Roman History Books and More

first of three chats on 'caesar's women'

The first of our three chats on Caesar's Women, on Wednesday, covers the first three chapters (Parts I through III):

Caesar returns from Spain and gets introduced to Servilia, who as so often is up to no good, while Brutus hankers after little Julia … Pompey receives and executes the command against the pirates … Clodius plays havoc with Lucullus' army and gets a little punishment but finds Fulvia … Metellus Pius dies and Caesar has a chance … politics Roman (and Caesar) style abound … and much much more … enjoy!

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carter: 'a celebration of some 100 x 150 notes' (1986)

Hat tip: Michael Nelson

Elliott Carter at age 100+ is still alive, kicking, and composing.  A week ago last Sunday I attended a performance of his latest, Zukofsky Songs for clarinet and soprano – Thomas Martin, clarinet and Lucy Shelton, soprano – at the Tanglewood Music Center's contemporary music festival in Lenox, MA.  The work was co-commissioned by the Tanglewood Music Center, the Nash Ensemble, and the Jerusalem International Chamber Music Festival.  It consisted of nine songs to poems by Louis Zukofsky, and I enjoyed it immensely.

The composer was in the audience and took his bow. He is simply amazing!  I had heard he looked frail, but he didn't seem much different to me than at last year's festival which was solely devoted to his music.

'the singular circumstance of an errant papyrus' (arion)

An entertaining story about the Egypt Exploration Fund in general and Oxyrhynchus papyri in particular.

The Singular Circumstance of an Errant Papyrus by R.J. Schork (Arion)

next book chats: 'caesar's women' in three installments

I have been asked how we are planning to discuss Caesar's Women by Colleen McCullough, our upcoming read, over the three chats.  Given the usual size of the tome, I suggest we follow our McCullough "convention" and divide the novel into to three parts:

• September 2:  Through Part III
• September 16:  Through Part V
• October 7:  Through the end

Enjoy your read!

review: 'rome and jerusalem' by martin goodman (erich gruen)

Catching up on my reading, I came across this review by Erich Gruen, titled Two Eternal Cities on a Collision Course? of Rome and Jerusalem: The Clash of Ancient Civilizations by Martin Goodman, paperback edition of November 2008, originally published in 2007.

The confrontation of Rome and Jerusalem cannot but quicken heartbeats, trigger associations, stir memories, and spark curiosity.  No other cities parade the combination of great antiquity, tenacious traditions, turbulent history, complex cultures, and compelling narratives. Rome may possess the conventional crown of the “eternal city.” But Jerusalem has at least as strong a claim on it. In 66 ce conflict exploded between them, the so-called “Great Jewish Revolt” (a label, of course, affixed from the Roman perspective) that took on unexpectedly monumental proportions at the time and produced reverberations that continue to re-echo.

Martin Goodman’s recent book, Rome and Jerusalem, demands attention.* Rightly so. Few scholars have the auctoritas to switch confidently and effortlessly between the cultures. Few have written as cogently and convincingly on each of them separately and on both in combination.   A sweeping survey of the subject by such a scholar, intended to reach an audience beyond the specialist researcher and the academic expert, marks an event of real significance. It would have received a wide welcome on any reckoning.       read full review

This seems to be a worthwhile and interesting read!

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