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Chapter 2 - A World Full of Risks

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 November 2023

Jerry Toner
Jerry Toner
Affiliation:
Churchill College, Cambridge
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Summary

Modern theorists have seen the development of the concept of risk as reflecting a profound shift away from a belief in the divine determination of human fate. Modernity, it is also argued, has seen the introduction of new mega-risks, which are far larger than those before. The chapter challenges these views and argues both that the Romans were not simply fatalistic about the future, and also that it is impossible to quantify whether the ancients faced less risk.

Keywords

riskuncertaintyfatechanceluckthe futureplaguedisaster
Type
Chapter
Information
Risk in the Roman World , pp. 15 - 31
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2023

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  • A World Full of Risks
  • Jerry Toner, Churchill College, Cambridge
  • Book: Risk in the Roman World
  • Online publication: 16 November 2023
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108592734.002
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  • A World Full of Risks
  • Jerry Toner, Churchill College, Cambridge
  • Book: Risk in the Roman World
  • Online publication: 16 November 2023
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108592734.002
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • A World Full of Risks
  • Jerry Toner, Churchill College, Cambridge
  • Book: Risk in the Roman World
  • Online publication: 16 November 2023
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108592734.002
Available formats
×