Late Antiquity: A Guide to the Postclassical World

Harvard University Press Reference Library

by Glen W. Bowersock (Editor), Peter Brown (Editor), Oleg Grabar (Editor)

The first book of its kind, this richly informative and comprehensive guide to the world of late antiquity offers the latest scholarship to the researcher along with great reading pleasure to the browser. In eleven comprehensive essays and in over 500 encyclopedic entries, an international cast of experts provides essential information and fresh perspectives on the history and culture of an era marked by the rise of two world religions, unprecedented political upheavals that remade the map of the known world, and the creation of art of enduring glory.

By extending the commonly accepted chronological and territorial boundaries of the period--to encompass Roman, Byzantine, Sassanian, and early Islamic cultures, from the middle of the third century to the end of the eighth--this guide makes new connections and permits revealing comparisons. Consult the article on "Angels" and discover their meaning in Islamic as well as classical and Judeo-Christian traditions. Refer to "Children," "Concubinage," and "Divorce" for a fascinating interweaving of information on the family. Read the essay on "Barbarians and Ethnicity" and see how a topic as current as the construction of identity played out in earlier times, from the Greeks and Romans to the Turks, Huns, and Saxons. Turn to "Empire Building" to learn how the empire of Constantine was supported by architecture and ceremony.

Or follow your own path through the broad range of entries on politics, manufacturing and commerce, the arts, philosophy, religion, geography, ethnicity, and domestic life. Each entry introduces readers to another facet of the postclassical world: historic figures and places, institutions, burial customs, food, money, public life, and amusements. A splendid selection of illustrations enhances the portrait.

The intriguing era of late antiquity emerges completely and clearly, viewed in a new light, in a guide that will be relished by scholars and general readers alike.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Medieval History, Ancient History, Medieval, Roman History

802 pages, cloth

First published November 18, 1998

About the author

Glen Warren Bowersock is a contemporary American scholar of the ancient world. He is the author of over a dozen books and has published over 300 articles on Greek, Roman, and Near Eastern history and culture as well as the classical tradition.

Reviews

[Sean Mcmillin]

A collection of articles and essays, some better then others. Some of the material was interesting, some of it was a bit dry, and some of it was was just all over the place. I was lucky to get it cheap, but it is older and kind of pricey. If you are new to the field it might be a good overview, but there are way better books out there for that.

[Jackson Cyril]

Short et sweet

[David A]

This is an exceptional guidebook for anyone interested in the history of the post-classical world. The book provides an in-depth and comprehensive analysis of the era, making it an invaluable resource for scholars, students, and enthusiasts alike. The editors have done an outstanding job of presenting the complex and diverse world of late antiquity in a way that is both engaging and informative. The writing style is clear and concise, making the book accessible to readers of all levels of expertise.

The book is divided into clear and logical sections, making it easy for readers to navigate and find the information they need. It also includes helpful maps and illustrations that enhance the reading experience and provide a visual aid to better understand the topics covered. It also provides cultural and social context, giving readers a comprehensive understanding of the world of late antiquity. This approach makes the book not only informative but also engaging and enjoyable to read.

[Benjamin Phillips]

An interesting little book on the transformation of private life and community during Christianization

[Briana Grenert]

An impressive and interesting reference work that was also quite the slog. It's so much to take in (I have 42 pages of notes on this!)
So grateful that this exists :)

[Michael Smith]

Though I shifted over to American studies in grad school for practical reasons, my original love in the field of history was late antiquity and early medieval and I’ve maintained that interest ever since. As in all areas of the social sciences, things change, both in methodology and in academic tastes, and this field is no different. Bowersock and his colleagues have attempted to bring together in a single volume a number of tools and resources that will allow someone who has been out of touch for a couple decades to become quickly aware of the present questions and controversies among classicists and medievalists -- and they’re about half successful.

The latter two-thirds of the volume is a somewhat idiosyncratic alphabetical collection of more or less brief articles (from half a page to three or four pages) on a very wide variety of topics, including Nestorians (and a separate article on Nestorius), Zoroastrianism (ditto for Zoroaster), Fortifications, God, Metalware, Fayum, Moses Khorenatsi, Slavery, Rome (only three columns), Latin (less than that even), Ivory, Fars (the Iranian province), Monasticism, Espionage, Paulinus of Nola, and so on. And yet, there are no articles on Zeno (the emperor, that is), Odoacer, the Council of Tours, or Adrianople. The Vandals are there but not the Goths. It’s a very strange selection, as if each contributor came up with his own list of topics he wanted to write on, with no overall plan -- though most of the articles that are included are quite well done.

The first third of the book is something else again, consisting of eleven essays, each by an expert (I assume) in the field, and covering (again) an odd disparity of topics. There are the biggies, like “Islam” (though it really only considers the situation in Syria), and then there’s “Philosophical Tradition and the Self” and “Sacred Landscapes.” (Why not a broad essay on “East vs. West”? How can you study this period without considering that?) All of them are exceeding academic in tone and style, which will leave out the educated-but-insufficiently-specialized segment of the book’s potential readership. In fact, these collected essays strike one as the sort of thing one would expect to find in a festschrift -- professors’ previously written essays in quest of a publisher. Regarding sources: The essays in the front are heavily footnoted (naturally) while the encyclopedia entries have short lists of sources appended to them. In both cases, many of the citations are to German, Italian, and French publications.

Since this is not an inexpensive volume, I can’t really recommend it for personal purchase to most students of the field -- even though I enjoyed most of the book, and learned some things from many of the shorter entries. Get this one from the library and read selectively.

[Colin]

Tries to be to Late Antiquity what the OCD is to Antiquity. Very often, it succeeds.

[Richard Anderson]

Thorough, authoritative, but not inspired.