Historical Dictionary of Ancient and Medieval Nubia

by Richard A. Lobban Jr.

The Historical Dictionary of Ancient and Medieval Nubia covers the period from the Paleolithic, all the periods of ancient Nubia (Predynastic, Kerma, Dynasty XXV, Napatan, Meroitic, Post-Meroitic) and to the end of medieval Christianity in Nubia (Sudan). This resource focuses on Nubian history through a Nubian perspective, rather than on the more common Egypto-centrism perspective, and the coverage is based on the latest and best archaeological and epigraphic evidence.

Newly created maps of the general area and its specific regions and place names and a photospread showing important related features of the region are included. A detailed chronology provides a timeline of historical events, and an introductory narrative shapes the overall history and leads to the main body of the work in the form of a cross-referenced dictionary. The descriptive entries cover the main features of the region in the various periods that are key not only to Nubian events, but also to the important interactions they had with Egypt to the north. Nine appendices and an extensive bibliography conclude this work.

Lobban has been teaching Nubian studies in undergraduate classrooms for thirty years, and this book is a product of his hands-on experiences as well as extensive anthropological fieldwork and travel in Sudanese and Egyptian Nubia.

Hardcover

First published December 1, 2003

Reviews

[David Sørensen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This encyclopedia about ancient and medieval Nubia, i.e. Nubia until the fall of the last Christian kingdoms, has a lot of good information. It does, however, also contain factual mistakes, which makes it impossible to give the dictionary more than two stars. The errors are so glaring, that a simple proof-reading and a good editor, would have hindered them. To give some examples:

Some examples from Roman history:
* Julius Caesar was assassinated after proclaiming himself the emperor of Rome for life (it wasn't him, but Julius Octavus, better known as Augustus)
* the Roman empire ended in 476 (it didn't and Roman control of Egypt lasted until 641, when the Arabs conquered the area).

Some examples from Christianity and Judaism:
* Jesus and God (I'm speechless, the correct theology would be the son and the father, since Jesus is God)
* Egypt broke early with Western Christianity, i.e. Roman Christianity (early Christianity wasn't controled by the pope, but formed in the East by the Greeks)
* the Essenes were a Christian group (see below)
* "This [the council of Constantinople] determined that the official center of Christianity would be shifted from Alexandria to Constantinople so as to isolate the Egyptians and marginalize the dispute with the Arians" (s.v. "Christianity in Nubia: Religious Schisms"). I don't really know what to say. Alexandria was never the official center of Christianity and the patriarch of Alexandria was an archenemy of Arianism; the main strenght of Arianism was never Egypt proper.

And the following entry:
PHILO JUDAEUS. Philo was a commentator and historian of early Christianity, especially in Alexandria. Philo belived the translation of the Hebrew Septuaginta into Greek was divinely assisted along with the seventy translators sponsored by Ptolemy II (q.v.). Philo noted the importance of celibacy for the Essene community of early Christians. He was noted to have a tolerant attitude for Jews (q.v.) and was somewhat influential to the writings of Origin (q.v.)

I don't really know what to say. Philo was, as the name imply, Jewish. The Essenes were a Jewish group, mentioned by e.g. Philo and Josepheus Flavius and most well-known from the Qumram caves nowadays. They might also have influenced the early Christians, but this is disputed among researchers. It is pretty obvious that he had a tolerant attitude for Jews, being himself one..