30 JUNE 1917, Page 21

Sardinia in Ancient Times. By E. S. Bouchior. (Oxford :

B. H. Blackwell. 5s. net.)—Mr. Bouchior is doing useful work in writing monographs on the Roman provinces. After dealing with Spain and Syria, ho has now summarized all that is known of ancient Sardinia. It abounds in prehistoric remains, notably the lofty conical towers called " nurrighi," which have, we may remark, their modern parallelia in the hillmen's towers on the North-West Frontier. It has many relics also of its Carthaginian rulers, and Rome, of course, left her impress. The phrase " Sardi venales " recalls the conquest of the turbulent islanders by the father of the Gracchi in 177-5 B.C. Ho sold many thousands of his captives into slavery, but they were intractable, and therefore we`hless as slaves. To this day the Sardinians retain that sternly independent character which perplexed the Romans.