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loginThis collection explores the interrelationship between economic practice andintellectual constructs in a number of ancient cultures. Each chapter presentsa new, richer understanding of the preoccupation of the ancients with specificeconomic problems including distribution, civic pride, management anduncertainty and how they were trying to resolve them. The research is basedaround the different artifacts and texts of the ancient East Indian, Hebraic,Greek, Hellenistic, Roman and emerging European cultures which remain forour consideration today: religious works, instruction manuals, literary andhistorical writings, epigrapha and legal documents. In looking at such itemsit becomes clear what a different exercise it is to look forward, from theearliest texts and artifacts of any culture, to measure the achievements ofthinking in the areas of economics, than it is to take the more frequent routeand look backward, beginning with the modern conception of economicsystems and theory creation. Presenting fascinating insights into theeconomic thinking of ancient cultures, this volume will enhance thereawakening of interest in ancient economic history and thought. It will be ofgreat interest to scholars of economic thought and the history of ideas.B.B.Price is Professor of Ancient and Medieval History at YorkUniversity, Toronto, and is currently doing research and teaching as visitingprofessor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.