Ancient

Morality of Money in Ancient Greece and Rome

constantinakatsari January 3, 2020

How many times have you used terms loaded with moral judgement when you mention money? How many of you think that money is ‘evil’ or that debt is ‘disgraceful’? How many of you watched Benefits Street in 2014 and argued with disdain that you would never end up in this position? For those of you who do not watch tv, Benefits Street was a documentary series broadcast in Channel 4. It showed benefits claimants committing crimes, thieving and cheating. It was so successful (despite the opposition) t... »

Agro-Business in the Roman World

constantinakatsari November 9, 2019

Have you ever considered that business may not have been that different 2000 years ago? Oh well, they did not have computers, internet and the digital economy but they still had a buoyant property market, they were trading across the seas and the land, and they were pretty good at financial administration. After all, empires were not built on air but on solid armies, bureaucracies and land expansion exercises (imperialism). In the Roman World, the wealthiest citizens were focusing on the develop... »

Direct Democracy versus Representative Democracy. Ancient Athens versus Modern Britain

constantinakatsari October 2, 2019

The impending Brexit caused a massive headache to UK citizens. I know that because my husband suffered a week long one immediately after the referendum! Today Brexit preoccupies most of the daily news. The one piece of news that attracted my attention recently is the existing debate on the value of Direct Democracy vs the value of Parliamentary Democracy. in relation to the Brexit referendum that took place more than 3 years ago. I also noticed that journalists and politicians who engage in thes... »

What do Vladimir Putin and Constantine the Great have in common?

constantinakatsari September 29, 2019

On the surface, there is no connection between today’s autocrat of Russia and the emperor of ancient Rome. A little bit of digging, though, reveals direct links between the two political figures; links that should not be ignored. As we are about to see, the study of classical traditions in New Russia and a comparison between the two figures is essential for the interpretation of modern politics. As you probably know, Vladimir Putin has been acting president, president and prime minister of Russi... »

A comparison of the economic crisis of Greece in the 3rd century AD and today

constantinakatsari April 26, 2015

When I published my monograph on the Roman Monetary System in 2012 I was accused that I did not tackle adequately the third century crisis. This was the most long lasting crisis in the Roman Empire that eventually led to an entirely new political, economic and social system in Late Antiquity. When I published my monograph on the Roman Monetary System in 2012 I was accused that I did not tackle adequately the third century crisis. This was the most long lasting crisis in the Roman Empire t... »

The boldest reformers in the Roman Empire: Diocletian and Constantine

constantinakatsari January 29, 2015

By the end of the third century AD the Roman Empire has been through 100 years of civil wars, plagues barbaric attacks and Persian invasions that run down the economy and weakened the State. Although the inhabitants of the Empire lived for years now in conditions of physical danger and economic instability, they never tried to question the decisions of the emperors and they never tried to rebel against the central authorities. The need for reforms, though, at least in the administrative... »

The power of the Roman state in the cities of Northern Turkey. The coin evidence

constantinakatsari January 2, 2015

Pontus and Paflagonian Coinage in the Late Republic and the Early Empire Already before the annexation of northern Asia Minor by the Romans, the cities of Pontus (around 12 of them) produced their own bronze currencies, which circulated throughout the region. Most of the types on these coins include Mithridatic connotations based on the association of the royal line with the God Dionysus. During the period immediately before the Roman annexation (85-65 BC), we observe a profusion of 12 different... »

The grave of Alexander the Great has NOT been found

constantinakatsari August 19, 2014

I follow with great interest the excavations in Amphipolis (Macedonia), where a monumental grave has been found. As everyone else, I am more than eager to see what is hiding behind the massive walls! So far, several theories regarding the ownership of the grave were brought forward. The most popular among them used to be that Roxanne, the wife of Alexander the Great, and their son may have been buried there. After all, they were murdered in the region! The proponents of this theory failed to exp... »

What was more important, the Classical or the Hellenistic era?

constantinakatsari November 23, 2013

For some scholars, the Hellenistic period is considered as a period of decadence or degeneration when compared to the brilliance of the Greek Classical Era. Without a doubt, the Hellenistic times were the beginning of a new status quo. However it was closely connected to its preceded time period. The Classical period is known as the best time of the Ancient Greek antiquity, the most impressive era; being so significant itself that it cast a serious influence to all western civilization. More par... »

The licentiousness of the Greek colonists of Sybaris

constantinakatsari October 17, 2013

By the end of the 8th century BC the Greeks had already colonised large parts of Sicily and Southern Italy. The reason behind such an expansion was undoubtedly profit: they were probably looking for new agricultural lands, trading ports and metals. Some of these colonies became very rich as they were exporting large quantities of agricultural produce back to mainland Greece. The outcome was the breeding of a new aristocracy in the colonised cities. The new aristocrats were rich and ambitious as ... »