https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/142192 2026-04-04T13:18:21Z 2026-04-04T13:18:21Z Damigos, Antonis https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/142562 2026-01-07T15:35:11Z 2021-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Speeches and military leadership in Xenophon’s Anabasis and Cyropaedia Authors: Damigos, Antonis Abstract: The importance of speech deliveries in Xenophon’s military leadership has generally been overlooked by scholarship. The greater part of the research, which focuses on the author’s attributes necessary for an ideal commander, has not made a reference to rhetorical ability not even to the degree of successful speech delivery or has at least taken it for granted without further exploration. Moreover, the scholarship which examines Xenophon’s speeches focuses more on the speeches as a literary device without emphasizing their practical aspect for effective military leadership.

2021-01-01T00:00:00Z Moore, Ralph https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/142483 2026-01-05T10:46:37Z 2021-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Friends in high (and low) places? The Allobroges and the politics of patronage and provincial society in the late Roman Republic Authors: Moore, Ralph Abstract: The Allobroges, a subject people living in the province of Gallia Transalpina, played a variety of minor but significant roles in the political history of the later Roman Republic. From using the rite of deditio in fidem to play favourites between their prospective conquerors c.123-120BCE, through acting as potential recruits for and informants against the Catilinarian Conspiracy and intermittent rebels against Roman dominance, to becoming valuable allies of Caesar in his conquest of Gallia Comata and the Civil War against Pompey, the Allobroges were able to make their presence felt in the sphere of Roman politics. Though only seen in brief glimpses in the extant textual record, the experiences of the Allobroges in interacting with the Roman Republic and its political framework after their annexation make for a fascinating case study in the often enigmatic world of the provinces of the Republican period. This paper examines the surviving accounts of Roman- Allobrogan interactions across this period through the lens of Roman patronclient relations. In doing so, it will analyse how they, as a group, fit into the shifting web of conflicts and alliances of Roman politics and how their relationships with specific members or factions of the Roman elite structured their experiences of provincial administration.

2021-01-01T00:00:00Z Jurík, Mirón https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/142482 2026-01-05T10:36:59Z 2021-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: The Christians and their social status in Gothia in 4th century Authors: Jurík, Mirón Abstract: The Christians first appeared among the Goths in the 3rd century as a result of the capture of Christian slaves from the plundering of Anatolian provinces. Their presence is confirmed in several sources and particularly by the letter of Gregorius Thaumaturgus to the Pontic bishop, answering his questions on how he should deal with Christians who had transgressed against the faith and their co-believers (PG.10.1020–48). The Christian slaves in Gothia, despite their new reduced status of life, not only maintained their Christianity, but seem rather to have also started to influence their new masters. In this respect the missionary aspect of Christianity as a belief system, according to which it was an imperative for the believers to spread the “Good News” to all the creatures (MK 16,15), should not be underestimated. These slaves gradually merged with the Gothic community and became an integral part of Gothic society.

2021-01-01T00:00:00Z Piccirillo, Veronica https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/142479 2026-01-05T09:23:57Z 2021-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: The unexpected evolution of the fearful lion’s image Authors: Piccirillo, Veronica Abstract: Ever since its most archaic phases, the Roman culture was characterised by a constant osmosis with the Greek literature. This kind of relationship generated an artistic and literary production mostly based on the imitations of the traditional Greek genres and contents. This paper, in particular, aims to examine the lion’s portrayal through the development of the Lion Simile in Latin poetry, by also considering the great influence exerted by the Hellenistic epigrams.; The war episodes described by Homer’s lines contribute to relate the feral and bloody violence of the lion-hero with values like courage and fortitude. At this regard, it is useful to remember the four powerful similitudes connected to the image of King Agamemnon within Iliad’s 11th book. In these contexts, the poet compares the warrior’s fury during the battle to the one of a lion in a dreadful succession of fights.

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