The double blind peer-reviewed JOURNAL OF ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS (JAC) is published annually in two fascicles by the Institute for the History of Ancient Civilizations (IHAC, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, Jilin Province, People’s Republic of China). The aim of JAC is to provide a forum for the discussion of various aspects of the cultural and historical processes in the Ancient Near Eastern and Mediterranean world, encompassing studies of individual civilizations as well as common elements, contacts and interactions among them (e.g. in such traditional fields as Assyriology, Hittitology, Egyptology, Classics, and Sinology among others). The guiding principle through this fascicle is the question of “transfer.” How can we render a grammatically difficult passage into modern languages without losing historical semantics (Gabor Zólyomi)? How can we prove knowledge transfer between different cultures (Victor Gysembergh)? And, to what extent are current studies of ancient legal systems considering the historical, socio-political, economic as well as religious and cultural context (Survey of Ancient Law)? Readers may find stimulating new answers but also new problems for further discussion and research. All communications, manuscripts, disks and books for review should be sent to the Assistant Editor, Journal of Ancient Civilizations, Institute for the History of Ancient Civilizations, Northeast Normal University, 130024 Changchun, Jilin Province, People’s Republic of China (e-mail: jac@nenu.edu.cn), or to the Executive Editor in Chief, Prof. Dr. Sven Günther, M.A. (e-mail: svenguenther@nenu.edu.cn or sveneca@aol.com).
TABLE OF CONTENTSVolume 33/2 2018
ARTICLES
ZÓLYOMI, GÁBOR: E-ana-tum and the Ruler of Arawa (pp. 141–163)
GYSEMBERGH, VICTOR: Hipparchus and the “Ancients:” Nechepsos-Petosiris? (pp. 165–179)
RESEARCH SURVEY: ANCIENT LAW
GÜNTHER, SVEN: Introduction: Legal Studies in the 21st Century (pp. 181–186)
HARRIS, EDWARD M.: Some Recent Developments in the Study of Ancient Greek Law (pp. 187–266)
GÜNTHER, SVEN: Roman Law: Opening the System (pp. 267–282)
ABSTRACTS (pp. 283–284)
ABSTRACTS
Gábor ZÓLYOMI (ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest) E-ANA-TUM AND THE RULER OF ARAWA (pp. 141–163) In the inscriptions of E-ana-tum, ruler of Lagaš, listing his victories over various cities, there is a four-line long passage that describes E-ana-tum’s defeat over the city called Arawa. The translations of this grammatically difficult passage vary greatly; there seems to be no agreement either about its exact meaning or about its grammatical analysis. This paper first evaluates the translations and analyses proposed so far, and in the second part it offers a new translation. This translation is based on a new grammatical analysis of the passage that takes into consideration not only verbal and nominal morphology and syntax, but also the information-structure of the passage.
Victor GYSEMBERGH (FU Berlin) HIPPARCHUS AND THE “ANCIENTS:” NECHEPSOS-PETOSIRIS? (pp. 165–179) In his Commentary to the Phaenomena, Hipparchus of Bithynia refers four times to the “Ancients.” It is argued that at least one of these references, to a seven-star asterism of the Ursa constellation, points towards Egyptian astronomy. Further, that Hipparchus was in fact referring to the astral compendium ascribed to Nechepsos and Petosiris. This is then assessed as evidence of intercultural knowledge-transfer in Hellenistic science.
Law is a key factor of understanding ancient societies. Though studies on law have often, and for a long time, been undertaken by legal historians, mainly in Law Departments, they did not substantially affect historical studies. This is particularly due to specific terminologies and frameworks of ancient laws, and modern attempts to systematize ancient legal cultures in a mere juristic sphere, rather than to look at the respective historical context. The present survey offers new perspectives on, and approaches to, understanding the mutual interdependencies between law and the respective ancient society. Experts present theoretical and methodological considerations, recently discussed models and newly published research literature that might shape our understanding of ancient legal cultures in the next decades. In part 1, Sven Günther offers introductory remarks and examines some new trends in Roman Law Studies while Edward M. Harris comprehensively guides readers to recent developments in Greek Law Studies.
Sven GÜNTHER (IHAC, NENU, Changchun) INTRODUCTION: LEGAL STUDIES IN THE 21ST CENTURY (pp. 181–186)
Edward M. HARRIS (University of Durham / University of Edinburgh) SOME RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE STUDY OF ANCIENT GREEK LAW (pp. 187–266)
Sven GÜNTHER (IHAC, NENU, Changchun) ROMAN LAW: OPENING THE SYSTEM (pp. 267–282)