ANTIQUITY and Britain

Late Antiquity and Early Islam

In this paper, an investigation on the relation between state-building and Near Eastern religion is attempted. Analyzing the city-state of Ḥaṭrā (Iraq, close to Kirkuk), it is demonstrated that pre-Islamic state craft in the region was dependent on the initiative of the Parthian monarchy in Iran. The kings of the Arsacid dynasty attempted to bestow the local Arabic tribes in the Jazira with a c...

Synovial fluid in antiquity.

7 Hall N D, Gillan A H. Effects of antirheumatic drugs on protein sulphydryl reactivity of human serum. J Pharm Pharmacol 1979; 31: 676-80. 8 Jellum E, Munthe E, Guldal G, Aaseth J. Fate of the gold and the thiomalate part after intramuscular administration of aurothiomalate to mice. Ann Rheum Dis 1980; 39: 155-8. 9 Munthe E, Guldal G, Jellum E. Increased intracellular glutathione during penici...

Breast cancer in antiquity.

Cancer of the breast, seen by Galen as the commonest cancer of his time, was probably first mentioned by Hippocrates in the 5th century BC. A single case history was described but no specific treatment mentioned. For centuries no further cases were described, until Cato, 2nd century BC, advocated cabbage poultices for all tumours and breast cancer in particular. Aëtius of Amida probably first d...

Antiquity in Antiquity Jewish and Christian Pasts in the Greco-Roman World

Ebola in Antiquity?

This article addresses whether Ebola may have been present in an urban setting in Athens in 430 bce and explores the historical importance of the ancient outbreak. New knowledge from today's West African epidemic allows a more accurate assessment of whether Ebola may have caused the Athenian outbreak than was once possible. The Athenian disease, whose etiology remains unknown, developed abruptl...