Fish and Fishing in the Roman World

This article focuses on two aspects related to fish and fishing. It first discusses the social context for the consumption of preserved and fresh fish, showing that generally consumption of certain types of fresh fish conferred status, whereas consumption of preserved fish, being more affordable, was attested across social strata. The article then moves on to examine the organisation of the ‘fishing industry’, specifically the relationship between fish-salting establishments and the fishermen who provided the fish. Although we have many literary, documentary, and archaeological sources for fish preservation and fishing techniques in classical antiquity, the fishermen engaged in large-scale fishing remain rather elusive.     

Developments in Harnessing and Draught in the Roman World

Material remains of harness elements from different parts of the Roman Empire have contributed to a new interpretation of the harness depicted on funerary reliefs of the second‐third centuries AD from north‐western Europe and on other figured documents, such as Trajan's Column in Rome (dedicated in 113 AD). As recent experimental reconstruction has shown, the curved wooden plaques, held firmly in place by a metal bow, may have formed a precedent for the collar and hames developed during the Middle Ages into the form still in use today. The most important innovation was the introduction – no later than the second century AD – of single draught between shafts, replacing traditional paired draught with pole and yoke. There is even some evidence that other elements of modern harness, such as traces and the whippletree, hitherto considered to be medieval inventions, were also known during the period of the Roman Empire.     

伊斯兰世界犹太人与阿拉伯人的交往

历史上的犹太人与阿拉伯人在种族上是近亲,在地理上是近邻,有着血脉相通的联系。远古时代,他们来往密切,并有着相互联姻的历史记载。第一圣殿被毁以后,流落在阿拉伯半岛的犹太人带来了犹太文化,并对伊斯兰思想的形成产生了很大的影响。公元7世纪之后,随着伊斯兰教对半岛上的反伊斯兰势力采取强硬政策,阿拉伯人与犹太人之间的关系逐渐疏远,并出现了宗教冲突。但当伊斯兰政权稳固之后,双方又出现了和睦相处的局面。特别是阿拔斯王朝时期,许多犹太人取得了很高的政治、军事地位,为王朝的发展做出了贡献。正是在阿拉伯人的宽容与监护下,西班牙等地的犹太社团才发挥了自身的创造力,形成了灿烂的文化。     

人民大会及其在古典罗马共和国政治生活中的作用

有关罗马共和国政治生活的性质,在学术界存在截然不同的认识.本文利用古典文献和当代学者的研究成果,对罗马人民大会的权力、人民大会权力的局限性以及人民大会和罗马政制中的民主因素问题进行探讨,认为人民大会在法律上是罗马共和国的最高权力机关,享有立法等多方面的重要权力,但在具体行使权力过程中,受到多重不民主因素的限制.尽管如此,在作为城邦的罗马,人民大会仍发挥了相当重要的作用.罗马政治的稳定和扩张的成功,也是人民大会发挥作用的结果.