Shows / Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Portal to my podcast, websites, blog, and publications, providing an entryway into social and cultural life anong Greeks, Romans, Judeans, Christians, and others in ancient Mediterranean. Ethnicity, Diaspora, and relations among ethnic and minority groups is a focus.
Episodes
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Presentation – Beyond Ethnography: Criminalization of Populations Across the Mediterranean
(Society for Near and Middle Eastern Studies, U of Toronto, November 3, 2026) What I was attempting to do in the book Ethnic Relations in the Ancient…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Barbarians: Roman soldiers and Egyptian workers on peoples of the eastern desert in Egypt (early second century CE)
Ancient author: Various soldiers active in the desert east of Koptos in Egypt, O.Krok. I 26, lines 1-6 (109 CE); OKrok I 87, column 1, lines 26-50 and column…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Judeans: Graffito depicting Jesus as a donkey-headed god on a cross (early third century CE)
Information and description: This graffito was found scratched onto a wall within a building (paedagogium) on the southwestern slope of the Palatine hill at…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Agriophagians: Serenus the military prefect on “worthless wild animal eaters” of the eastern desert (122 CE)
Ancient author: Sulpicius Serenus, IPan 87 [i.e. Bernand 1972 below] = SB I 4282 = PH219404 (122/123 CE; link). Comments: That categorizing and characterizing…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Barbarians: Origen on charges against Jesus adherents (mid-third century CE)
Ancient authors: Origen of Alexandria (mid-third century CE), Against Celsus (link). Comments: Origen of Alexandria, like several other authors, makes…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Romans, Carthaginians, Celts, Scythians and others: Tertullian combats charges of human sacrifice and incest against Jesus adherents (early third century CE)
Ancient author: Tertullian, Apology 7-9 (link); Tertullian, To the Peoples / Ad Nationes 1.7-8, 11, 15-16 (link; link to Latin). Comments: As this series on…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Greeks, Persians, and Indians: Theophilos of Antioch combats charges of eating human flesh and incest against Jesus adherents (late second century CE)
Ancient author: Theophilos of Antioch (180s CE), To Autolykos (link; link to Greek text with Grant’s translation) Comments: According to Eusebios…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Egyptians, Taurians, and Greeks: Athenagoras of Athens combats charges of eating human flesh and incest against Jesus adherents (ca. 176-180 CE)
Ancient authors: Athenagoras of Athens (175-178 CE), Embassy for the Christians, with some omissions (link; link to Greek); Anonymous authors, Letter of the…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Romans, Egyptians, Judeans, and others: Justin of Flavia Neapolis combats charges of eating human flesh and incest against Jesus adherents (mid-second century CE)
Ancient author: Justin of Flavia Neapolis in Palestine, aka Justin Martyr (ca. 153 CE), First Apology 1-7, 23-27, 29-30; Second Apology 12 (link; link to…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Romans and Greeks: Livy on human sacrifice and other crimes by Bacchic devotees in Italy (late first century BCE)
Ancient author: Livy (ca. 9 BCE), Roman History 38.16-27 (link; link to Latin); ILLRP 511 = CIL I² 581 (October 186 BCE). Comments: Livy’s story about…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Pelasgian diasporas: Varro on Roman origins and human sacrifice at the Saturnalia festival (mid-first century BCE)
Ancient authors: Marcus Terentius Varro (mid-first century BCE), Human and Divine Antiquities, book 8 on festivals, as cited by Ambrosius Theodosius Macrobius…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Greeks: Diodoros and Polyainos on human sacrifice by conspirators led by Apollodoros (late first century BCE on)
Ancient authors: Diodoros of Sicily (late first century BCE), Library of History 22.5, as summarized in excerpts for Constantine Porphyrogennetos (link)…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Romans: Sallust, Plutarch, and others on human sacrifice and other crimes of Catiline and conspirators (first century BCE on)
Ancient authors: Sallust (42-35 BCE), War of Catiline / Bellum Catilinae 5, 12-16, 21-23, 36-39 (link); Plutarch (early second century CE), Cicero 10-11…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Guide to Porphyry of Tyre
This is a guide to ethnographic passages from Porphyry on this website: On Abstinence from Killing Animals Theophrastos on piety and human sacrifice among…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Greeks, Egyptians, and Carthaginians: Porphyry and others on human sacrifice (third century CE)
Ancient authors: Porphyry of Tyre (third century CE), De abstinentia / On Abstinence from Killing Animals 2.53-57 (link; link to Greek. Comments: Porphyry…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Egyptian and Babylonian wisdom: Lactantius on the authority of Hermes Trismegistos and the Sibyls (early fourth century CE)
Ancient author: Lactantius, Divine Institutes 1.6 (link; link to Latin). Comments: Lucius Caecilius Firmianus Lactantius (early fourth century CE) was a…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Guide to Lactantius of northern Africa
This post is a guide for reading through ethnographic passages in Divine Institutes by Lactantius of northern Africa (late third-early fourth century CE)…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Scythians, Sarmatians, or Massagetians: Josephos and others on wild invading Alans (first century CE)
Ancient authors: Josephos, Judean War 7.244-251 (link); Dio Cassius, Roman History 69.15 (via Xiphilinus’ summary). Comments: We know very little about a…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Persians: Lactantius on Magians’ expertise on lower spirits and on their lack of true wisdom (early fourth century CE)
Ancient author: Lactantius (early fourth century CE), Divine Institutes 2.14, 2.16, and 4.2 (link; link to Latin). Comments: I have already discussed the…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Taurians, Gauls, and Romans: Lactantius on human sacrifice and other criminal rituals to false gods (early fourth century CE)
Ancient author: Lactantius, Divine Institutes 1.21 (link; link to Latin). Comments: In the process of rejecting the false gods of other peoples and of other…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Arkadians: Plato, Varro, and others on supposed Lykaian human sacrifice (fourth century BCE on)
Ancient authors: Plato (fourth century BCE), Republic 565; Theophrastos of Eresos on Lesbos (fourth century BCE), On Piety, as cited by Porphyry of Tyre (third…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Syrians / Phoenicians: Asklepiades and Neanthes on the introduction of eating animal meat (fourth century BCE)
Ancient authors: Asklepiades of Cyprus (fourth century BCE) and Neanthes of Kyzikos (fourth century BCE), as cited by Porphyry of Tyre (third century CE), De…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Egyptians, Thracians, Judeans, and Carthaginians: Theophrastos on piety and human sacrifice (fourth century BCE on)
Ancient authors: Theophrastos of Eresos on Lesbos, On Etruscans, as cited in a marginal scribal note (scholium) on Pindar’s Pythian Ode 2.2 = William W…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Chaldeans and Chaldoi: Hellanikos of Lesbos and Dikaiarchos of Messena on two peoples (fifth century BCE on)
Ancient authors: Hellanikos of Lesbos (fifth century BCE), Dikaiarchos of Messena (late fourth century BCE), and others, as cited by Stephanos of Byzantion…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Scythians: Athenaios and others on Scythianizing and “Scythian speech” (fifth century BCE on)
Ancient authors: Various Greek poets (from the fifth century BCE on) cited by Athenaios (early third century CE), Sophists at Dinner 10.427 (link); Anonymous…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Iberians: Valerius Maximus, Petronius, Florus, and Appian on brave and/or savage Numantines (first-second centuries CE)
Ancient author: Valerius Maximus (early first century CE), Memorable Deeds and Sayings 7.6, external / foreign 1-2 (link); Petronius, (first century CE)…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Egyptians: Juvenal on “demented Egypt,” animal worship, and the eating of raw human flesh (early second century CE)
Ancient author: Juvenal (early second century CE), Satires 15 (link). Comments: In this satirical poem in Latin from some time just after 127 CE, Juvenal…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Ancient Visual Ethnography: Picturing Invading and Conquered Peoples (Pomona College, Classics presentation, April 2026)
Galatian invaders characterized by Greeks in Asia Minor (279-160s BCE) 1a) Galatian / Celtic invader clubbed by Herakles at Kyzikos (link) 1b) Priene…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Germans: Josephos on the accuracy of German divination (late first century CE)
Ancient author: Josephos, Judean Antiquities 18.195-202 and 19.343-350 (link). Comments: On the one hand, elsewhere in Antiquities, Josephos offers an overall…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Germans: Josephos characterizes Caligula’s bodyguard as savage (late first century CE)
Ancient author: Josephos, Judean Antiquities 19.119-153 (link). Comments: Josephos’ account of the death of emperor Gaius Caligula is aimed at…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Dorians and Xanthians: Monumentalizing claims of kinship (ca. 206/205 BCE)
Ancient authors: Xanthians, Dorians, and Aitolians, SEG 38 (1988), no. 1476 (206/205 BCE) = Jean Bousquet, “La stèle des Kyténiens à Xanthos de Lycie,” Revue…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Guide to Dio of Prusa
This post is a guide to ethnographic passages in the speeches or Orations of Dio of Prusa, also known as Dio Chrysostom (late first century CE): Barbarian…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Guide to Strabo
This post is a guide for reading sequentally through ethnographic passages in Strabo of Amaseia’s Geography (early first century CE): Celts, Ethiopians…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Romans: Strabo concludes on their dominance and superiority (early first century CE)
Ancient author: Strabo (early first century CE), Geography 17.3.24 (link). Comments: After surveying all of the inhabited world, Strabo concludes by returning…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Libyans: Eratosthenes, Artemidoros, and Strabo on peoples and customs (early first century CE)
Ancient author: Eratosthenes (third century BCE), Artemidoros of Ephesos (late second century BCE), Gabinius, and others as discussed by Strabo (early first…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Ethiopians: Strabo on a hard lifestyle in a harsh environment (early first century CE)
Ancient author: Strabo (early first century CE), Geography 17.2.1-3 (link). Comments: Strabo’s discussion of Ethiopians is much shorter than the…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Egyptians: Strabo on animal gods and accompanying rites (early first century CE)
Ancient author: Strabo (early first century CE), Geography 17.1.1-54 (with some omissions) and 17.2.5 (link). Comments: Following his discussion of Arabians…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Arabians and Erembians: Poseidonios, Strabo and others on obscure peoples mentioned by Homer (early first century CE)
Ancient authors: Homer, Poseidonios (first century BCE), and others as discussed in Strabo (early first century CE), Geography 16.4.27 (link). Comments: One of…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Arabians and Nabateans: Strabo on their supposedly uncivilized sexual and burial customs (early first century CE)
Ancient author: Strabo, Geography 16.4.25-26 (link). Comments: After dealing with Syrians and Phoenicians, Strabo turns his attention to Arabians and Nabateans…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Judeans: Strabo on decline after Moses and banditry (early first century CE)
Ancient authors: Poseidonios (?) and Strabo, Geography 16.2.28, 34-40, 42-46 (link) Comments: Strabo’s description of collecting bitumen from the Dead…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Phoenicians: Strabo on the achievements of Tyrians and Sidonians (early first century CE)
Ancient author: Strabo, Geography 16.2.22-24 (link). Comments: As Strabo surveys cities within Syria and Phoenicia, he turns to the two most famous cities…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Assyrians, Babylonians, and surrounding peoples: Strabo on their customs (early first century CE)
Ancient authors: Strabo (early first century CE), Geography 16.1.1-2, 6, 8, 16-18, 20, 24-27 and 16.3.1 (link). Comments: In this section, Strabo turns to a…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Arabians, Trogodytes, and peoples around the Red Sea: Eratosthenes, Artemidoros, and Strabo on their locations and customs (early first century CE)
Ancient authors: Eratosthenes (third century BCE), Geography = FGrHist 241 F95; Agatharchides of Knidos (second century BCE), On the Erythraian Sea = FGrHist…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Scythians, barbarians, Greeks, and others: Epiphanios of Salamis on Scythianism as heresy (fourth century CE)
Ancient author: Epiphanios of Salamis on Cyprus, The Medicine Chest / Panarion preface 2, 3 and 1-4 (link to Greek). Comments (by Maia Kotrosits): The…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Guide to Tacitus
This post provides a guide for reading through ethnographic passages on this website from the Roman senator Tacitus (ca. 97-117 CE): Agricola (ca. 97-98 CE)…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Celts: Tacitus on the revolt of Boians under Marricus (early second century CE)
Ancient author: Tacitus, Histories 2.61 (link). Comments: Tacitus’ story of a revolt by the Celtic Boians (placed in 69 CE) is much much shorter than his…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Britons: Tacitus and Dio Cassius on the revolt of the Icenians and Trinobantians led by Boudicca (early second century)
Ancient author: Tacitus (early second century CE), Annals 14.29-39 (link); Dio Cassius (early third century CE), Roman History 62.3–6, as summarized by John…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Germans: Tacitus on the revolt of the Batavians and on Batavian character (early second century CE)
Ancient author: Tacitus, Histories 4.12–18 and 5.17, 24-26 (link). Comments: Tacitus’ story of the revolt of the Batavians in what is now the…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Guide to Philo of Alexandria
This is a guide for reading ethnographic passages on this website from Philo of Alexandria (early first century CE): Amalekites as an arch-enemy people (link)…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Guide to Celsus and Origen of Alexandria
This post is a guide for reading through ethnographic passages on this website by Celsus (mid-second century CE) and Origen of Alexandria (mid-third century…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Thracians, Scythians, and others: Anonymous author on opposing views and the relativity of what is shameful or good (mid-fourth century BCE [?])
Ancient author: Anonymous (mid-fourth century BCE [?]), Opposing Views / Dissoi Logoi 2.1-19 (link to Greek edition by Weber 1897). Comments: This anonymous…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Ethiopians: Philo of Alexandria on the supposed lowness of Ethiopians and self-control of Assyrians (early first century CE)
Ancient author: Philo of Alexandria (early first century CE), Allegorical Interpretation 1.63-70 and 2.65-67 (link). Comments: In these allegorical or symbolic…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Ethiopians: Origen on the blackness of Solomon’s and Moses’ Ethiopian wife and on the spiritual Ethiopian (early third century CE)
Ancient authors: Origen (early second century CE), Commentary on the Song of Songs 2.1, as paraphrased by Rufinus (ca. 410 CE) (link); Homilies on the Song of…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Egyptians, Phrygians, Assyrians and Persians: Firmicus Maternus on impious customs (mid-fourth century CE)
Ancient author: Firmicus Maternus, On the Errors of Impious Rites / De errore profanarum religionis 1-6 (link; link to Latin). Comments (by Justin Nadeau): We…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Eastern and northern peoples: Bardaisan of Edessa’s Book of the Laws of Countries, Pseudo-Clementines, and Origen on astrology and peoples (second-third centuries CE)
Ancient authors: Bardaisan of Edessa (late-second to early-third century CE) as presented by Philippos, Book of the Laws of Countries, or Dialogue on Fate =…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Indians, Ethiopians, and Iberians: Poseidonios and Strabo on Eudoxos of Kyzikos’ expeditions (first centuries BCE and CE)
Ancient authors: Poseidonios of Apameia (early first century BCE), On Ocean, Kidd F49C, as discussed by Strabo (early first century CE), Geography 2.3.4-5…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Guide to Dio Cassius
This post provides a guide for reading sequentally through ethnographic passages from Dio Cassius’ Roman History (ca. 211-233 CE) on this website: Celts…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Libyans: Dio Cassius and others on Domitian’s annihilation of Nasamonians (early third century CE)
Ancient authors: Cassius Dio (early third century CE), Roman History 67.4.6-7, as summarized by Zonaras (twelfth century; link); Aristides (mid-second century…
- Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World: The Websites of Philip A. Harland
Britons: Dio Cassius on the wild lifestyle and banditry of Maiatians and Kaledonians (early third century CE)
Ancient author: Dio Cassius (early third century CE), Roman History 77.12.1–5 and 77.15.1-5, as summarized by John Xiphilinus (eleventh century; link)…