Hellenistic History

This study skills guide introduces the “Essay Blob” technique—an innovative and student-friendly method for exam revision in the humanities and social sciences. Rather than relying on memorised essays or endless notes, students are shown how to construct compact, structured argument units (“blobs”) that can be quickly expanded under exam pressure. With practical examples, playful metaphors (including the now-iconic towel tablet), and advice tailored to Oxford-style tutorial writing, this note helps undergraduates develop confidence, clarity, and critical voice in their exam responses. Perfect for students seeking high-impact strategies that prioritise argument over description.

A DILETTA MINUTOLI 7 giugno 1977-5 settembre 2021 * La ricerca che ha portato a tali risultati è stata finanziata dall'European Research Council (ERC) all'interno del Programma di Ricerca e Innovazione Horizon2020 (Grant agreement no 636983); ERC-PLATINUM project 'Papyri and Latin Texts: Insights and Updated Methodologies. Towards a philological, literary, and historical approach to Latin papyri',

The archive of Zenon son of Agreophon offers invaluable information on
the economy, the culture, and the social structure of Hellenistic Egypt. Moreover,
as it has been demonstrated in previous studies, it is also a primary source on the
diffusion and the relevance of literary pastimes for the local elite that set in the
Arsinoite nome under the reign of Ptolemy II, when the country achieved an unprecedented
level of economic prosperity. The present contribution offers a survey
of the archives’ documents related to music and literary culture, in order to outline
some elements of the process of acculturation which was pursued by the new Greek
rulers. In such perspective, a special attention is also given to a document as
P.Cair.Zen. IV 59534 a ‘paraliterary’ text which was surely part of the archive.

The paper offers a new example of the so called «coppia contigua» in Hesychius’ Lexicon, one of the most important Greek dictionary to survive from antiquity. The lemma α 2891 (ἅλες ἄφθονοι), corrupted in the transmission of text, is addendum to test. 103 Kassel – Austin on Menander: in fact ἅλες ἄφθονοι plays on the image of Menander’s ‘salt’ compared to the salt of the sea from which Aphrodite was born, according to Plu. Mor. 853a-854d.

This study presents the findings of the 2024 geophysical prospection campaign conducted within the southwestern Lower City of the Hellenistic capital Artaxata, situated in the Ararat plain, Armenia. Using advanced magnetic survey techniques, we sought to investigate the urban layout and expansion of the ancient city. The campaign aimed to test hypotheses derived from aerial imagery regarding the existence of city walls in this area, a previously undocumented feature for the Lower City. Spanning approximately 20 ha, the survey revealed an array of archaeological features, including wall structures, ditches, and pits, alongside evidence of domestic and craft activities such as fireplaces. Notably, the findings confirmed the presence of the southwestern city walls, delineating a settlement area larger than previously known. Additional discoveries include monumental architectural remains, such as an octagonal structure potentially associated with an early Christian church. However, the interpretation of these structures, including their chronology and function, remains tentative pending further excavation. These results not only extend our understanding of the city's urban development but also highlight the efficacy of integrating geophysical surveys with archaeological methods in reconstructing historical urban landscapes. Future investigations will focus on resolving ambiguities through targeted excavation and refining interpretations of the magnetic anomalies observed.

Пајонските бронзи претставуваат еден посебен и духовен аспект на културниот идентитет на древна Пајонија, регион сместен во долината на Вардар, во срцето на Балканот. Овие мали бронзени предмети – ритуални фигури, соларни симболи, птици и апстрактни форми – нудат редок увид во религиските верувања, симболичкиот јазик и уметничките традиции на локалното население во доцното бронзено и раното железно време. Пронајдени главно во култни и гробни контексти, тие ги одразуваат како автохтоните практики, така и интеракциите со соседните култури. Овие бронзи придонесуваат за реконструкцијата на духовниот живот на Пајонците и нивното место во културниот пејзаж.

“LUZAGA: En el día que nacieron los cielos” es una extensión o digamos “separata” del trabajo de investigación “Cómo descifré la lengua ibérica – Celtibérica” de Enrique Cabrejas. En este nuevo estudio se adentra en profundos asuntos específicos de la Hermenéutica ibérica que encierra el Bronce celtíbero de Luzaga y que nunca fueron abordados ni estudiados con anterioridad. Pone de manifiesto cuestiones sorprendentes e insospechadas de la inédita herencia subyacente transmitida desde la liturgia helenística a la posterior cristiana. Las comparativas entre helenismo y cristianismo que todavía estando presentes y fosilizadas, han pasado inadvertidas hasta la actualidad.

Recently built in the new downtown area of Ras al-Ayn in Amman, the Jordan Museum houses a selection of Greek inscriptions discovered on different sites, from Gadara in the north to Petra in the south. Some of these texts are well known to specialists. Others are unpublished. The aim of this article is to provide the researchers and the visitors of the museum with the edition of a collection that reflects the wealth of the Jordanian epigraphical heritage. Our work is also a contribution to the programme of the Greek and Latin Inscriptions in Jordan ('Inscriptions de la Jordanie'), which has received the renewed accreditation of the DoA and which is a part of the IGLS project ('Inscriptions grecques et latines de la Syrie', 'Syrie' being understood here in its ancient meaning of 'Near East').

Alexander the Great was firmly entrenched in imaginaries of Roman ruling elites, from Scipio Africanus to the Roman emperor Caracalla and beyond.  This paper considers Polybius’ representations of the Macedonian conqueror and their impact on Roman elites, who were just beginning to formulate their ideas about Alexander and his significance to the history of the imperium Romanum and of the world, as Polybius was writing his work.  The historian’s generally positive assessment of Alexander, not without its ambiguities, is aligned with the generally positive Roman reconstruction of him, though again not without reservations.  A proper understanding of Polybius’ treatment of Alexander, however, turns on a more parochial perspective, highlighting Polybius’ own political position vis-à-vis Macedonia, Polybian didacticism, and a large narrative trajectory of the Histories.

A comprehensive edition with transliterations, translations of and extensive commentaries on the chronicles, the historical sections of the astronomical diaries, the Uruk King List, The Babylonian King List and the Antiochus cylinder dating to the Hellenistic period (including the Late Achaemenid period and the Parthian period to 22 BCE). An Appendix with a glossary of topics is added. The introductory pages are uploaded here.

The study of the grave goods from tomb T27 of the western necropolis of Nora stimulates considerations that add new elements of complexity to the already elaborate picture that is gradually emerging as investigations at the burial site progress, highlighting further critical issues and potentialities related to the reconstruction of the ancient funerary ritual. The present paper explores the different interpretations offered by the discovery of Phoenician grave goods in association with Hellenistic cinerary urns. The redeposition of archaic objects within a new tomb arrangement challenge us to question the reasons for such an action, which is certainly deliberate, intentional, and therefore significant. After the exposition of the stratigraphic context, the discussion of the typological and chronological classification of the artifacts, and the presentation of the data so far available for the Hellenistic phase of the Nora necropolis, the contribution will examine the possible motivations behind the redeposition. Some scenarios appear more convincing than others, therefore the authors will eventually suggest an interpretation that involves the precise will to declare the deceased somehow linked to that Phoenician facies in respect of which the Hellenistic community of Nora was still in ideal continuity.

The study of Greek civilization in classical period is vast and curies subject for every archaeologist. The ancient account of Sima Chian the (father of Chinas history) mention the Alexandria in Chinas. The Han Dynasty and Tang Dynasty morally open the ground of Wars of conquests. The Sichuan Museum is important institution for any scholar the uncovered the un defining history of China and Greek Studies. Well, my best Friend Adam (Historian) send me some Photos of the Greek crown displayed inside the Sichuan Museum. The Archaeological remains of Zhelzei Village, and the LiQi Jia-Jia Zhuang Township, Yongcheng County, Yongcheng City, Guanso Province People show physical appearance is too different then Han People. The Niya archaeological remains of Greek deities depict on silk clothe. The government take interest from the last two decade to excavate that city but some community pressure not easy to dig out the Archaeology in China. This does it means to the antiquity related to the Bactrian Greeks but I think after Greek, Scythians adopted the Bactrian Greeks language, Religions, Architecture, and way of life in Gandharan land.

The subject of the publication are terracottas of various deities discovered in the valley of Middle Struma River. The majority were found during the exploration of Heraclea Sintica and are likely products of a production center in the ancient city. The rest were chance finds. The predominant themes are associated with the cult of Dionysus. Several terracottas are related to the cult of the Thracian Horseman, and individual pieces represent Hercules, Aphrodite, Nike, and other deities. All are dated to the 2nd – 4th centuries AD. According to their form they are divided into four groups – masks, busts, statuettes and tablets (reliefs). Most are precisely crafted and covered with glaze. They are proof of the existence of a strong tradition of terracotta production in the region. They closely resemble examples from Hellenistic workshops in Greece and Asia Minor, which refutes the idea that the technique of terracotta production became simpler and cruder during the Roman period.
This article was submitted in 2008 for the Proceedings of the International Archaeological Conference “Gods and Men”, 18-20 September 2008, Varna, Bulgaria. The text presented here is slightly expanded and updated.

My study, Hannibals Alpenübergang: On Timber Harvesting in Treeless, Dismal, and Desolate Regions, was prompted by one of Honoré de Balzac’s enigmatic statements in the dedication of his work Sur Catherine de Médicis to Monsieur le Marquis de Pastoret. Balzac references Hannibal’s crossing of the Apls and the use of vinegar by the Carthaginian general in the latter’s effort to march across the Apennines—“to say nothing of the vinegar with which some learned men have dressed the Alpine cliffs.” My study focuses on Hannibal’s legendary feat of repairing an alpine path which had been broken up and made  impassable by a landslide for a stretch of about a thousand feet, or three hundred meters, on the cliff’s face at an altitude between 6,000 and 10,000 feet. This fact is recorded by Greek and Roman historiographers, including the cautious and distrustful Polybius, but the technical aspects of the repair are either disputed when referenced or altogether omitted. My monograph argues in favor of the alleged hybrid engineering modalities applied by Hannibal to restore the path’s continuity as related by Livy and his tradition, including felling trees to generate fire for fire setting and wetting the heated limestone rocks with vinegar to crack them open and then dismantle them with iron implements. My study likewise counters views denying the presence of trees at the height of the broken path and objections relative to the existence of the alpine treeline at that elevation—a fact which would supposedly account for the state of the famished elephants and pack-animals at that spot as witnessed in the sources. Moreover, my monograph offers a novel interpretations of Livy’s alleged “gross misconception” of Polybius’s reference to the nearly thousand feet long stretch of the road carried away by a landslip, which supposedly Livy misconstrued as applying not to the damaged path but to “the distance from the top to the bottom of the slip.” My novel reading of Livy’s “misconception” takes into account the fact that the Latin text in that passage is corrupt and that the established edition has endorsed Valla’s emendation which, though brilliant, remains just that, an emendation.

Although appearing here as a separate volume, this monograph is projected to appear in a forthcoming volume comprising a series of similar essay-style pieces. These are intended to comment upon or clarify some enigmatic side issues which arise alongside a wealth of historical references that Balzac weaves into the introduction of his masterly nuanced, haunting study of Catherine de' Medici—Sur Catherine de Médicis. This forthcoming work may therefore be styled a companion volume to Balzac’s introduction of his Catherine de' Medici, with a view to shedding light on selected topics interlacing that introduction mostly in the form of historic conundrums. Some of these are riddles which have befuddled scholars over the years as well as Balzac’s readers and Balzac himself. In certain instances, they stimulate interest and research to the present day. Needless to say that one of Balzac’s most insightful contentions in this outstanding piece of political theory, viz., his introduction to Sur Catherine de Médicis, pertains to his brilliant take on dogmatics: to wit, the implication that in essence all theological thought is ultimately political thought and that as such it deeply impacts social order and political structure. Balzac converts theology into an immediate political reality, and this, it appears, may also be said of Catherine, of Philip of Spain, and of the duke of Alba as well. It is likewise manifest in the eventual overthrow of monarchy and establishment of western democracies, a development that traces its origins in the dogmatics of the Reformation, especially those generated and fostered by Calvinism—always according to Balzac. In that sense, Max Weber’s later thesis on the complex interconnections between the Reformation and capitalism appears to be an outgrowth of, or at least anticipated in, Balzac’s political thought. It is also interesting that just like Weber the type of Reformation that Balzac had in mind was fundamentally Calvinism.

Review of: Céline Debourse, Of Priests and Kings: The Babylonian New Year Festival in the Last Age of Cuneiform Culture. Culture and History of the Ancient Near East 127. Leiden, Boston 2022. xi + 512 pp.

In: Bibliotheca Orientalis 81 (2024), 205-213.

A reappraisal of the relations between the Seleucids and Crete between the 3rd and the 2nd century BC. After a general overview, the paper analyses the rise of the Cretan officer Lasthenes to the second most important role in the Seleucid kingdom to show how the power dynamics changed at the Seleucid court in less than a century. Moreover, the author provides a first English translation of a treaty between Seleucus II and Hierapytna (SEG LXIII 746) found in 2006.

Sparta stands out as a prominent city-state of ancient Greece, renowned for its significant historical impact. Its legacy is marked not only by its involvement in major historical events but also by the 'peculiarities' attributed to the constitution and societal life of the Classical city. Ancient written sources often portrayed Sparta as a militaristic and patriotic model of severity, discipline and austerity, crafting narratives that emphasised these traits. Over time, these narratives have fascinated various audiences and frequently been used for ideological and political purposes. Locally, these historical narratives have affected aspects of the contemporary Spartan society and the expectations of visitors and scholars. Projects for the enhancement of Spartan archaeological sites were systematically implemented rather late, in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. This article discusses this development and explores the ways in which organised and accessible archaeological sites and their narratives can engage diverse audiences. It also considers how such efforts can challenge and revise established narratives, impacting local identity and regional development.

Representations of fear in Polybius' Histories constitute a special case in ancient Greek and Roman historiography. For many ancient historians depicting fear was an opportunity to showcase skills in literary style and rhetorical virtuosity. By contrast, Polybius was a selfavowed 'anti-stylist' who loathed such ornamentation. This study examines the theme of fear in Polybius' history, its role in his lived experience and interstate environment, his rejection of rhetorical flourishes in depicting fear, and his personal political circumstances and self-appointed role as fearless educator and advisor of Roman power elites.

Readers of history judge historians for what they say. But what about historians' silences, what they have left unsaid? Giving attention to this dimension of an historian's writing can pay rich dividends. By looking at specific omissions we may gain understanding about what historians wanted us to believe, how they attempted to manipulate their readers, and how they arranged their narratives to achieve their objectives. In this chapter, I pursue this line of inquiry concerning the history of the Greek historian Polybius. As a political hostage at Rome, Polybius necessarily offered a foreigner's perspective on Roman imperial power. Despite his well-deserved reputation as an ancient historian of the first order 1 , several bewildering aspects of his treatment of Rome, especially in the sixth book, have not received the careful attention they deserve: 1) Polybius ignores the significance of allied forces in the Roman army in Book 6; 2) he presents a simplistic picture of a monolithic Senate united in its foreign policy decisions during the Hannibalic war; 3) he is silent on political disturbances in Rome surrounding the levy of military recruits at the midpoint of the second century BCE; and 4) he misrepresents Roman elites' religious practices. No one, to the best of my knowledge, has ever considered these suppressions, inconsistences, distortions, and silences together as evidence for the historian's politically motivated narrative strategies. In general terms, Polybius' historiographical solution to the problem of Roman hegemony for Greek political elites was one of blending-that is to say, the cultural assimilation

Since 2021, an archaeological survey has been underway in the plain linking Amarynthos and Eretria (Euboea, Greece), a region continuously occupied but now threatened by wildfires, looting, and especially urbanization. The aim is to produce a comprehensive archaeological map to trace the evolution of human occupation. In this context, the mobile application ArcGIS Survey123 has proven to be a key tool, facilitating structured, collaborative data collection, directly recorded in the field by the survey teams.

Several public buildings in the city of Rome and its immediate environs are associated with the empress Livia, who officially commissioned their construction or renovation: most notable is the Porticus Liviae. While her building activity has often been cited as part of the official Augustan construction programme, emphasising her role as ideal Roman matrona, Livia’s benefactions have never been properly investigated in their social and historical context. The present paper seeks to remedy this by placing Livia’s buildings into the wider field of female building activity in late Republican and Augustan times, thereby offering a new interpretation of her role in Augustus’ programme.

The aim of this article is to analyse the figure of Hamilcar Rhodanus, a Carthaginian spy in the army of Alexander the Great. In order to achieve this, the sources that report on this alleged episode of history must be reviewed: Frontinus, Justin and Orosius. The historiographical analysis put forth in this article allows to consider that, if there was a Carthaginian spy in Alexander's ranks, any credibility of the event has been lost in the course of history.

ser una aportación de gran erudición desde su misma concepción, cubriendo un vacío académico no tan evidente de los estudios helenísticos en general y de Filipo V en particular. El trabajo no pretende ser un estudio biográfico sobre el monarca, sino "to question our historical understanding of Philip V" (p. 1). Este cuestionamiento es efectuado siguiendo un orden cronológico, abordando la representación de Filipo V en las Ἱστορίαι por medio de la propuesta política, metodológica, estilística e historiográfica de Polibio. El primer capítulo, "Constructing Macedon and the World Through an Achean Perspective", desarrolla cómo Polibio impone una visión Aquea en la escritura de los asuntos de Macedonia y sus reyes. El vínculo de Polibio con la Liga Aquea y su líder, Arato de Sición, habilita comprender "how Polybius constructed his image of the Achaean leader and how his political bias affected the interpretation of events" (p. 38). Las argumentaciones de Nicholson sobre el enfoque sesgado de Polibio son minuciosas y bien construidas. Una argumentación que evidencia por qué durante los primeros años del reinado de Filipo V (221-218 a.C.), mientras Arato y el orbe aqueo influyeron sobre el monarca, la opinión de Polibio fue tan abiertamente positiva hacia el rey macedonio.

Тие бело варосани куќички се изведени во стилот на еден пријатен, ненаметлив романтизам. Мини Маус би избрала една од нив за свој дом со Мики Маус, поради мноштвото кули, лоѓи и мали, речиси смешни, балкончиња, каде леќата на господин Дизни би ја изненадила додека таа го полева своето цвеќе или пее нежна песничка со глас кој е дестилат на залудена умилност (Rebecca West, Black Lamb and Gray Falcon). Опишувајќи ја својата посета на Скопје во 1938 година, остроумната, акрибична и луцидна Ребека Вест го доживува градот како романтична населба полна контрасти, па, со својата, добро позната, суптилна, смисла за урбана дисекција, пронаоѓа шарм во неговото ненаметливо шаренило од народи, вери, култури и визури и еуфорија во пикторесктниот галиматијас од обичаи, носии, занаети и традиции. Реката Вардар ја опишува како сребрена змија која ползи помеѓу златните дабови и врби, а површините на водно обработени од вредните мештани ги споредува со бојата на рубинот и на смарагдот (R. West, 501) -опис тешко прифатлив за современите жители на Скопје. Сепак, со огромното искуство на долгодецениски патеписец и одличен познавач на балканските култури, Ребека Вест мошне софистицирано, но пластично и прецизно ја дефинира урбаната матрица на градот, врз која израснува незапирливиот каледиоскоп на неговата мултикултурност; единственото нешто со кое се храни, вели таа, е сласта која се излила од превртената чаша на Константинопол (R. West, 487). Стапките на многубројни патеписци поминале низ Скопје; одејќи по градските калдрми во потрага по мирно преноќиште, совладувајќи ги зелените стрмнини на Скопска Црна Гора во обиколка на светите храмови или восхитувајќи и се на дивата, нескротена природа во кањонот на брзата Треска, тие не ја порекнуваат незаборавната аура која градот ја остава на своите посетители -аура конструирана од древни археолошки структури, светилишта, населби, некрополи, сакрални градби, обичаи и меморабилии -сосема доволни за да се создаде една колосална приказна за неговиот 80-вековен живот, за неговата културна орбита низ столетијата и за творештвото на стотици, илјадници познати и безимени творци кои ги оставиле своите благородни траги во креативниот крвоток на неговата урбана анатомија. На таа аура и ја посветивме оваа книга. Сместено на крстосницата на балканските мегамагистрали, Скопје отсекогаш претставувало важна гео-стратешка точка на секогаш активната мапа на гео-политичките интереси. FACULTY OF PHILOSOPHY -SKOPJE 13 ОСУМ МИЛЕНИУМИ ЖИВОТ, КУЛТУРА, ТВОРЕШТВО неколку скопски локалитети, моќниот, "киклопски" опус на ѕидање кој ја еманира одбранбената функција на Скопското Кале, "тактилниот" ликовен вокабулар на мајсторот -зограф од Нерешката црква и експлозивната ликовна енергија на авторот на сликарството во Марковиот манастир се само некои од стапките на осум милениумскиот творечки развој на денешната Скопска метропола. Велат дека кога генералот Пиколомини, во 1689 година, го запалил градот за да го сопре ширењето на колера, заплакал гледајќи од височините на Скопското Кале. Во неговиот бележник оставил запис: Скопје е простран град, не многу помал од Прага или колку неа. Го најдов напуштен, без скапоцености, богато снабден со продукти. Малкуте луѓе што останале, исплашено врват по улиците. Жал ми е што градбите, какви што досега не сум видел, од најубав мермер и украси од злато на кои и Рим би им посветил внимание, убавите старини и градини, морам да му ги предадам на пламенот. Драги Митревски, Виктор Адамс, Елица Манева и јас го овековечивме Скопје на нам соодветен начин ...... и никој нема да може веќе да му наштети. Од името на сите автори, Kale, the "tactile" pictorial vocabulary of the master zograph in the Church of Nerezi and the explosive pictorial energy of the author of the painting in Marko`s Monastery are just some of the footsteps of the eight millennial long creative development of the present day metropolis of Skopje. It is said thatwhen in 1689, General Piccolomini burned the town in order to stop the spreading of the cholera, he cried while watching from the heights of Skopsko Kale. In his notebook he wrote: Skopje is a spatial town, not much smaller than Praha or the same. I found it deserted, without precious things, but well supplied with products. I regret that the buildings, such I have never seen before, made of most beautiful marble and ornaments of gold to which Rome would pay attention, the beautiful antiquities and gardens, I regret I have to give all these to the flames.Dragi Mitrevski, Viktor Adams, Elica Maneva and I, Elizabeta Dimitrova, have perpetuated Skopje in a way we found most appropriate………………… and no one could ever harm Skopje again.

Αντικείμενο της παρούσας ανακοίνωσης υπήρξαν τα αποτελέσματα μιας σωστικής ανασκαφικής έρευνας της 25ης Εφορείας Βυζαντινών Αρχαιοτήτων που έφερε στο φως ένα νέο τμήμα του πρωτοβυζαντινού βόρειου νεκροταφείου του Άργους. Στο βόρειο τμήμα αποκαλύφθηκε ένας ταφικός θάλαμος με τουλάχιστον δέκα κιβωτιόσχημους τάφους και μία προέκταση στα νοτιοανατολικά με δύο επιπλέον τάφους. Στο νότιο τμήμα της ανασκαφής και σε χαμηλότερο βάθος βρέθηκε τμήμα ενός δεύτερου ταφικού θαλάμου επίσης με κιβωτιόσχημους τάφους, ενώ μεταξύ των δύο ταφικών θαλάμων αποκαλύφθηκαν οκτώ καλυβίτες και ένας κεραμοσκεπής τάφος. Η πλειονότητα των ευρημάτων προήλθε από τον βόρειο ταφικό θάλαμο και αποτελείται κυρίως από μικρές ληκύθους και λυχνάρια. Το αποκαλυφθέν τμήμα του νεκροταφείου θα μπορούσε να χρονολογηθεί, βάσει των κινητών του ευρημάτων, στον 5ο και κυρίως στον 6ο-πρώιμο 7ο αιώνα. Σημαντικό εύρημα για την τοπογραφία του νεκροταφείου υπήρξε ο τοίχος 5 που φαίνεται ότι αποτελούσε τμήμα του ανατολικού περιβόλου του βόρειου νεκροταφείου.

A large cemetery dating to the Roman-Byzantine period was exposed south of Tel Malḥata, in the northeastern Negev Desert. Most of the burials were cist graves, comprising an individual buried according to Christian burial traditions. It is noteworthy that woman and children constitute the majority of the burials with grave goods. Three excavated cist tombs, of two women and a child, are discussed below in light of their rare burial goods, which included bone and ebony figurines, the latter possibly pointing to an "Ethiopian" origin of the interred.

Now, another claimant to the throne had emerged. Throughout the history of the Arsacid dynasty, we repeatedly see claimants to the throne, with one or another achieving victory at times. However, until that point, all claimants were from the Arsacid family, and the claim had a familial aspect. The new claimant was not from the Arsacid family; he was Ardashir, son of Babak, from the Sasanian family.

Jewellery has long been a symbol of beauty, tradition, and personal expression for women across cultures and generations. From dainty earrings to elaborate necklaces, each piece tells a story. In today's modern world, women's jewellery continues to evolve while retaining its timeless allure.

Now, another claimant to the throne had emerged. Throughout the history of the Arsacid dynasty, we repeatedly see claimants to the throne, with one or another achieving victory at times. However, until that point, all claimants were from the Arsacid family, and the claim had a familial aspect. The new claimant was not from the Arsacid family; he was Ardashir, son of Babak, from the Sasanian family. As stated in the time of Mithridates II, this king established a new system that was considered strange at the time, but is now fully accepted by the modern world. Based on this system, the provinces were completely autonomous regarding their internal affairs. They chose their own rulers, adhered to their own beliefs and customs, and were only subject to the central Parthian government in matters of foreign policy. One of the provinces that enjoyed autonomy was the province of Pars (Persis), which was largely governed by religious families. Many of the influential families there traced their ancestry back to the Achaemenid dynasty, including a person named Sasan, who traced his lineage to the Achaemenid kings. Sasan was the chief and guardian of the Anahita temple in Istakhr. The city of Istakhr was known as one of the most important political and religious cities of Pars (Persis) and was administered by the Bazrangi family. After Sasan's death, his son Babak inherited his father's position. Babak's image on Pars coins He married one of the daughters of the Bazrangi family, and through this marriage, he increased his status and prestige. He placed his son, Ardashir, in command of the army of the Darabgerd region, located in eastern Pars and near Kerman. Around 208 ADS, Ardashir seized power in the city of Istakhr

XIII Coloquio Internacional de Filosofía de la Técnica
Genealogías y utopías en torno a máquinas inteligentes
Facultad de Ciencias de la Educación, Universidad Nacional de Entre Ríos
Paraná, Entre Ríos, Argentina.
27, 28, 29 y 30 de agosto de 2025
Segunda Circular

T
he Temple of Zeus Basileus at Lebadea rests almost unknown. Its physi
cal remains and date (not systematically explored so far) pose a riddle,
as regards not only the circumstances which entailed its presumed in
completion but also the historic context in which the commencement
of construction can be embedded. The dimensions of the krepis alone
render this edifice highly interesting in the history of temple-building.
T
he in situ preserved architectural elements suggest that here was begun
the erection of what was at the time the largest peristasis in Mainland
Greece. The temple stylobate measures 200 feet/podes in length, with
a lower column diameter equal to just over two metres, and the longest
interaxial spacings and corresponding architraves of its time. By increas
ing the length and height of the structure, the architects achieved its
qualification as colossal. This qualification is revealed from the unique
for-the-Classical-period length of 14 columns along the peristasis, with
visible euthynteria and hypeuthynteria courses. As shown in this paper,
this colossal structure abided by the rules of Doric design. Ascribing the
unfinished state of the temple probably to financial shortcoming and/or
military adventures, Pausanias did comment on its ambitious, gigantic
size. The level of construction eventually reached is another focal point
of our investigation. The study of the Temple of Zeus Basileus brings
out the multifaceted notion of the term “monumentality”, tightly re
lated to visual impact. One of the aims of its commissioners would have
been to establish a landmark on the summit where Zeus was probably
co-worshipped with Trophonios, the Boeotian hero-prophet. Since the
temple in question, as we propose, most probably commemorated both a
grandiose military victory in the 3rd century BC and the contemporary
political situation, its imposing volume, along with the aesthetic effect of
bichromy, were meant to perpetuate the overtone of these events within
the ambience of the sacred Lebadea. Another facet of monumentality in
volves the respective building programme, and it derives from epigraphi
cal sources, namely a contract specifying construction details, with par
ticular instructions already at the orthostate level, denoting that accuracy
in execution safeguarded the high quality of ancient Greek architecture.

Convegno "L'occidente, gli orienti e l'orientalismo", Università Ca' Foscari di Venezia, 2025

“Parafrasando” il celebre Mosè l’egizio di Jan Assmann, scomparso l’anno passato, questo contributo, come anticipa il titolo di “Mosè il ‘greco’”, desidera analizzare l’interferenza e la ricezione del tema del legislatore religioso ebraico nella letteratura greca.
La figura di Mosè, infatti, è presente in diversi autori greci o di lingua greca di epoca ellenistica. Qui il personaggio di Mosè subisce diverse trasformazioni. Tra i suoi numerosi ritratti – da uomo edotto nella sapienza degli Egizi negli Atti degli Apostoli 7:22 a sacerdote egizio, tra gli altri, in Manetone (apud Flavio Giuseppe, Contra Apionem I:26-31) – ci si concentrerà sulle sue rappresentazioni “greche”.
Il Mosè “greco” può divenire compagno di viaggio di Danao e di Cadmo per Ecateo di Abdera (Aegyptiaca, apud Diodoro Siculo, Bibliotheca historica XL:3,1-3.8), che scrive il più antico racconto non biblico sull’Esodo, o può essere identificato con il poeta Museo, autore di oracoli, o persino con Hermes, come per Artapano di Alessandria (apud Clemente di Alessandria, Stromata I:23; e apud Eusebio di Cesarea, Praeparatio evangelica IX:27).
Se molte versioni greche del racconto su Mosè sono impregnate di un feroce antigiudaismo, altre sono invece positive. Forse da queste ultime elaborazioni provengono – o forse alla base di queste elaborazioni vi sono – le affermazioni del I Libro dei Maccabei 12:19-23 (cfr. Flavio Giuseppe, Antiquitates Iudaicae XII:225-228) e del II Libro dei Maccabei 5:9 su una comune e sorprendente discendenza tanto dei Giudei quanto degli Spartani dal patriarca Abramo.

The study examines models of coins from the Hasmonean period according to their attribution to the rulers who issued them. Sometimes these are non-standard coins without the identification of the ruler's name. The question arises whether it is possible to associate coins based on the style of writing or shape with one or another ruler who issued the coins, or whether the design characteristics relate more to the manner of activities of the mint and its staff during the periods of its activity .

This study argues for a reciprocal relationship between the political and the religious. It briefly surveys the integral role that religious ideas and practices played in the shaping and sustaining of the various forms and aspects of democracy in the Greek world, and how democratic practices and formations impacted on the reiteration or modification of  Greek ‘religion’. Indeed, there is an unmistakable two-directional relationship between religious life and democratic action in the Greek city state. Religious ideas and practices had a powerful impact on the birth of demokratia at Athens in 508/7 BC, and this new form of democratic organisation, in turn, heavily influenced the religious life and organisation of the city thereafter.

This paper examines the relationship between Plato's Politeia (commonly known as the Republic) and his three journeys to Sicily, offering a reinterpretation through the lens of Platonomy-the understanding that the Politeia is primarily concerned with internal self-governance rather than external political arrangements. Contrary to the traditional view that Plato's Sicilian failures represent a refutation of the Republic's political theory, this analysis demonstrates that these experiences actually validate the dialogue's deeper psychological insights. By examining the chronology of Plato's writings, specific textual evidence from the Republic, and his later works, this paper argues that Plato maintained his commitment to the primacy of internal constitution throughout his philosophical career, even as he addressed more practical political concerns in his later dialogues.