Herodian's World : Empire and Emperors in the III Century /
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The History of the Empire from the Death of Marcus of Herodian in eight books, written in Greek, is a key source for the period from the reign of Commodus (AD 180) to that of Gordian III (238). Herodian is an eyewitness and the only contemporary historian whose work has come down to us in full. His point of view is all the more valuable because he is an outsider with respect to both court historiography, whose flattery he stigmatized, and to senatorial historians, represented mainly by Cassius Dio and by the biographies in the Historia Augusta . Nonetheless, Herodian has often been harshly criticized as a historian. This volume aims to shed light on the different areas and themes in which his historical work moves - literary technique, political lexicon, religious conception, geographical space, economic, political, cultural and military themes - to better understand the relevance of his historiographical approach and his historical thought.
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1 online resource. :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789004500457
9789004500235
Ancient stepmothers : myth, misogyny, and reality /
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Ancient Stepmothers is the first full-length study of the stepmother in Graeco-Roman antiquity. Several perspectives are covered: literary, historical and sociological, the last-mentioned making use of comparative material from modern studies of stepfamilies. The portrayal of the stepmother in myth and literature is thoroughly explored. The historical background in Athens and Rome is examined with a view to determining the relationship between fiction and real life. The book makes an important contribution to the study of both literary history and family relationships: in particular, it sheds light on attitudes to women, the portrayal of the stepmother being an outstanding illustration of misogynistic prejudice. It will also interest sociologists wishing to place studies of the contemporary stepfamily in a wider historical context: for this reason, all Greek and Latin is translated into English.
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1 online resource (xii, 288 pages) :
Includes bibliographical references (p. 272-277) and indexes. :
9789004329485 :
0169-8958 ; :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.