The Renaissance is one of the most celebrated periods in European history. But when did it begin? When did it end? And what did it include? Traditionally regarded as a revival of classical art and learning, centred upon fifteenth-century Italy, views of the Renaissance have changed considerably in recent decades. The glories of Florence and the art of Raphael and Michelangelo remain an important element of the Renaissance story, but they are now only a part of a much wider story which looks beyond an exclusive focus on high culture, beyond the Italian peninsula, and beyond the fifteenth century. The Oxford Illustrated History of the Renaissance tells the cultural history of this broader and longer Renaissance: from seminal figures such as Dante and Giotto in thirteenth-century Italy, to the waning of Spain's "golden age" in the 1630s, and the closure of the English theatres in 1642, the date generally taken to mark the end of the English literary Renaissance. Geographically, the story ranges from Spanish America to Renaissance Europe's encounter with the Ottomans--and far beyond, to the more distant cultures of China and Japan. And thematically, under Gordon Campbell's expert editorial guidance, the volume covers the whole gamut of Renaissance civilization, with chapters on humanism and the classical tradition; war and the state; religion; art and architecture; the performing arts; literature; craft and technology; science and medicine; and travel and cultural exchange.
This richly illustrated book provides a comprehensive introduction to medieval England. Written by expert scholars and drawing on the latest research, it offers an authoritative survey of the years from the departure of the Roman legions to the Battle of Bosworth. The middle ages were a time of profound diversity and change. The main political themes are explored in three narrative chapters, covering the Anglo-Saxon period, the Normans and Angevins, and the late middle ages. Chapters on the social, cultural, and religious life of the period add context tothe political and institutional developments traced and cover topics as varied as the nature of national identity, urban life, art and architecture, religious practice, and the development of vernacular literature. 180 illustrations, maps, family trees, a chronology, guide to further reading, and a full index make this an indispensable guide to England in the middle ages. Contributors... Janet L. Nelson, Professor of History, King's College, London George Garnett, Fellow and Tutor in History, St Hugh's College, Oxford Chris Given-Wilson, Senior Lecturer in Medieval History, University of St Andrews Christopher Dyer, Professor of Medieval Social History, University of Birmingham Henrietta Leyser, Lecturer in Medieval History, St Peter's College, Oxford Nicola Coldstream Derek Pearsall, Professor of English, Harvard University
"Here is a superb new translation of Books 6 to 10 of Livy's monumental history of Rome, covering the period when Rome, in a series of ever greater wars, imposed mastery over virtually the entire Italian peninsula. Livy paints vivid portraits of all the notable figures, such as young Manlius Torquatus, victor in a David-versus-Goliath duel with a Gallic chieftain, and Appius Claudius who built Rome's first major highway, the Appian Way. Livy's blend of factual narrative and imaginative recreation brings to life a key moment in the rise of Rome, and the one complete account we have, as the city passes from the mists of legend into the light of history. J. C. Yardley's translation gives a vivid sense of the energy, variety, and literary skill of Livy's great work. Dexter Hoyos's Introduction sets Livy in the context of Roman historiography and deftly explains why this period was so critical an era for the rise of Rome. The most up-to-date edition, drawing on the latest scholarship, this major work of Roman literature and history includes comprehensive notes that clarify problems of historical content, topography, and chronology, a detailed glossary of Roman technical terms, an appendix on the Roman legion of the time, and two maps."--Publisher's website.