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The Rise of the Russian Empire, a classical book, has been considered essential throughout the human history, and so that this work is never forgotten we at Alpha Editions have made efforts in its preservation by republishing this book in a modern format for present and future generations. This whole book has been reformatted, retyped and designed. These books are not made of scanned copies of their original work and hence the text is clear and readable.

A new approach allows comparison of infrastructure projects based on their ability to improve installation resilience to climate-related hazards, supporting the Department of the Air Force's climate resilience investment decisionmaking.

No in- or out-of-print book has the same goals, content, wide range, and scholarly approach as the present study. Whether intentionally or unintentionally, previously published books have neglected ancient Graeco-Roman texts that either cause horror or may be said to belong to the horror genre. This may partly be the result of the low esteem in which any text that did not fit neatly into one of the major and traditional literary genres was held by most scholars - particularly apparent with regard to texts that dealt with the supernatural or the occult, which were often relegated to specialists in ancient religions, rituals or beliefs. This book reviews the concepts of horror (literary, psychological, and biophysical), examines the current definitions for 'horror fiction', evaluates the current interest in the darker side of the classical world, and suggests new ways of thinking about horror as a genre.

An expansive and accessible introduction to the history of Korea during the first millennium CE. Korea's Three Kingdoms period is a genuine "lost civilization," during which ancient realms vied for supremacy during the first millennium CE. Nobles from this period's feuding states adopted and adapted Buddhism and Confucianism through interactions with early medieval Chinese dynasties. It was not until the mid-seventh century that the aristocratic Silla state, with the assistance of the mighty Chinese Tang empire, unified the Three Kingdoms of Korea by conquering the kingdoms of Koguryo and Paekche. Weaving together legends of ancient kings with the true histories of monks, scholars, and laypeople, this book sheds new light on a foundational period that continues to shape Korean identity today.

A visual exploration of the Buddhist stupa or reliquary mounds at one of ancient India's most remarkable monuments at Amarāvatī. In this book, Jaś Elsner presents a fresh perspective on the rich visual culture of ancient South Asia, connecting the stupa's artistic innovations with advancements in Buddhist philosophy and practice. He offers new insights into early Buddhist art in South India, as well as a new understanding of the relationship between early Buddhism and its material culture. The photographs collected here, particularly those featuring objects from the British Museum in London, reveal in detail how the stupa communicated Buddhist teachings and practices to its followers, making this book an invaluable resource for students and scholars alike.

"The untold story of the engineering behind the empire, showing how imperial Spain built upon existing infrastructure and hierarchies of the Inca, Aztec, and more, to further its growth. Sixteenth-century Spain was small, poor, disunited, and sparsely populated. Yet the Spaniards and their allies built the largest empire the world had ever seen. How did they achieve this? Felipe Fernâandez-Armesto and Manuel Lucena Giraldo argue that Spain's engineers were critical to this venture. The Spanish invested in infrastructure to the advantage of local power brokers, enhancing the abilities of incumbent elites to grow wealthy on trade, and widening the arc of Spanish influence. Bringing to life stories of engineers, prospectors, soldiers, and priests, the authors paint a vivid portrait of Spanish America in the age of conquest. This is a dazzling new history of the Spanish Empire, and a new understanding of empire itself, as a venture marked as much by collaboration as oppression"--

"On a moonless night in August 1943, a US torpedo boat commanded by Lt John F Kennedy, on patrol in Solomon Islands, was rammed by a Japanese destroyer. Left clinging to wreckage within sight of Japanese encampments, the eleven surviving members of Kennedy's crew eventually struggled ashore on a small uninhabited island. Missing, presumed dead, behind enemy lines, with no food or water, and with several injured, the future looked bleak for the shipwrecked Americans. Fortunately, Australian 'coast watcher' Lt Reg Evans witnessed the immediate aftermath of the collision from his nearby jungle hideaway. Working under the searching eye of the Japanese military, over the next five days Evans and two Solomon Islander scouts Eroni Kumana and Biuku Gasa located Kennedy and his crew and ensured their rescue. This story of wartime bravery and survival helped create JFK's legend and paved his way to the White House. It also shone a spotlight on Australia and America's shared wartime experience. In Saving Lieutenant Kennedy, Brett Mason, author of Wizards of Oz, sets the heroic rescue and its colourful aftermath against the background of the Pacific war and the birth of the Australia-US alliance, which remains as vital today as when Kennedy and Evans first shook hands"--Publisher's description.

From New York Times bestselling authors W. Michael Gear and Kathleen O'Neal Gear comes part two in the thrilling Anasazi mystery series. Archaeologists Dusty Stewart and Maureen Cole are excavating a bizarre site in the American Southwest, and the clues are tantalizing. There's a mass grave of battered women and children, a legendary assassin, a kingdom to kill for, and the site dates back eight centuries to the time of the Anasazi-an ancient and sophisticated empire shrouded in mystery.When they discover a witch's amulet, a basilisk, their scientific study veers into the paranormal. More bone chilling is the revelation that the crushed skulls of the dead show a distinct pattern-the murderer's blows were not random, but precise. What was he looking for? As Dusty and Maureen seek the help of an old woman who can reputedly hear the voices of the dead, they begin to question whether some secrets are better left buried.Meanwhile, in the past, Stone Ghost is hunting the primeval monster known as Two Hearts. But the legendary killer is methodic and patient, and with each new victim, it becomes clear that Two Hearts knows something that Stone Ghost does not-and it just might be an old and powerful secret worth killing for.Can Dusty and Maureen unravel the profound mystery of an ancient evil that lurks in the shadows of their world's past and present?

New insights from the archaeology and pottery of the sanctuary of Hermes and Aphrodite at Syme Viannou, Crete The Sanctuary of Hermes and Aphrodite at Syme Viannou VII: The Greek and Roman Pottery presents in two volumes the Greek and Roman pottery recovered from the excavation of the sanctuary of Syme Viannou, one of the most long-lived and important cult sites of ancient Crete and the Aegean. The site, which is known as the Cretan Delphi, was dedicated to Hermes and Aphrodite for much of its history. The present study analyzes and catalogs 865 pieces, dating from across the early first millennium BCE to the mid-first millennium CE. Kotsonas integrates traditional typological and chronological inquiries with contextual considerations, macroscopic and petrographic analyses of ceramic fabrics, and quantitative studies. The resulting work provides detailed documentation of the pottery from Syme Viannou and explores its ritual and other roles within the diachronic panorama of cultic and other activities at the site. It also supports a broader understanding of the role of ceramics in sanctuary contexts by introducing systematically comparative perspectives on the evidence of pottery from other Cretan and Greek sanctuaries.Volume 2 presents synthetic studies of the material, exploring the use of different ceramic fabrics, the relationship between the form and function of the vessels, and the place of ceramic items in the cultic practice and daily life at the sanctuary in Greek and Roman antiquity.

New insights from the archaeology and pottery of the sanctuary of Hermes and Aphrodite at Syme Viannou, Crete The Sanctuary of Hermes and Aphrodite at Syme Viannou VII: The Greek and Roman Pottery presents in two volumes the Greek and Roman pottery recovered from the excavation of the sanctuary of Syme Viannou, one of the most long-lived and important cult sites of ancient Crete and the Aegean. The site, which is known as the Cretan Delphi, was dedicated to Hermes and Aphrodite for much of its history. The present study analyzes and catalogs 865 pieces, dating from across the early first millennium BCE to the mid-first millennium CE. Kotsonas integrates traditional typological and chronological inquiries with contextual considerations, macroscopic and petrographic analyses of ceramic fabrics, and quantitative studies. The resulting work provides detailed documentation of the pottery from Syme Viannou and explores its ritual and other roles within the diachronic panorama of cultic and other activities at the site. It also supports a broader understanding of the role of ceramics in sanctuary contexts by introducing systematically comparative perspectives on the evidence of pottery from other Cretan and Greek sanctuaries.Volume 1 provides an introduction to the site of the sanctuary of Syme Viannou and its history, and contains an analytical catalog of the ceramic remains.

An exploration of how the ancient Maya engaged with their history by using, altering, and burying stone sculptures.

In The New Covenanters - Part I: The Rising Tide, journey back to the tumultuous first century of the Christian Era - a time that reshaped the destinies of Rome and Judaea. This captivating historical narrative plunges readers into an era marked by the crucifixion of Jesus, the fervent struggles of the Jews under Roman rule, and the heartrending destruction of Jerusalem's Second Temple. The tale revolves around the enigmatic Josephus Flavius, once known as Joseph ben Matthias. From his days as a gallant commander of Jewish forces in Galilee during the Great Revolt to his transformation into a historian and witness to Jerusalem's fall, his story is intricately intertwined with the seismic events of his time. Drawing from meticulous research and the writings of Josephus himself, The Rising Tide not only brings to life an epoch of monumental change but also introduces readers to the people and passions that fuelled it. Experience history's turning tides and the birth of profound legacies in this mesmerizing first instalment.

"From Greece to Palmyra, Tyre to Babylon, the names of the gods reveal their fields of competence and action. Through the study of divine names, the twelve chapters of this book unfold a gallery of portraits that reveal the changing aspects of the divine throughout the ancient Mediterranean"--

Heraldry & Faith is a magnificent work that provides great insight into the foundations of the art and history of heraldic representations. Heraldry is as ancient as the days. It is the system by which coats of arms and other armorial bearings are created and regulated. Lineage and faith are key factors in the creation of unique bearings. Many modern heraldic emblems, especially those in Freemasonry, have evolved from the ancient empires and maintain similar meanings to their ancient predecessors. The monuments which still survive to this date bear witness to this effect.

"Verily, you shall conquer Constantinople. What a wonderful leader will her leader be, and a wonderful army will that army be!"For eight centuries, Muslims made countless attempts to fulfill this prophecy made by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). In 1453, Sultan Mehmed II's conquest of Constantinople is believed to have realised and embodied this prophecy. At the age of twenty-one, Mehmed toppled one of the greatest empires, the Eastern Roman Empire, Byzantine. His military genius and his disciplined army were unmatched. For the next thirty years, he ruled and conquered much of Asia Minor and stretched Ottoman power into Europe reaching the borders of Hungary and Italy. Mehmed was the most admired and feared leader of the 15th century. His people called him Al-Fatih, the Conqueror, but he was also known as the prince of the Renaissance as his rule gave birth to the golden age of the Ottoman Empire. This biography of Sultan Mehmed II will immerse the reader into the legendary life of one of the most influential and brilliant leaders of all time.

The Taj Mahal, India's iconic symbol of love, stands as a majestic testament to the enduring power of love and architectural splendor. Nestled on the banks of the Yamuna River in Agra, this exquisite white marble mausoleum is a treasure trove of history, artistry, and romance.Commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal, the Taj Mahal is a masterpiece of Mughal architecture. Its grandeur is evident from afar as it looms over the landscape, its pristine white marble dome and intricate minarets shimmering in the sunlight.The Taj Mahal is not merely a monument; it's a love story etched in stone. Shah Jahan's deep love for Mumtaz Mahal is palpable in every facet of this monument. Its construction involved the labor of thousands of artisans and took over two decades to complete. The result is a symphony of architectural perfection, with its central dome seemingly floating above the structure, supported by four gracefully arched minarets.As you approach the Taj Mahal, the intricate details come into view. The marble is adorned with delicate inlay work, featuring intricate floral and geometric designs crafted from semi-precious stones. The colors of the stones change with the daylight, creating a mesmerizing play of hues that dance across the marble surface.The Taj Mahal's gardens, known as the Charbagh, are a masterpiece in their own right. These meticulously landscaped gardens are divided into quadrants, symbolizing paradise on Earth. At the center lies a pristine reflecting pool, mirroring the beauty of the Taj Mahal and adding to its ethereal charm.Visiting the Taj Mahal is a journey through history and a testament to the enduring power of love. It has rightfully earned its place as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is considered one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Millions of visitors from around the globe make a pilgrimage to this iconic symbol of love each year, not only to witness its grandeur but to be inspired by the timeless love story it represents.In conclusion, the Taj Mahal is more than a monument; it's an embodiment of love, artistry, and history. Its majestic beauty transcends time and place, inviting all who visit to be captivated by its splendor and to celebrate the enduring power of love. As a symbol of India's rich cultural heritage, it continues to inspire awe and admiration, making it one of the world's most cherished landmarks.

Ralf wanted to release himself from his past but had two problems. Firstly, he didn't know what that problem was and secondly, he didn't know how to get rid of whatever was holding him back. It was driving him to despair. After being introduced to The Instructor, Ralf, with his new friends, Steve and Maria, learnt how to release the past bounds, giving them mental freedom. They were introduced to the Minor and Major Mysteries, Hermeticism and Stoicism the Greeks developed and used for several thousand years. Doing something specific doesn't guarantee our wants in life but doing nothing usually ensures us less in return. The choice we have is whether we decide to take responsibility for the consequences we create or to let them take control of us through unregulated thoughts and fantasies. If that is the case, wouldn't it be better to act and influence ourselves accordingly and be selective in which way we want our life journey to go instead of reliving past events that no longer exist? Easier said than done.What would you do if you were in Ralf's situation?

Die wahrsagerische Befragung der Götter war ein alltäglicher Bestandteil der römischen Religion. Im Allgemeinen waren die antiken Römer mit vielen Divinationsformen vertraut, die auch heute noch praktiziert werden, wie das Pendeln, das Handlesen oder das Schriftorakel.Dieses Buch bietet eine systematische Betrachtung aller religiösen und weltlichen Arten der Wahrsagung, die im alten Rom bekannt waren. Die Berücksichtigung soziohistorischer und literarischer Kontexte macht dem Leser das Phänomen römischer Wahrsagung verständlicher und ermöglicht Bezüge zur Gegenwart.

" ... Aratus possédait toutes les qualités d'un homme d'État : il était généreux, magnanime, plus occupé du bien public que du sien propre, ennemi implacable des tyrans, et n'ayant d'autre mesure de ses amitiés et de ses haines particulières que l'utilité générale. Aussi parais-sait-il moins ami zélé qu'ennemi doux et facile ; car il variait souvent dans l'un et l'autre de ces deux sentiments, et toujours par des motifs d'intérêt politique. Les nations, les villes, les assemblées, les théâtres, s'accordaient à dire qu'Aratus n'aimait que ce qui était honnête, et que, s'il était timide et défiant dans les guerres ouvertes et les batailles rangées, il était, pour exécuter des desseins secrets et surprendre des villes et des tyrans, les plus rusé des hommes. De là vient qu'après avoir exécuté avec gloire des entreprises dont on n'osait espérer le succès, et dans lesquelles il fit preuve de la plus grande audace, il en manqua d'autres, par excès de précaution, qui n'étaient ni moins importantes, ni plus difficiles. Car, de même qu'il y a des animaux qui, voyant clair dans les ténèbres, sont aveugles pendant le jour, parce que la sécheresse et la ténuité de l'humeur aqueuse de leurs yeux ne peut supporter la lumière, de même aussi voit-on des hommes prudents et courageux se troubler aisément dans les périls qu'il faut braver ouvertement et en plein jour, tandis qu'ils montrent la plus grande assurance dans les entreprises secrètes qu'ils font, pour ainsi dire, à la dérobée..."

" Marcus Brutus descendait de Junius Brutus, auquel les anciens Romains avaient dressé dans le Capitole une statue de bronze au milieu de celles des rois: elle tenait à la main une épée nue, pour marquer que Junius avait détruit sans retour la puissance des Tarquins. Mais le premier Brutus, semblable à ces épées qu'on a trempées brûlantes dans l'eau froide, n'adoucit point par la culture la rudesse naturelle de son caractère, et se laissa emporter par sa haine contre les tyrans jusqu'à faire périr ses fils. Au contraire, le Brutus dont nous écrivons la Vie s'appliqua à former son caractère par l'étude des lettres et de la philosophie ; il donna l'élan à sa nature grave et douce, en y développant cette énergie qui fait accomplir les grandes choses ; nul enfin n'avait reçu, à mon avis, de plus heureuses dispositions pour la vertu. Aussi, ceux même qui ne lui pardonnent point la conspiration contre César attribuent-ils à Brutus tout ce qui s'est pu faire de grand dans cette entreprise, et rejettent tout ce qu'elle a de plus odieux sur Cassius, allié et ami de Brutus, mais qui n'avait rien de commun avec lui pour la simplicité et la pureté des m¿urs..."

" Le premier roi de Perse qui porta le nom d'Artaxerxès surpassa tous les autres princes en douceur et en magnanimité : il fut surnommé Longue-main, parce qu'il avait la main droite plus longue que la gauche. Il était fils de Xerxès. Celui dont nous écrivons la Vie, le second Artaxerxès, surnommé Mnémon, était petit-fils du premier par sa mère ; car Darius avait eu quatre fils de Parysatis, sa femme : Artaxerxès était l'aîné, Cyrus le second, et les deux plus jeunes, Ostanès et Oxathrès. Cyrus porta le nom du fondateur de la monarchie des Perses, que celui-ci avait pris du soleil, appelé Cyrus par les Perses. Artaxerxès fut d'abord nommé Arsicas. Dinon cependant lui donne le nom d'Oartès ; mais, quoique Ctésias ait rempli son histoire de fables absurdes et ridicules il n'est pas croyable pourtant qu'il ait pu ignorer le nom d'un roi à la cour duquel il vivait, étant de plus son médecin, celui de sa mère, de sa femme et de ses enfants..."

" ... Mais, après que Fabius Valens, capitaine d'une légion, eut le premier prêté serment de fidélité à Galba, et que Verginius eut appris, par des lettres de Rome, les décrets du Sénat, alors il détermina ses légions, non sans peine, à reconnaître Galba pour empereur. Il ne fit aucune difficulté pour recevoir Flaccus Hordéonius, que Galba avait envoyé pour lui succéder : il lui remit le commandement de l'armée, puis il alla au-devant de Galba, qui marchait vers Rome. Galba ne lui témoigna aucun ressentiment, parce qu'il respectait sa vertu ; mais il ne lui donna non plus nulle marque de bienveillance, retenu qu'il était par ses amis, et en particulier par Titus Vinnius, qui portait envie à Verginius, et qui croyait par là nuire à son avancement ; mais il ne s'apercevait pas qu'il secondait, à son insu, la bonne fortune de Verginius, en l'éloignant des maux sans nombre auxquels les guerres assujettissaient les autres généraux, et en lui laissant couler une vieillesse paisible au sein d'une vie tranquille et sans orages..."

An engrossing history of the desperate battles for the Rzhev Salient, a forgotten story brought to life by the harrowing memoirs of German and Russian soldiers.The fighting between the German and Russian armies in the Rzhev Salient during World War II was so grisly, so murderous, and saw such vast losses that the troops called the campaign 'The Meat Grinder'. Though millions of men would fight and die there, the Rzhev Salient does not have the name recognition of Leningrad or Moscow. It has been largely ignored by Western historians - until now. In this book, Prit Buttar, a leading expert on the Eastern Front during World War II, reveals the depth and depravity of the bitter fighting for Rzhev. He details how the region held the promise of a renewed drive on the Soviet capital for the German Army - a chance to turn the tide of war. Using both German and Russian first-hand accounts, Buttar examines the major offensives launched by the Red Army against the salient, all of which were defeated with losses exceeding two million killed, wounded or missing, until eventually, the Germans were forced to evacuate the salient in March 1943.Drawing on the latest research, Meat Grinder provides a new study of these horrific battles but also examines how the Red Army did ultimately learn from its colossal failures and how its analysis of these failures at the time helped pave the way for the eventual Soviet victory against Army Group Centre in the summer of 1944, leaving the road to Berlin clear.

"An intellectual history of the late Roman Republic-and the senators who fought both scholarly debates and a civil war. In The Roman Republic of Letters, Katharina Volk explores a fascinating chapter of intellectual history, focusing on the literary senators of the mid-first century BCE who came to blows over the future of Rome even as they debated philosophy, history, political theory, linguistics, science, and religion. It was a period of intense cultural flourishing and extreme political unrest-and the agents of each were very often the same people. Members of the senatorial class, including Cicero, Caesar, Brutus, Cassius, Cato, Varro, and Nigidius Figulus, contributed greatly to the development of Roman scholarship and engaged in a lively and often polemical exchange with one another. These men were also crucially involved in the tumultuous events that brought about the collapse of the Republic, and they ended up on opposite sides in the civil war between Caesar and Pompey in the early 40s. Volk treats the intellectual and political activities of these "senator scholars" as two sides of the same coin, exploring how scholarship and statesmanship mutually informed one another-and how the acquisition, organization, and diffusion of knowledge was bound up with the question of what it meant to be a Roman in a time of crisis. By revealing how first-century Rome's remarkable "republic of letters" was connected to the fight over the actual res publica, Volk's riveting account captures the complexity of this pivotal period"--