Tag archieven: Romeinse geschiedenis

Damien Stone – The Secret Sacret

Damien Stone The Secret Sacret review, recensie en informatie boek over mysteriecultus in het oude Griekenland en bij de Romeinen. Op 1 september 2025 verschijnt bij Reaktion Books het boek van Damien Stone, de Australische archeoloog en schrijver over de mysteriecultus in de Griekse en Romeinse Oudheid. Een Nederlandse vertaling van het geschiedenisboek is niet verkrijgbaar.

Damien Stone The Secret Sacret review en recensie

  • “A fresh, wide-ranging, and accessible account of one of the most fascinating and under-studied aspects of Greco-Roman religion, drawing on both literary and material evidence. Richly illustrated and thoroughly up to date, this engaging study offers readers a compelling glimpse beyond the well-known aspects of official Greek and Roman religion, revealing a more personal dimension of how the ancient Greeks and Romans encountered the supernatural.” (Julia Kindt, Professor of Ancient History, The University of Sydney)
  • “In this clearly written, well-illustrated and engaging book, Damien Stone pulls together hints in ancient texts, imagery, and archaeological remains to give insight into one of the more intriguing aspects of life in the Greco-Roman past, the “mystery cults” whose practices and teaching were known only to the initiates.” (Margaret C. Miller, Emerita Professor of Classical Archaeology, The University of Sydney)

Damien Stone The Secret Sacret

The Secret Sacret

Mystery Cults in Ancient Greece and Rome

  • Auteur: Damien Stone (Australië)
  • Soort boek: mysteriecultus in de Griekse en Romeinse oudheid
  • Taal: Engels
  • Uitgever: Reaktion Books
  • Verschijnt: 1 september 2025
  • Omvang: 216 pagina’s
  • Uitgave: gebonden boek
  • Prijs: £ 18,00
  • Boek bestellen bij: Amazon / Bol / Libris

Flaptekst van het boek van Damien Stone  over Griekse en Romeinse mysteriecultus

A lively account of the concealed faiths of the ancient world.

The Secret Sacredexplores the hidden religious practices of the classical world. These cults, shrouded in secrecy, promised initiates a transformative afterlife. While many rituals remain mysterious, artworks and historical texts provide glimpses of their underlying beliefs.

The book examines Greco-Roman religious traditions and their divergence into mystery cults, including Bacchic ceremonies depicted in frescoes, Orphic gold tablets guiding souls in the underworld and the Eleusinian Mysteries celebrating Demeter and Persephone’s cycle of rebirth. Eastern deities like Mithras, Isis and Cybele also feature in the cults discussed. The possible influence of mystery religions on early Christianity is also explored, drawing parallels with modern-day beliefs. Featuring the most recent archaeological discoveries and stunning museum artefacts, this is a lively account of the concealed faiths of the ancient world.

Damien Stone is an archaeologist who lives in Sydney, Australia. His books include The Hittites (Reaktion Books, 2023).

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M.C. Bishop – Roman Cavalry Tactics

M.C. Bishop Roman Cavalry Tactics review, recensie en informatie boek over de Romeinse cavalerietactieken. Op 28 augustus 2025 verschijnt bij Osprey Publishing het boek over de cavalerie van de Romeinen, geschreven door M.C. Bishop. Een Nederlandse vertaling van het boek is niet verkrijgbaar.

M.C. Bishop Roman Cavalry Tactics review en recensie

Als er in de media een boekbespreking, recensie of review verschijnt van Roman Cavalry Tactics , het boek geschreven door M.C. Bishop, dan besteden we er op deze pagina aandacht aan.

M.C. Bishop Roman Cavalry Tactics

Roman Cavalry Tactics

  • Auteur: M.C. Bishop (Engeland)
  • Soort boek: Romeinse geschiedenis
  • Taal: Engels
  • Uitgever: Osprey Publishing
  • Verschijnt: 28 augustus 2025
  • Omvang: 64 pagina’s
  • Uitgave: paperback / ebook
  • Prijs: £ 14,99 / £ 11,99
  • Boek bestellen bij: Amazon / Bol / Libris

Flaptekst van het boek over cavalerietactieken van de Romeinen

A fully illustrated study of the Roman cavalry’s evolution, this fascinating book chronicles tactics and composition from the time of the Republic to the fall of the Dominate.

The cavalry ‘wings’ that probed ahead of the Roman Army played a key role in its campaigns of conquest, masking its marching flanks and seeking to encircle enemies in battle. However, the original small cavalry arm provided by the citizen nobility had proved inadequate before the end of the Republic, and Julius Caesar’s cavalry was largely made up of hired allies. During the Early Principate, the armies under Augustus continued in this vein, incorporating large numbers of non-citizen auxiliary cavalry units. The provinces came under increasing attack throughout and following the chaotic mid-3rd century, and Rome took lessons from its ‘barbarian’ enemies in how to improve its military mobility, adopting both new, heavily armoured shock cavalry and horse-archers, and vitally shaping the tactics employed during the Dominate.

In this engaging study, Roman Army expert M.C. Bishop charts how the cavalry grew to become the dominant force in Roman field armies by the twilight of the Western Empire. Eight newly commissioned artwork plates and a rich selection of artefact photographs and archaeological sources provide vivid detail and insight, helping to bring to the life the evolving tactics, clothing and weaponry of Rome’s cavalry from the 2nd century BC through to the 5th century AD.

M.C. Bishop is a writer, publisher and archaeologist. He  is an authority on all aspects of Ancient Rome at war, with particular emphasis on arms and armour of the era. He has written, co-written or edited dozens of books and articles on the subject, and leads tours of Hadrian’s Wall and other Roman sites.

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Barry Strauss – Jews vs. Rome

Barry Strauss Jews vs. Rome review, recensie en informatie Engelstalig boek over twee eeuwen opstand tegen het machtigste rijk ter wereld. Op 19 augustus 2025 verschijnt bij Simon & Schuster het nieuwe boek van Barry Strauss, de Amerikaanse historicus die is gespecialiseerd in de militaire geschiedenis van de oudheid. Bij Uitgeverij Omniboek zal eind oktober 2025 de Nederlandse vertaling van het boek verschijnen met als titel Opstand in Judea.

Barry Strauss Jews vs. Rome review en recensie

  • “Historian Strauss hits another home run with this thorough account of the tumultuous relations between Rome and its most contentious subjects, the Jews, in ancient times … There is no better history of this important but little-known subject.” (Library Journal)
  • “Judaism as we know it today is not the Judaism of the Bible–it is the Judaism that emerged from the destruction of the Second Jewish Commonwealth at the hands of the Romans. As Barry Strauss illustrates in this riveting account, this pivotal period was defined by conflicting values and visions among Jews, corruption of their religious institutions, infighting when they could least afford it and much more that our own time eerily echoes. This stunning account leaves us with a much deeper understanding of not only the Jews’ past, but their present as well, and perhaps even their future.” (Daniel Gordis)

Jews vs. Rome

Two Centuries of Rebellion Against the World’s Mightiest Empire

  • Auteur: Barry Strauss (Verenigde Staten)
  • Soort boek: Joodse geschiedenis, Romeinse geschiedenis
  • Taal: Engels
  • Uitgever: Simon & Schuster
  • Verschijnt: 19 augustus 2025
  • Omvang: 394 pagina’s
  • Uitgave: gebonden boek / ebook / luisterboek
  • Prijs: $ 29,99 / $ 14,99 / $ 29,99
  • Boek bestellen bij: Amazon / Bol / Libris

Flaptekst van het boek Barry Strauss over het Joodse verzet tegen de Romeinen

A new history of two centuries of Jewish revolts against the Roman Empire, drawing on recent archeological discoveries and new scholarship by leading historian Barry Strauss.

Jews vs. Rome is a gripping account of one of the most momentous eras in human history: the two hundred years of ancient Israel’s battles against Rome that reshaped Judaism and gave rise to Christianity. Barry Strauss vividly captures the drama of this era, highlighting the courageous yet tragic uprisings, the geopolitical clash between the empires of Rome and Persia, and the internal conflicts among Jews.

Between 63 BCE and 136 CE, the Jewish people launched several revolts driven by deep-seated religious beliefs and resentment towards Roman rule. Judea, a province on Rome’s eastern fringe, became a focal point of tension and rebellion. Jews vs. Rome recounts the three major uprisings: the Great Revolt of 66–70 CE, which led to the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, culminating in the Siege of Masada, where defenders chose mass suicide over surrender; the Diaspora Revolt, ignited by heavy taxes across the Empire; and the Bar Kokhba Revolt. We meet pivotal figures such as Simon Bar Kokhba but also some of those lesser-known women of the era like Berenice, a Jewish princess who played a major role in the politics of the Great Revolt and was improbably the love of Titus—Rome’s future emperor and the man who destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple.

Today, echoes of those battles resonate as the Jewish nation faces new challenges and conflicts. Jews vs. Rome offers a captivating narrative that connects the past with the present, appealing to anyone interested in Rome, Jewish history, or the compelling true tales of resilience and resistance.

Bij Uitgeverij Omniboek zal eind oktober 2025 de Nederlandse vertaling van het boek verschijnen met als titel Opstand in Judea.

Barry Strauss is born 27 November 1953 in New York City. He is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, the Bryce and Edith M. Bowmar Professor in Humanistic Studies Emeritus at Cornell University, and a leading expert on ancient military history. He has written or edited several books, including The War That Made the Roman Empire, The Battle of SalamisThe Trojan WarThe Spartacus WarMasters of CommandThe Death of Caesar, and Ten Caesars.

Een aantal van de boeken van Barry Strauss over de Romeinse en Griekse geschiedenis is in Nederlandse vertaling uitgegeven.

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William O. Stephens – Marcus Aurelius

William O. Stephens Marcus Aurelius review, recensie en informatie over de inhoud van het boek over de Romeinse koning en filosoof. Op 1 oktober 2025 verschijnt bij Reaktion Books het nieuwe boek over Marcus Aurelius. Het boek is geschreven door de Amerikaanse filosoof William O. Stephens. Er is geen Nederlandse vertaling van het boek verkrijgbaar.

William O. Stephens Marcus Aurelius review en recensie

  • “This is a rich and well-balanced account of the life and times of one of the most fascinating figures of ancient Rome. Stephens presents Marcus Aurelius in all his human imperfection as he navigates the challenges of war, plague, insurrection, bereavement, and social unrest. A fascinating read for anyone interested in Roman history or Stoic philosophy.” (John Sellars, Reader in the History of Philosophy, Royal Holloway, University of London)

William O. Stephens Marcus Aurelius

Marcus Aurelius

Philosopher-King

  • Auteur: William O. Stephens (Verenigde Staten)
  • Soort boek: biografie, filosofieboek
  • Taal: Engels
  • Uitgever: Reaktion Books
  • Reeks: Great Lives of the Ancient World
  • Verschijnt: 1 oktober 2025
  • Omvang: 232 pagina’s
  • Uitgave: gebonden boek / ebook
  • Prijs: £ 15,95
  • Boek bestellen bij: Amazon / Bol / Libris

Flaptekst boek over de Romeinse filosoof-koning Marcus Aurelius

The gripping life, times, thought and legacy of Stoic emperor Marcus Aurelius.

This book guides us through the fascinating life and writings of Marcus Aurelius, the only Roman emperor celebrated for centuries for his decency and earnest Stoic philosophy. Philosopher William O. Stephens explores Marcus’ reluctant rise to power, his marriage and his efforts to mould his son into a successor. He examines Marcus’ Stoic tenets as he describes the struggles of dealing with a fifteen-year pandemic, the betrayal of a trusted general, social upheaval centred on a new ‘superstition’ – Christianity – and how Marcus’ determination to stabilize the empire’s borders met with strife, broken treaties and protracted wars. This gripping narrative of Marcus’ life, times and thought, as well as his complex legacy, will appeal to all those interested in Roman history as well as to aspiring Stoics.

William O. Stephens is Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Creighton University. His books include Epictetus’s Encheiridion: A New Translation and Guide to Stoic Ethics (with Scott Aikin, 2023) and Marcus Aurelius: A Guide for the Perplexed (2012).

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