick's attention to detail, or her painstaking research. Where Vespasian falls flat, however, is in style and organization. Levick eschews the narrative, and spurns a chronological approach to her subject. She chooses instead a subject-oriented organization; not bad in and of itself (Michael Grant largely pulls that off in The Severans), but her dry style and over-attention to obscure details and constant quarrels with other scholars make the absence of a narrative approach nearly fatal.

Levick also buries any hint of her own voice or feelings. Obviously, she must have a keen interest in Vespasian to have invested such a large amount of work in the book. Yet none of her interest comes through. Contrast that with historians such as Norwich, Tuchman, or Runciman - a passion for their subject shines through each of their works. The best historians set out with the mindset, "This is a fascinating era of history, and I'm going to show my readers why they should think so, too." Levick seems to have other priorities.

Book Description

The chief purpose of this book is to show how burials may be used as a uniquely informative source for Greek and Roman social history. Burials permit a far wider range of inference and insight than the literary texts produced by and for a narrow social elite, and by studying them in depth Dr. Morris is able to offer new interpretations of social change in Graeco-Roman antiquity. The major interdisciplinary importance of the book lies in its attempt to break down barriers between archaeologists and historians of different societies and cultures.

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