Series Foreword The lives of ancient peoples may seem far removed, socially, linguistically, and especially technologically, from the concerns of the modern world. Yet the popularity of historical subjects on both the big and little screens— Troy, Alexander, 300, HBO’s Rome, the many History Channel programs— demonstrates the abiding fascination the ancient world continues to exert. Some people are drawn to the dramatic differences between the ancient and modern, others seek to find the origins for contemporary cultural features or the sources to provide meaning to our modern lives. Regardless of ap- proach, the past holds something valuable for all of us. It is literally the root of who we are, physically through our actual ancestors and culturally in es- tablishing the foundations for our current beliefs and practices in religious, social, domestic, and political arenas. The same ancients that we study were themselves drawn to their own pasts, often
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