The sinews of war: a brief history of ancient catapults
Until the discovery of gunpowder, the most powerful weapon available was the catapult. The Roman army had stone-throwers capable of hurling projectiles of 27 kilos at a distance of 150 metres, and Archimedes
The eighth-century revolution
The eighth-century revolution Ian Morris (Stanford University) Princeton/Stanford Working Papers in Classics: December (2005) Abstract Through most of the 20th century classicists saw…
A comparative perspective on the determinants of the scale and productivity of maritime trade in the Roman Mediterranean
I argue that imperial state formation was the single most important ultimate determinant of the scale, structure, and productivity of maritime commerce in the Roman period. Hegemony and subsequent direct rule created uniquely favorable conditions for maritime trade by cutting the costs of predation, transactions, and financing to levels that were lower than in any other period of pre-modern Mediterranean history.
Military commitments and political bargaining in ancient Greece
This paper explores the relationship between military commitments and political bargaining in Greek poleis and beyond. While it is possible to document a number of instances of concurrent political and military mobilization, comparative evidence suggests that state type may be a more important determinant of military mobilization levels than regime type.
Going with the Grain: Athenian State Formation and the Question of Subsistence in the 5th and 4th Centuries BCE
The questions I intend to ask in this paper focus on this very issue. My case study is 5th century BCE Athens. During this period, the so-called “Athenian Empire”, Athens experienced military growth, geographic expansion of its hegemony, and further population increase.
A Crisis in the Multiethnic Society of Ancient Alexandria (66 A.D.)
My intention is to examine an episode from the first period of Roman domination, when the coexistence between the different ethnic groups in Alexandria (the body of Greek cit- izens, the Egyptian population and the Jewish community) was marked by signs of extreme tension and outbreaks of violence.