Missing Links or to the History of the Second Century AD Bosporan Kingdom under Eupator: by numismatic data

Under the Bosporan king Eupator, sestercii were issued with two busts on the obverse: an elderly bearded man in a ray crown and a woman in a high openwork crown, as well as two men: a young one, with or without a beard, and an elderly, bearded one. All men have long hair. The elderly man is no doubt Eupator. Together with him, as is commonly believed, they portrayed Aphrodite Urania and Marcus Aurelius. But this is hardly the case. After all, a very similar image of a woman, framed by the legend “Β … ΕΥΝΟΜΙΑC”, is imprinted on the reverse of the Bosporan sesterces with two male busts on the obverse. But the figures of the deities on the Bosporan coins were not signed. Judging by the crown, this was a Sarmatian queen. We believe that Eunomia, who is mentioned in the coin legend, was the wife and co-ruler of Eupator. The Roman emperors on the Bosporan coins were always depicted with short hair. We believe that the studied sestercii had portraits of Eupator, his wife Eunomia, and also their son, who ruled the Bosporus from 170/171 to 174/175 without the sanction of Rome and, as a result, did not receive the right to issue coins and did not leave lapidary inscriptions.

Bibliographical Scrupulousness and Philological Zeal: Conrad Gessner Working on the editio princeps of ‘Ad se ipsum’

The article concerns the history of the first edition of Greek text of Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations (1559), printed together with its Latin translation and commentary by Wilhelm Xylander. The Zurich philologist and naturalist Conrad Gessner documented it meticulously from its earliest steps in his Neo-Latin bibliographic handbooks, as well as other printed works and letters, meanwhile contributing somehow to its realization. The controversial issue of Gessner’s and Xylander’s role in the establishing of the text of editio princeps, and thus its attribution, is discussed in detail. The other question under consideration is how Gessner imagined the interaction of humanist philology and bibliography, which had to direct literary history in the age of printed word. Taking into account this particular case of Gessner’s bibliographic and philological inquiry, the author attempts to consider his Bibliotheca universalis not only as seminal compilative and critical work, but also as important means of communication and (self-)stimulation.

Stoic Grit and Resilience

The Stoics argue, contrary to popular belief, that resilience and grit depend on strong social supports. Marcus Aurelius paints a chilling image in the Meditations: Without each other, individuals are like severed body parts strewn on a battlefield. They can’t function well or at all. Social connection works through shared reason and through emotions, which are themselves kinds of cognitions. Seneca’s Letters, based on an intimate epistolary relationship with young Lucilius, exemplifies the important role of emotional attachments for good living. Hierocles pictures bringing distant others into one’s orbit through repeated acts of empathy and imagination. In Hercules Rages, Seneca shows that grit depends on more than physical strength or inner toughness. In the face of a horrific tragedy, Hercules learns that to sustain his heroic courage he needs mercy that he can’t show himself. Others must model it for him. He must lean on them for his own sanity and strength.

Stoic Wisdom

Stoicism has made a comeback as the ideal ancient philosophy for those seeking calm in times of stress and uncertainty. For many, it has become the new Zen, with meditation techniques that help individuals face whatever life throws their way. The Stoics address a key question of the time: how can one be master of one’s fate when the outside world threatens to unmoor one’s well-being? Making Stoic wisdom relevant and accessible, Sherman distills time-honored techniques for building modern resilience. Drawing on the thought of Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius, and Seneca, and others, Sherman argues that Stoic resilience is miscast as rugged self-reliance. One is at home in the world, the Stoics taught, when one is connected to others in cooperative efforts. While self-mastery is essential, one draws on one’s deepest relationships for true strength and resilience. Bringing ancient wisdom to bear on twenty-first-century settings—from Silicon Valley leaders in search of lifehacks, to first responders in a pandemic, to soldiers on the battlefield—Sherman shows how Stoicism can both prepare individuals for an uncertain future and help them reduce the stress and anxiety of modern life. Stoic Wisdom will appeal to anyone feeling helpless or looking for deeper, meaningful strength and goodness in addressing life’s biggest and smallest challenges.

Renewal without Decline: The Antonines and Severans

The political stability of the Antonine dynasty saw emperors and the authors describing their reigns both move away from claims that problems in the empire had been caused by imperial predecessors. What emerged instead under the emperor Hadrian was a focus on restorations of the empire without blaming previous emperors for causing Rome to decline, a way of describing change that Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius followed. The Severan dynasty did as well, especially after Septimius Severus manufactured connections to his Antonine imperial predecessors in order to create the illusion of political continuity. This illusion of prosperous continuity gives the misleading impression of a thriving empire. Instead, for much of the later second century, Romans suffered from maladies as diverse as barbarian invasions and the deadly Antonine Plague. As conditions deteriorated under Alexander Severus, however, authors like Cassius Dio and, later, Herodian again return to the old way of speaking about Roman decline.