The Talmud is the sacred main book of the Orthodox Jews, which interprets the Torah writings. It was created around the fifth century of the new era. However, the Jews consider that the book initially appeared in the oral form together with the written Torah revealed to Moses. Today the Talmud is called ‘the Oral Torah’ and together with five books of Tanah comprises the ‘Written Torah’. There are two different kinds of Talmuds: Jerusalem and Babylonian. Today the latter one is considered to be more important and associated with the Talmud itself (Internet National History Sourcebook).
The Secret History written by Procopius refers to the period of the reign of the emperor Justinian. This source is also known as ‘Anecdota’ and reveals the secret life of the Emperor Justinian and his wife Theodora. Disillusioned by their personalities and methods to reign the country, the author exposes their vices and portrays their vulgarity.
The Delian League is the union of the Greek cities led by Athens founded in the fifth century BC. The purpose of creation of the association in 478 BC was to fight against the Persians in the Greco-Percian war after the victory battle of Palatea. The name is derived from the name of the island Delos where official meetings were held. Athens benefited from the League by exploiting its navy. Finally, the tough control of the association led to the Peloponnesian War (Ancient History Encyclopedia).
The notion of Karma is usually referred to the Buddhism. The theory was formed in the first millennium BC and became fundamental law for many of the Indian religions. Buddha interpreted Karma as person’s experience of his past deeds and present actions, making it clear that each of us is an architect of his fate that comprises definite amount of happiness and miseries.
The Law or Code of Justinian is a compendium of laws and interpretations consisting of four parts written by the Emperor Justinian I in the sixth century AD. This collection appeared to be not an original creation but the interpretations and extracts of the previous laws and codes made by great Romanian jurists (Encyclopedia Britannica).
Cuneiform is a special type of writing found on the territory of ancient Mesopotamia. Inscriptions were made by scribes with the help of reed sticks on the clay. Such a way of imprinting of the sacred letters made them long-lasting. With a wedge-shaped tip of the stylus peaked signs, words and pictures were created. Ancient Sumerians, Assyrians, Babylonians and Persians used this kind of writing.
The Iliad together with the Odyssey is considered to be one of the oldest epic poetries. The authorship is traditionally ascribed to Homer a blind poet from Iona. The Iliad was supposedly created between 800 and 700 BC and at first existed only in the oral form, because the art of versification was not perceived as a decent one. The poem describes the Greek’s siege of Troy.
Constantinople was an ancient capital of the Roman Empire, founded by the Emperor Constantine in 330 AD. It soon acquired the status of the centre of the whole empire having become the heart of Christianity when Rome declined. The great city protected naturally from three sides and with the defense wall from the fourth, it was unapproachable for enemies for a long time.
The Silk Road is the most famous trading path created in the ancient Chinese civilization. In the first centuries of the new era the Han Dynasty began to export silk. Initially, the route functioned within the boundaries of the empire, when Chinese caravans carried silk through the whole territory to the western frontiers. The Silk Road gained its popularity when Chinese emperors gave silk to the Roman rulers as a gift.
The Four Noble Truth is one more Buddha’s doctrine. They comprise the notions of suffering, the reason, the end and the path which brings suffering to the end. In other words, there are four principles connected with sufferings: what it is like, why it happens, when and how it ends. The fact is that pleasure as the essential part of life is not taken into account and is considered as something unstable and fleeting (Basics of Buddhism).
Iconoclastic Controversy is a religious movement in the Byzantine Empire that took place in the eighth century and lasted for almost two hundred years. Constant wars and ineffective governmental policy led to the denial of icons’ worship. The movement split in two phases: the first outbreak took place from 726 till 787. The second one lasted till 853 and was put to an end by the Empress Theodora.
Plebeians were the part of the Rome population. These people originated from the conquered nations, Latins in particular. Known as plebs these people were opposed to the patricians, who comprised the nobility of the Empire. Plebeians were devoid of any rights in ruling the country and could only serve the higher cast.
The Book of Dead is a collection of spells written on the papyrus and found on the territory of the ancient Egypt. These magical inscriptions were created in order to help dead people to pass safely to the other world avoiding all dangers. The texts were also discovered on the tombs and walls of the graves.
Works cited
Ancient History Encyclopedia. ‘The Delian League’. 17 November 2013.
< http://www.ancient.eu.com/Delian_League/ >
Internet National History Sourcebook. ‘The Talmud’. 17 November 2013
< http://www.fordham.edu/Halsall/ancient/asbook.asp >
Basics of Buddhism. ‘The Four Noble Truths’. 17 November 2013
< http://www.pbs.org/edens/thailand/buddhism.htm >
Encyclopedia Britannica. ‘Code of Justinian’. 17 November 2013
< http://www.macedonian-heritage.gr/HellenicMacedonia/en/EA.2.2e.html >
