Aramaic documents from ancient Bactria

[RichT]

These must be old news to those in the know, but I hadn't come across them before - a collection of 4th C Achaemenid documents some dealing with recruitment and supply, from Bactria, including one from the forces under Bessus fighting Alexander. Nicely presented here:

https://www.aramaicdocuments.com/

with summaries but not translations (for which presumably you'd have to buy the book). Give a nice insight into Achaemenid bureaucracy, unfortunately without specifying the size of the army

[Jim Webster]

These must be old news to those in the know, but I hadn't come across them before - a collection of 4th C Achaemenid documents some dealing with recruitment and supply, from Bactria, including one from the forces under Bessus fighting Alexander. Nicely presented here:

https://www.aramaicdocuments.com/

with summaries but not translations (for which presumably you'd have to buy the book). Give a nice insight into Achaemenid bureaucracy, unfortunately without specifying the size of the army

fascinating, does it mention when the book is coming out?

[Duncan Head]

fascinating, does it mention when the book is coming out?

Out since 2012.

I was vaguely aware of the find, but not of the book. Ordered a copy now.

[RichT]

Ordered a copy now.

At that price it would be wrong not to.

[Tim]

I
MUST
NOT
BUY
ANY
NEW
BOOKS
UNTIL
I
HAVE
READ
THE
LAST
LOT
...

[Duncan Head]

I
MUST
NOT
BUY
ANY
NEW
BOOKS
UNTIL
I
HAVE
READ
THE
LAST
LOT
...

Such thinking is completely alien to me.

[Mark G]

At the rate you post to the currently reading thread, Duncan, that carries a lot more rate than it does for the rest of us

[aligern]

Oh come on Tim
I
Must
Buy
Those
Books
I
have
been
wanting
in
case
Amazon
closes
down

Two vols iof tge New Cambridge Medieval History  and Justinian's Men arrive this weekend

Cheers
Roy

[Erpingham]

At the rate you post to the currently reading thread, Duncan, that carries a lot more rate than it does for the rest of us

My current estimate is that Duncan reads at about 10 times my rate.  I am in awe.

[Imperial Dave]

At the rate you post to the currently reading thread, Duncan, that carries a lot more rate than it does for the rest of us

My current estimate is that Duncan reads at about 10 times my rate.  I am in awe.

and you probably read 10 times more than me....

[Andreas Johansson]

Duncan doesn't actually read books, he just commands them to give up their knowledge.

Myself, I've mostly been reading out-of-period (either direction) stuff lately. Perhaps unexpectedly, the lockdown doesn't seem to have much effect on how much I read, but the free e-books from Osprey means my backlog has been growing at an alarming rate. Not that I'll feel all that bad if I never get around to reading books I got for free and don't take up any space on the bookshelves.

Closer to the topic, it's fascinating how the Persians adopt not merely the Aramaic script but also the Aramaic language so far from Aramaic-speaking regions - to write Iranian languages in Aramaic script apparently doesn't occur to anyone until the third century.

(That such writing - known as Pahlavi - arises in the 3rd century, apparently first among the Parthians, is perhaps something to do with the relevant parts of Iran no longer being politically united with the Aramaic-speaking lands.)

[Jim Webster]

I've put the book on my 'wanted list' on amazon. Basically if it suddenly appears second hand and cheaper or I get flush, I remember that it's there 

[Duncan Head]

I was vaguely aware of the find, but not of the book. Ordered a copy now.

And now it's been cancelled due to "an influx of orders" and amazon have nothing left at less than £60, while abebooks' cheapest is over £50 with postage. Boo hiss.