This study is the first to assemble the evidence for the existence of sorcerors in the ancient world; it also addresses the question of their identity and social origins. The resulting investigation takes us to the underside of Greek and Roman society; into a world of wandering holy men and women; conjurors and wonder-workers; and into the lives of prostitutes; procuresses; charioteers and theatrical performers.This fascinating reconstruction of the careers of witches and sorcerors allows us to see into previously inaccessible areas of Greco-Roman life. Compelling for both its detail and clarity; and with an extraordinarily revealing breadth of evidence employed; it will be an essential resource for anyone studying ancient magic.
#1784348 in Books Jan Glete 1999-12-17 1999-11-04Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.21 x .56 x 6.14l; .90 #File Name: 0415214556256 pagesWarfare at Sea 1500 1650
Review
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful. An important work by an outstanding Naval historianBy Windom earleThe author of the remarkable two-volume work "Navies and Nations"; Swedish Naval historian Jan Glete; gives us a fine comparative study of Warfare at Sea and its implications for early European states in this accessible; yet solid study. As a naval officer and PhD student in comparative politics; there are in particular two valuable features of the book that I would like to stress. Firstly; Glete has the ability to analyse how navies as organisations were vital aspects of European state formation. This means that he is also able to evaluate macro-sociological theories on state formation. In this way; historical data that have been only partially studied by social scientists are linked to theories that have been created on basis of data on purely territorial modes of violence and sovereignty. Secondly; Glete has a very solid base of empirical data on which to create a comparative macro-analysis. Thus; Glete has managed to avoid tedious narratives; and has rather created a masterful synthesis of historical work. His work on the rise of Nordic sea power; for example; sets the record straight in an area that has been neglected by most scholars of naval history.
