Rethinking the Persian Wars

I'm going to be spending a lot of time over the next year teaching and writing about Herodotus and the Persian Wars. I intend to post many of my thoughts on this blog. At the outset though, it is worth thinking briefly about the historiography of the conflicts between Greece and Persia.

Traditionally, the Persian Wars were seen from a Classical perspective. Inevitably, this created a Hellenocentric discourse, which viewed the conflict as being of great significance - even in the modern world. The battle of Marathon, in particular, has been portrayed as the crucible which forged democracy. The modern film 3oo has been instrumental in depicting the freedom loving Greeks against the tyrannical and oppressive Persians.

More recently, the study of the Achaemenid empire has provided a contrasting viewpoint of a conflict mostly waged on the western borders of a huge empire. Marathon, Salamis, Thermopylae and Plataea were only of minor importance for an imperial state which was used to the tides of war. The Achaemenid empire was expansionist - and had lost armies before (notably in Egypt). Revolts closer to the heartland of the empire were also of more importance to them than the activities of a few fractious Greek states on their periphery.

It is also noteworthy that relations between the Greek states and Persia continued even after the debacle at Plataea. One thinks of the Athenian hero Themistocles living out his days in the Achaemenid court and Persian involvement in the Peloponnesian War. Not all Greek states were implacably opposed to Persian expansion - even during the invasion of 480/479 BC.

The conflict between Greece and Persia should not be studied as a series of battles, but rather through the longue duree. For the Greek states, the Persian conflict was a cold war, which sometimes grew very hot indeed.

Obituary for Dr Simon Price

The Guardian has an online obituary for Dr Simon Price, written by John North. Dr Price is best known as a historian of Graeco-Roman religion, particularly for his work on the imperial cult. His book 'Rituals and Power' is a set text for undergraduates wishing to understand the local dynamics of the Roman imperial cult. Dr Price also recently co-authored a book on the history of the Classical world.

You can read his obituary here.

Virgil & Libya

A timely article from History Today on Virgil and Libya. Read it here.

The Roman Fort Project

I've just come across news of the Roman Fort Project, which has been awarded £50,000 from Barclays Take One Small Step competition to support new businesses.

The purpose of the project is to create a Roman fort using traditional techniques, as well as an education centre to be used by visitors and school parties. There are also plans for the construction of a civilian settlement next to the fort and agricultural land farmed using Roman methods. The project is currently looking for land in Cheshire or Flintshire on which to start the project.

This sounds like a fantastic project, which would have clear educational value. A number of sites (such as Wallsend and Arbeia) have reconstructed specific buildings from within a fort - but this is an excellent opportunity to create the whole complex.

Ramesses II - The Greatest Leader?

A brief article I wrote on the reign of Ramesses II can be found over on the Military Times website here. Undoubtedly there are other contenders for the title of 'greatest leader' from the Ancient World, but Ramesses' diplomatic and propaganda skills certainly put him in a strong position.

Altar for the Goddess Brigantia

This is an altar to the goddess Brigantia from Arbeia (South Shields). The inscription reads:

'To the sacred goddess Brigantia, Congennccus willingly and deservedly fulfils his vow"

The goddess Brigantia was closely linked to the Brigantes tribe and thus northern England. Her worship persisted into the Roman period. Indeed, it seems to have been revitalised through the presence of the Severan family during their northern campaign in the late second and early third century AD. This altar is good evidence for the persistence of Celtic deities during the Roman occupation.

The Tombstone of Aurelia Aureliana

This is the tombstone of Aurelia Aureliana, originally from Carlisle. It is now in the Great North Museum in Newcastle. The inscription reads:

'To the shades of the departed and Aurelia Aureliana, who lived for forty one years. Ulpius Apolinaris [has placed] this stone for his wife.'

Although this looks like an average Roman tombstone, there are some interesting aspects. You may notice that the pillars to either side of Aurelia are topped by pine cones. Aurelia is carrying flowers, possibly poppies. Both of these items are symbolic. Pine cones symbolise life, whereas poppies represent sleep - suggesting that Aurelia was sleeping and not dead. This may indicate that Aurelia was a Christian.

Some of the carving is particularly crude - especially her facial features. Unusually for a female tombstone, her garment does not reach down to her ankles. This suggests that the image was originally meant to represent a male figure. It is possible that her husband Ulpius bought a generic tombstone from a mason's yard and had Aurelia's inscription added to it. This was probably a cheaper alternative to having a brand new tombstone carved from scratch.

E-Petition for the Teaching of Latin and Classical Civilisation in Schools

A new e-petition has been launched to ask for wider provision of Latin and Classical Civilisation in schools. The main point is:

"The Government should aim to install the teaching of Classical Studies, even at a very rudimentary level, in schools to improve the breadth of education provided and also to dispel the elitist tag that it has been unfairly given."

You can sign the petition here.

Warfare in Antiquity: Approaches and Controversies

Off to the Warfare in Antiquity: Approaches and Controversies conference at University College Dublin this weekend, so I won't be updating until next week. Papers at the conference range from the Aegean Bronze Age to the late Roman army. Further details are available on the UCD site here.

An African Lady in Roman York?

The discovery of a female from Roman York of possible African origin should not be too surprising. After all, there is significant evidence for a multi-cultural population in the city. As a legionary base, soldiers would have been drawn from across the empire. African-style cooking pots have been discovered in York and across the North of England, suggesting that Septimius Severus brought African troops with him for his campaign in Caledonia.

An article from Antiquity published last year is available online here. It discusses the scientific analysis of the remains of a female inhabitant of Roman York, which seems to prove that she was of African descent. Indeed the ivory bracelet which was found buried with her, may have been a personal display of her ethnic origins.

It is a worthy reminder of the vibrant multiculturalism of Roman Britain.

The Gough Map Online

The Gough Map, the oldest road map of Britain, is now available online in a new digital edition. It allows you to search the map for specific locations. There are also a number of accompanying essays and commentaries. You can find the site here.

Roman infant burials may be due to ritual

The story of the the burial of 97 newborn babies at a Roman site in Buckinghamshire caught the attention of the press last year, when it was claimed to represent a Roman brothel. A new article at the BBC site suggest that there may have been a ritual explanation for the burials. You can read it here.

Visiting Hadrian's Wall

Summer is a fantastic time to explore historic sites. It is a great opportunity for students to broaden their knowledge of the archaeology and ancient history of Britain. Visitors to Northern England should take note of the AD 122 bus which travels between Carlisle and Newcastle. It stops at a number of major Roman sites including Vindolanda, Housesteads and Birdoswald. You can find the timetable here.

Latin in London

Boris Johnson, in his role of Mayor of London, has called for volunteers to broaden participation in Classics in London in the run up to the 2012 Olympics. Volunteers are required to either teach Latin or provide talks for school children on aspects of the Classical world. Further details are available at the Classics Library here.

Joey Barton & the Value of Classics

What better example of the importance of Classics in the modern world than the use of a quotation from the Aeneid by a Premier League footballer? Joey Barton, the Newcastle United midfielder, has been placed on the transfer list and, it seems, has been fined two weeks wages for an outburst on Twitter against the club. Appropriate then to see that Virgil's Aeneid Book 5 was quoted on Joey's Twitter page today! Read it here.