Keyholes for Comparative Reconstruction

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martti Nissinen
Keyword(s):  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Source Material ◽  
Comparative Perspective ◽  
Important Thing ◽  
Common Category ◽  
Single Text ◽  
Cultural Sphere ◽  
The Common ◽  
Historical Phenomenon ◽  
Comparative Reconstruction

The most important thing to be taken into account when attempting to reconstruct ancient divination is the nature of the source material. Every single text tells us something about the historical phenomenon. When put together, the texts provide a set of “keyholes” that show parts of the historical prophetic landscape, but at the same time hide even bigger parts of it. This chapter draws together the views to be seen through the keyholes, identifying the common category of prophecy in the ancient Eastern Mediterranean cultural sphere. Without a comparative perspective, the picture of ancient prophecy available from fragmented sources would never grow bigger, and the question of the larger landscape visible through different keyholes would not emerge.

Constructing Prophetic Divination

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martti Nissinen
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Studies ◽  
Theoretical Foundation ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Source Material ◽  
The Other ◽  
Near Eastern ◽  
Common Category ◽  
Divine Knowledge ◽  
Historical Phenomenon

This chapter lays the theoretical foundation of the book, defining prophecy as a non-technical, or inspired, form of divination, in which the prophet acts as an intermediary of divine knowledge. It is argued that prophecy is as much a scholarly construct as a historical phenomenon documented in Near Eastern, biblical, as well as Greek textual sources. The knowledge of the historical phenomenon depends essentially on the genre and purpose of the source material which, however, is very fragmentary and, due to its secondary nature, does not yield a full and balanced picture of ancient prophecy. The chapter also discusses the purpose of comparative studies, arguing that they are necessary, not primarily to reveal the influence of one source on the other, but to identify a common category of ancient Eastern Mediterranean prophecy.

scholarly journals Seasonal population dynamics of Octopus vulgaris in the eastern Mediterranean

2006 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 151-160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stelios Katsanevakis ◽  
George Verriopoulos
Keyword(s):  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Late Summer ◽  
Main Peak ◽  
Octopus Vulgaris ◽  
Late Winter ◽  
Visual Census ◽  
The Common ◽  
Specific Growth Rates ◽  
Seasonal Population ◽  
Seasonal Population Dynamics

Abstract The population density of Octopus vulgaris was measured by visual census with scuba diving in coastal areas in Greece (eastern Mediterranean). A time-variant, stage-classified, matrix population model was developed to interpret the seasonal variation of octopus stage densities and to estimate several life cycle parameters. An annual and a semi-annual periodic cycle were found in the stage densities. A main peak of benthic settlement was observed during summer and a secondary, irregular one during late autumn. Two spawning peaks were estimated, a main one during late winter–spring and a secondary one during late summer–early autumn. More than 50% of the just-settled individuals will eventually die after 3 months. Mortality rate declines, as individuals grow larger, reaches a minimum approximately 6 months after settlement, and then grows again probably because of terminal spawning. The life expectancy of recently settled individuals (<50 g) during their summer peak is approximately 5 months. The lifespan of the common octopus is estimated to be between 12 and 15 months. The octopuses' mean specific growth rates (±s.d.) in their natural environment were 1.61 ± 0.30 d−1 for 50–200 g individuals and 1.19 ± 0.31 d−1 for 200–500 g individuals.

The State and Democratization: The United States in Comparative Perspective

2004 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 193-210 ◽  
Author(s):  
FRANCISCO E. GONZÁLEZ ◽  
DESMOND KING
Keyword(s):  
American Exceptionalism ◽  
The United States ◽  
The State ◽  
Comparative Perspective ◽  
Third Wave ◽  
Liberal Democracies ◽  
Historical Process ◽  
American Experience ◽  
The Common ◽  
Spatio Temporal

In this article we defend the importance of the concept of ‘stateness’ in scholarly understanding of political democratization. We argue that because processes of political democratization in different spatio-temporal settings often share important similarities they are therefore comparable. We investigate this proposition by comparing the process of American political democratization with those of other liberal democracies, old and new. We review extant accounts of the historical process of American democratization – including those addressing American exceptionalism, class structures, multiple traditions, social movements, and international pressures – before presenting an alternative comparative account based on the idea of stateness. Attention to stateness problems defined along legal, bureaucratic and ideological dimensions and derived from both the classic Weberian perspective on the state and the more recent ‘third wave’ of democratization theory help to place the long American experience of democratization in comparative perspective. This finding illuminates some of the common political challenges in the construction of liberal democracies, old and new.

scholarly journals On the Possibilities of Researching the Marriage Policies of the Rurikids: The Case of Mstislav Fyodor Vladimirovich Monomakhovich

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 91-110
Author(s):  
Dariusz Dąbrowski
Keyword(s):  
Middle Ages ◽  
Source Material ◽  
The Other ◽  
Primary Sources ◽  
Basic Question ◽  
The Political ◽  
Know How ◽  
Cultural Sphere ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The One

The main goal of the article is to present the possibilities and methods of research on the Rurikid’s matrimonial policy in the Middle Ages on the example of a selected group of princes. As the subject of studies were chosen Mstislav Vladimirovich and his children. In total, 12 matrimonial relationships were included. The analysis of the source material revealed very unfavorable phenomena from the perspective of the topic under study. The Rus’ primary sources gave information on the conclusion of just four marriages out of twelve. The next four matrimonial arrangement inform foreign sources (Scandinavian and Norman). It should be emphasized particularly strongly that – save for two exceptions of Scandinavian provenance – the sources convey no information whatsoever as regards the political aims behind this or that marriage agreement. It appears, then, that the chroniclers of the period and cultural sphere in question did not regard details concerning marriages (such as their circumstances or the reasons behind them) as “information notable enough to be worth preserving”. Truth be told, even the very fact of the marriage did not always belong to this category. Due to the state of preservation of primary sources the basic question arises as to whether it is possible to study the Rurikids’ matrimonial policy? In spite of the mercilessly sparse source material, it is by all means possible to conduct feasible research on the Rurikids’ marriage policy. One must know how to do it right, however. Thus, such studies must on the one hand be rooted in a deep knowledge of the relevant sources (not only of Rus’ provenance) as well as the ability to subject them to astute analysis; on the other hand, they must adhere to the specially developed methodology, presented in the first part of the article.

Unjustified Enrichment in Comparative Perspective

2006 ◽  
pp. 968-1002
Author(s):  
Daniel Visser
Keyword(s):  
Common Law ◽  
Civil Law ◽  
Comparative Perspective ◽  
The Future ◽  
The Common ◽  
English Law ◽  
The Law ◽  
Level Of Understanding ◽  
Unjustified Enrichment

Unjustified enrichment confronted both civil and common lawyers with thinking which was often completely outside the paradigm to which they had become accustomed. The recognition of unjustified enrichment as a cause of action in its own right in English law created a new arena of uncertainty between the systems. This article argues that comparative lawyers can make an important contribution to the future of the fractured and fractious world of unjustified enrichment. It may help to uncover the enormous wealth of learning of which both the common law and the civil law are the repositories, and so bring the same level of understanding to the law of unjustified enrichment which has, over the years, been achieved between the systems in regard to contract and tort.

Integrated Services in Activation Policies in Finland and Italy: A Critical Appraisal

2008 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 379-392 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela Genova
Keyword(s):  
Critical Appraisal ◽  
Integrated Services ◽  
Comparative Perspective ◽  
Welfare Regimes ◽  
Welfare Policies ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
The Common ◽  
Path Dependent ◽  
Modes Of Governance

The integration of welfare services in activation policies has been one of the common answers to welfare challenges in EU member states over the last two decades. The process has been interwoven with the rescaling both downwards and upwards of welfare regulative authorities. The article discusses the role of integrated services in activation policies in relation to the centralisation and decentralisation of welfare policies in a comparative perspective of different EU welfare regimes and highlights the role of local institutional milieus in shaping path-dependent modes of governance in integrated services.

A New Type of Early Christian Ampulla

1971 ◽  
Vol 66 ◽  
pp. 243-248 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. W. Hayes
Keyword(s):  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
The Body ◽  
Seventh Century ◽  
Early Christian ◽  
General Similarity ◽  
New Type ◽  
The Common ◽  
Shape And Size ◽  
Late Roman

A Type of small pottery flask which has so far received little attention from students of the Early Christian period appears regularly on sites of sixth- to seventh-century date throughout the eastern Mediterranean. It is fusiform in shape, with a short tubular mouth marked off from the body by a slight ridge, and tapers at the bottom to a roughly truncated point (Fig. I). In view of its general similarity in shape to the common fusiform unguentarium of Hellenistic times I have suggested elsewhere the name Late Roman Unguentarium for the type. The height of complete speciments may be estimated at c. 18–21 cm.; occasionally one meets larger examples (with small flat bases). Such a flask was obviously not meant to be stood up on its base, but is of a convenient shape and size to be clasped in the hand. One may assume that it was provided with a stopper to keep in the contents (presumably of some perishable material, since no examples survive); the ridge below the mouth may have served to secure this.

‘Brother-Sister’ Marriage in Roman Egypt: a Curiosity of Humankind or a Widespread Family Strategy?

2007 ◽  
Vol 97 ◽  
pp. 21-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabine R. Huebner
Keyword(s):  
Demographic Transition ◽  
Social Practice ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Common People ◽  
Biological Child ◽  
Roman Egypt ◽  
The Common ◽  
Family Strategy

Scholars over the last few decades have been unable to find a convincing explanation for the widespread practice of brother-sister marriage among the common people in Roman Egypt, a social practice seemingly disregarding one of the most fundamental taboos. This paper now argues that these ‘incestuous’ marriages were in fact marriages between a biological child and an adopted one, a practice documented also for other parts of the Eastern Mediterranean. Due to the severe mortality regime before the demographic transition, up to 30 per cent of all fathers did not have a male heir, and therefore adopting the son-in-law was a common succession and inheritance strategy in many pre-modern societies.

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