Along this route, Romans visited places like Troy, the Athenian Acropolis, the ruins of the fallen Colossus at Rhodes, and the Pyramids of Egypt'to name just a few hot spots.
In this book, Perrottet used ancient texts and maps to follow in the footsteps of ancient Romans eager to see the world they conquered. He shares many of the anecdotes from these texts that describe "bad food, inadequate accommodations, and pushy tour guides" that demonstrate how little travel has changed between the present day and the time of Roman emperors.
Much of the book compares and contrasts past and present sites. Humorously, the author describes the Pompeii McDonalds where he began his tour to Rome, Naples, Sparta, Athens, the Aegean Islands and Cairo. A modern-day tour of the Roman Empire, the book weaves past and present together seamlessly making us wish we were there despite the crummy mattresses and ridiculous souvenirs.
Perrottet offers accounts of the Delphi where ancient travelers flocked to "the world's ultimate oracle" and describes island-hopping in the Aegean as a "mini-odyssey." While he and his travel companion faced certain hardships on their journey, he explained the real dangers that would have plagued ancient Roman travelers that included regional disease, bandits, rough seas and pirates. He discusses how Julius Caesar himself was kidnapped by pirates on his way to Rhodes for ransom.
Of particular delight are the author's descriptions of Ephesus of Asia Minor. His text reconstructs the glittering streets, the gates and library of this spectacular place that "competes with Pompeii as the ultimate Roman archaeological site." He also described the "erotic ballerinas" that predated the exotic belly dancers of the region.
In any case, this book recreates the well-worn path of ancient Romans as well as how they lived on the road. They explored and they succumbed to many vices of particular areas, but as one Roman gravestone suggests, "baths, wine, sex may ruin our bodies, but they make life worth living."
Much of the Roman culture and crafts reflected the preceding Hellenistic period; however, their extensive trade network provided them with a great variety of materials. Artisans often combined styles and materials creating their own unique designs. Terracotta (baked clay) pottery was made and used throughout the middle east and was produced in the earliest settlements along the Fertile Crescent where the clay was abundant and varied in color. The early potters had ample resources with which to experiment, create and develop their styles. The pottery was made as a fairly course, porous clay that when fired, assumes a color ranging from dull ochre to red and was usually left unglazed. Most terracotta pottery has been utilitarian because of its cheapness, versatility and durability. As technique and firing methods improved, a great variety of shapes evolved. The most widely utilized pottery in the Ancient World was oil lamp, bottles, unguentariums, pitchers, bowls and plates, their basic shapes remaining unchanged for over a thousand years and still being used in today's modern world. The oil lamp was the source of light in every household, the bottles and pitchers were used to store wine, water and other liquids, the unguentarium held oils, spices, unguents and balm and the bowls and plates were used to eat from and hold food stuffs. The amphora, classic in shape, was used for storage and shipping in the ancient world and was meant for household use and to hold wine, oil, spice or unguents.
The Bronze Age was an important element in time even thought not any particular period of time. Some areas had their Bronze Age early, others had it late. The primary function of any metal industry in antiquity was the production of weapons and tools. A spear point was ranked as the chief weapon used in the battle of ancient Asia and Europe. The famous Greek poet, Homer, tells how Achilles speared Hector with a bronze pole. Ancient Roman spear points have played an important part in history. Early men tied jagged pieces of stone onto their throwing sticks until they learned to shape pointed spearheads from pieces of flint. In the 2nd millennium BC, the Romans emerged from a small settlement near Rome. By the 1st Century AD, Roman territories expanded from Britain in the north to Egypt in the south. The Roman army was originally made up of citizens. By Caesar's time, in the 40's BC, most soldiers were professionals in a standing army, forming a civilizing force as well as a conquering one.
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