Palmyra and Its Empire: Zenobia's Revolt Against RomeUniversity of Michigan Press, 1992 - 246 pagine In the twilight of the third century C.E., the unity of the Western world was threatened by financial crisis, invasion, and plague. The Syrian city Palmyra had long protected Rome against Persian invasion, but under its queen Zenobia, Palmyra broke away from Roman hegemony. The Roman Empire had never been closer to disintegration, nor had it suffered so much before at the hands of a woman. This volume is the first comprehensive historical treatment in any language of Roman Syria, the revolt of Zenobia, and the city of Palmyra. Drawing on discoveries in archaeology, the history of the Silk Road, numismatics, and Roman and Persian history, Richard Stoneman has assembled a rich collage of knowledge about this intriguing period. As he tells the story of this major revolt and its leader, the author surveys the history of the spice trade in antiquity, the religious ferment of third- century Syria, early modern travelers to Palmyra, and in particular Zenobia's changing image through the ages. The lucid text and numerous illustrations will attract all who are intrigued by the third- century Roman Empire and its frontiers, by pre-Islamic Arab culture, by Roman Syria and Palmyra itself, and by the fascinating Queen Zenobia. ". . . an excellent synthesis of current knowledge and a sound introduction to the third cen-tury, especially in the East. . . ."--Journal of Military History ". . . Stoneman provides an excellent and readable introduction to what is known about Palmyra, and particularly the astonishing period in the mid-third century A.D. . . . [He] marshalls recent reinterpretations of the politics of the eastern frontier by both historians and archaeologists, as well as the inspiration of his own visits to Syria, to underline Palmyra's unique commercial position and the ability over the centuries of Roman rule of its ethnically and religiously highly heterogeneous ruling class to exploit the caravan trade from East and South Asia to their economic and political advantage."--Greece & Rome Richard Stoneman has published numerous books on the ancient world and on travel in the Eastern Mediterranean. He is Senior Editor at Routledge. |
Sommario
The Syrian Scene | 15 |
Of Spices Silk and Camels | 31 |
Of Temples Tribes and Taxes | 51 |
Between Persia and Rome | 81 |
Zenobia The Warrior Queen | 111 |
Of Philosophers Oracles and Bishops | 129 |
Revolt in the Desert | 155 |
A Villa in Tivoli | 181 |
Altre edizioni - Visualizza tutto
Palmyra and Its Empire: Zenobia's Revolt Against Rome Richard Stoneman Visualizzazione estratti - 1992 |
Parole e frasi comuni
Aglibol Alexander Allat ancient Antioch Apamea Arab Arabia army Aurelian Aurelius Baalshamin barbarian Bardaisan Bedouin Bowersock 1983 buildings camel Cantineau 1930 caravans Carrhae century A.D. chapter Charax Christian coins colonnade conquest Crassus cult Damascus dedication desert Dodgeon and Lieu Drexhage Dura-Europos East eastern Edessa Egypt Elagabalus Emesa emperor Euphrates frontier Gallienus garrison Gawlikowski Gibbon goddess gods Graf Greek Hairan Historia Augusta imperial important inscription Kan Ying king land Libanius London Longinus MacMullen Malalas merchants Mesopotamia military modern Nabataeans Nisibis nomad Odenathus pagan Palmyra Palmyrene Parthian perhaps Persian Petra Pliny political queen region reign religion revolt Roman Empire Rome Rome's route ruins ruler Samosata second century seems Semitic Septimius Severus Seyrig SHA Aur SHA Trig Shapur silk soldiers spices statues stones sun-god Syria Temple of Bel third century trade Trajan tribes troops Vaballathus Wahballath walls wealth Yarhibol Zenobia Zosimus