Magli G., González-García A.C., Belmonte Aviles J., Antonello E. (eds.) Archaeoastronomy in the Roman World

Springer, 2019. — 205 pp.This book explores the insights that Cultural Astronomy provides into the classical Roman world by unveiling the ways in which the Romans made use of their knowledge concerning the heavens, and by shedding new light on the interactions between astronomy and heritage in ancient Roman culture. Leading experts in the field present fascinating information on how and why the Romans referred to the sky when deciding upon the orientation of particular monuments, temples, tombs and even urban layouts. Attention is also devoted to questions of broader interest, such as the contribution that religious interpretation of the sky made in the assimilation of conquered peoples.
When one considers astronomy in the Roman world it is customary to think of the work and models of Ptolemy, and perhaps the Julian calendar or even the sighting of the Star of Bethlehem. However, like many other peoples in antiquity, the Romans interacted with the heavens in deeper ways that exerted a profound influence on their culture. This book highlights the need to take this complexity into account in various areas of research and will appeal to all those who wish to learn more about the application of astronomy in the lives and architecture of the Romans.A Contribution to the Study of the Orientation of Etruscan Temples (by Antonio Paolo Pernigotti).
Notes on Etruscan Cosmology: The Case of the Tumulus of the Crosses at Cerveteri (by Giovanna Bagnasco Gianni).
The Orchestration of Time in Ancient and Medieval Buildings (by Robert Hannah).
The So Called Neo-Pythagorean Basilica of Porta Maggiore in Rome: The Most Mysterious Roman Monument (by V. F. Polcaro, S. Sclavi, S. Gaudenzi, L. Labianca, and M. Ranieri).
The Mausoleum of Santa Costanza in Rome: A Survey of the Light Phenomena Through the Centuries (by Flavio Carnevale and Marzia Monaco).
Establishing a New Order: The Orientation of Roman Towns Built in the Age of Augustus (by A. César González-García, Andrea Rodríguez-Antуn, David Espinosa-Espinosa, Marco V. García Quintela, and Juan Belmonte Aviles).
The Uaratio and Its Possible Use in Roman Urban Planning to Obtain Astronomical Orientations (by Andrea Rodríguez-Antуn, Margarita Orfila Pons, A. César González-García, and Juan Belmonte Aviles).
Arabia Adquisita: The Romanization of the Nabataean Cultic Calendar and the Tannur ‘Zodiac’ Paradigm (by Juan Belmonte Aviles, A. César González-García, and Andrea Rodriguez-Antуn).
The Archaeoastronomy and Chronology of the Temple of Jupiter at Baalbek (by Giulio Magli).
Wind, Sand and Water: The Orientation of the Late Roman Forts in the Kharga Oasis (Egyptian Western Desert) (by Corinna Rossi and Giulio Magli).
The Mausoleum of Theodoric: Archaeoastronomy, Numbers, Geometry and Communication (by Manuela Incerti, Gaia Lavoratti, and Stefania Iurilli).
Virtual Archaeoastronomy: Stellarium for Research and Outreach (by Georg Zotti, Bernard Frischer, Florian Schaukowitsch, Michael Wimmer, and Wolfgang Neubauer).