Readings in Late Antiquity: A Sourcebook (Routledge Sourcebooks for the Ancient World)

Late Antiquity (ca. 250-650) witnessed the transition from Classical Antiquity to the Middle Ages in the Mediterranean and Near Eastern worlds. Christianity displaced polytheism over a wide area, offering new definitions of identity and community. The Roman Empire collapsed in Western Europe to be replaced by new "Germanic" kingdoms. In the East, Byzantium emerged, while the Persian Empire reached its apogee and collapsed. Arab armies carrying the banner of Islam reshaped the political map and brought the late antique era to a close. This sourcebook illustrates the dramatic political, social and religious transformations of Late Antiquity through the words of the men and women who experienced them. Drawing from Greek, Latin, Syriac, Hebrew, Coptic, Persian, Arabic and Armenian sources, the carefully chosen passages illuminate the lives of emperors, abbesses, aristocrats, slaves, children, barbarian chieftains, and saints. The Roman Empire is kept at the centre of the discussion, with chapters devoted to its government, cities, army, law, medicine, domestic life, philosophy, Christianity, polytheism, and Jews. Further chapters deal with the peoples who surrounded the Roman state: Persians, Huns, northern "Germanic" barbarians, and the followers of Islam. This revised and updated second edition provides an expanded view of Late Antiquity with a new chapter on domestic life, as well extra material throughout, including passages that appear for the first time in English translation. Readings in Late Antiquity is the only sourcebook that covers such a wide range of topics over the full breadth of the late antique period. Cover 1 READINGS IN LATE ANTIQUITY: A Sourcebook 6 Copyright 7 CONTENTS 8 MAPS 44 INTRODUCTION TO THE FIRST EDITION 64 INTRODUCTION TO THE SECOND EDITION 68 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 70 CHRONOLOGY 72 LATE ANTIQUE RULERS 76 PERMISSIONS 84 1 THE ROMAN EMPIRE: RULER AND ADMINISTRATION 90 2 CITIES 126 3 THE ROMAN ARMY 167 4 CHRISTIANITY 199 5 POLYTHEISM 263 6 JEWS 290 7 WOMEN 313 8 DOMESTIC LIFE 329 9 LAW 374 10 MEDICINE 386 11 PHILOSOPHY 400 12 SASANIAN PERSIA 416 13 INVADERS AND SUCCESSOR STATES 434 14 STEPPE PEOPLES AND SLAVS 460 15 ISLAM 476 APPENDIX: LATE ANTIQUITY ON THE WEB 497 INDEX OF ANCIENT SOURCES 499 INDEX 505 This collection presents an insight into the lives of the emperors, abbesses, aristocrats, slaves and saints who left vivid records of their experiences. Extra material on domestic life, the 'fall' of the western provinces and apocalyptic thought in religious traditions is included to provide an expanded view of late antiquity The Roman Empire : Ruler And Administration -- Cities -- The Roman Army -- Christianity -- Polytheism -- Jews -- Women -- Domestic Life -- Law -- Medicine -- Philosophy -- Sasanian Persia -- Invaders And Successor States -- Steppe Peoples And Slavs -- Islam. Michael Maas. Includes Bibliographical References And Indexes. The Roman Empire -- The Roman Army -- Christianity -- Polytheism -- Jews -- Domestic life -- Women -- Law -- Medicine -- Philosophy -- Persia -- Germanic invaders and successor states -- Steppe people -- Slavs -- Islam. This volume seeks to make accessible to students a multiplicity of texts which illuminate the history, culture, medicine, philosophy, religion and peoples of late antiquity