Amber Gartrell – författare

The Middle East has always been a central site for trade and conquests. Its location has brought enormous wealth, cultural exchange and intellectual vitality – but also conflicts, instability and enduring political tensions. Understanding the region’s past is crucial to understanding the present day.In the anthology Empires of Faith internationally renowned scholars and writers explore the long history of the Middle East – from Mesopotamia, the Persian Empire and Alexander the Great to the emergence of Christianity and Islam, the Byzantine and Ottoman empires, and the dramatic transformation of the region in the 20th century. How have religion, civilisation and imperial ambitions shaped the Middle East? What is the legacy of the great empires and how did they influence laws, culture, governance and the everyday lives of their subjects? And to what extent are the repercussions of this history still visible in today’s political and religious landscape?

The Dioscuri first appeared at the Battle of Lake Regillus in 496 BC to save the new Republic. Receiving a temple in the Forum in gratitude, the gods continued to play an important role in Roman life for centuries and took on new responsibilities as the needs of the society evolved. Protectors of elite horsemen, boxers and sailors, they also served as guarantors of the Republic's continuation and, eventually, as models for potential future emperors. Over the course of centuries, the cult and its temples underwent many changes. In this book, Amber Gartrell explores the evolution of the cult. Drawing on a range of methodological approaches and a wide range of ancient evidence, she focuses on four key aspects: the gods' two temples in Rome, their epiphanies, their protection of varied groups, and their role as divine parallels for imperial heirs, revealing how religion, politics and society interacted and influenced each other.

The Dioscuri first appeared at the Battle of Lake Regillus in 496 BC to save the new Republic. Receiving a temple in the Forum in gratitude, the gods continued to play an important role in Roman life for centuries and took on new responsibilities as the needs of the society evolved. Protectors of elite horsemen, boxers and sailors, they also served as guarantors of the Republic''s continuation and, eventually, as models for potential future emperors. Over the course of centuries, the cult and its temples underwent many changes. In this book, Amber Gartrell explores the evolution of the cult. Drawing on a range of methodological approaches and a wide range of ancient evidence, she focuses on four key aspects: the gods'' two temples in Rome, their epiphanies, their protection of varied groups, and their role as divine parallels for imperial heirs, revealing how religion, politics and society interacted and influenced each other.