Dirk Booms Knihy

"Visitors to museums or ancient Roman sites are often confronted with Latin texts inscribed on objects or buildings from classical antiquity. To the uninitiated such Latin inscriptions can appear daunting; a jumble of letters seemingly without structure or meaning. However, since they were meant to be understood by all levels of ancient Roman society, even those who couldn't read, these ancient inscriptions followed strict grammatical rules and standardized abbreviations that could be easily decoded. This book will teach readers, even those with no knowledge of Latin, how to decipher these ancient messages. Each illustrated inscription is accompanied by a transcription, a transliteration in which all abbreviations are spelled out, a translation, and finally an interpretation of the text's meaning and significance. Even the smallest piece of information in an inscription can aid classicists in reconstructing the daily lives of Romans, especially those less visible in the archaeological record: the poor, slaves, and women. In conveying devastation at the death of a loved one, comradery among soldiers, or the key events in individual lives, inscriptions can reveal much about ancient Roman history and culture. Dirk Booms is curator of Roman archaeology at the British Museum, whose areas of specialty are Roman architecture, sculpture, glass, and inscriptions."-Publisher's website

Sicily, the largest island in the Mediterranean, has been inhabited for millennia due to its strategic location and fertile soil, enriched by Mount Etna. This allure attracted various settlers and conquerors, including Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, and Normans. The island experienced cycles of decline and prosperity, with periods of enlightenment where the arts thrived. This book, tied to a major 2016 exhibition at the British Museum, surveys Sicily’s geography and its rich mythological and historical background, emphasizing two key artistic periods. The Greeks settled in the late eighth century BCE, encountering Phoenicians and others, and their Classical golden age produced awe-inspiring temples throughout the Greek Mediterranean. A second remarkable period occurred under Norman rule in the twelfth century AD, when Sicily emerged as a cultural and economic powerhouse in Europe. Featuring over two hundred full-color images of extraordinary artifacts from the British Museum and various museums worldwide, this book showcases the talents of artists, artisans, architects, and builders, along with the vision of their patrons, who collectively created some of the most significant works of art in Mediterranean history.