My Ancient history book purchases

Thank you both (David and Bing). I think I'll start vol. 2 next week.

 

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Well, that recommendation is good enough for me. I've just bought the first three in the series as a bundle on Kindle.

 

As part of our hobby, my personal view is that historical study is essential. Some, like myself, may prefer to collect books. Others may be happy to read Kindle, borrow from a library, or read online. Or even a combination of literary activities. And what areas, personalities, times etc. varies greatly from person to person. Here, a snippet I've borrowed online. "The History of Numismatics. Do you know the earliest coins were from gemstones such as Yellow Amber ? Numismatics is the study of coins. Moreover, one who studies coins is a numismatic. To learn about coins, you should know the history of coins."

 

Amber (probly Baltic)

Not so sure they were ever “coins”, rather possibly gemstones as a store of value...

Miocene period, ca 20-22 million years ago

 

Interesting. Amber was the only "exotic" item from the Star Carr excavation in the UK - about 9,000 BC as I recall. Source unknown but possibly traded - and if so - yes, a crucial part of the road to money as we know it.

I like to think the "sun colour" plus the "magical" electrostatic properties made it a precious (trade?) item, long long before gold, in the UK at least.

So, proto-trade and proto-science too, maybe?

Rob T

 

I buy into that! Amber always reminded me as being “Sun-Drops”. Many of the Amber pieces I possess have bugs and other bits encased within. They are exotic enough to be valuable, tradable, and just plain wanted! I could definitely see them being a store of value that would be traded. Proto-currency? Maybe, but I do not see the denomination and portability of trade value that is coinage. If it were basic trade, and you wanted a beaver to eat and its pelt for clothing, trading for a sack of grain, then an Amber piece might have been only a trinket to sweeten the trade.

Can’t eat or drink Amber... but; thought: it does look a little like solidified BEER! Hmmm... Amber from Northern Europe - Germanic Tribes - Beer... cool thought...

 

Alegandrom. "Forever Amber"?

 

Hmm, that is more reminiscent to me as “For(ever) Amber Waves of Grain”, from America the Beautiful. Not the English novel.

Here is a coin with GRAIN to keep the post honest:


Carthage - LIBYAN REVOLT Rebels 241-238 BCE 9.63g 24mm Shekel Sardinia mint Tanit 3 Grain ears Crescent SNG Cop 247

 

Alegandron. "Forever Amber", by Kathleen Winsor, was described as a timeless masterpiece a very long time ago, when I was still a youngster. Amber St. Clare was, supposedly, favourite mistress of Charles II, who features on British coins, but was beheaded, by the opposition in the English Civil War. No connection to traffic lights, where amber is a warning before red !

 

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Ancient Selfies: History Revealed Through the World's First Social Media: Ancient Coins Paperback – February 24, 2017
by Clinton Richardson



Pride of Carthage Paperback – January 3, 2006
by David Anthony Durham

 

I have several books that deal with the history of the empire but the late Byzantine empire before its first fall ( To the Latins) is difficult to come by.

However, the best Byzantine historical fiction I have read is by Eileen Stephenson. She wrote a group of short stories that are superb and I have been reading her first novel it is very good so far but I refuse to rush it so I cannot give you a complete review yet. A new book of hers is history of the 11th century Byzantine empire coming out on kindle in June. The hard back version came out yesterday. Here is the books intro

The formidable Byzantine Empire lasted over a thousand years, but the fruit of its greatness and the seeds of its destruction can be found in the 11th century. This book is a brief introduction to the leading figures and events of those pivotal years – those who brought the empire to its pinnacle; the others who carelessly wasted its military might and treasure; and the hero who began its slow recovery. The drama of a hundred years of rebellions and murders, romance and political scheming will bring this fascinating civilization to life for the reader

Her older books the short stories and Imperial Passions are available on kindle at very cheap prices.
If you are interested in Byzantine history I really recommend her books, they really help bring life to the coins and are far more fun than the dryer history books.

 

Alegandron. First you asked "Forever Amber ?". And when you get positive responses about the amber connection with coinage, you don't like it - you see yourself as Mr. Right, however wrong you were in playing down EWC3's positive
statement about amber in history. You are the troll, not me, and I suggest you take your trivia zone elsewhere !

 

Couple excellent books to offer up:


Coinage in the Roman Economy, 300 B.C. to A.D. 700 (Ancient Society and History) Hardcover – July 12, 1996
by Kenneth W. Harl



Philip II of Macedonia: Greater than Alexander Hardcover – August 1, 2010
by Richard A. Gabriel

 

History may not have changed in the 51 years since I was graduated from college (Greek an Latin double major) BUT the way history is studied most certainly has. Today rather little emphasis is placed on things like being able to recite and say something significant about 200 Romans and a lot more about is done with overall social history almost denying that it made any difference who was emperor. For coin collecting support, the old way is better. Of the books recommended here, I second the nomination for David Vagi's History volume even though memorizing it will not get you a passing grade in any state Standards of Learning test. Similarly, there are other old fashion history timeline books that are organized by king lists that are a better fit for those only interested in coin support data. I suspect there are teachers of Roman history out there who see no reason to be able to tell one son of Constantine from another or name any emperors who ruled for a year or less. Such things are not history as it is now taught. Dinosaurs like me don't care.

 

In that vein, I like Chronicle of the Roman Emperors by Chris Scarre.



Cheap, compact, and very thorough.

 

I suppose I am being a bit of a spoil sport here – but I always preferred reading ancient texts themselves, and that seems to be dying out, to some extent.

For instance, I recall reading of a Chinese book on political economics reputedly from 2,000 BC (!) called “The Great Plan”, so I went to look for it (in translation) in the SOAS library in London. I could not find it, so asked the librarian - and was led up to a sort of little used garret I had not found. The guy pulled the book of the shelf for me - and started to complain, he got dust all over his work suit…..

Or the historical account of Wang An Shih – (who was the World’s most prolific coiner up till about 1950, overseeing the casting of 5 billion coins a year). I discovered York Uni had a copy and went to consult it, but again could not find it. Asked the librarian. They had a rule that if a book was not consulted for 10 years it was locked in a cupboard for disposal. I offered to buy it or consult it, so at least I maybe saved it in the collection for 10 years…….

The great works of translation was chiefly done by a handful of 19th century amateurs. The much bigger body of modern academics seem to have almost stopped the work of translation since about 1950.

And I find when I go to an academic library to consult loanable books, they are almost never out on loan.

Rob T