Dating Aphrodite

What's the connection between the Battle of Troy and the ANZACS at Gallipoli? Does the latest film of Alexander the Great do him justice? Are you a pagan at heart? Why is there a worldwide revival of interest in the Classics? Slattery talks about big ideas in simple, sensible language. And he takes you to the places where these ideas were born. He shows you the landscape and explains how, even today, the spirit of these places shines through. Slattery is a journalist, culture writer and book critic whose work has appeared in The Australian, the Financial Review, the Age, the (UK) Spectator, The Times Literary Supplement and the International Herald Tribune. His writing is clear, accessible, evocative and opinionated in the best journalistic tradition.

The small site of Aphrodite's Kephali, among several other Minoan and later sites, took advantage of the valley topography in the Isthmus of Ierapetra in eastern Crete by establishing themselves along the nearby hills, resulting in easy access to the natural trade route between the Aegean and the Libyan Seas. A discussion of the architecture, artifacts, and ecofacts are presented from the excavation of this Early Minoan I watchtower. The conclusions challenge some of the commonly held views about Crete in the third millennium B.C. It is suggested that rather than being a precursor to a socially complex state that would arise later, early polities involving several communities probably already existed in the isthmus during the EM I period. Social and economic differentiation existed on a regional, not just a local level, and decisions for mutual defense could involve collaboration by groups of workers, including the building of the watchtower that is the focus of this volume.

A cultural history of the goddess of love, from a New York Times bestselling and award-winning historian. Aphrodite was said to have been born from the sea, rising out of a froth of white foam. But long before the Ancient Greeks conceived of this voluptuous blonde, she existed as an early spirit of fertility on the shores of Cyprus -- and thousands of years before that, as a ferocious warrior-goddess in the Middle East. Proving that this fabled figure is so much more than an avatar of commercialized romance, historian Bettany Hughes reveals the remarkable lifestory of one of antiquity's most potent myths. Venus and Aphrodite brings together ancient art, mythology, and archaeological revelations to tell the story of human desire. From Mesopotamia to modern-day London, from Botticelli to Beyoncé, Hughes explains why this immortal goddess continues to entrance us today -- and how we trivialize her power at our peril.

THE STORY: LUMINESCENCE DATING is a thriller about a lost statue, a lost son, an ancient mystery and a love affair between two desperately mismatched people. Angela Hart has spent the better part of her career searching for a voluptuous naked Aphro

According to myth, the Greek goddesses Persephone, Demeter, and Aphrodite faced difficult decisions about love and children. Now, three mortal women-Tess, Tiffany, and Tanya-face conflicts in the same vein. Each woman is on the threshold of great change, if only they have the strength to go it alone. Tess balances her time among her career, her children, and her husband, but she feels detached from her marriage. It would be easy to leave for her sake, but what about the children? Tiffany, on the other hand, seems to have the perfect marriage; she enjoys being a housewife and mother. Life is wonderful-until she realizes her husband has a secret. Tanya moved from Russia with her daughter, hoping to start a new life in Seattle with Jim, but he is not what he seems. Tanya must make her choice to stay or go, but nothing waits for her in Russia. Three women face life-altering decisions when they meet at their neighborhood clubhouse. Will their new friendships be a help or a hindrance?

When Aphrodite learns her fianc has been involved in extracurricular activities for the duration of their relationship, she leaves him on the spot. Now faced with the issue of no home, no car, and no job, she willingly accepts the airline tickets and small donations from her friends and family. At first, this period of extensive travel ushers in exciting adventures and people. Gallivanting around the globe as a free agent with no responsibility or fianc to answer to is refreshing. However, after a year, the novelty wears off, and the jet-setter lifestyle begins to take its toll. She no longer takes joy in the irony of traveling on private jets and hobnobbing with the wealthy while she is flat broke. Inwardly, she yearns for the stability of home and someone to love but has no idea how to attain such things while stuck in such a fast and shallow environment. This is a true story of Aphrodites quest for freedom and happiness, what she does to survive in NYC, and how she calls forth the courage to completely reinvent herself that, in turn, reconnects her with a man whos been waiting for her since their first brief but indelible meeting years before; this is about how the power of love can transform. Ultimately, its Aphrodite refusal to accept a mediocre life that enables her to successfully pursue her dreams and refine her character. Its a story of how we all may attain the happy ending by simply listening to our inner voice and wisdom.

Situated on the southwest coast of modern Turkey, Miletos stood for centuries as one of the paramount cities in the Hellenic world, a gateway between the East and West. It became especially famous as the most prolific mother city in Greek history, sending out at least forty-five known primary and secondary settlements into the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea, while at home developing into an intellectual and artistic center and one of the birthplaces of Western science and philosophy. A history of Miletos is long overdue. Despite the significance of this city in antiquity and the important results of ongoing excavations there, the last full-scale discussion of Miletos was written in 1915. In Miletos, the Ornament of Ionia, Vanessa B. Gorman provides the first and only modern, integrated history of the city, collecting and scrutinizing sources about Miletos for the period stretching from the first signs of habitation until 400 B.C.E. This book reviews the archaeological evidence for the physical city, demonstrates the likelihood of both Minoan and Mycenaean settlements there, and substantiates the fact of the Persian destruction and refoundation of Miletos along orthogonal lines. With insight and diligence, Gorman surveys the cults known to have existed during this period; traces the political progress of the city through monarchy, oligarchy, tyranny, and democracy; and sketches the terms of its subjugation under the Persians and later the Athenians. Providing a detailed and up-to-date account of the development of one of the major urban centers of Asia Minor, Gorman's book will engage classicists, historians, and Near Eastern specialists. Vanessa B. Gorman is Associate Professor of History, University of Nebraska, Lincoln.

"Worshipping Aphrodite fills a gap in scholarship that has largely ignored the worship of Aphrodite in classical Athens in favor of more prominent deities, such as Athena, Zeus, and Hephaistos. It is the first study in English to address the role Aphrodite played in the daily religious activities of the city's population by focusing on the archaeological material associated with Aphrodite's Athenian and Attic cult sites from a specific time period." "By examining this material together, Rosenzweig reveals that Aphrodite had a much more prominent position among the gods of classical Athens than previously understood, far greater than a deity who merely presided over matters of love and lust. Aphrodite aided in the overall maintenance and welfare of Athens' local government, business community, family life, and agricultural health and unified the people in both the public and private spheres." "This fascinating study will interest not only classical archaeologists, but those interested in the nature of Greek religion and cult practices, and those specializing in the development of the Athenian polis." "It provides a useful re-examination of scholarship on Aphrodite and enhances our understanding of her social and political importance in the Athenian environment."--BOOK JACKET.