the History and Technology of Roman Concrete Engineering in the Sea

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1 Building for Eternity the History and Technology of Roman Concrete Engineering in the Sea By C.J. Brandon, J.P. Oleson, M.D. Jackson & R.L. Hohlfelder Oxbow Books CONTRIBUTORS: C.J. Brandon J.P. Oleson M.D. Jackson R.L. Hohlfelder 368pp ILLUSTRATIONS: Fully colour illustrated Hardback DIMENSIONS: 279 x August 2014 READER INTERESTS: Roman Archaeology Rome & the Roman Provinces One marker of the majesty of ancient Rome is its surviving architectural legacy, the stunning remains of which are scattered throughout the circum-mediterranean landscape. Surprisingly, one truly remarkable aspect of this heritage remains relatively unknown. There exists beneath the waters of the Mediterranean the physical remnants of a vast maritime infrastructure that sustained and connected the western world s first global empire and economy. The key to this incredible accomplishment and to the survival of structures in the hostile environment of the sea for two thousand years was maritime concrete, a building material invented and then employed by Roman builders on a grand scale to construct harbor installations anywhere they were needed, rather than only in locations with advantageous geography or topography. This book explains how the Romans built so successfully in the sea with their new invention. The story is a stimulating mix of archaeological, geological, historical and chemical research, with relevance to both ancient and modern technology. It also breaks new ground in bridging the gap between science and the humanities by integrating analytical materials science, history, and archaeology, along with underwater exploration. The book will be of interest to anyone interested in Roman architecture and engineering, and it will hold special interest for geologists and mineralogists studying the material characteristics of pyroclastic volcanic rocks and their alteration in seawater brines. The demonstrable durability and longevity of Roman maritime concrete structures may be of special interest to engineers working on cementing materials appropriate for the long-term storage of hazardous substances such as radioactive waste. A pioneering methodology was used to bore into maritime structures both on land and in the sea to collect concrete cores for testing in the research laboratories of the CTG Italcementi Group, a leading cement producer in Italy, the University of Berkeley, and elsewhere. The resulting mechanical, chemical and physical analysis of 36 concrete samples taken from 11 sites in Italy and the eastern Mediterranean have helped fill many gaps in our knowledge of how the Romans built in the sea. To gain even more knowledge of the ancient maritime technology, the directors of the Roman Maritime Concrete Study (ROMACONS) engaged in an ambitious and unique experimental archaeological project the construction underwater of a reproduction of a Roman concrete pier or pila. The same raw materials and tools available to the ancient builders were employed to produce a reproduction concrete structure that appears to be remarkably similar to the ancient one studied during ROMACON s fieldwork between

2 Athenian Potters and Painters III Edited by John Oakley Oxbow Books Athenian Potters and Painters III presents a rich mass of new material on Greek vases, including finds from excavations at the Kerameikos in Athens and Despotiko in the Cyclades. Some contributions focus on painters or workshops Paseas, the Robinson Group, and the structure of the figured pottery industry in Athens; others on vase forms plates, phialai, cups, and the change in shapes at the end of the sixth century BC. Context, trade, kalos inscriptions, reception, the fabrication of inscribed painters names to create a fictitious biography, and the reconstruction of the contents of an Etruscan tomb are also explored. The iconography and iconology of various types of figured scenes on Attic pottery serve as the subject of a wide range of papers chariots, dogs, baskets, heads, departures, an Amazonomachy, Menelaus and Helen, red-figure komasts, symposia, and scenes of pursuit. Among the special vases presented are a black spotlight stamnos and a column krater by the Suessula Painter. Athenian Potters and Painters III, the proceedings of an international conference held at the College of William and Mary in Virginia in 2012, will, like the previous two volumes, become a standard reference work in the study of Greek pottery. John Oakley 272pp ILLUSTRATIONS: b/w images and 2 colour plate sections Hardback DIMENSIONS: 297 x August 2014 READER INTEREST: Greek Archaeology

3 Romans in residence Excavations at 20 Fenchurch Street, City of London, By Robin Wroe-Brown Museum of London Archaeology Robin Wroe-Brown 128pp ILLUSTRATIONS: 78 colour illustrations Excavations near the Roman forum on Londinium s eastern hill (modern Cornhill) have revealed archaeological evidence from the earliest period of London s history. There was intensive domestic occupation on the site from c. AD 50 5, which was interrupted by the Boudican fire of AD 60/61. The north-east corner of a temporary fort of c. AD was found immediately to the east, at Plantation Place, and reconstruction of the plan of this fort indicates that 20 Fenchurch Streetsite would have lain within it. Scant evidence for this was recovered but finds include lorica segmentata armour fittings and a possible spear butt. Possibly fort-related features include clay-and-timber buildings, a large timber-lined water tank and a metalworking workshop. After the fort was demolished, the later 1st-century AD occupation of the site was again domestic in character, with a succession of shortlived clay-and-timber buildings constructed across the area. During the 2nd century AD the pattern of activity changed, with longer lasting masonry buildings replacing the clay-and-timber constructions. The final Roman structure on the site was a 3rd-century masonry cellar. The finds recovered have a heavily domestic bias, with household and personal items, including a large group of dress accessories. A comprehensive collection of pottery, with a wealth of early Roman material, includes mid 1st-century AD wares. Paperback DIMENSIONS: 297 x August 2014 READER INTERESTS: British Archaeology Roman Britain

4 Traditio An Introduction to the Latin Language and Its Influence 3rd Edition By Patricia A. Johnston Brandeis University Press Patricia A. Johnston Now in its third edition, Traditio: An Introduction to the Latin Language and Its Influence has firmly established its excellence as a textbook, whether for use in a full-year course or in a more intensive program of study. The text is designed to enable students to learn Latin as quickly as possible and at the same time to gain familiarity with the culture in which the language was spoken and used. The best way to achieve these twin goals is through direct acquaintance with the actual texts that have influenced thought and art through the centuries. Reading short works in the original language, to the extent that the chapter level allows, opens a window on ancient culture, even as it makes the language itself more vivid. Chapters follow a regular pattern, presenting grammar first, followed by exercises and vocabulary. Pre-reading and reading sections reinforce the newly learned grammatical constructions and introduce new vocabulary words. A complete workbook is also available to accompany the text. Traditio: An Introduction to the Latin Language and Its Influence is an indispensable text for introductory Latin courses at the college level. 418pp Paperback 5 August 2014 READER INTEREST: Education

5 Traditio Workbook for the Third Edition By Patricia Johnston Brandeis University Press Now in its third edition, Traditio: An Introduction to the Latin Language and Its Influence has firmly established its excellence as a textbook, whether for use in a full-year course or in a more intensive program of study. The text is designed to enable students to learn Latin as quickly as possible and at the same time to gain familiarity with the culture in which the language was spoken and used. The best way to achieve these twin goals is through direct acquaintance with the actual texts that have influenced thought and art through the centuries. Reading short works in the original language, to the extent that the chapter level allows, opens a window on ancient culture, even as it makes the language itself more vivid. This complete workbook is designed to accompany the text, and an answer key is available as a free download from the publisher's website. Traditio: An Introduction to the Latin Language and Its Influence is an indispensable text for introductory Latin courses at the college level. Patricia Johnston 244pp Paperback 5 August 2014 READER INTEREST: Education

6 Thonis-Heracleion in Context Edited by Damian Robinson & Franck Goddio Oxford Centre for Maritime Archaeology This book presents the papers delivered at the symposium Heracleion in Context held in Oxford in March Scholars explore the maritime trading economy of the Egyptian port of Thonis-Heracleion during the Late Period and place it within the wider context of maritime trade at this time. Thonis-Heracleion was the gateway to Egypt, the obligatory port of entry and customs point, and a vital node in the trading network of the eastern Mediterranean through which goods flowed into and out of Egypt. The port and its harbour basins contain a remarkable collection of evidence for the maritime trading economy, including customs decrees, trading weights, coin production as well as the remains of sixty-four ancient shipwrecks. These are set within a detailed understanding of the topography of the port-city, which has been investigated by European Institute for Underwater Archaeology under the overall direction of Franck Goddio. This work brings together the latest work of scholars working on the excavation and post-excavation of Thonis- Heracleion. This is contextualised this through a series of wider ranging studies that examine the developing role of the port within the wider maritime trading economies of the Egyptian Late Period, in the Delta and across the eastern Mediterranean. SERIES: Oxford Centre for Maritime Archaeology Monograph CONTRIBUTORS: Damian Robinson Franck Goddio Hardback 31 August 2014 READER INTERESTS: Ancient Egypt Archaeological Method & Theory Classical Civilization Maritime Archaeology, Ships & Shipping