the article is devoted to the possibilities of using statistical methods in the analysis of amphorae material contained in museum catalogues and the APE database. The composition of the collections of various museums by the centers of amphora production, the time of their manufacture, chronology and typology is analyzed and it is proposed to consider the potential of using these data to build models of trade relations in the Northern Black Sea region.

the article examines the relations between Rome and the Kingdom of Cappadocia on the eve of the First Mithridatic War. Although allied relations between them had existed for several decades, Rome showed little interest in events in this remote region. Only the rise of Pontus and the desire of Mithridates Eupator to strengthen his influence here prompted the Senate to take more active action. It is generally accepted that Gaius Marius studied the situation in the East on the spot during his trip to Pessinunt; the article suggests that it is more likely to associate this with the Asian mission of the Princeps Senatus M. Aemilius Scaurus. Little is known about it, but this does not give reason not to take into account this fact itself. The direct intervention of Rome occurred in connection with the election of a new monarch after the suppression of the Ariaratid dynasty. This intervention was carried out by L. Cornelius Sulla in the interests of Ariobarzan, who was elected king. The article accepts the opinion that Sulla, fulfilling the task entrusted to him, was in the East not for one year, but for two or three. However, the success of his mission was temporary, since later Mithridates, in alliance with Tigranes the Great, king of Armenia, again invaded Cappadocia. The result of all these events was the war of Rome with Mithridates. Ariobarzan had no opportunities for independent politics and was completely dependent on the support of Rome, without which his kingdom would simply disappear from the political map.

the paper examines the relationship between the consul Lucius Cornelius Sulla and the Roman plebs in 88 B.C. The first part of the paper considers the role of the popular assemblies in the political struggle around the bills of the plebeian tribune Publius Sulpicius. The authors take the view that the violent clashes between supporters and opponents of Sulpicius’ proposals were inspired by Sulla and his consular colleague Quintus Pompeius Rufus who thereby sought to disrupt the vote in the comitia. The riots in the streets were used by the consuls as a pretext for introducing non-attendance days (iustitium). In the second part of the paper the reform concerning the legislative powers of the comitia is discussed which was allegedly carried out by Sulla in 88 B.C. The authors come to the conclusion that in reality this reform never took place.

fragments of imported bronze vessels, utensils and items of costume (?) used as amulets in the 2nd century AD burial of a young woman in burial mound no. 9/1987 of the Valovyy-I cemetery in the vicinity of Tanais in the Lower Don region are discussed. Attributions of a patera medallion, a part of a strainer receptacle, a ring-shaped lamp handle (?), a mirror and a plate in the form of an openwork palmette, possibly a belt clasp are offered. The finds under consideration reflect a phenomenon that is quite rarely recorded in the burials of Sarmatia. In addition to finds in the burial mounds in the Mius and Lower Don basins, to mention are the rare finds in the Kuban region and Western Kazakhstan. Attention is drawn to the concentration of amulets from fragments of bronze vessels and utensils in the burial grounds of the barbarian population of the South-Western Crimea in the first centuries AD.

Herodotus’ logos about Scythians and ξεινικὰ νόμαια – amusing and ominous, as is typical of him, yet insightful – consists of two stories about the sad lots of Anacharsis and Scyles; the story begins with a statement that Scythians shun practicing customs of other peoples, particularly those of Hellas; it ends as an adage asserting the initial statement: that is the way Scythians guard their customs (IV.76–80). Herodotus describes the barbarian neighbours’ attitude towards foreign and alien customs. But these two examples are about their own, Scythian, heroes or rather antiheroes. The Scythian kings make short work not of aliens but of their fellow countrymen who betrayed their own customs and deny their ancestors’ faith. The Scythians regard Anacharsis’ and Scyles’ deeds as a crime against their culture. Both the philhellenes forswear their native religion and customs and abandon themselves to Greek ritual practices; therefore, they suffer for their behaviour. The author of the article holds that Herodotus was sympathetic to Scythians’ resentment against ξεινικὰ νόμαια. The Greek historian writes for his, Greek, readers/audience. The stories about Anacharsis and Scyles are not as much about the notorious ‘otherness’ of different cultures and certainly not about their severity and savageness, their cruelty and antipathy towards outlandishness. The Father of History speaks about piety and patriotism of Scythians, who believe that the offence against νόμαια is a threat to the very foundation of their culture. These illustrative examples are meant for the Hellenic audience; the amusing λόγοι about Oriental themes serve as an entreaty for Hellenes themselves.

in the article are collected in the form of a corpus the stamps of the initial period of the systematic marking of amphorae in Knidos - stamps with a “prora” or “ship bow” (chronological group Ib). A total of 323 stamps originating from the territory of the Bosporus, Chersonese and Olbia were taken into account. They are distributed unevenly. The main reason ist, that not all museum collections are available and processed. More than half of the stamps of our corpus have been checked against the originals and the rest are taken from IOSPE III and publications. Unfortunately, most of the IOSPE III stamps are not illustrated, moreover in many cases due to the absence of indications of museum numbers, or re-inventorying, certain difficulties arise, during comparing with items stored in museum collections. Most of the studied stamps are stored in the Kerch Museum. Additionally are also involved stamps from other regions of the Northern Black Sea and the Mediterranean areas. In general, the material presented below is the first attempt at a wide coverage of the stamps of this group, which, we hope, will simplify the cameral processing of poorly preserved specimens, and will help, by attracting additional materials, to take a fresh look at the trading activity of Cnidus in the early Hellenistic period.

the article examines the activities of Titus Labienus, Caesar’s legate in Gaul and a prominent commander in Pompey’s army during the Civil War. His biography is known with large lacunas, as are his political leanings. In Caesar’s Gallic campaigns Labienus served as a legatus pro praetore and proved himself to be a talented military commander. But the fact that he had been praetor before this seems doubtful. With the outbreak of the civil war Labienus defected to Pompey. The motive seems to have been his unsatisfied ambition. After Pompey’s death, Labienus took part in the fight against Caesar in Africa and Spain. Changing sides, Labienus left himself no choice but to fight to the end.

the article is devoted to the analysis of objects of antique ceramic imports from the burials of the early group (late VII – first half of the VI century BC) of the Sindian burial ground near the experimental farm «Anapa»: the Theos amphora and the Ionian cup. Special attention is paid to the amphora of the Theos (or the «circle of Clazomen»). The finds of similar amphorae in the burials of the Kuban and the East Azov region give reason to believe that one of the Greek emporiums through which the product contained in these amphorae got to the barbarians was the Alekseevka settlement located near Anapa. The topography of these finds outlines the direction of a stable route of movement of the nomadic population of the Early Scythian period, the final points of which were Greek settlements known as Alekseevka and Taganrog settlements.

the article is devoted to three politicians and intellectuals – the republican leader Cato of Utica, Neroʼs tutor Seneca and Trajanʼs friend Pliny the Younger. An uncompromising fighter against tyranny, Cato chose to commit suicide rather than accept the dictatorship of Caesar. The conformist Seneca, who consciously accepted autocracy and dreamed of the rule of an ideal princeps, was forced to commit suicide under the compulsion of his unworthy pupil, emperor Nero. Pliny the Younger made a brilliant political career and, having survived the despotic regime of Domitian, created the image of «the best princeps» in the «Panegyric» dedicated to Trajan.

the article deals with some topics connected with imperialist tendencies in Greece of the last half of the 5th and the first half of the 4th century BC and with treatment of these developments in the work of the authors mentioned in the title. The author argues against a recent hypothesis, according to which Herodotus was still alive and writing in the period when the Peloponnesian War came to its end. Observations are made concerning foreign-policy sympathies of Herodotus, Thucydides and Xenophon. A point is made that, if in the last half of the 5th century BC Athens sought to add the ἡγεμονία to its ἀρχή, later in the first half of the 4th century BC Sparta started transforming its ἡγεμονία to ἀρχή.