Atti del Convegno "Strevi nel millenio" 991-1991 (review)

194 Short notices the idea of Crusade (1977), one feels that Alphandery and Dupront probably never will be now. John H. Pryor Department of History University of Sydney Atti del Convegno "Strevi nel millenio" 991-1991, Alessandria, Comune di Strevi, 1991; paper; pp. 166; numerous colour and monochrome plates (not numbered); R.R.P. ? This attractive publication celebrates the millenium of the oldest known reference to the small town of Strevi (Septebrium) in the province of Alessandria. It contains a number of papers of interest to medievalists including "II monachesimo nella diocesi di Acqui", "Strevi tra acquesi ed alessandrini nei secoli XII-XIII", "II culto di San Bovo in Strevi", and "In margine al dibattito sui nome di Strevi". However, the most important study consists of the Latin text and an Italian translation of "La carta di fondazione e donazione dell'abbazia di San Quintino in Spigno—4 maggio 991", in which Strevi is mentioned for thefirsttime (as Septeuro). John H. Pryor Department of History University of Sydney Beckwith, Christopher I., The Tibetan empire in central Asia: a history o the strugglefor great power among Tibetans, Turks, Arabs and Chinese during the early Middle Ages, 4th printing, Princeton, Princeton University Press, 1993; paper; pp. xxii, 281; 2 maps; R.R.P. U S $ ? As Professor Beckwith says in the Afterword which has been added to the paperback edition of this book, ' . . . the total number of "specialists" in early medieval Central Asian history probably does not exceed a dozen worldwide' (and this reviewer is certainly not one of them). One might wonder, therefore, why such a book has m n through two additional printings in hard cover and now a paperback edition since it was first published in 1987? The answer is, simply, that the subject is compelling. What we are presented with is the virtually unknown rise and decline of a Tibetan-based 'empire' in south-central Asia between thefirstnotice of a Tibetan lord by the name of Stagbu sha gzigs (ante seventh century) to the execution of ...