The Augusta Posted April 3, 2007 Report Share Posted April 3, 2007 (edited) Thanks to the generosity of the the Forum and its benefactors, I have now put my gift voucher to good use, and the following books have arrived on my shelves this morning: Anthony Birley - The African Emperor: Septimius Severus Fritz Graf - Magic in the Ancient World Michael Grant - The Antonines: The Roman Empire in Transition Peter Salway - A History of Roman Britain All of these topics are a totally new departure for me - into areas of my darkest ignorance which I can hopefully now illumine. Also, all are areas into which I have always intended to venture, and now I can, thanks to UNRV. I selected the Birley and the Grant as broad introductions to the topics in question, as I thought this would be a fairly good place to start. I will let you know how I progress! If anyone has read any of the above titles, please let me know your thoughts. Edited April 3, 2007 by The Augusta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursus Posted April 3, 2007 Report Share Posted April 3, 2007 Splendid. I assume this means we will eventually have four more of your book reviews gracing our front page. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WotWotius Posted April 4, 2007 Report Share Posted April 4, 2007 Peter Salway - A History of Roman Britain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nephele Posted April 4, 2007 Report Share Posted April 4, 2007 If anyone has read any of the above titles, please let me know your thoughts. I have Graf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M. Porcius Cato Posted April 4, 2007 Report Share Posted April 4, 2007 As shown, The Augusta, by your favorite television series, HBO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primus Pilus Posted April 4, 2007 Report Share Posted April 4, 2007 Anthony Birley - The African Emperor: Septimius SeverusFritz Graf - Magic in the Ancient World Michael Grant - The Antonines: The Roman Empire in Transition Peter Salway - A History of Roman Britain ...If anyone has read any of the above titles, please let me know your thoughts. I've read all but "Magic". Birley is an excellent biographer and his works are highly informative. He is an academic at heart so the reading can be a bit dry, but you will finish with an excellent appreciation for the world of Severus and the surrounding eras. I've professed my appreciation for Grant in several places throughout this forum. I view him simply as the finest introductory historian/author of the modern era. I don't mean to suggest that his work is not respectable by any stretch, but simply mean to imply that there are few historians who's work is so accessible to the layman. Salway's Roman Britain might also tend to be "dry" at times by the very nature of the all-encompassing subject, but he is among the foremost historians on Roman Britain. It is tremendously thorough, informative and interesting on subjects ranging from culture to warfare to economics. One must keep in mind that it is a narrative history and not an in depth look at the lives of people in Roman Britain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julius Ratus Posted April 4, 2007 Report Share Posted April 4, 2007 I look forward to reading the review on Anthony Birley's The African Emperor: Septimius Severus. I had heard about speculation that he may have been from North Africa but not much beyond that it was speculation. ANy more information would be interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nephele Posted April 4, 2007 Report Share Posted April 4, 2007 (edited) I loved the portrayal of the veneficium, but it seemed a tad out of character for someone of Servilia's sophistication. Don't you think? Yes, it was rather over the top -- to the extent where it was almost comical. (As far as Servilia was concerned.) -- Nephele Edited April 4, 2007 by Nephele Carnalis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primus Pilus Posted April 4, 2007 Report Share Posted April 4, 2007 I look forward to reading the review on Anthony Birley's The African Emperor: Septimius Severus. I had heard about speculation that he may have been from North Africa but not much beyond that it was speculation. ANy more information would be interesting. Severus was definately from North Africa... Lepcis Magna (in modern Libya) to be precise. The speculation is more about his ethnicity, but its most likely that he was of largely of Phoenician stock. His mother's family (Fulvius) was originally from Italy indicating his Italian roots, but mixed Berber ancestry is also a possibility. Though due to numerous adoptions in the political world, it's difficult to be absolutely certain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julius Ratus Posted April 4, 2007 Report Share Posted April 4, 2007 Severus was definately from North Africa... Lepcis Magna (in modern Libya) to be precise. The speculation is more about his ethnicity, but its most likely that he was of largely of Phoenician stock. His mother's family (Fulvius) was originally from Italy indicating his Italian roots, but mixed Berber ancestry is also a possibility. Though due to numerous adoptions in the political world, it's difficult to be absolutely certain. Interesting. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Augusta Posted April 5, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 5, 2007 As shown, The Augusta, by your favorite television series, HBO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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