Book Feature: Alexander. Just how Great was he?

It is hard to think of anyone who has left his mark on world history in a more profound and more brutal fashion than Alexander the Macedonian ... although there are certainly candidates. This would no doubt be to Alexander's satisfaction because he lived his short life with one eye ahead, keenly interested in what future generations and historians would have to say about him. And as the 21st century gathers steam he's still a clear favourite with classicists. But would Alexander be pleased by the latest books to cash in on his name?

Book Feature: So the Romans went home ... then what happened?

One of the biggest mysteries in British medieval archaeology has been assessing what happened after the withdrawal of Roman troops from Britain and, in particular, why the Anglo-Saxons chose to avoid settling in many of the towns established during the centuries of Roman rule. This hiatus has preoccupied urban archaeologists for years but a series of new books, based on up-to-date archaeological evidence from the cities of Bath, Cambridge, Canterybury and Durham, provide valuable insights into the legacy left by the Romans and Anglo-Saxons and the origins of the medieval city.

Of all the new books that have passed over the desks of the Oxbow staff this month, these, for whatever reason, are the ones that grabbed their attention.

Meet the Editor: Colin Ridler of Thames & Hudson

In 1949 Thames & Hudson was born, its name celebrating the great urban rivers of London and New York. The company has always prided itself on its international list, reflecting on art and history throughout the world. Colin Ridler, the editor of Thames & Hudson's award-winning Archaeology and Egyptology lists, stays true to the internationalist vision, publishing beautiful books which cross both geographical and theoretical boundaries. I recently asked Colin about his work, the books he chooses, and what's in the pipeline for 2003 ... one of T & H's strongest archaeology years ever.

Meet the Author: Paul Bahn

"McArchaeology™", "Pashmina Prehistory", "Shamaniacs" ... Paul Bahn doesn't mince his words. In this interview the editor of Oxbow's new book on rock art studies, News of the World 2, discusses the latest research into rock art and shamanism, and reveals where it has all gone wrong. As one of the world's bestselling authors on ancient studies he also talks about the new work at Chauvet Cave and on Easter Island, divulges the secrets to writing an archaeology blockbuster, and tells OXeN what he thinks will be the subject's next hot topic. For 'Paul Bahn Unplugged' please read on ...

Why not buy a publisher?

For several years we have been the distributor of the books published by Aris & Phillips Ltd, of Warminster in Wiltshire. Founded, owned and run by Adrian and Lucinda Phillips, the company has built up a substantial list of important Greek and Latin and Hispanic texts with translations and commentary, as well as archaeological and historical titles chiefly on the Near East and Egypt. Last year Lucinda and Adrian retired, and we are pleased to have taken over their business.

So, with the stroke of a pen - was that the signature on the sale document or on the cheque? - we have become the publisher of some of the greatest writings of the past edited and translated by some of the foremost scholars of the present. It is a challenging moment!

We intend to maintain the two main series under their own imprints, Aris & Phillips Classical Texts and the Aris & Phillips Hispanic Texts, bringing back into print those that are currently unavailable, and publishing new titles in the series as they present themselves.

And the first book that we have produced happens to be the last book in Alan Sommerstein's great series on The Comedies of Aristophanes: Indexes to the Plays.

New Releases

Some other new Oxbow publications due back from the printer this month include:

CBA-OXBOW Online Bookshop. Open for business!

On 26th February the CBA-Oxbow Online Bookshop opened for business. This is a joint project with the Council for British Archaeology, the UK's primary non-governmental heritage organization, and will provide up-to-date information about new books on British archaeology. The CBA has provided the New Books alerting service for a number of years through Briefing section in British Archaeology magazine, and the new online shop will allow people to buy the books featured easily. Many of the publishers represented are local societies or contractors and it is sometimes fairly difficult to obtain their books. The CBA-Oxbow Online Bookshop will continue to feature these 'hard-to-find' titles and publishers who wish to alert readers to such publications are encouraged to send information to Dr Sarah Monks, Editor, Oxbow Books, Park End Place, Oxford OX1 1HN, or to sarah@oxbowbooks.com. The CBA is a charitable organization and a percentage of each book sold through the CBA-Online Bookshop goes to fund its work promoting the knowledge, appreciation and care of the historic environment.

The CBA-Oxbow online bookshop is at:
http://www.britarch.ac.uk/briefing/books.html

New Catalogue: Book News 55, Spring 2003

Our new Book News catalogue has just been sent out by our UK office. Some days we wonder whether publishers are in cahoots with one another. Every Book News has its trends, last time it was women, primarily of the medieval variety, this time women are there again, but they are seriously outnumbered by soldiers, swords, guns and other military gear. And what's more, what is it about Alexander the Great? It's been a while since we had any good books on Alexander, and now there are three with more sitting on our review shelf. In fact, Kate was so inspired that she wrote a feature on it for this OXeN!

Belligerence, and all its many facets, is everywhere; we have no less than three pages of new books on medieval warfare this Spring; from Viking swords to stories of the Crusades, from famous battles to the armour, guns, and men that fought in them. Within these pages you will also find Jews revolting against Rome, Roman military men climbing the social ladder and, clad in plate armour, the Roman military machine advancing across the empire. If you prefer something a bit more swashbuckling, gladiators, musketeers, Samurai warriors, and Olympic champions are in there too.

Memory, the art of remembering and forgetting, is the other over-riding theme this time. The prehistory pages contain several books looking at the theory of memory and, perhaps surprisingly, to the art of forgetting. Then John Boardman explores the theme of nostalgia in his new book on how the Greeks created their mythical past. When we move into the medieval period, we are told that memoria was viewed as a literary and artistic craft, or as a trade which had both tools and techniques.

The new catalogue is available in PDF format - we have divided it into four parts to ease downloading. Please note, however, that these files currently only list prices in pounds sterling - US customers should stay tuned for a US dollar version which should be available on the DBBC website by the end of the month.

• Method, Theory, Conservation, Prehistory, Egypt, the Near East, and Asia (112 Kb)
• The Greek and Hellenistic Worlds (36 Kb)
• Etruscan Studies, Roman Empire (45 Kb)
• Early Medieval, Anglo-Saxon, Medieval and Post-Medieval (92 Kb)

Or request a paper version