The Visible Past: An Archaeological Reinterpretation of the Ancient History

by Michael Grant

Michael Grant, a noted classicist and historian of the ancient world, reviews the findings at some 50 sites excavated over the past 30 years, explaining how new developments in scientific procedures (such as in air photography, chemical analysis, and underwater archaeology) and the use of instruments (the magnetometer and potentiometer) have contributed to the study of Greek and Roman history and life. The book is divided into two major parts, "The Greeks'' and "Italy and the Roman Empire,'' and the sites are discussed chronologically, from Greece's 'Dark Age' to the Hellenistic period and from Etruscan Italy to Rome's late Empire. Grant's lucid prose is supplemented by quotations from archaeologists' works. The emphasis here is on the inextricable role of archaeology in historical studies. Scientific techniques are fully credited and clearly described. This is an excellent interdisciplinary work for laypersons and scholars alike.

Genres: History, Archaeology, Nonfiction, Ancient History

258 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1990

About the author

Michael Grant was an English classisist, numismatist, and author of numerous popular books on ancient history. His 1956 translation of Tacitus’s Annals of Imperial Rome remains a standard of the work. He once described himself as "one of the very few freelances in the field of ancient history: a rare phenomenon". As a popularizer, his hallmarks were his prolific output and his unwillingness to oversimplify or talk down to his readership.

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Reviews

[Peter Corrigan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well the subtitle is 'Recent Archaeological Discoveries of Greek and Roman History', but published in 1990, so it is somewhat dated. However, when you are talking about things that occurred up to 3 or 4 thousand years ago, it's all relative. This book provides a fascinating, if a bit dry at times, look into that ancient world. I am no archaeologist but the techniques described are interesting and some familiar--dendrochronology, carbon-14 dating, IR and aerial photography, the study of papyrus and coinage, electrical and magnetic sensors. How much more has probably been developed in the ensuing 30 years. He speaks of the incredible changes going on in the field at that time and how it was changing the historical picture we have of the past. How much more has been done? But the description of the historical locations (over 50 sites according to the dust jacket) and Grant's deep knowledge combine for a wonderful survey of the incredible richness and variety of the ancient world. The sheer number of locations with remains that have been variously explored is impressive and would make for a great guide for a tour of the Mediterranean. There are excellent notes, serviceable maps and interesting appendices. Really should be 3.5 stars.