In this dynamic new biography - the first on Agrippina in English - Professor Barrett uses the latest archaeological, numismatic and historical evidence to provide a close and detailed study of her life and career. He shows how Agrippina's political contribution to her time seems in fact to have been positive, and that when she is judged by her achievements she demands admiration. Revealing the true figure behind the propaganda and the political machinations of which she was capable, he assesses the impact of her marriage to the emperor Claudius, on the country and her family. Finally, he exposed her one real failing - her relationship with her son, the monster of her own making to whom, in horrific and violent circumstances, she would eventually fall victim.
Villains, not saints, are the usual stuff of legends, establishing themselves permanently in popular lore and imagination. There are fiends whose villainies are so colourful, so sinister that they both repel and fascinate. Agrippina the Younger is one such, having attained a level of power unprecedented for a woman in first century Rome by a combination of sexual exploitation and ruthless murder. She was so powerful that, after her death, no woman within the imperial family dared overtly assume a major role in political affairs for some 150 years. The ancient sources believed Agrippina plotted against her brother, murdered her husband (the emperor) and slept with her son in order to control him. But did she? In this dynamic new biography - the first on Agrippina in English - Professor Barrett uses the latest archaeological, numismatic and historical evidence to provide a close and detailed study of her life and career. He shows how Agrippina's political contribution to her time seems in fact to have been positive, and that when she is judged by her achievements she demands admiration. Revealing the true figure behind the propaganda and the political machinations of which she was capable, he assesses the impact of her marriage to the emperor Claudius, on the country and her family. Finally, he exposes her one real failing - her relationship with her son, the monster of her own making to whom, in horrific and violent circumstances, she would eventually fall victim.
Was the Roman emperor Caligula really the depraved despot of popular legend? In this book -- the first major reassessment of Caligula's life and career in over fifty. years -- Anthony A. Barrett draws on archaeological, numismatic, and literary evidence to evaluate this infamous figure in the context of the system that gave him absolute power.Authoritative ... highly readable. -- Bernard Knox, Atlantic MonthlyAn excellent study of the brief reign of Caligula....Barrett is a highly competent historian and clear writer, and the intrinsic interest of his subject is so great that the tougher kind of reader, as well as the scholar, will study this book with pleasure as well as with instruction. -- Hugh Lloyd-Jones, New York Review of BooksBarrett's Caligula fills a long-standing void in providing a balanced, thoroughly documented, and persuasive assessment of Caligula's life and career. This eminently readable book's value is further enhanced by the illustrations and by an appendix discussing Caligula's statuary and coinage. It will prove a welcome addition to the library of anyone with interests in Roman history and culture. -- Joseph J. Hughes, Classical WorldI do not think that any scholar interested in the Julio-Claudian period or any classics or ancient history library could be without this book. Very well written, it should also be popular with the general public. -- Colin M. Wells
The Roman Empire has always exercised a considerable fascination. Among its numerous colourful personalities, no emperor, with the possible exception of Nero, has attracted more popular attention than Caligula, who has a reputation, whether deserved or not, as the quintessential mad and dangerous ruler. The first edition of this book established itself as the standard study of Caligula. It remains the only full length and detailed scholarly analysis in English of this emperor’s reign, and has been translated into a number of languages. But the study of Classical antiquity is not a static phenomenon, and scholars are engaged in a persistent quest to upgrade our knowledge and thinking about the ancient past. In the thirty years since publication of the original Caligula there have been considerable scholarly advances in what we know about this emperor specifically, and also about the general period in which he functioned, while newly discovered inscriptions and major archaeological projects have necessitated a rethinking of many of our earlier conclusions about early imperial history. This new edition constitutes a major revision and, in places, a major rewriting, of the original text. Maintaining the reader-friendly structure and organisation of its predecessor, it embodies the latest discoveries and the latest thinking, seeking to make more lucid and comprehensible those aspects of the reign that are particularly daunting to the non-specialist. Like the original, this revised Caligula is intended to satisfy the requirements of the scholarly community while appealing to a broad and general readership.
The author of Rome Is Burning separates fact from fiction as he examines the life of an ancient Roman figure made famous in the TV miniseries I Claudius. Livia—wife of the first Roman emperor, Caesar Augustus, and mother of the second, Tiberius—wielded extraordinary power at the center of Roman politics. In this biography of Livia, the first in English, Anthony Barrett sets aside the portrait of a cunning and sinister schemer to reveal Livia as a complex figure whose enduring political influence helped shape Roman government long after her death. “An excellent biography of Livia—as appealing to the general reader as it is satisfying to the scholar.” —Colin M. Wells, Trinity University, San Antonio “In reading Anthony Barrett’s biography of Livia, I not only learned about this remarkable woman, but also gained a meaningful appreciation of life and society in her time.” —Howard Alper, President, The Royal Society of Canada “First-rate.” —Mary Beard, Times Literary Supplement
Knowledge-based (or expert systems) and image processing have been applied to many domains but, although both fields frequently address common application areas, they are rarely applied together. Often a combined knowledge-based system and image processing approach can be highly appropriate and this book provides an insight into both areas and show students how a judicious mix of the two can result in a more effective system. The authors include detailed case studies to illustrate the two approaches as well as worked examples and solutions to problems throughout the text. Third and fourth year undergraduates and MSc students with some computer science background will find this book invaluable. Postgraduates and researchers looking for an introduction to either area - or ways to combine the two - will also welcome this clearly written and comprehensive text.
There can be few historical figures who have made such a powerful impact on the popular imagination as the Roman emperor Caligula (died AD 41). Yet an accurate reconstruction of his life and reign largely eludes us. This is paradoxical. The source material is plentiful, even lavish, by the standards of antiquity. The problem lies not so much in the quantity of evidence available, but in its quality. For our information we are obliged to draw on ancient accounts that can be colourful and wonderfully entertaining but have a flexible notion of historical truth and often seem to border on fiction. The consequence is that there is hardly a detail that the modern historian can present without deep reservations about its reliability. A biography of Caligula, in the regular modern sense of the word, is an insurmountable task, and can be at best be a summary personal interpretation by an individual historian of a mass of incoherent and often inconsistent material. Where does this leave the serious general reader? This book approaches Caligula from a quite different angle, by presenting the reader with the raw material of the ancient sources. It provides over 300 translated passages of texts, taken mainly from ancient writers, but also from coins and inscriptions. The translations are accompanied by extensive introductions and notes. These are tailored to the non-specialist, and intended to help such readers navigate material that is often contradictory, sometimes downright incredible, and helps to place events and institutions in their historical contexts. The colourful and exotic incidents are still here, but are presented in a context that will help the reader gain a more sophisticated understanding of how scholars try to reconstruct events of the past. This approach allows the reader to tackle head-on the stark reality that what we read in our sources is not necessarily the truth.
An air force general, his FBI agent wife, and a federal marshal celebrate in the courtroom as forty years of work to bring down a drug-smuggling ring culminates with the sentencing of former Inspector General Mathius Peterson. Little does the group know that a plot is being created to restore General Petersons name and, even more alarming, to seek revenge for the humiliating comeuppance served to General Peterson. A sniper team known for their accuracy is sent after General Richard Washingtoncall sign Hannibaland his wife Cynthia Ng. The snipers make a crucial mistake and murder two innocent bystanders, leaving two children orphaned. The victims are pals of Hannibals best friends, JT and Pamela Travis. As JT and Hannibal become the hunted, plans are drawn to lure them into a trap. Forced into drastic action to save their lives, the pair of them must learn how to use a weapon of terror. Unfortunately, sometimes plans fail. In this gripping thriller that takes unexpected twists and turns from Indiana to British Columbia to Massachusetts, a body is lost, and everyone must hang on to the simple belief of a child to ensure all hope for a peaceful future is not lost as well.
Nero became Emperor in A.D 54. On the evening of July 18, 64 A. D., it seems that a lamp was left unextinguished in a stall still heaped with piles of combustible material. Whether this was accidental or deliberate we cannot now determine, and normally it would not have led to anything that would have attracted even local attention. But there was a gusty wind that night, and the flickering flame was fanned onto the flammable wares. The ensuing fire quickly spread. Before the onlookers could absorb what was happening one of the most catastrophic disasters ever to be endured by Rome was already underway. It was a disaster that brought death and misery to thousands. In Nero and the Great Fire of Rome, Anthony Barrett draws on new textual interpretations and the latest archaeological evidence, to tell the story of this pivotal moment in Rome's history and its lasting significance. Barrett argues that the Great Fire, which destroyed much of the city, changed the course of Roman History. The fire led to the collapse of Nero's regime, and his disorderly exit brought an end to Rome's first imperial dynasty, transforming from thereto, the way that emperors were selected. It also led to the first systematic persecution of the Christians, who were blamed for the blaze. Barrett provides the first comprehensive study of this dramatic event, which remains a fascination of the public imagination, and continues to be a persistent theme in the art and literature of popular culture today"--
Yorkshire-born Francis Mawson Rattenbury (1867-1935) emigrated toBritish Columbia as a young architect in 1892. Within months of hisarrival in Victoria he launched his brilliant, if abbreviated, careerby winning an international competition to design the legislativebuildings. While his life was marred by controversy, scandal and, inthe end, tragedy, Rattenbury's architecture had an enduring impacton the Canadian landscape and his commercial ventures were important tothe economic development of the West. Richly illustrated with over 200 drawings and photographs, FrancisRattenbury and British Columbia is the first major critical study of aCanadian architect in the context of his times. Using unpublishedprimary sources, including his recently discovered private letters, theauthors document Rattenbury's professional career and the evolutionof his architectural style. Detailed descriptions are given of some ofhis most famous projects, notably the legislative buildings and theEmpress Hotel in Victoria. Besides working on a number of governmentcommissions, Rattenbury became chief architect for the Canadian PacificRailway and designed "chateau-like" buildings for C.P.R.hotels in the Rockies, Vancouver, and Victoria. Other projects such as the Vancouver and Nanaimo Courthouses andBank of Montreal branches set the pattern for institutionalarchitecture in British Columbia. His buildings not only drew attentionto the growing importance of the province, but also lent dignity andcharacter to its major centres. Filled with the vigour and confidence of the imperial age,Rattenbury initiated a number of commercial ventures. These includedthe founding of a transportation system to the Yukon goldfields andextensive land speculations. As the authors point out, theseinvestments were perhaps not undertaken solely for monetary gain butreflected Rattenbury's firm belief in the future of BritishColumbia and his desire to play an active role in its growth.Unfortunately, his entrepreneurial adventures involved heavy financiallosses, among which were ruinous lawsuits involving the provincialgovernment. This pioneering work on Western Canadian architecture will serve asa valuable design source for both the specialist and lay reader. Italso includes an important account of the part played by major Canadiancompanies and government patronage in the development of BritishColumbia. This professional biography reveals new facets ofRattenbury's life and character which have been the subject of bothpublic and literary controversy.
A street educated gritty tale of urban struggles, conflict, betrayal and treason that will supersede anything you have ever read before that has so many young lives enticed at becoming a drug dealer or a gang banger. You will be introduced to Pantha Coleone, who grows up hating the world he lives in where his turmoils and realities are reflected in every attempt at becoming a street success story while constantly throwing bricks at the penitentiary. After this read, like the character Pantha Coleone, you will either trust no one or put family first. Fast paced, dynamic dialouge, that will keep you committed to the storyline from conception to completion. From the first cover, pay attention to the beginning and the end, because there are many paths to the same destination. Sequel coming soon! Pantha Publications-Where Urban Authors are made.
The intersections of aging, media, and culture are under-explored given trends in population aging, rapid increases in the mediation of everyday life, and the growing cultural significance of media consumption at the global level. This book brings together an international collection of critical scholars, both well-established and up-and-coming, from the various academic disciplines that share a common interest in the future study of aging and media. This anthology of original articles integrates aging theory and media studies through a study of core issues including the media’s influence on the construction of “old age,” the reciprocal influence of aging on media industries, age-based identities in a mediated world, issues of gender and sexuality in an aging society, and the practical implications of a more integrated approach between the two fields. The chapters explore the intersections between aging and media in the realms of advertising/marketing, television, film, music, celebrity and social media, among others.
An air force general, his FBI agent wife, and a federal marshal celebrate in the courtroom as forty years of work to bring down a drug-smuggling ring culminates with the sentencing of former Inspector General Mathius Peterson. Little does the group know that a plot is being created to restore General Petersons name and, even more alarming, to seek revenge for the humiliating comeuppance served to General Peterson. A sniper team known for their accuracy is sent after General Richard Washingtoncall sign Hannibaland his wife Cynthia Ng. The snipers make a crucial mistake and murder two innocent bystanders, leaving two children orphaned. The victims are pals of Hannibals best friends, JT and Pamela Travis. As JT and Hannibal become the hunted, plans are drawn to lure them into a trap. Forced into drastic action to save their lives, the pair of them must learn how to use a weapon of terror. Unfortunately, sometimes plans fail. In this gripping thriller that takes unexpected twists and turns from Indiana to British Columbia to Massachusetts, a body is lost, and everyone must hang on to the simple belief of a child to ensure all hope for a peaceful future is not lost as well.
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