War In Roman Myth And Legend

An enlightening look at the importance of war gods and their myths to the ancient Romans. This book redresses the relative lack of work published on the role of war in classical myth and legend. At the same time it debunks the popular view that the Romans had little mythology of their own and idly borrowed and adapted Greek myth to suit their own ends. While this is true to some extent, War in Roman Myth and Legend clearly demonstrates a rich and meaningful independent mythology at work in Roman culture. The book opens by addressing how the Romans did adopt and adapt Greek myths to fashion the beginnings of Roman history; it goes on to discuss the Roman gods of war and the ubiquity of war in Roman society and politics and how this was reflected in the Aeneas Foundation Myth, the Romulus and Remus Foundation Myth, and the legends associated with the founding of Rome. Also discussed are warlike women in Roman epic; Trojan heroes; and the use of mythology by Roman poets other than Virgil. The Theban Legion and the vision of Constantine myths conclude the journey.

How was Rome founded? Who were the Roman gods? Explore the rich mythologies and legends of the ancient peoples of Rome. Famous Myths and Legends is a beautifully photographed and illustrated 12-volume series designed to narrate the ancient mythologies and inherited stories from the many diverse cultures throughout the world.

While the ancient Roman pantheon in many ways resembles that of ancient Greece, there is much that sets apart Roman mythology. Romans also borrowed from the religions of ancient Egypt, Asia Minor, and the Middle East, and legendary figures such as Romulus and Remus, tied closely to the history of Rome, feature prominently in ancient stories. The major and lesser figures of Roman mythology are presented in this vibrant volume with sidebars spotlighting related facts and concepts about Roman mythology and religion.

Myths and legends are deeply rooted in the world's literature, language, and history. But what does the phrase "Achilles heel" refer to, and what did Oedipus or Beowulf actually do? Gather round for enthralling stories of gods, danger, heroes, and great cosmic events. With over 1000 illustrations, Myths and Legends explores epic global stories, bringing to life the greatest creation myths of all time, such as that of Brahma and Vishnu, and the Inca god Viracocha. It brings you monstrous creatures and terrifying people including the witch Baba Yaga, as well as epic adventures such as King Arthur's search for the Holy Grail and Jason's capture of the Golden Fleece. It tells how the Masai first got their cattle, or how the Greeks discovered fire and shares legends that explain death, including the story of the Maori god Tane. Originally passed down from one generation to the next, these sagas from all over the world are part of our heritage and touch our hearts. Myths and Legends provides context and meaning to each one, and is a treasure trove for everyone interested in their cultural legacy.

Silver footed, fair haired Thetis, Ares the God of War, Nike the Goddess of Victory, The Furies and The Muses, Zeus the presiding deity of the Universe and the magical, mysterious Olympus, are some of the amazing, mythical Greek and Roman deities you'll encounter in this book.Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome by EM Berens was originally intended for young readers. Written in an easy and light style, the author attempts to bring the pantheon of gods into a comprehensible format. He organizes them into different dynasties and chronologies to make it easier for the reader to understand the labyrinthine relationships and connections between the various gods, heroes, minor divinities, mythical figures and legendary creatures.Greek and Roman legends form the base of all European art, literature and civilization itself. Since the advent of Christianity, the so called Pagan religion which dominated all of Europe for thousands of years were eclipsed but the study of the Classics as part of the education in Greek and Latin kept them alive. Today there's hardly a serious student of English or art who does not encounter some reference to an ancient Greek or Roman myth or deity somewhere in literature and the Western languages. A visit to any of the museums or classical art galleries in Europe would be one that's filled with allusions and depictions of Greek or Roman legends.For modern day readers, the book is a mine of information about the lineage of the gods, forms of worship, festivals and temples devoted to them. It is interestingly chronicled, right from the primordial legend of Uranus and Gaia to the Creation of the Earth, through the dynasties of the Gods, heroes and divinities of the Night and the Sea, right up to the Trojan War where the Gods played a most important role in the destiny of humans. The section on temples and worship is especially interesting for students of archeology and history. It also includes statues, augurs, soothsayers, temple architecture, altars, priests and sacrifices.The extensive footnotes and author's notes for each chapter add value and interest while the charming illustrations make it attractive for younger readers. Anyone who is interested in exploring the ancient legends of two of the oldest Western civilizations would certainly find Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome by E.M. Berens a source of hours of reading pleasure and a valuable addition to their bookshelf

Even though war, and conflict generally, feature prominently in Greek mythology, comparatively little has been written on the subject. This is surprising because wars and battles in Greek mythology are freighted with symbolism and laden with meaning and significance – historical, political, social and cultural. The gods and goddesses of war are prominent members of the Greek pantheon: the battles fought by and between Olympians, Titans, giants and Amazons, between centaurs and lapiths, were pivotal in Greek civilization. The Trojan War itself had huge and far-reaching consequences for subsequent Greek culture. The ubiquity of war themes in the Greek myths is a reflection of the prominence of war in everyday Greek life and society, which makes the relative obscurity of published literature all the more puzzling. This book redresses this by showing how conflict in mythology and legend resonated loudly as essential, existentialist even, symbols in Greek culture and how they are represented in classical literature, philosophy, religion, feminism, art, statuary, ceramics, architecture, numismatics, etymology, astronomy, even vulcanology.

A Greek and Roman mythology book that's suitable for young readers and is a comprehensive collection of all the major and minor gods of Rome and Greece, with descriptions of festivals and retellings of major mythological stories. Learn the mythology behind books like those in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series with this handbook of ancient Greek and Roman mythology! You' will also find descriptions of the public worship of the deities, the oracles (such as the Oracle of Delphi), soothsayers, augurs, and festivals. Also includes a description of Greek and Roman legends, such as those of Perseus, Theseus, Daedalus (creator of the famous labyrinth), Jason and the Argonauts, Hercules, and the siege of Troy.

Considering that York was always an important Roman city there are few books available that are devoted specifically to the Roman occupation, even though it lasted for over 300 years and played a significant role in the politics and military activity of Roman Britain and the Roman Empire throughout that period. The few books that there are tend to describe the Roman era and its events in date by date order with little attention paid either to why things happened as they did or to the consequences of these actions and developments. This book is different in that it gives context to what happened here in the light of developments in Roman Britain generally and in the wider Roman Empire; the author digs below the surface and gets behind the scenes to shed light on the political, social and military history of Roman York (Eboracum), explaining, for example, why Julius Caesar invaded, what indeed was really behind the Claudian invasion, why was York developed as a military fortress, why as one of Roman Britain’s capitals? Why did the emperors Hadrian and Severus visit the fortress? You will also discover how and why Constantine accepted and projected Christianity from here, York’s role in the endless coups and revolts besetting the province, the headless gladiators and wonderful mosaics discovered here and why the Romans finally left York and Roman Britain to its own defence. These intriguing historical events are brought to life by reference to the latest local archaeological and epigraphical evidence, to current research and to evolving theories relating to the city’s Roman treasures, of which can be seen in the Yorkshire Museum in York, or in situ.