At Empire's Edge: Exploring Rome's Egyptian Frontier [Hardcover]

Professor Robert B. Jackson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2002

When Egypt became a province of the Roman Empire in 30 BC after the deaths of Antony and Cleopatra, its vast and mysterious frontier lands had an important impact on the commerce, politics and culture of the empire. This account - part history and part gazetteer -focuses on Rome's Egyptian frontier, describing the ancient fortresses, temples, settlements, quarries and aqueducts scattered throughout the region and conveying a sense of what life was like for its inhabitants. Robert Jackson has journeyed, by jeep and on foot, to virtually every known Roman site in the area, from Siwa Oasis, 45 kilometers from the modern Libyan border, to the Sudan. Drawing on both archaeological and historical information, he discusses these sites, explaining how Rome extracted exotic stone and precious metals from the mountains of the Eastern Desert, channelled the wealth of India and East Africa through the desert via ports on the Red Sea, constructed and manned fortresses in the distant oases of the Western Desert, and facilitated the expansion of agricultural communities in the desert that eventually experienced the earliest large-scale conversions to Christianity in Egypt. Illustrated with many photographs, the volume should be useful to archaeologists, classicists, and travellers to the region.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Drawn to the rich history of the deserts bordering Egypt, Jackson (chair of the department of history, American International School of Muscat, Sultanate of Oman) has traveled the eastern and western deserts, and south to the Sudan, by foot, camel, and jeep over the past 20 years. His attraction to Greco-Roman sites gave rise to the research that produced this magnificent study, which focuses on the period from 29 B.C.E. to the fifth century C.E. Rich in archaeological and textual documentation, the work also deftly re-creates a feeling for the lives of the people who inhabited these now barren places. Though the author visited every known Roman site, never once does he intrude upon his subject with the personal pronoun "I." Rather, his narrative draws us into the subject matter, site by site, covering Roman stone quarries, trade routes, ports, oases, fortresses, temples, and settlements. Jackson effortlessly blends ancient history with accounts by later travelers and the most recent archaeological work. Written for students and the general reader, this volume, besides providing otherwise inaccessible information, is meant to draw attention to the importance of these sites, which are being vandalized and neglected. A superbly written work of major importance for laypersons and scholars; recommended for history and travel collections. Joan W. Garland, Detroit P.L.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Review

"A concise and excellent introduction to Rome's Egyptian frontier. Jackson has a remarkable ability to evoke the atmosphere of a site by describing his own experience. The book is easy to read and difficult to put down." Rudolf Winkes, Brown University

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Yale University Press (April 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0300088566
• ISBN-13: 978-0300088564
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,186,548 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars On the edge, June 11, 2002

By 

Alvaro Lewis "jwatson5" (Redwood City, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: At Empire's Edge: Exploring Rome's Egyptian Frontier (Hardcover)

Here is a splendid recounting of histories (the old and the older) and anecdotes of explorations in the deserts and oases of what was once Roman Egypt. In addition, credible summations of existing research and excavations provide the reader with a distanced understanding of some curious spaces. The images in this book, all black and white, seem both numinous and stunning. The maps present the only bit of chaos with their insect-like sprawlings and unorganized keys. One must scan all names of the key to find the number and location for the places described. Clearer maps would have been lovely, but since it is unlikely I'll need such maps, the existing suffice. The reading is compelling, the topics heterogenous. On the whole, this book provides significant information and pleasure.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing insight into history, April 10, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: At Empire's Edge: Exploring Rome's Egyptian Frontier (Hardcover)

This book was amazing! when i read it, not only did it keep me interested, but i couldn't put it down!! the photographs were amazing, and so were the detailed maps! Jackson has done an excellent job with this book, and i can't wait for his next one. his hard work on this book has really paid off as it provides an exquisite insight into the history of Rome and the other places. being the head of the history department is a high post, and i am sure he deserves it.

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book., May 31, 2004

By 

Guillaume Dupuis (Ville Saint Laurent, PQ Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: At Empire's Edge: Exploring Rome's Egyptian Frontier (Hardcover)

I'm basing my next vacation in the Western desert to include a few oasis. He keeps the gritty details to a comfortable level, which makes the reading pleasant.