He has tried to put more weight on the archaeological evidence in order to avoid misconceptions based on the partial views of ancient authors. Furthermore, his narrative of Antiocheia does not focus on the city in a narrow sense, but also takes into account the immense territory it administered. In so doing, De Giorgi provides not only a very useful introduction to the city, its inhabitants and their identities, but also offers interesting perspectives on the interplay between urban and rural social groups.

Andrea U. De Giorgi. Ancient Antioch: From the Seleucid Era to the Islamic Conquest. Cambridge University Press, 2016.

From Bryn Mawr Classical Review (BMCR). Review by Michael Blömer, Centre for Urban Network Evolutions, Aarhus University