In Ancient Greeks in their own Words, historian Matthew Dillon reveals the nature of everyday life in the classical world. Using a series of telling extracts from Greek literature to provide a picture of their customs, concerns and underlying values, he allows the people to speak for themselves, both in the formal language of public office and in the colloquial speech of the household and the street.Their words reveal activities and opinions which are some...

It has often been thought that participation in fertility rituals was women's most important religious activity in classical Greece. Matthew Dillon's wide-ranging study makes it clear that women engaged in numerous other rites and cults, and that their role in Greek religion was actually more important than that of men. Women invoked the gods' help in becoming pregnant, venerated the god of wine, worshipped new and exotic deities, used magic for both erotic and pain-relieving purposes, and...

This volume explores the religious motivations for pilgrimage and reveals the main preoccupations of worshippers in Ancient Greece.Dillon examines the main sanctuaries of Delphi, Epidauros and Olympia, as well as the less well-known oracle of Didyma in Asia Minor and the festivals at the Isthmus of Corinth. He discusses the modes of travel to the sites, means of communication between pilgrims and the religious and ritual practices at the sanctuaries themselves.A unique insigh...

This is a composition of writings I've done while drinking. I found it to be easier to write down how I feel that way. Most of these writings are about love, some about hurt and death. The short story at the end was the hardest to write about. These are all personal feelings and thoughts.

Addressing the role which divination played in ancient Greek society, this volume deals with various forms of prophecy and how each was utilised and for what purpose. Chapters bring together key types of divining, such as from birds, celestial phenomena, the entrails of sacrificed animals and dreams. Oracular centres delivered prophetic pronouncements to enquirers, but in addition, there were written collections of oracles in circulation. Many books were available on how to interpret dream...

Essays exploring the role religion played in ancient Roman warfare, including destroying enemies' gods, wartime ceremonies, and live burials.Religion was integral to the conduct of war in the ancient world and the Romans were certainly no exception. No campaign was undertaken, no battle risked, without first making sacrifice to propitiate the appropriate gods (such as Mars, god of War) or consulting oracles and omens to divine their plans. Yet the link between war a...

Essays examining the influence of gods, oracles, and omens in the wars of the Archaic and Classical Greek world.Religion was integral to the conduct of war in the ancient world and the Greeks were certainly no exception. No campaign was undertaken, no battle risked, without first making sacrifice to propitiate the appropriate gods (such as Ares, god of War) or consulting oracles and omens to divine their plans. Yet the link between war and religion is an area that h...

This textbook provides comprehensive coverage of the political, military, and social history of ancient Rome from the earliest days of the Republic to its collapse and the subsequent foundations of the empire established by Augustus prior to his death in AD 14.Interspersed through the discussion of the political history of the period are crucial chapters on all aspects of Roman culture, including women, religion, slavery and manumission, overseas conquests and their impact, and lif...

In this second edition, Ancient Rome presents an extensive range of material, from the early Republic to the death of Augustus, with two new chapters on the Second Triumvirate and The Age of Augustus. Dillon and Garland have also included more extensive late Republican and Augustan sources on social developments, as well as further information on the Gold Age of Roman literature.Providing comprehensive coverage of all important documents pertaining to the Roman Republic an...

In this revised edition, Matthew Dillon and Lynda Garland have expanded the chronological range of Ancient Greece to include the Greek world of the fourth century. The sourcebook now ranges from the first lines of Greek literature to the death of Alexander the Great, covering all of the main historical periods and social phenomena of ancient Greece. The material is taken from a variety of sources: historians, inscriptions, graffiti, law codes, epitaphs, decrees, drama and poetry. It includ...

As described in the Old Testament, God promises Hebrews eternal bliss if they follow ten commandments and associated rules. The New overhauls the Old, defining the way to Heaven via the heart rather than the hand. These promises became known as “covenants” over time. And like in any contractual engagement, anyone signing onto such agreement is best served by fully understanding both the terms and parties involved. We rarely do, however. Yet, when our eternal life is on the line, is a littl...

From a Church that once enjoyed devotional loyalty, political influence, and institutional power unrivaled in Europe, the Catholic Church in Ireland now faces collapse. Devastated by a series of reports on clerical sexual abuse, challenged publicly during several political battles, and painfully aware of plunging Mass attendance, the Irish Church today is confronted with the loss of its institutional legitimacy. This study is the first international and interdisciplinary attempt to conside...