The artes and the emergence of a scientific culture in the early Roman empire / James L. Zainaldin.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Zainaldin, James L., author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Science--Rome.

Science.

Technology--Rome.

Technology.

Medicine, Greek and Roman.

Philosophy, Ancient.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xx, 453 pages) : digital, PDF file(s).

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Cambridge, United Kingdom ; New York, NY : Cambridge University Press, 2025.

Summary:

This book offers the first full-scale, synthetic account of the Latin technical treatises called artes, arguing that their flourishing in the early Roman Empire represents the emergence and development of a uniquely Roman scientific culture. It introduces the Roman artes on architecture, agriculture, land-surveying, medicine, and the art of war to those without specialist knowledge of the disciplines and advances a new argument for their significance vis-à-vis a common intellectual culture. It unpacks the socio-political, literary, and especially philosophical and scientific dimensions of these writings. It characterizes the scientific culture which the artes constitute and traces significant themes in their construction of disciplinary expertise, examining the effects of the tension between theory and practice as well as their systematic, explanatory, and interdisciplinary presentation of specialized knowledge. In presenting a novel interpretation of the artes, this book aims to add a new chapter to the history of science in Greco-Roman antiquity.

Contents:

Introduction: The Idea of the artes

The Scientific Premises for the Imperial artes: A View from the Late Republic

Society, Politics, and Specialized Knowledge in the Early Roman Empire: The artes and their Authors

The Architectonic ars of Architecture: Explanation and Method in Vitruvius' De architectura

Columella and the New Roman Agronomy: The Art of Agriculture and Knowledge of Nature in Res rustica

Making a Roman ars of Medicine: Observation, Explanation, and Judgement in Celsus' De medicina

The Character and Growth of the Latin Art of War: From ars to exempla

The Emergence of an ars mensoria: Frontinus and Hyginus on the Historical Realities and Theoretical Ideals of Roman Land-Surveying.

Notes:

Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 24 Mar 2025).

ISBN:

9781009501682

1009501682

9781009501668

1009501666

9781009501651

1009501658

OCLC:

1512301581