Factors in the Ruin of Antiquity: A Criticism of Ancient Cilization.

From the library of Prof. Wolfgang Haase, long-time editor of ANRW and the International Journal of the Classical Tradition (IJCT). - Minimal staining on pages due to age, pencil annotation on endpaper, otherwise very good and clean. / Minimale altersbedingte Anschmutzung auf Seiten, Bleistiftanmerkung auf Vorsatzblatt, sonst sehr gut und sauber. - Contents: I. Political Causes -- II. Unorthodox Taxation -- III. Government Expenditures -- IV. Insufficient and Unsatisfactory Circulating Medium -- V. Administration of Justice -- VI. Poor Maintenance of Peace and Order -- VII. Foreign Policy and Military System -- VIII. Technological Stagnation -- IX. Natural Causes -- X. The Barbarians -- XI. Christianity -- XII. Slavery -- XIII. Racial Change -- XIV. Why the Eastern Empire Survived the Western -- XV. The Decadence of the Arts, Sciences and Philosophy. - FOREWORD: The author was a Canadian, born July 2, 1895, on a farm in Ontario, County of Grey. He graduated at the University of Toronto, and at Harvard University he received the doctorate in Ancient History. He taught a number of years in the University of Colorado, and then became my colleague on the faculty of Oklahoma State University. He was recognized as a profound scholar, especially in the history of the Roman Empire. Urged by associates, including myself, he began the writing of this book, explaining why Rome fell, and associating with modern times some decisive factors, including excessive taxation. He chose to do this rather than to write an appreciation of Roman civilization, or an apology for the Romans. The author had a variety of interests, and wrote with more care than speed. Twenty-five years after the work was begun, he died March 4, 1964. The manuscript was virtually completed but lacked some revisions he would have made. His sister, Miss Margaret Isaac, wisely decided that the best procedure was publication of the manuscript, just as the author left it. It is an honor that I be permitted to write a foreword for this courageous scholar. May we all remember the admonition of the first Stuart King, who more than three centuries ago wrote: �It is an easie thing for MOMUS to picke quarrels in another mans tale, and tell it worse himselfe; it being a more easie practise to finde faults, than to amend them.� BERLIN B. CHAPMAN.