Rome in the East : The Transformation of an Empire

In this lavishly illustrated and arresting study, Warwick Ball presents the story of Rome's overwhelming fascination with the East through a coverage of the historical, architectural and archaeological evidence unparalleled in both breadth and detail. This was a fascination of the new world for the old, and of the mundane for the exotic - a love affair that took literal form in the story of Antony and Cleopatra. From Rome's legendary foundation by Aeneas and the Trojan heroes as the New Troy, through the installation of Arabs as Roman emperors, to the eventual foundation of the new Rome by a latter-day Aeneas at Constantinople, the East took over Rome, - and Rome eventually ditched Europe to the barbarians. Rome in the East overturns the received wisdom about Rome as the bastion of European culture. Newly available in paperback, and illustrated with almost 300 photographs, plans and drawings, its accessible and comprehensive approach makes it an ideal resource for both the academic and general reader. "Rome in the East provides an illustrated study of the influence of Near Eastern culture on the Roman world, which overturns received wisdom about Rome as the bastion of European culture. In this controversial and provocative study Warwick Ball presents the story of Rome in the light of Rome's fascination with the East. He explains Rome's obsession with the Eastern world as a fascination of the new world for the old, of the mundane for the exotic, a love affair with the East that took literal form in the story of Antony and Cleopatra. From Rome's legendary foundation by Aeneas and the Trojan heroes as the New Troy, through installing Arabs as Roman emperors, to the eventual foundation of the new Rome by a latter-day Aeneas at Constantinople, the East took over Rome - and Rome ultimately ditched Europe to the Barbarians. Through this obsession, Near Eastern civilisation - most of all, Christianity - went West to transform Europe. Warwick Ball argues that the story of Rome is the story of the East, more than the story of the West."--Jacket In this lavishly illustrated and arresting study, Warwick Ball presents the story of Rome's overwhelming fascination with the East through a coverage of the historical, architectural and archaeological evidence unparalleled in both breadth and detail.This was a fascination of the new world for the old, and of the mundane for the exotic - a love affair that took literal form in the story of Antony and Cleopatra. From Rome's legendary foundation by Aeneas and the Trojan heroes as the New Troy, through the installation of Arabs as Roman emperors, to the eventual foundation of the new Rome by a latter-day Aeneas at Constantinople, the East took over Rome, - and Rome eventually ditched Europe to the barbarians.__Rome in the East__ In this work, archaeologist Warwick Ball presents a comprehensive account of the history, architecture and archaeology of the Eastern provinces of the Roman Empire, and explores the influence of Roman fascination with the East Rome in the East provides a lavishly illustrated and arresting study of the influence of Near Eastern culture on the Roman world, which overturns received wisdom about Rome as the bastion of European culture The ghost of Alexander seems always to lie heavily upon those who venture east, the Romans no less than the Crusaders no less than Napoleon. BOOK COVER......Page 1 TITLE......Page 4 COPYRIGHT......Page 5 CONTENTS......Page 8 BOOK COVER 1 TITLE 4 COPYRIGHT 5 CONTENTS 8 Arts, Language and Literature