Recent environmental crises underscore the critical importance of understanding the historical dynamics of the interrelationship between humans and nature. In this context, the approach of Environmental History has placed the interactions between human societies and nature at the core of its inquiry. Socio-Ecological Modeling, encompassing Environmental History within an interdisciplinary framework, aims to analyze the long-term historical dimensions of these interactions. Ancient Greco-Roman authors, although not always intending to do so, provide valuable information about the physical setting and environmental conditions of the Mediterranean world. The writings of the renowned orator Aelius Aristides on Smyrna contain the most comprehensive data regarding the city’s environmental characteristics in the 2nd century AD; through aspects such as topography, water sources, winds, earthquakes, and epidemics, they offer insights into the interactions between nature and humans. This study aims to explore how various environmental features and phenomena influenced the spatial organization, collective memory, and urban life of ancient Mediterranean cities over the long term, with a particular focus on Aelius Aristides’ accounts of ancient Smyrna.

Apuleius, a Roman author of the late 2nd century, discovered in Lucius or the Ass, where the pseudo-Lucian of Samosata mocks the superstitions of his contemporaries regarding magical beliefs, the framework that could serve as a basis for describing the cultural misfortunes that an anomic society leads to. Between the stories of pseudo-Lucian and Apuleius, the story of Lucius transformed into a donkey completely changes meaning. Pseudo-Lucian, because he still belongs to the Greco-Roman civic rationalist culture, does not take magical practices seriously and therefore mocks, in his text, the (mis)adventures that his hero must go through. But Apuleius takes magical practices very seriously. Apuleius’s hero will in fact become a little too interested in the magic by which he seeks to satisfy his thirst for the sacred, a thirst that no established cultural ideal is any longer capable of quenching because the period of Lucius-Apuleius is culturally anomic due to the progressive disappearance of civic rationalist cultural belief in the Greco-Roman world and the fact that this belief has not yet been replaced by another established cultural belief.

The present paper discusses 37 lamps discovered in the area where the Roman garrison of Tyras was stationed during the 2nd century and the first half of the 3rd century AD. Attention is focused on the distribution of lamps in the area under consideration and their typology. In total, three types of moulded lamps and one type of wheel-made lamps were identified.

This study presents the results of an archaeometric investigation of white marble votive reliefs from the Roman city of Pautalia (modern Kyustendil, Bulgaria), with the aim of clarifying patterns of material selection, production, and connectivity within the eastern provinces of the Roman Empire. Although these votive monuments, primarily dated to the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD, have long been examined from stylistic, iconographic, and epigraphic perspectives, the provenance of the marble used in their manufacture has remained largely unexplored. A total of 27 votive reliefs from urban and extra-urban sanctuary contexts were analysed using a multi-method approach combining petrographic analysis, stable isotope ratios (δ13C and δ18O), and trace element analysis by ICP-MS, and compared against an extensive geological reference database of ancient marble quarries. The results indicate a clear predominance of local and regional marble sources, alongside a limited but meaningful presence of imported material. This distribution pattern supports the existence of local workshops operating in or near Pautalia, which relied primarily on nearby quarry sources while selectively incorporating imported marble, likely through the reuse of pre-existing blocks or workshop offcuts rather than through systematic long-distance supply. These findings underscore Pautalia’s role as a regional production centre and as a nodal point within wider networks connecting the Aegean world and the Balkan hinterland.

Recently, the importance of Indian Traditional Knowledge System (ITKS) in the conservation and management of Cultural and Natural Heritage has been recognized, since the effective protection and sustainable conservation of TKS has recorded and enlisted by the World Heritage Systems (WHS). The Traditional Knowledge of Weaving, the Silk Handloom enriches the Commercial Practices and generated the Weaving Culture Heritages in Ancient Chanderi Township which exists between the Historical two Hindu States Malwa and Bundelkhand in Central India where the weaving practices begin in 2nd Century AD in Boodhi Chanderi (9 kms distance) and World famous Chanderi Saree Manufacturing and International Trading accelerated during 11th to 13th Century AD, when nearby Kosthi weavers of Jhansi State reached, settled in Chanderi Town and produced silk textile fabrics in bulk. The aim of the study is to elaborate the ITKS, Cultural Heritage and Economic Glory of Ancient India, and to preserve the TKS for Sustainable Growth and economic upliftment of society. The study indicates that the Indian Traditional knowledge of Textile manufacturing in ancient Chanderi town contributes largely to the conservation and management of Cultural Heritages and Closely related with the indigenous Handloom and Powerloom - Local Weavers Community. The existence of Indian Traditional Knowledge System (ITKS) of silk weaving and trade in Chanderi exhibits insight vision of Indian Heritages to promote the sustainable development with the present Global Knowledge and it needs Global Awareness.

The Victoria and Albert Museum in London has two ancient Egyptian painted burial shrouds in its collection. Both dating to between the 1st century BCE and early 2nd century CE, they were examined and conserved in preparation for display in the 2025 exhibition ‘Making Egypt’. A nearly intact shroud depicts a woman in the form of Hathor, whilst an incomplete shroud depicts a man as Osiris. Both shrouds would have been placed over mummified bodies, likening the deceased to deities associated with death, and therefore ensuring their place in the afterlife. Both acquired in 1900, the shrouds underwent adhesive lining treatments in the 1970s, and required further intervention in 2024 to make them suitable for display and subsequent long-term storage. Analysis was undertaken to understand their creation process, identify the pigments used, and investigate whether there is evidence of modern interventions. Methods included technical photography (under visible and ultraviolet illumination), digital microscopy, infrared reflectography (IRR), scanning X-ray fluorescence imaging (XRF) and Raman microscopy. This aimed to characterise the artists’ materials, determine the presence of modern pigments, and identify historic pesticide treatments. In preparation for display, the full shroud underwent a complete conservation re-treatment. The smaller shroud fragment underwent supplementary conservation. Both were then framed and glazed for display and future long-term storage.

The article deals with the comprehensive study of one of the oldest Qur’anic codexes (mushaf) the so-called “Qur’an of Uthman” from Katta Langar, fragments of which are kept in collections in Russia and Uzbekistan. Based on the paleographic and codicological analysis, the dating of the manuscript has been clarifi ed from the end of the 1st century to the latter half of the 2nd century in the Hij ri calendar (700–767 AD), and its connection with the Basran tradition of writing has been established. By comparing historical sources, this study hypothesizes that the codex originates from Baghdad and may be related to the codex of the Abbasid caliphs.

ABSTRACT In 1837, the Tyrolean State Museum Ferdinandeum in Innsbruck, Austria, purchased a Roman bronze statue of a maenad from the 2nd century ce with red garnets as facetted eye inlays found near Brixen, Southern Tyrol. These garnets were investigated using optical microscopy, a portable hand‐held and a stationary micro‐X‐ray fluorescence device, as well as Raman spectroscopy. The characteristic major and trace elemental compositions of the garnets and inclusions of colorless needles with a morphology consistent with sillimanite and rounded to subhedral quartz indicate that the garnets are derived from the Garibpet deposit, Telangana, Eastern India. This origin determination provides further evidence for the extensive gem trade network between the Roman Empire and the Indian subcontinent.

High mobility and extensive trade and military interactions are well recognized throughout the Late Iron Age Europe. The extremely rich archaeological record for the Masłomęcz group - a Goth-associated assemblage flourishing between 2nd and 4th century CE in what is now eastern Poland - has long been providing evidence for their wide cross-cultural contacts. However, the extent to which these were ephemeral or involved long-term immigration and interbreeding, remained unresolved. Here, by obtaining archaeogenomic data from 37 burials and reanalysing published data, we provide evidence that, while the Masłomęcz group was built mostly on Scandinavian-derived ancestry it extensively assimilated individuals from diverse directions and distances, including the Baltics, the Balkans and even further into the Mediterranean, creating a highly genetically heterogenous population. Additionally, we shed more light on the burial customs of this community by finding no close kin relations within multiperson burials. Our findings provide evidence for long-range mobility far outside the borders of the Roman Empire. The Masłomęcz group was a highly open community embracing external contacts and immigration, perhaps contradicting popular presumptions about the so-called barbarians.

Abstract The Catacombs of Kom el-Shoqafa in Alexandria, known as Treasure Hill, serve as a remarkable burial site and royal tomb dating back to the 2nd century AD. This archaeological site has been recognized as one of the Seven Wonders of the Medieval World. Throughout history, these catacombs have suffered from the effects of flash floods and seismic activity. As a result, they have experienced various degrees of damage and instability, which have worsened over time. It is well-documented that rising groundwater levels within the Catacombs, triggered by heavy rain or seawater intrusion, can significantly affect the seismic behavior of this historic underground structure. Furthermore, the presence of this groundwater alters the characteristics of earthquake motions, leading to considerable amplification and variability in seismic activity. This study employs geotechnical modeling and examines stress and deformation using the advanced PLAXIS software. Numerical simulations were carried out to investigate how flash floods and rising seawater levels, exacerbated by climate change, influence the seismic resilience of monumental underground edifices. The research identifies critical factors affecting seismic stability, deformation, and failure mechanisms, while highlighting areas of concern, and evaluating the present status of tomb stability. The results indicate that during significant earthquakes with a Peak Ground Acceleration (PGA) above 0.24 g, the presence of groundwater tends to amplify the horizontal acceleration response across the upper, middle, and lower sections of the Catacombs, as well as impact the main load-bearing columns and piers situated on the second and third tiers. It was also observed that both horizontal and vertical displacement responses are greatly increased due to the severe seismic compressive and shear stresses that accompany substantial groundwater inundation of these subterranean structures. For minor earthquakes, specifically those with a PGA below 0.16 g, the effects of groundwater on the tomb responses are virtually insignificant. Thus, the influence of groundwater on the seismic behavior of underground structures becomes increasingly evident during larger earthquakes compared to smaller ones. In scenarios with elevated groundwater levels, co-seismic deformation is more pronounced. These findings provide crucial recommendations for future reinforcement and retrofitting initiatives and act as a valuable reference for assessing the stability of other complex underground structures worldwide.

Recent surveys of textile tools in Southern Portuguese Iron Age contexts have shown that they can be found in a variety of functional contexts. However, and while the significance of such tools in domestic and religious contexts has already been discussed, the meaning of their presence in funerary settings remains to be fully explored. Ten funerary sites, ranging in date from the mid-7th to the late 3rd/ early 2nd century BCE have nonetheless yielded textile tools, with a preponderance of spindle whorls over loom weights. A critical assessment of the data from those sites shows some revealing trends regarding the functional parameters of the tools and their position in the tombs but, most importantly, the gender and status of the deceased which they accompanied. Despite the low resolution of data, a tendential association with female burials can be posited, and at least some instances of textile tools in relatively high-status tombs can be noted. However, these funerary assemblages offer little to no evidence of craft specialization. These trends can usefully be compared to the available explanatory hypotheses put forward to explain the deposition of textile tools in tombs. Such an exercise suggests a complex, multi-layered meaning for these objects, which sum-up ideas about gender norms, gendered practices, status, and most likely also religious beliefs.

A revision of archaeological collections obtained in the 1960s from the excavated eastern part of the Poltse I settlement on the Amur channel in the Jewish Autonomous Region, housed at the IAET SB RAS, has made it possible to assemble a number of organic samples for radiocarbon dating. Fifteen of these were analyzed at the Laboratory of Isotope Studies at the Core Facilities Center “Cenozoic Geochronology” of the IAET SB RAS. Dates were calibrated using the latest Calib8.1.0 version. Most calibrated dates form a relatively compact cluster, spanning an interval from the mid-2nd–early 1st century BC to the early 3rd century AD, concentrated in the interval before the 130s AD. Analysis of the calendar intervals indicates a foundation date in the latter half of the 1st century BC. The change of the settlement plan was due to natural factors causing the obsolescence of structures, which were presumably destroyed by fire in the 80s AD. New absolute dates suggesting that the settlement existed in the 1st and 2nd centuries AD are supported by archaeological finds which have parallels in contemporaneous cultures of northeastern China, Korea, the Amur Basin, and Primorye, dating to the XiongnuXianbei stage of East Asia.

Abstract The study provides a radiocarbon sequence for the Iron Age occupation in the elevated areas of the Phoenician settlement of Lisbon, located in the Tagus estuary (Portugal). The dataset is based in ten animal and human samples recovered during archaeological excavations at Largo de Santa Cruz do Castelo. These samples are associated with distinct phases of the Iron Age, dated by the ceramic findings between the 7th and 5th century BCE, as well as a latter sample from the Roman Republican Period (2nd half of the 2nd century BCE). Despite the challenges posed by the 1st millennium BCE radiocarbon calibration, this dataset proves valuable for establishing a more detailed chronological framework. It represents a significant contribution to refining the timeline of Lisbon’s Iron Age settlement and provides a stronger basis for interpreting local developments within the broader regional context.

Relevance. The relevance of this study is determined by its examination of the dramatic poem «Orgy» through a historical-receptive lens. This approach allows for the identification of the mechanisms behind the author’s interpretation of the historical period and the tracing of the specifics of the reception of Antiquity within the text. Aim. The aim of the article is to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the dramatic poem «Orgy» by the Ukrainian writer and poet Lesia Ukrainka, utilizing the methodological framework of classical reception studies. It also seeks to identify the mechanisms and reveal the role of these historical borrowings in the context of the author’s vision of Antiquity as a whole, and specifically the Greco-Roman relations from the military conquest of Hellas to the era of the Second Sophistic (2nd century BC – 2nd century AD). Methodology. The research methodology is based on the principles of historicism and objectivity, characterized by an interdisciplinary approach. The theoretical and methodological framework relies on the principles of receptive aesthetics and the concepts of classical reception studies. The study also employs analytical, hermeneutic, and comparative-historical methods. Results. The study establishes that the specificity of the author’s interpretation of historical events, against which the main plot unfolds, lies in chronological hybridization – combining two temporal spaces to provide a deeper elucidation of Greco-Roman relations. It was found that the historical narrative in the work functions as a «safe distance» for constructing analogies between the past and the present. The history and specifics of the perception of Greek culture in the ancient world (from the 2nd century BC to the Second Sophistic period in the 2nd century AD) are examined. It is revealed that the reception of Greek culture by ancient Rome, as described in the text, is based on the principles of selectivity and pragmatism, utilized for cultural appropriation to achieve the political self-determination of the Roman elite and the legitimization of power by the Antonine dynasty emperors. The evolution of the concept of «orgy» in a historical context is analyzed: from a sacred ritual associated with the cult of Dionysus to its interpretation by the recipient – ancient Rome. It is established that throughout the plotline, there is a shift in semantic accents regarding the primary definition of the concept of «orgy», which indicates the conflict of Greek and Roman identities depicted in the work. Conclusions. The obtained results indicate that applying the methodology of classical reception allowed for a holistic disclosure of the mechanisms of assimilation and interpretation of ancient history in Lesia Ukrainka’s dramatic poem «Orgy». The study emphasizes that the author appeals to universal problems, actualizing the issue of Greco-Roman relations during Antiquity (2nd century BC – 2nd century AD) as a model of interaction between dominant and subjugated nations. The semantic transformation of the concept of «orgy» serves as a key marker demonstrating the specifics of the Roman reception of Greek culture. The proposed approach opens prospects for further studies of Antiquity in the context of classical reception within the writer’s creative heritage.

Two trenches were excavated on Queen Street for the installation of telecommunication maintenance chambers. The two trenches were positioned approximately 200m apart; Trench 1 was south-west of the medieval city wall close to the junction of Queen Street, Micklegate, Nunnery Lane and Blossom Street, while Trench 2 was located north-west of the medieval defences opposite York Railway Station. The archaeological sequences encountered in each trench were very different. Trench 1 revealed deposits containing artefacts indicative of high-status activity on or near the site during the 2nd and 3rd centuries CE, and which may have continued into the 4th century CE. The earliest features investigated were 2nd century CE pits, later sealed below dumps that may have been linked with the disposal of material generated as a result of development in the colonia during the 2nd and 3rd centuries CE. The dumping also served to raise ground level to a point where ground conditions were drier. Following the elevation of ground level, pit digging and rubbish disposal returned to the site, hinting at occupation close by in the mid-3rd to 4th century CE. In the late 3rd to 4th century CE a fairly crude surface was laid down, which largely consisted of cobbles but also incorporated other hard-wearing material such as brick, roofing tile and fragments of amphora. A significant change in the character of activity at the site then occurred in the 4th century CE, with what appears to be an accumulation of agricultural soil. Pit digging for refuse disposal resumed in the 11th/13th century, hinting at a return to activity of a more urban character at the site. Trench 2 was situated on the south-eastern periphery of the Railway Station cemetery. Some evidence for Roman period funerary activity was found, including disarticulated human bone and Roman pottery. However, the remains appear disturbed or redeposited during construction of the railway station in the 19th century.

Excavation in advance of building work at Abbeyfield House, Regency Mews, led to the discovery of field systems laid out in the early Roman period. Evidence of land management survived in the form of a series of ditches laid out in a grid pattern respecting the line of the nearby southern approach road to York. Pottery dates indicate use and maintenance of the field system in the 2nd century CE before falling out of use in the 3rd century. Analysis of paleoenvironmental remains from a 2nd-century CE well tentatively suggests that the local environment was one of damp open ground or grassland where the ditched enclosures were supplemented with hedgerows, and perhaps included small stands of trees. The presence of a large collection of 2nd-century white slipware flagons in the fill of the well indicate this water source was probably being accessed by people occupying roadside buildings at the neighbouring 42–50 Tadcaster Road site, where vessels of this type were also found in large quantities. Following the Romano-British period there is no evidence to suggest that the site had been utilised in a particularly intensive manner. Several small and abraded medieval pottery sherds had found their way into the top of earlier features through post-depositional processes; however, it was not definitively possible to assign any features to that period. Agricultural activity likely continued at the site until enclosure of the area as gardens and sports grounds occurred in the 20th century.

The article discusses one of the most interesting and important topics in the philosophy of Middle Platonism, namely demonological issues, including the topic of the Socrates’ daimonion, in the writings of Apuleius of Madauros, one of the most important representatives of this trend of philosophy from the 2nd century AD. The issue of the historical sources of Apuleius’ demonology is also discussed. The author is of the opinion that the main source of Apuleius’ demonology were the works of Plato, alongside some influences from the beliefs of the Romans.

The article examines ceramic vessels discovered at a burial ground dating to the second half of the 2nd century AD at Kariv-I, located in the Sheptytskyi District of Lviv Region in Western Ukraine. The site was accidentally discovered in 2017, and during subsequent archaeological investigations, twelve cremation burials were uncovered. Among the burial inventory, ceramics form a significant group of finds, comprising approximately 30 items. These include both imported wares (fragments of Roman amphorae, red- and black-glazed pottery) and locally produced items (pots, bowls). The site was left by a population that migrated to the Western Bug region from the Middle Danube area during the Marcomannic Wars.

The use of medicinal herbs for treatment of illnesses is as old as humanity. Herbs have a long history, which is lost through the ages. Herbs are plants that are used in cooking as well as in medicine. The knowledge of the healing properties of these herbs were transferred from generation to generation through ancient sources, which mentioned medicinal plants from Babylon, China, India, Egypt and Ancient Greece. The first references for the use of herbs for treatment start from Egyptian papyri as far back as the 2nd century BC, but also from the texts of Homer, Hesiod, Asclepius, Dioscorides, Hippocrates and Aristotle, as well as references in the Orphic Epics. In surviving ancient sources are recorded the uses of herbs in medicine-pharmacology, composing the search¬ing grounds for modern day researchers. The purpose of this study is the investigation and presentation of the uses of herbs as medicine, which contributed to the dis¬covery of new aspects of pharmacology. The uses of me¬dicinal herbs as pharmaceutical means of treatment re¬sulted in the discovery of previously unknown areas of pharmacology. These ancient texts caused scholars to research the components of the herbs, in order to dis¬cover, study and spread their effectiveness in treating ill¬nesses. Many lab studies proved the efficacy of their us¬age both by themselves and in combination with other herbs and pharmaceutical products in treating illnesses. This study examines five characteristic herbs - dill, basil, echinacea, lavender and linseed, whose bioactive prop¬erties significantly contribute to improving patients’ health and well-being. Thus, it is noted that herbs laid the foundations for modern therapeutic medicine-pharmacology, which through technology and science, was perfected. There is a steadily growing trend towards incorporating natural herbs in complementary medicine, alongside the traditional therapeutic approach. In this way, the overall effectiveness of the treatment improves and the occurrence of unwanted side effects is reduced. It can be concluded that herbs are the basis of modern pharmacology and therapeutic medicine, which, with the help of technology and scientific progress, has evolved and been perfected, while also retaining the timeless value of natural medical tradition.

The İDÇ necropolis, one of the southern necropoleis of Kyme, constitutes the subject of this study. Between 2008 and 2011, a total of 618 graves comprising both cremation/urn burials and inhumations were unearthed in the necropolis. Among the inhumation burials, various grave types were identified, such as Carved Cist, Roof Tile, Simple Earth, Stone Cist, Sarcophagus, Amphora and Pithos graves. The studies indicate that the necropolis was in use over an extended period, from the 7th century BC to the end of the 2nd century BC. The grave types have been analysed by period, evaluating which types remained in use, which ones disappeared, and which ones emerged as new types during each respective period. On the other hand, a comparative analysis of the grave types with other necropolises of Kyme and other necropolises in different regions has been made. As a result, it has been determined that carved cist graves are not found outside Aiolis and represent a grave type unique to the region. In addition, the contrast between the simple architecture of these graves and their finds has led to diverse social and economic conclusions. The study demonstrates that a direct correlation between grave architecture and grave finds does not always exist, and that graves with simple construction can also yield rich finds. In conclusion, the İDÇ Necropolis is among the important necropoleis of Kyme not only for its variety of grave types but also for the richness of its finds. In this regard, the introduction of the Necropolis to the broader archaeological community is expected to contribute to the ongoing studies in this field.