Philippi

Author(s):  
Clyde E. Fant ◽  
Mitchell G. Reddish

An important city in the Roman and early Christian period, Philippi exists today only as an archaeological site. The impressive remains of this once flourishing city on the Via Egnatia, the important Roman highway in the area, are frequently visited by modern pilgrims retracing the steps of the Apostle Paul, who started a Christian church in the city. The ruins of ancient Philippi are easy to find. The archaeological site is located in the region of Macedonia, alongside highway 12 between Kavala and Drama, next to the village of Krenides. Settlement in the area occurred as early as the Middle Neolithic period (ca. 5000 B.C.E.). In 360 B.C.E., Greek colonists from the island of Thasos, led by the exiled Athenian politician Kallistratos, founded the colony of Krenides on the site of what later became Philippi. The colony at Krenides (which means “spring,” because of the abundant streams in the area) provided the Thasians with access to the rich resources of the area, particularly its silver and gold mines. Threatened by the Thracian tribes in the area, the colonists at Krenides asked Philip II of Macedonia for military assistance in 356 B.C.E. Eager to gain control of the area, and particularly its rich resources, Philip conquered the city and renamed it Philippi in his honor. Philip fortified the city with new walls, increased the city’s population with Macedonian mercenaries, and extracted large amounts of gold and silver from the mines in the area. Although little is known of the city during the Hellenistic period, this was apparently a prosperous time for Philippi. In the 2nd century B.C.E., the Romans occupied Macedonia and turned the area into a Roman province. During the Roman period, the most i important event associated with Philippi took place. In 42 B.C.E. the forces of Octavian (later known as Augustus) and Mark Antony defeated the armies of Brutus and Cassius (the murderers of Julius Caesar) on the plains just outside the west wall of Philippi. This battle brought to an end the Roman Republic.

2021 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 221-260
Author(s):  
Adnan Almohamad

AbstractThe Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) occupied the city of Manbij and its countryside from 23 January 2014 until 12 August 2016. During this period, the region suffered greatly as ISIS monopolized control and brutally imposed its ideology. Fierce battles were fought for the control of oil wells, bakeries, mills, dams, and power stations, all of which were sources of revenue. Antiquities were soon recognized as another potential income source. This article demonstrates the ways in which ISIS began to administer and facilitate the looting of antiquities through the Diwan Al-Rikaz. Within this diwan, ISIS established the Qasmu Al-Athar, which was specifically responsible for looting antiquities. Based on interviews conducted in 2015 and primary documents, this article studies the specific ways in which ISIS facilitated the quarrying and looting of antiquities in Manbij and the rich archaeological sites of its countryside. Further, by examining the damage at a previously undocumented archaeological site, Meshrefet Anz, the looting of antiquities under the direct supervision of the Diwan Al-Rikaz is studied. Using documentary evidence including ISIS’s internal documentation as well as photographs collected by the author between 2014 and 2016, the article demonstrates the methods used by ISIS, reveals its financial motivations, and bears witness to the damage done at specific Syrian heritage sites.


Author(s):  
Clyde E. Fant ◽  
Mitchell G. Reddish

At one time Antioch on the Orontes was one of the three largest and most important cities of the Greco-Roman world, along with Rome and Alexandria (Egypt). Although Antioch faded from prominence centuries ago, the present city, with its population of approximately 150,000, is still a rewarding place to visit. The museum of the city, the Hatay Archaeological Museum, contains one of the best collections of ancient mosaics of any museum in the world. In ancient times Antioch on the Orontes was a part of Syria and thus is sometimes referred to, especially in biblical studies, as Antioch of Syria. (Fifteen other cities in the ancient world were named Antioch as well.) Today the city, now known as Antakya, is just north of the Syrian border, in the Hatay province of southern Turkey. The Orontes River (today called the Asi) connected the city to the Mediterranean Sea. Seleucus I Nicator, one of the generals of Alexander the Great, founded the city. At first Antigonus, another general, controlled Syria, but he was defeated in 301 by Seleucus and other leaders. Seleucus then gained control of Syria and established his own cities, including Antioch and its port city of Seleucia Pieria. Seleucus named the city, which soon became the capital of the Seleucid kingdom, after his father, Antiochus. Subsequent Seleucid rulers, including Antiochus I Soter (r. 281–261 B.C.E.), Seleucus II Callinicus (r. 246–225 B.C.E.), and Antiochus IV Epiphanes (r. 175– 164 B.C.E.), enlarged and enhanced the city. Tigranes of Armenia captured the city in 83 B.C.E., but in 66 B.C.E. he was defeated by the Roman general Pompey, who made Antioch the capital of the Roman province of Syria. Both Julius Caesar and Augustus visited the city, and both erected various buildings there. (The wedding of Mark Antony to Cleopatra likely took place in Antioch. Ancient sources indicate it occurred in Syria but do not specify the city. As the capital, Antioch was the likely location.) During the Roman period, Antioch was a large, cosmopolitan city, the third largest city in the Roman world after Rome and Alexandria.


Author(s):  
L. Corniello ◽  
A. De Cicco

Abstract. The research presents the results of the non-invasive survey campaign conducted at the archaeological site of the city of Verghina in Macedonia. Through the consolidated processes of the disciplines of representation, such as digital surveying, point cloud, flat surface processing, 3D modeling and multi-resolution visualization, it is proposed a path of knowledge of the city and the finds that are the subject of the research. Of great interest is the operational process illustrated both on the basis of the problems that emerged and the solutions adopted in the survey phases. As part of the study, the structures present in the city of Verghina and in the natural area known as the Great Mound, where the Royal Tombs are located, were investigated. The hill of land 13 meters high and 110 meters wide preserves the remains of the ancient city buried in the second century BC to escape the pillage of enemy armies. The research has dealt with the three structures present, namely the Tomb of Philip II, the Tomb of Alexander IV (son of Alexander the Great) and the Tomb of Persephors. The investigations conducted aim to document the current state of the places through digital surveys and parametric modelling, proposing, in addition, the visualization of 3D images through multi-resolution systems derived from the bases of the survey previously carried out.


2007 ◽  
pp. 27-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gordana Tosic ◽  
Dusan Raskovic

Significant Early-Christian localities referring to the rich mining activities of this region were found on the Kopaonik Mountain or in the Silver Mountain, as it was named by Roman, Venetian, and Turkish sources. From broader point of view, even from the times of Roman provinces settlement on the Balkan, the area of Serbia with very thick settlements? net was used as a logistic and strategic support of the Roman Empire. The territory being the subject of our research is the zone where provinces Moesia Prima Mediterranean Dacia (Dacia Mediterranea) and Dardania meet. The sites that offer new data for the process of settlement and Christianization of these regions are CELESTIAL CHAIRS on the top of Kopaonik at the altitude of 1,800 m, DUB in Mala Vrbnica in the bottom of the Mountain and Gradac in Gornje Levice at 1,089 m altitude. They are in the northern part of Dardania, in the Province where silver with lead were dug as well as golden silver together with exploitation of iron, copper and mercury ores. The zone of these findings gravitates to Roman administrative center Municipium Dardanorum near to Socanica at Kosovo. Thus, it may be assumed that still non-referred northern border of Dardania could have covered eastern slopes of Kopaonik up to the bottom and border with Aleksandrovac Zupa. On the eastern slopes of Kopaonik three early-Christian basilicas were found; one in Celestial Chairs with floor mosaic; another in Gradac site in Gornje Levi}e within the fortress and the third one in the Dub site in a village Mala Vrbnica, with stone decorative plastic. All these buildings date from the period of 5-6th century based on archeological material. Sites in Celestial Chairs and the one in Gornje Levice have, as many castles in broader vicinity, continuity of 4-6th century proved by founding of secular objects like fibula with bent legs, cross-like fibulas, money, ceramic fragments with rake ornaments. Porkpie stated that Dardania had reconditioned 68 fortresses out of 70 original ones, and only 8 were new-built. Celestial Chairs visually dominate the whole area. From this place, one can see as on his palm Early-Byzantine fortresses on Vojetin, Cucaica and in Gornje Levice, as well as the mines in Zaplanina and Belo Brdo. Having in mind natural features of the terrain historical surrounding, and, first of all, archeological finding, we think that Celestial Chairs and Gornje Levice could be the spot to look for spiritual and administrative center of the northern part of Roman province Dardania.


Author(s):  
Barbara K. Gold

This chapter discusses the rise, development, and Romanization of ancient Carthage in the early Christian period after the formation of the province of Africa Proconsularis in the Augustan period; the physical topography of the city of Carthage, including the Byrsa, the Antonine Baths, and the amphitheater; and it describes the tophet or outdoor sacrificial area and whether human sacrifice was practiced among the Carthaginians. It also covers the life, influence, and African roots of Septimius Severus, the Roman emperor during Perpetua’s life and death. Also discussed are the social, religious, and intellectual conditions for pagans in Roman Carthage, who their local gods were (Tanit, Saturn, Juno Caelestis, Baal Hammon), and the connections between civic and religious life.


Author(s):  
Christian D. Liddy

The political narrative of late medieval English towns is often reduced to the story of the gradual intensification of oligarchy, in which power was exercised and projected by an ever smaller ruling group over an increasingly subservient urban population. This book takes its inspiration not from English historiography, but from a more dynamic continental scholarship on towns in the southern Low Countries, Germany, and France. Its premise is that scholarly debate about urban oligarchy has obscured contemporary debate about urban citizenship. It identifies from the records of English towns a tradition of urban citizenship, which did not draw upon the intellectual legacy of classical models of the ‘citizen’. This was a vernacular citizenship, which was not peculiar to England, but which was present elsewhere in late medieval Europe. It was a citizenship that was defined and created through action. There were multiple, and divergent, ideas about citizenship, which encouraged townspeople to make demands, to assert rights, and to resist authority. This book exploits the rich archival sources of the five major towns in England—Bristol, Coventry, London, Norwich, and York—in order to present a new picture of town government and urban politics over three centuries. The power of urban governors was much more precarious than historians have imagined. Urban oligarchy could never prevail—whether ideologically or in practice—when there was never a single, fixed meaning of the citizen.


2017 ◽  
pp. 513-528
Author(s):  
Maciej Czapski

This contribution presents the first results of two surveys (2014, 2016) in the vicinity of the ancient city of Volubilis, situated in the southern part of the Roman province Mauretania Tingitana. The main purpose was to assess the possibilities of non-invasive research of the forts established by the Romans as part of the defensive system of Volubilis and to investigate the character of the Roman defences on the southern border. Forts were connected with watchtowers which completed the system protecting the territory in question. Many interesting fragments of pottery have been found at those sites, which may confirm Roman presence in many, though not all points. Collected field information as well as the analysis of publications leads to the conclusion that the border defence arrangements at Volubilis might not be considered as a part of a centrally organised limes system, safe guarding the entire province, but as the defensive system of the city and its surroundings.


Author(s):  
Elisa Masschelein ◽  
Violet Soen

After troublesome negotiations, on 12 February 1577 an 'Eternal Edict’ was signed inMarche-en-Famenne, in order to end the struggle between the rebelling States-General inthe Low Countries, and the newly arrived Habsburg governor-general of these regions, Don,Juan de Austria, half-brother to King Philip II. Afterwards, Don Juan travelled to the universitycity of Leuven. Historiography hardly ever deals with this peace treaty, and evenless with its implementation, as the treaty ended less than seven months later when DonJuan occupied the citadel of Namur. This contribution, however, warns for a too teleologicalinterpretation of the failure of the Eternal Edict. It analyzes the sparked pacification processon three levels: first, the mise-en-place by the Habsburg councilors, second, the mise-en-scène by the city of Leuven, and third, the mise-en-intrigue by the citizens and opponentsin the Low Countries. This threefold analysis will show that peacemaking in earlymodern Europe consisted of a complex interplay between words, deeds, and performances.


2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 228
Author(s):  
Hanaa Motasim

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia’s largest coastal city, is positioned between two prominent natural features: the mountain range on its eastern side and the Red Sea on its west. The city faces many challenges central to which is storm water drainage. The natural drainage of the city through its pre-existing wadis, bringing down the rain water from the steep mountain ranges through the low inclining coastal plane and into the sea, has been interrupted in the last few decades by massive road infrastructural projects cutting through the city and interrupting the natural flow. The outcome of these interventions has been excessive flooding calamities, of which the ones in 2009 and 2011 were the most extreme, causing severe damage to infrastructure, property and lives.In light of climate change the intensity of flash floods is expected to increase, placing enormous stress on the city. To control the floods the city has pushed forward heavily engineered solutions, canalizing the rich network of wadis, almost 80 in number, into 4 major concrete channels that discharge the rain water accumulated in the mountains directly into the sea. This solution, which has been prohibitive in cost, has robbed the city of any potential of utilizing the precious supply of rain water. This paper explores the potential of recovering Jeddah’s wadis and creating green corridors across the city. As opposed to engineered solutions which address singular problematics, green infrastructures could provide numerous benefits to the city and the region as a whole.


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