Diocletian's Price-Edict at Ptolemais (Cyrenaica)

1955 ◽  
Vol 45 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 106-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giacomo Caputo ◽  
Richard Goodchild

Introduction.—The systematic exploration of Ptolemais (modern Tolmeita), in Cyrenaica, began in 1935 under the auspices of the Italian Government, and under the direction of the first-named writer. The general programme of excavation took into consideration not only the important Hellenistic period, which gave the city its name and saw its first development as an autonomous trading-centre, but also the late-Roman age when, upon Diocletian's reforms, Ptolemais became capital of the new province of Libya Pentapolis and a Metropolitan See, later occupied by Bishop Synesius.As one of several starting-points for the study of this later period, there was selected the area first noted by the Beecheys as containing ‘heaps of columns’, which later yielded the monumental inscriptions of Valentinian, Arcadius, and Honorius, published by Oliverio. Here excavation soon brought to light a decumanus, running from the major cardo on the west towards the great Byzantine fortress on the east. Architectural and other discoveries made in 1935–36 justified the provisional title ‘Monumental Street’ assigned to this ancient thoroughfare. In terms of the general town-plan, which is extremely regular, this street may be called ‘Decumanus II North’, since two rows of long rectangular insulae separate it from the Decumanus Maximus leading to the West Gate, still erect. The clearing of the Monumental Street and its frontages revealed the well-known Maenad reliefs, attributed to the sculptor Callimachus, a late-Roman triple Triumphal Arch, and fragments of monumental inscriptions similar in character to those previously published from the same area.

Antiquity ◽  
1966 ◽  
Vol 40 (157) ◽  
pp. 29-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. E. L. Mallowan
Keyword(s):  
The West ◽  
The City ◽  

This magnificently produced volume is in itself a tribute to the devoted and rewarding work which Claude Schaeffer, aided by many skilful collaborators, began at Ras Shamra-Ugarit 36 years ago. The frontispiece illustrates a 5000-pound Syrian banknote, engraved with designs of Ugaritic ivories, a mark of honour in addition to that which was bestowed when the author was made a ‘Freeman’ of the city of Latakia. His many friends and admirers in this country will rejoice that he is held in esteem and affection in the East no less than in the West.The account here presented describes the discoveries made in the 18th and 19th campaigns of 1954-5, and includes a full-scale map of the ‘Grand Palais’ and the ‘Petit Palais’ which, besides being buildings of great architectural interest, have yielded historical and archaeological treasures in abundance. Associated with the former building we have the remains of a royal garden, a parterre which, with its surrounding paths, is an ancient forerunner of Louis XIV's achievement at Versailles, but 31 centuries older, and in another court we find an ornamental pond bordered with a low stone parapet. Not far away was a furnace for the baking of cuneiform texts; some of them had never been removed from the ashes.


1872 ◽  
Vol 162 ◽  
pp. 7-27

This survey, which occupied a considerable portion of the months of August and September 1869, is a continuation of the series of observations made in the west of France during the preceding year. The instruments used were the same on both occasions, the only changes made for the second expedition being (1°) the substitution of a theodolite by Jones in lieu of Cooke’s transit-theodolite, which was slightly too heavy for carrying in the hand, and (2°) the procuring, through the kindness of Dr. Stewart, a second tripod stand similar to our own, which rendered the series of observations with two observers much more rapid than on the previous occasion. The observations were undertaken, as before, by the Rev. W. Sidgreaves and myself, the Vibrations and Deflections falling to his share, and the Declination and Chronometer comparisons remaining in my hands, whilst the Dip was in general observed by both. The method of reduction is almost identical with that adopted for the observations taken in the west of France. The geographical positions of the different stations have been calculated, as far as possible, from the data given in the 'Connaissance des Temps,’ but where this could not be done I have had recourse to the most reliable sources of information at my command. For the accurate determination of the positions of Mont Rolland (near Dôle), of N. D. de Myans (near Chambéry), of Mongré (near Villefranche-sur-Soane), of Iseure (near Moulins), and of our station at Marseilles I am indebted to the kindness of the Rev. N. Larcher, S. J., Membre de la Société Météorologique de France. The coordinates of Vaugirard were readily obtained from a good map of Paris, and for Issenheim and Monaco I have to depend on Cassini’s ‘Carte Générale de la France’ and on Philip’s 'Imperial Atlas.’ The Imperial Observatory at Paris is chosen as the natural position for the origin of coordinates, in lieu of our central station of observation at Vaugirard, which lies on the outskirts of the city; the resulting mean values will thus require no correction, and will be immediately comparable with those of most other observers.


2006 ◽  
Vol 101 ◽  
pp. 427-457 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brikena Shkodra

What seems to be the case is that Durrës during the late Roman period was incorporated in the network of Byzantine state-controlled supply which operated throughout the east and west Mediterranean, suggesting that the city was more open to the east than to the west in late Antiquity. By contrast, the supply of Tunisian fine ware and amphorae is smaller then the imports from the eastern Mediterranean. However, the persistence presence of Tunisian wares throughout late Vandal and Byzantine period argues for sustained interaction between east and west within the Byzantine world. The presence of local production in the 6th century contexts merits further analysis.


2021 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 304-318
Author(s):  
R. O. Kozlenko ◽  
I. M. Sheiko ◽  
A. Reuter

Coins from the excavations of the «T-4» site in 2018—2020, located in the Terrace City of Olbia, are introduced into scientific circulation. The total number of coins found during three years of research is 154 items, half of which are dolphin-shaped coins. These include a treasure of coins and bronze items, which, in particular, contained 26 casted dolphin-shaped coins. The coin in the shape of a «wheel» from the West Pontic city of Istria also belongs to the Classical period. Coins of the Hellenistic era from the excavations at the «T-4» sector are represented by denominations with images of Apollo, Demeter and the eagle on a dolphin, Tyche in a crown in the shape of a tower and an archer, and borysthenes coins. Among the numismatic monuments of this time is a rare coin of the city of byzantium of the IV c. BC, which confirms the evidence of the Olbian inscription (НО 9) on trade contacts between these cities during the Hellenistic period. The latest coins of the pre-Getae Olbia are represented by coins of the Asia Minor city of Amis, which are dated by the end of the II — the first half of the I c. BC. These are tetrachalkos with images of the Ares head in a helmet and a sword in sheath, and Aegis with the head of Medusa and Nike. Their appearance in Olbia is associated with the inclusion of the city in the Pontic state of Mithradates VI Eupator, in particular the localization of the Pontic garrison in Olbia. Coins of Roman times are represented by Olbian assarius such as Zeus / eagle of the middle of the I c. AD, dupondius of the second half of the II c, AD and a tressis depicting the Roman Empress Julia Mamaeia, which belongs to the last series of monetary units of the Olbian autonomous minting. In general, the available numismatic material from the excavations of the T-4 site is dated from the second half of the VI c. BC, and until the cessation of coinage in the second third of the III c. AD, i. e. covers all major chronological periods of existence of Olbian polis.


1972 ◽  
Vol 92 ◽  
pp. 156-170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Vickers

SummaryIt would seem that the plan of Thessaloniki (fig. 4) was laid out at the time of the city's foundation by Cassander in c. 316 b.c. and that it has close parallels in the plans of other early Hellenistic cities. There was possibly an agora in the upper city from the beginning, but the principal, commercial agora of the Hellenistic city was probably closer to the sea. A large open space to the west was possibly a ‘sacred area’ in Hellenistic times, but the only religious centre whose site is known with any degree of certainty is the Serapeum. A gymnasium is known to have existed to the north of the city from the late Hellenistic period at least, and a nearby stadium probably goes back to Hellenistic times as well.The Hellenistic fortifications probably followed the lines of those of the mid-fifth century a.d. In common with many other Hellenistic cities there is an acropolis incorporated in the city wall, but the fortifications of Thessaloniki are slightly anomalous in that the lower stretches of the east and west walls run parallel with some of the streets of the city plan.Thus, even though the reconstruction of Hellenistic Thessaloniki may be an elusive and often a speculative business, the statement of an anonymous writer to the effect that ‘il ne reste à Thessaloniki aucun vestige de la ville hellénistique’ is certainly exaggerated.


2008 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 257-274
Author(s):  
MICHAEL EHRLICH

Acre is situated on the northern Mediterranean coast of Israel, about 13 km to the north of Haifa. Its history since the twentieth century bce has been well-documented. Until the third century bce it stood on a mound called Tel al-Fukhar. From the Hellenistic period the city developed on the plain to the west of this mound. Acre experienced two important phases during its long existence. The first was during the Hellenistic era, when it occupied the mound, the plain, and the rocky peninsula to the south of the western sector of the plain. The second was during the Crusader period, when it occupied an even larger area. Between these two periods, the city declined, although it was still repeatedly referred to in historical sources.


Author(s):  
S. D. KRYZHITSKIY

In the 1790s, the location of Olbia was established, and since 1901 systematic excavations have been made by three successive generations of scholars. The first of these scholars was Pharmakovskiy and his school in 1901–1926. The second scholars to make excavations in Olbia were under the leadership of Slavin, Levi and Karasev. The third generation who took over the excavations from 1972 was headed by Kryzhitskiy from 1972–1995 and Krapivina from 1995. This chapter focuses on the contributions made by the third generation of scholars that made excavations in the Olbia region. The excavations made in this period were governed by three aims: the study of the historico-archaelogical stratigraphy and topography of cultural levels in the various parts of the city including the underwater area beneath the Bug estuary; an emphasis on the least-studied phases of the city's existence, particularly the cultural levels of the archaic period and the early centuries AD; and the rescue and conservation of the coastal portion of the city. The excavations generated important results such as the discovery of the temenos wall, altars, the temple of Apollo Ietros, Hellenistic period citadels and dwellings, and defensive walls belonging to the fifth century. In addition to these excavations and discoveries, the teams headed by Kryzhitskiy and Krapivina made extensive studies on the lower Bug estuary and Olbia's chora.


2015 ◽  
Vol 61 ◽  
pp. 115-132
Author(s):  
Mantha Zarmakoupi

Much progress has been made in the study of the emporion of the port-city of Delos (Map 9) in recent years, with new excavations and preparations towards their publication, reassessments of previously excavated material as well as analyses of the history, religion, art and architecture of Delos in the Late Hellenistic and Roman periods. Home of the Sanctuary of Apollo since the Archaic period, Delos commanded a huge cult network that intertwined religious with economic and political activities due to its advantageous geographical position at the centre of the Aegean world. The latest research has focused on these religious, political and economic networks (for example Constantakopoulou 2007; Chankowski 2008; Collar 2013; Migeotte 2014; Raptopoulos 2014; Le Quéré 2015), while the important contribution of Véronique Chankowski on the economy of the island in the Hellenistic period awaits publication (see Chankowski 2011). Delos prospered in the Late Hellenistic period, when the Roman authorities granted the port of Delos duty-free status, and when the island reverted to Athenian control in 167 BC, turning it into a commercial base that connected the eastern and western Mediterranean. This report concentrates on recent developments in research on Hellenistic and Roman Delos.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 6296
Author(s):  
Pasquale Giungato ◽  
Roberto Leonardo Rana ◽  
Nicole Nitti ◽  
Cosima Cavallari ◽  
Caterina Tricase

The international outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 infection has put pressure on governments to find immediate solutions to the shortage of surgical masks and other protective equipment. To allow textile manufacturers producing surgical masks to avoid usual restrictions imposed on personal-protective-equipment producers, the Italian government issued a ministerial decree that was followed by technical guidelines provided by several universities. Starting from a hypothetical composition and design, we calculated the carbon footprint of surgical masks manufactured following technical guidelines, with the city of Taranto hosting the production facility. Results show that the production of textile sheets composing the masks and their disposal were the main contributors to emissions, followed by packaging and transportation. A strategy of reuse based on laundry operation was modelled, and the balance between disposal strategy and reuse with the laundry operation (which has environmental issues due to detergents and water use) was in favor of the second option. To reduce the carbon footprint, a minimized textiles area (by smart shaping) and reuse strategies result in the best options. Further reduction may be achieved by building up a recycling chain of disposed masks, activated by municipalities.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-24
Author(s):  
Anne Katrine De Hemmer Gudme

This article investigates the importance of smell in the sacrificial cults of the ancient Mediterranean, using the Yahweh temple on Mount Gerizim and the Hebrew Bible as a case-study. The material shows that smell was an important factor in delineating sacred space in the ancient world and that the sense of smell was a crucial part of the conceptualization of the meeting between the human and the divine.  In the Hebrew Bible, the temple cult is pervaded by smell. There is the sacred oil laced with spices and aromatics with which the sanctuary and the priests are anointed. There is the fragrant and luxurious incense, which is burnt every day in front of Yahweh and finally there are the sacrifices and offerings that are burnt on the altar as ‘gifts of fire’ and as ‘pleasing odors’ to Yahweh. The gifts that are given to Yahweh are explicitly described as pleasing to the deity’s sense of smell. On Mount Gerizim, which is close to present-day Nablus on the west bank, there once stood a temple dedicated to the god Yahweh, whom we also know from the Hebrew Bible. The temple was in use from the Persian to the Hellenistic period (ca. 450 – 110 BCE) and during this time thousands of animals (mostly goats, sheep, pigeons and cows) were slaughtered and burnt on the altar as gifts to Yahweh. The worshippers who came to the sanctuary – and we know some of them by name because they left inscriptions commemorating their visit to the temple – would have experienced an overwhelming combination of smells: the smell of spicy herbs baked by the sun that is carried by the wind, the smell of humans standing close together and the smell of animals, of dung and blood, and behind it all as a backdrop of scent the constant smell of the sacrificial smoke that rises to the sky.


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