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Thread: Litterature about this era

  1. #1

    Default Litterature about this era

    Does anyone know any good books on this area? I'm looking for a book that has detailed information about the Greek armies (equipment, strategies etc), but also detailed information about events, i.e. wars between city states and so forth. Maybe I need several books?

    I hope this is not so much of topic or anything
    Ecce homo qui est faba


  2. #2

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    well all books are written after the primary sources which are from the (little out of the whole) preserved work of ancient greeks themselves
    so better have those stuff than secondary sources which are sometimes biased
    that way u can make up your own unaffected opinion

    start with herodotos histories its all about Persian wars but has more info as well
    ...other ancient authors have random events of more wide ages in their work

    for later events thoukydides and xenophon....
    if u like books with illustrations there are many ospreys and sekundas which have much food for your eyes in the pages

    -but also if u are patience and wait until that mod is completed then u will know everything by just playing it!!!

    PS if u search a bit in web u might find ancient authors in word doc or another format translated in a language u can understand....
    that way u can have a short look and will know if u are interested enouph to buy them yourself
    if u cant find any search here for Herodotos books
    http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin...3A1999.01.0126
    and generally look here for primary sources on line so that u know if u are really interested....

    http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cache/p...eco-Roman.html
    ...but innocence was lost long ago

  3. #3

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    the sources it is. After reading those like Herodotos, Xenophon, Thoukydides and Ploutarchos, you can proceed with some analysis or commentary texts wich are countless but need much care cause some of those bright minded analysts can be very biased from time to time. You know how it works, some people seeking fame for discovering something new in overanalysed texts or serving other purposes, always under the cover of their established name can say serious bulls...
    Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time

  4. #4
    EddieripsupAthens's Avatar Laetus
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    If you live in Greece, you can buy "The Ancient Greek writers" (Thucydides, Xenophon,Herodotus) from "Zitros" publishing.

  5. #5

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    oket thanks all ^^
    Ecce homo qui est faba


  6. #6

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    I would suggest "The Life of Greece" by Will Durant (and anything else by him in his "The Story of Civilization" series)! Here's the link to it at Amazon.

    Supporter of Hegemonia City States

  7. #7
    k_raso's Avatar Biarchus
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    Which is your opinion about Valerio Maximo Manfredi writings, on his works about Alexander the Great, Dionisus the Elder, and such?

    Thanks.

  8. #8

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    Gates of Fire and Tides of War , both by Steven Pressfield

    I will kick some english ass in braveheart style ;D

  9. #9
    Decanus
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    Gates of Fire and Tides of War , both by Steven Pressfield
    I'm looking for a book that has detailed information about the Greek armies (equipment, strategies etc), but also detailed information about events, i.e. wars between city states and so forth. Maybe I need several books?
    I don't think fiction novels would be the right plays to be looking at for the kind of books he wants.


    It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees.
    - Emiliano Zapata

  10. #10

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    If you want info about individual battles (though not wars, if you get what I mean) in Greece and Rome, this book is excellent as it describes each of the battles (or at least what we can know!) and lists the sources at the end of each entry so you can check them out for yourself. I've found it very useful and interesting, and I have a PhD in the subject!

    Battles of the Greek and Roman Worlds: A Chronological Compendium of 667 Battles to 31Bc, from the Historians of the Ancient World - by John Drogo Montagu
    http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/185...lance&n=283155

  11. #11
    Laetus
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    Default Re: Litterature about this era

    "Greek Warfare: Myths & Realities" by Hans van Wees is interesting:

    http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/071...Fencoding=UTF8

    Other than that you're best off buying books dealing with individual wars or campaigns. Peter Green's "The Greco-Persian Wars" is as good a book on the two Persian expeditions as you'll ever read:

    http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/052...lance&n=283155

    whilst for the Peloponnesian War you might try Donald Kagan's book as a readable introduction:

    http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/014...lance&n=283155

    Obviously read the sources too - Herodotus is great fun quite apart from anything else. Robin Waterfield's translation is the best, though David Grene's is closest to the original Greek. Thucydides and Plutarch's Greek Lives are vital reading as well.

    See what else you can find as well - prowl around a library or just mess about on Amazon for a bit. Have fun and beware - Greek History is more addictive than heroin...
    Stephanos
    "History is not what happened, but what men say happened".


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