History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

War and State Formation in Ancient China and Early Modern Europe

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War and State Formation in Ancient China and Early Modern Europe
Victoria Tin-bor Hui
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0521525764

Book Description

There is a common belief that the system of sovereign territorial states and the roots of liberal democracy are unique to European civilization and alien to non-Western cultures. The view has generated popular cynicism about democracy promotion in general and China's prospect for democratization in particular. This book demonstrates that China in the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods (656-221 BC) consisted of a system of sovereign territorial states similar to Europe in the early modern period. It examines why China and Europe shared similar processes but experienced opposite outcomes.

Making, Moving and Managing: The New World of Ancient Economies, 323-31 B.C.

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Making, Moving and Managing: The New World of Ancient Economies, 323-31 B.C.

Manufacturer: Oxbow Books Limited
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1842171577

Book Description

This volume of essays approaches the issues involved in the study of ancient economies in terms of their active components - the producers, the organisers, and the transporters. By taking a closer look at how these elements interacted, the contributors have reconstituted the elements of economic behaviour in the ancient world, to show how institutional mechanisms (money supply; the encouragement of city foundations; markets; royal palaces) created frameworks within which goods (oil and wine, cereals, perfumes, ceramics) and services were exchanged. Each chapter engages with the theoretical and material aspects of one of these topics in an original way. The result is an up-to-date approach to ancient economies, which attempts to bridge the gap between the micro scale of small independent communities and the macro scale of territorial powers.

The Economy of Prostitution in the Roman World: A Study of Social History and the Brothel

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Interesting, but not in the way you think

The Economy of Prostitution in the Roman World: A Study of Social History and the Brothel
Thomas McGinn
Manufacturer: University of Michigan Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0472113623

Book Description

In recent years, a number of classical scholars have turned their attention to prostitution in the ancient world. Close examination of the social and legal position of Roman meretrices and Greek hetairai have enriched our understanding of ancient sexual relationships and the status of women in these societies. These studies have focused, however, almost exclusively on the legal and literary evidence.

McGinn approaches the issues from a new direction, by studying the physical venues that existed for the sale of sex, in the context of the Roman economy. Combining textual and material evidence, he provides a detailed study of Roman brothels and other venues of venal sex (from imperial palaces and privates houses to taverns, circuses, and back alleys) focusing on their forms, functions, and urban locations.

The book covers the central period of Roman history, roughly from 200 B.C. to A.D. 250. It will especially interest social and legal historians of the ancient world, and students of gender, sexuality, and the family.

Thomas A. J. McGinn is Associate Professor of Classical Studies at Vanderbilt University.

Customer Reviews:

Interesting, but not in the way you think.......2005-11-11

No, this book will not be of interest to anyone looking for something sexy--there's nothing like that in this book. Instead, this is a social history book, and a good one.

McGinn investigates the evidence we have regarding prostition in the Roman economy.

Prostitution was a perfectly legal institution in Rome. A brothel could be located next to a temple or the house of a wealthy person and cause no comment.

Although it was legal, the workers in a brothel had a very low status in society. That's probably because most of the workers were forced into it because they were slaves. Roman law proclaimed that a slave had no rights over his body; he could be used, abused, even killed, with no one to protest.

It became standard practice for wealthy people to earn money by forcing their young slaves into brothels. The amount raised from these slaves could be significant.

One other important feature of the brothels was that the workers were young by our standards. Children of both sexes were made to serve as protitutes. For boys, their years of prostitution were usually over once they started sprouting a beard. Then they would be returned to their owner and put to another use. Women might continue to live as prostitutes until they lost their looks.

The other common manner for brothel owners to obtain workers was to take in abandoned infants and children.

This book explores an aspect of Roman life rarely delved into in other history books and should be of interest to studying ancient cultures.

The Seleukid Royal Economy: The Finances and Financial Administration of the Seleukid Empire

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The Seleukid Royal Economy: The Finances and Financial Administration of the Seleukid Empire
G. G. Aperghis
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0521837073

Book Description

The Seleukid empire, the principal successor-state of the empire of Alexander the Great, endured for over 200 years and extended from the Mediterranean Sea to the borders of India at its peak. This wide-ranging study of the economy of the empire reveals how the rulers exploited their lands and subjects, undertook the building of cities, introduced coinage, financed their armies and administration and managed their finances.

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A Substantial Overview
Digging the Roman economy.

The Archaeology of the Roman Economy
Kevin Greene
Manufacturer: University of California Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0520074017

Book Description

Kevin Greene shows how archaeology can help provide a more balanced view of the Roman economy by informing the classical historian about geographical areas and classes of society that received little attention from the largely aristocratic classical writers whose work survives.

Customer Reviews:

A Substantial Overview.......2004-05-24

This book is a semi-popular overview of the material underpinnings of the ancient Roman state. But you might say, If it just sets forth resources, manufactures, transport, and trade, how is that different from before and after the Roman Empire, so how does that explain Roman success? Well, Greene adds changes in the climate cycle, which was most favorable to agriculture and therefore human population at the imperial peak. Besides, Greene is not (re)writing an economic history or explanation of Rome-although he does admire what Fernand Braudel accomplished for pre-modern Europe-but rather of archaeology's direct contribution to various fundamental, if overlooked, corners of that enterprise. Accordingly, rather than text-based political history (to which archaeology can of course directly contribute newly discovered monument texts), Greene discusses examples of such typical archaeology subjects as transport (shipwrecks, roads, depictions), money (coins, treasure), agriculture (tools, irrigation, field systems, villas), settlement (farms and towns in their landscapes, environment, climate), and resources (mines, smelters, workshops, construction, and of course pottery shards).

Greene's well-documented point is that an archaeology of the ordinary provides systematic, patterned information on everyday Roman things in the economy that were quite beneath the notice of ancient writers, or simply not documented because they occurred outside of Italy or the major centers. There are no studies in detail here, but stimulating summaries that don't avoid controversial issues. Despite numerous archaeological (material) finds and an amazing variety of textual and depictive sources, many points are subject to continuing differences of interpretation (e.g, the proportion of slave to free labor, in different industries, and in different places). Greene's favorite subject appears to be settlement and regional archaeology: the fitting together of haphazard finds to produce views of how undocumented people once densely occupied a landscape and supported the relatively few town centers that produced the surviving writings. Citations and Further Readings provide access to full details at third remove.

I suspect this is a reprint of an English original, for the author refers to his editors at Batsford, and uses English spellings and typeface. In any case, the type is a bit thick and the B/W photographs are dark and printed on ordinary paper so I could not see all the detail mentioned in captions. Illustrations are appropriate but not plentiful; this is a book for college classes or dedicated Romanophiles rather than casual cocktail tables.

Digging the Roman economy........2002-09-04

A useful popular overview of various aspects of Roman archæology which helps elucidate their production and trade. The book is divided into sections on transport, coinage, agriculture, regional surveys of settlement & agriculture, and metal, stone and pottery. The section on regional archæological surveys is probably the most interesting facet of the book. Bear in mind that this is a huge area of study and this book can only provide an overview. I only gave it four stars because it is now a decade out of date and needs to be updated to include the latest finds and analysis.

Coinage in the Roman Economy, 300 B.C. to A.D. 700 (Ancient Society and History)

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Addresses what many numismatic works don't
Excellent referance
First rate information about the role of coins in Rome
Tough to read

Coinage in the Roman Economy, 300 B.C. to A.D. 700 (Ancient Society and History)
Kenneth W. Harl
Manufacturer: The Johns Hopkins University Press
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Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0801852919

Book Description

The premier form of Roman money since the time of the Second Punic War (218-201 B.C.), coins were vital to the success of Roman state finances, taxation, markets, and commerce beyond the frontiers. Yet until now, the economic and social history of Rome has been written independently of numismatic studies, which detail such technical information as weight standards, mint output, hoards, and finds at archaeological sites. In Coinage in the Roman Economy, 300 B.C. to A.D. 700, noted classicist and numismatist Kenneth W. Harl brings together these two fields in the first comprehensive history of how Roman coins were minted and used.

Drawing on literary and documentary sources as well as on current methods of metallurgical study and statistical analysis of coins from archaeological sites, Harl presents a sweeping overview of a system of coinage in use for more than a millennium. Challenging much recent scholarship, he emphasizes the important role played by coins in the overseas expansion of the Roman Republic during the second century B.C., in imperial inflationary policies during the third and fourth centuries A.D., and in the dissolution of the Roman Mediterranean order in the seventh century A.D. He also offers the first region-by-region analysis of prices and wages throughout Roman history with reference to the changing buying power of the major circulating denominations. And he shows how the seldom-studied provincial, civic, and imitative coinages were in fact important components of Roman currency.

Richly illustrated with photographic reproductions of nearly three hundred specimens, Coinage in the Roman Economy offers a significant contribution to Roman economic history. It will be of interest to scholars and students of classical antiquity and the Middle Ages, as well as to professional and amateur numismatists.

Customer Reviews:

Addresses what many numismatic works don't.......2007-08-16

This volume is the only one I have come across to satisfactorily treat the question of economic context and actual usage patterns of Roman coins. It is both scholarly (containing voluminous footnotes) and readable. Of particular interest is the information pertaining to the frequently neglected period of the third and fourth centuries.

Excellent referance.......2005-04-19

By far the most complete work on the subject I was able to locate. The chronological orginization is both useful and intuitive and the writing style makes this book fairly easy reading considering the depth of information it provides.

First rate information about the role of coins in Rome.......2002-10-19

A previous Amazon.com reviewer of Kenneth Harl's "Coinage in the Roman Economy" expressed an interest in seeing a review of the book from the viewpoint of other than a numismatist. I suppose that I can at least partly do this. Although I do collect some ancient Roman coins, I am quite casual in my approach to it and, in truth, I am more interested in the history and people behind the coins than the coins as objects in themselves. In looking on the Internet for information about the use and "real world" value of coins in the Roman Empire, I came across mention of Professor Harl's book. Wanting to better understand how those discolored bits of silver and bronze had come to be and how they were used, I understood that there was no better source.

"Coinage in the Roman Economy" is unabashedly, unflinchingly academic in its approach to its subject. Expect no whimsical anecdotes about mad emperors; don't imagine that there will be thrilling descriptions of great battles. It is safe to say that Brad Pitt's agent is not negotiating for screen rights to the book. Page after page, Harl details the intricacies of Roman monetary policy, how emperors gradually (and sometimes not so gradually) diluted the precious metal content of the coins, reduced their weight, and repeatedly altered exchange rates in efforts to achieve financial stability. Yet, there is an oddly compelling flow and rhythm to that description of one thousand years of coin history as we watch the story of this instrument of Roman power and art play out against a distant background of civil wars, invasions, foreign wars, and calamities. To tackle this book, a reader should already be familiar with the central events and personalities in the long history of Rome. Otherwise, the information presented cannot be integrated with the larger story. But for the student of Roman history, there is much here not readily available elsewhere, including insights into the standard of living in those distant centuries.

For collectors of ancient coins, of course, there is another entire realm of information contained in this book: explanations of the how those treasured bits of metal were manufactured and distributed, how much a denarius could buy under Augustus and how little under Claudius Gothicus, why new eras brought new coins such as the aurelianus and the nummus.

The ideal reader of "Coinage in the Roman Economy" is one who blends interests in both Rome and the coins themselves. It is not light reading, by any means, but effort expended will be rewarded by a new appreciation of the real importance of these small pieces of metal to that complex and now-vanished world.

Tough to read.......2000-07-19

I found this book scholarly, and I think it is intended to be so. Were this book otherwise organized, it could be easier to manage. I found that the many (fifty or more per chapter) footnotes were cumbersome to look at, being grouped together apart from the main text. Furthermore, most of them refer just to the origin of data. But some have more extensive contents. I could have done without many of them, but not of all of them. That kept me jumping around. Plates with illustrations are similarly placed, but this is not so annoying.

This overview of the roman monetary system and coinage in use for a millennium in the Roman world is compelling. Prices and wages are also analyzed, as far as extant documents allow.

Politicians from around the world could learn a lot about how Gresham's law, the economic principle that bad money drives out good (good money automatically disappears because of hoarding) works; Rome provided good example that people can't be fooled easily.

Book Description

Hellenistic Egypt brings together for the first time the writings of the pre-eminent historian, papyrologist, and epigraphist Jean Bingen. These essays, first published by Bingen from 1970-1999, make a distinctive contribution to the historiography of Hellenistic Egypt, a period in ancient Egypt extending from its conquest by Alexander the Great in 332 B.C. until its annexation as a province of the Roman Empire by Octavian (later Augustus) in 30 B.C., after his defeat of Mark Antony and Cleopatra. Ruled by Ptolemaic kings during this period, Hellenistic Egypt was a sophisticated, rich, and fertile country. Its history is intimately bound up with the history of the Mediterranean as a whole, yet parts of that history remain relatively obscure and open to debate. New evidence, particularly from papyri, emerges frequently and shifts our understanding and interpretation of this significant time. For the last six decades Jean Bingen has been a leading editor and interpreter of such evidence. In particular his work on the Ptolemaic monarchy and economy, which illustrates how the Greeks and Egyptians interacted, has transformed the field and influenced all subsequent work. Historian and classicist Roger Bagnall has selected and introduced Bingen's most important essays on this topic.
Copub: Edinburgh University Press

Early Mesopotamia: Society and Economy at the Dawn of History

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Excellent, but dry.
A 'must' for all serious students of ancient Mesopotamia.

Early Mesopotamia: Society and Economy at the Dawn of History
J. N. Postgate
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0415008433

Book Description

The roots of our modern world lie in the civilization of Mesopotamia, which saw the development of the first urban society and the invention of writing. The cuneiform texts reveal the technological and social innovations of Sumer and Babylonia as surprisingly modern, and the influence of this fascinating culture was felt throughout the Near East. Early Mesopotamia gives an entirely new account, integrating the archaeology with historical data which until now have been largely scattered in specialist literature.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent, but dry........2000-11-08

This is a true scholarly work, exhaustively researched and written by a pre-eminent authority in the field, making it unfortunately very dull. Postgate is unquestionably a master, with a vast knowledge of his field. He leaves no stone unturned, and explores all the critical issues in Mesopotamian archaeology, complete with numerous citations from cuneiform texts. However, being a true academic, his writing is very dry and sometimes awkward, making it difficult to stay awake when reading. Postgate provides detailed information and insightful commentaries on all aspects of Mesopotamian life, making this a worthwhile read. One can't help but wonder however, if the Mesopotamians weren't somewhat more exciting than Postgate's writing makes them.

A 'must' for all serious students of ancient Mesopotamia........1998-02-16

Postgate has written an extremely helpful volume for students of ancient Near Eastern history and culture. It is a scholarly work yet quite readable. His emphasis upon geographical and environmental factors is refreshing and fills a needed gap at this level. Brief citations from contemporanious texts provide helpful illustrations along the way. Always conservative in his own estimation, Postgate provides a variety of alternative solutions to problems and questions raised by the evidence. He does not hesitate, however, to challenge prevailing views where the evidence suggests an alternative like the central role of the temple vs. the palace in this ancient economic setting. The book opens with a historical survey and moves on to provide an understanding of early Mesopotamian society up to the Old Babylonian period. This is a very fine volume.

Ancient Trade and Tribute: Economies of the Soconusco Region of Mesoamerica

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Ancient Trade and Tribute: Economies of the Soconusco Region of Mesoamerica

Manufacturer: Univ of Utah Pr (Tx)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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