A History of Pergamum: Beyond Hellenistic Kingship

Description

The Kingdom of Pergamum emerged from the great period of instability which followed the death of Alexander the Great. Over the next century Pergamum was to become one of the wealthiest states in the eastern Mediterranean. The state of Pergamum was incorporated into the Roman Empire between 133/129 BCE and it eventually became Rome's wealthiest province. The whole of Asia Minor suffered in the civil wars which ended the Roman Republic, and Pergamum did not escape the exactions demanded of the Greek cities by Pompey, Caesar and Antony. In the subsequent peace, ushered in by Augustus, Pergamum regained its prosperity and became one of the cultural centres of the Roman Empire. Its ruling dynasty - the Attalids - were patrons of the arts and while in power were responsible for the remarkable embellishment of their capital at Pergamum. Other more ancient cities such as Ephesus and Miletus also benefited from their government. This volume surveys Pergamum's history from the late Third Century BCE to the Second Century CE.

Richard Evans is a Lecturer in ancient history in the School of History and Archaeology at Cardiff University. His research interests encompass aspects of Roman Republican history and the early Principate. He is also interested in Greek and Hellenistic history and Greek historiography.

As Evans is an expert on Roman history, it comes as no surprise that the chapters that deal with Roman affairs are well researched, seamlessly weaving minutiae such as the status and dates of Roman envoys into a wider history about the general policies of the Roman takeover of Asia Minor, which was a long and complicated process. Most other themes, including the city's architecture and temples, Hellenistic kingship and the ruler cults of the Roman Emperors in Asia Minor, are also well treated... A History of Pergamum is recommended as an informative and well-written work. * Bryn Mawr Classical Review * Summarized. * New Testament Abstracts * Evans uses the story of the Attalids and the rise of Pergamum to make some important observations about kingship in the Hellenistic era and also to illustrate the ways in which Rome acquired new territories and integrated them into their empire. The book is extensively documented, well written, and far more readable than many scholarly works, so that it would prove enjoyable for anyone with even a casual interest in ancient history. -- A.A. Nofi * StrategyPage *