Here we present an excerpt from Polybius’ book ‘The Histories‘ (The Loeb Classical Library). Polybius offers us here valuable thoughts on the importance of studying the Roman History and History in general. Continue reading “Polybius on the importance of historical study”
Mycenean Technology
Here we present selected parts of the paper titled “Mycenaean Technology“, by T.P. Tassios, taken from the impressive collective work “Science and Technology in Homeric Epics“, edited by S.A. Paipetis (Springer, 2008). Continue reading “Mycenean Technology”
The Isaurian Emperors of East Rome
“The birthplace of the so-called ‘Isaurian’ rulers is not certainly known, though northern Syria appears most probable. Their Asiatic origin is generally admitted, and many aspects of their policy, which, owing to the meagre and hostile character of the sources, has been much debated, seem to display an alien challenge to the Graeco-Roman traditions of the Empire. Of the military services of the Isaurian Emperors there can be no doubt; even their bitterest opponents gratefully remembered them as saviours of the commonwealth in its direst need. Continue reading “The Isaurian Emperors of East Rome”
How the Eastern part of the Roman Empire avoided dismemberment by the Germans in the fifth century A.D.
Here we present the greatest part from the chapter ‘The Germans in the East‘ of the book ‘A History of the Later Roman Empire From Arcadius to Irene (395 A.D. to 800 A.D.)‘, by J.B. Bury. Continue reading “How the Eastern part of the Roman Empire avoided dismemberment by the Germans in the fifth century A.D.”
The Graeco-Arabic ‘renaissance’ in medieval times: why did it fail?
Here we present selected parts from the “Journal of Islamic Research, Vol. 9, Issue 1, 2015, pp. 1-15, Editor’s Preface“, by Saer El-Jaichi. Continue reading “The Graeco-Arabic ‘renaissance’ in medieval times: why did it fail?”
The Abbasid Greco–Arabic translation movement; the cultural rivalry & exchanges with the Eastern Roman Empire
Here we present selected parts of the very informative paper titled “Arabo-Byzantine Traffic of Manuscripts and the Connections between the Graeco-Arabic Translation Movement and the First Byzantine ’Renaissance’ (9th-10th Centuries)“, by Jakub Sypiański. Continue reading “The Abbasid Greco–Arabic translation movement; the cultural rivalry & exchanges with the Eastern Roman Empire”