Asia minor, greece, rome and italy, egypt, north africa and throughout the european provinces recording information as he went. In addition, this lengthy and complex work contains a vast amount of information on. No, marc antony and cleopatra werent together when they died. Dio exerted no appreciable influence on his immediate successors in the field of roman history. The roman historian strabo referred to her merely by her title as candace kandake, but theres a general consensus that amanirenas was the one that he was talking about. We would like to show you a description here but the site wont allow us. It emphasises the place and importance of strabo s geography and of geography itself within these intellectual circles. Strabo project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks read. Temple of artemis at limnai iv 9 the temple of artemis at limnai, at which the messenians are reputed to have outraged hybrisai the maidens who had come there to sacrifice, is on the boundaries between lakonia and messenia, where both peoples held assemblies panegurin and offered sacrifices in common. Strabos geography, also a substantial work, was in 17 books. The fifth book contains a description of italy from the roots of the alps to the strait of sicily, the gulf of taranto, and the region about posidonium. Find the top 100 most popular items in amazon books best sellers. It offers the first fullscale interpretation of the man and his life in english.
Strabo, greek geographer and historian whose geography is the only extant work covering the whole range of peoples and countries known to both greeks and romans during the reign of augustus 27 bce14 ce. Strabo, who was born at amaseia now amasya in turkey, traveled to rome in. Although only a few scattered quotations have survived, the work was a history of the roman world from 145 bc to the start of the reign of augustus in 27 bc. This 17 volume collection of geographic data of the ancient world is mostly intact, with only part of the seventh book not surviving. In about 31 bc strabo began traveling, and after about 24 bc nothing more is known of him until ad 17, when he appeared in rome for the triumph of germanicus caesar. Texts from josephus, augustus, claudius, strabo and tacitus. Max cary, geographic background of greek and roman history 1949, a survey of. Meant to cover the history of the known world from the conquest of greece by the romans, strabo quotes it himself and other classical authors mention that it existed, although the only surviving document is a fragment of papyrus now in possession of the university of milan renumbered papyrus 46. Strabo was a greek geographer, philosopher, and historian who lived in asia minor during the transitional period of the roman republic into the roman empire. In front of this district, on one side lies the desert of the arabians, on the other are the marshes opposite to the chaldeans, formed by the overflowing of the euphrates, and in another direction is the sea of persia. Title page from isaac casaubon s 1620 edition of geographica. Strabo s second work, the geography, is extant in its entirety. Strabo has summed up for us the knowledge of the ancient world as it was in the days of the emperor c. During the course of his roman stay, he adopted tenets of the stoic philosophy.
Strabo of amasia, a greek geographer of the augustotiberian period, observed the roman world of his time. Though he wrote in greek, strabo must be regarded as an augustan writer like virgil or livy. It argues for a deeper understanding of the fusion of greek and roman elements in the culture of the roman empire. His geography is a description of the cultural and geopolitical world of that time, as well as an account of how the physical world was then perceived. He traveled extensively, undoubtedly gathering notes, and made extended visits to rome and alexandria, where he is sure to have spent time in the famous library taking notes from his sources. Strabos history, now lost, had the modest title of historical notes but was in fact a. Discover the best ancient roman history in best sellers. Greek and roman accounts of india by herodotus, pliny, strabo.
It was in rome, where he stayed at least until 31 bce, that he wrote his first major work, his 47book historical sketches, published in about 20 bce, of which but. Strabo s geography, also a substantial work, was in 17 books. Roman governors of judea at internet archive, from trinity documents on jews and judaism in the greco roman diaspora at upenn 2nd rand the jews and part ii reed collegemodern account. Strabo s history, now lost, had the modest title of historical notes but was in fact a largescale history in 43 books. He became a keen traveller who saw a large part of italy, various near eastern regions including the black sea, various parts of asia minor, egypt as far as ethiopia, and parts of greece. Diller, the textual tradition of strabo s geography 1975, 7, has suggested that the historical works of strabo and nicolaus of damascus were associated as a pair, perhaps explaining the survival of one and the disappearance of the other. The volume of commerce between rome and india via red sea and arabian sea was huge since the conquest of egypt by the romans in 30 bc, according to the historian strabo.
Geographika, or geography, is an encyclopedia of geographical knowledge, consisting of 17 books, written in greek by strabo, an educated citizen of the roman empire of greek descent. Subordinate to him is the administrator of justice, who is the supreme judge in many causes. The date of geographica is a large topic, perhaps because strabo worked on it along with his history for most of his adult life. A first edition was published in 7 bc followed by a gap, resumption of work and a final edition no later. Ad 24 was a greek geographer, philosopher, and historian who lived in asia minor during the transitional period of the roman republic into the roman empire. Having made many trips during his life he obtained an overview of the ancient civilizations of his time, which he wrote down in two series of books, the first named history and the second geography. Search the history of over 424 billion web pages on the internet. Strabo was a greek geographer, philosopher and historian who lived more than two thousand years ago, in the early days of the roman empire. Strabo in book 12 chapter 3 section 41 states that the romans took possession of bithynia a little before my time, setting the. When i say, this is my favorite book on ancient rome, just know that its my second favorite book of all time, barely being squeaked out by postw.
It is surprising how, with such opportunities of obtaining information, the history of these rains should not have been clearly known to persons living in those times, especially as the priests registered with the greatest diligence in the sacred books all extraordinary facts, and preserved records of everything which seemed to contribute to an. Strabo was a greek historian and geographer who lived between the 1st century bc and the 1st century. Ancient history encyclopedia receives a small commission for each book sold through. The romans made a province of that part of the country which had been subject to carthage, and appointed ruler of the rest masanasses and his descendants, beginning with micipsa. Because of this, strabo is most well known for his large extensive work, geographia. The project gutenberg ebook of the geography of strabo, vol. For the ancient history of the mysians and phrygians, he is indebted to the celebrated lydian historian xanthus, and menecrates. It is said to have recounted known history from the middle of the second century b. The twelve caesars by suetonius gives the inside story on some of romes greatest emperors i thought that if i was going to choose five books on roman history i really had to choose a roman historian because, for modern historians, roman historians have always been the great model. Strabo s life was characterized by extensive travels. Strabo of amasia offers an intellectual biography of strabo, a greek man of letters, set against the political and cultural background of augustan rome.
Thegeographyof strabo the geography of strabo is the only surviving work of its type in greek literature, and the major source for the history of greek scholarship on geography and the formative processes of the earth. At present egypt is a roman province, pays considerable tribute, and is well governed by prudent persons, who are sent there in succession. As with most ancient authors, not that much is known of strabo, and the. He collected his observations in his magnum opus, the geography, which he described as a kolossourgia, a colossal statue of a work. Pontus fell to the roman general pompey in 63 bc and, after the murder or suicide of mithridates vi of pontus otherwise known as mithridates the great, was broken up into smaller provinces in 64 bc. He was an advocate of roman imperialism and an accomplished historian, but unfortunately his 47 books pertaining directly to history have been lost. No 83 the history of the decline and fall of the roman empire by edward gibbon 17761788. The geography of strabo is the only surviving work of its type in greek literature, and the major source for the history of greek scholarship on geography and the formative processes of the earth. Pontus had recently fallen to the roman republic, and although politically he was a proponent of roman imperialism, strabo belonged on his mothers side to a prominent family whose members had held important positions under the resisting regime of king mithridates vi of pontus.
784 1652 1290 347 292 1138 167 1122 828 1100 27 787 1617 973 881 114 1298 737 1286 410 797 816 1284 495 948 15 94 1144 1213 490 196 1239 1281 452 487 1368 346 840 495 534 929 940 255 1379 1060 191 872