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Thread: Europa Barbarorum Bibliography

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    EB Nitpicker Member oudysseos's Avatar
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    Default Europa Barbarorum Bibliography

    Voluntary non-binding guidelines for submitting books to the bibliograhpy

    I will include all suggested books. I think that it is more useful if there is some uniformity in the list. I therefore ask that if you submit a book, please use the following format:

    Name of Book Underlined, Name of Author or Editor, (Publishing data optional), A Brief squib of your opinion, Your Name/Handle

    I will edit submissions to more-or-less conform to this format, so it just saves me time if you do it like that.

    If I miss or forget to add your submission to the main post, please remind me and I will rectify. It will never be on purpose.


    General Histories of the Period, Theoretical Works on Language, Economics, Demographics

    The Hellenistic Age, Peter Green. Must read.
    Barbarians, Terry Jones Highly Recommended
    Black Athena volume One: The Fabrication of Ancient Greece 1785-1985, Martin Bernal. Very Controversial, Not Very Well Written. Not necessarily all wrong.
    Egypt, Greece and Rome Charles Freeman
    Empires of the Word:A language History of the World Nicholas Ostler
    New Larousse Encyclopedia of Mythology ed. Robert Graves
    Mapping Human History Steve Olson
    The Field and the Forge: Population, Production, and Power in the Pre-Industrial West, John Landers. Thought-provoking book incorporating demographics, economics, macro-politics, but especially military technology and logistics within the context of the “Organic Economy” over a wide chronology of western history, from Antiquity through the French Revolution.
    Religions of the ancient world : a guide, Sarah Iles Johnston a good overview of various religions and their interconnectness in antiquity, interesting insight into the spiritual and everyday world of that time.
    Food in the ancient world, John M. Wilkins and Shaun Hill, informative, interesting perspective into sociology and everyday life of the ancient times.

    Works on Military Theory and Armies

    The Face of Battle, Masks of Command, A History of Warfare, John Keegan
    Soldiers and Ghosts, a History of Battle in Classical Antiquity, J.E. Lendon
    War in the Hellenistic World by Chaniotis
    The Mercenaries of the Hellenistic World G.T. Griffith very informative and detailed, especially about the economics of the mercenary market
    Warfare in the Classical World John Warry
    Warfare in the Ancient World Brian Todd Carey; Joshua B. Allfree,; John Cairns
    Greek Mercenary Soldiers Parke
    Warfare in Antiquity Hans Delbruck. Excellent book for getting a feel for the evolution of warfare in the ancient West, with a surprising amount of detail for a survey work.
    Greek Warfare: Myths and Realities Hans van Wees
    Absolutely critical book to read for analysis of hoplite/phalanx fighting
    The Bloody Crucible of Courage: Fighting Methods and Combat Experience of the American Civil War Brent Nosworthy
    Off topic but still germane: the psychology and methods of line infantry and great explanations of logistics, terrain and the impact of technology on warfare.
    The Ancient Greeks Nicholas Sekunda. One of those illustrated 'Soldiers of the x period' books from Osprey publishing, but the articles are also excellent and explain a great deal about the difficulties of drawing conclusions about things like hoplite armour from the sources that w have.
    The Western Way of War, Victor Daivs Hanson
    Warhorse: Cavalry In Ancient Warfare, Philip Sidnell. Concentrates mainly on Roman and Greek cavalry and highlights why the stirrup wasn't all that big a deal for cavalry.
    Hellenistic infantry reform in the 160's BC, Nicholas Sekunda.
    the latest work of N. Seckunda where he somewhat changes his earlier ideas (expressed in his previous works) on what happened in the infantry reforms of the 160's.
    Besieged, D. B. Campbell.
    development of siege warfare from 6th century Persia to the 4th century Roman world.
    The Ancient World at War ed. P. de Souza.
    Xenophon's Retreat:Greece Persia & the End of the Golden Age, Robin Waterfield
    War and peace in the ancient world, Kurt A. Raaflaub ed., excellent compilation of studies into the concepts, theory and practice of war and peace in various antic civilizations from assyrians to India (and even North American Indians), A MUST!


    Greece/Hellenistic

    The Cambridge History of the Classical World vol 7
    A standard work, every college library and most good public libraries will have a set. Volume 7 covers the EB period for All the Diadochi/Greek factions, as well as Epirus and lots on Rome. Perhaps the best one-stop-shop for an overview of the period. The following articles were very good:
    The Aetolian League; Social Changes in Greece; Greece after Pyrrhus' Death; The Greek Leagues and Macedonia all by WW Tarn
    Rhodes in the Hellenistic Age R.M. Berthold
    Sparta and Lakonia and Hellenistic and Roman Sparta (both are excellent and cheap) P. Cartledge
    Spartan Twilight Piper
    Athens From Alexander to Antony C. Habicht
    Wealthy Corinth Salmon
    Greeks, Romans, and Barbarians: Spheres of Interaction Barry Cunliffe
    A History of the Greek City States, 700-338 B. C. Raphael Sealey
    The Greek World 479-323 BC Simon Hornblower
    The Greek Tyrants, A. Andrews. More about the Classical Period, but a great background book with some good bits on hoplites
    Ancient Greece, Eyewitness Guides. A cheesey selection but has some nice pictures :).
    The Cambridge Companion to the Hellenistic World. Glenn Bugh ed. Great collection of articles, especially Hellenistic Military Developments by the editor and Hellenistic Economies by John Davies
    A History of the Greek Workd 323-146 BC M. Cary
    Very Hellono-centric, nothing really new but later chapters on economics and governments in post Alexandrine Greece very interesting.
    The Hellenistic World and the Coming of Rome Erich Gruen
    Only had a chance to skim through this but a very interesting work: not a chronological history but more an analysis of the impact on Greek thought and life of Roman dominance, i.e. how the previously world-conquering hellenes adjusted to being conquered.
    The Social and Economic History of the Greek World M. Rostovtzeff
    ( 3 volumes ) Covers the EB period in depth with great chapters on the 'minor monarchies' (Pergamon, Pontus, Galatia, Bithynia and the Black Sea City-statesand the Bosporan Kingdom)
    The Extraordinary Voyage of Pytheas the Greek Barry Cunliffe
    A Massaliot Greek's travels to Britain in 320 BC, and lots of stuff about the interaction between the Hellenic and Celtic worlds. Well written.
    An Introduction to Greek Epigraphy of the Hellenistic and Roman Periods from Alexander the Great down to the Reign of Constantine (323 B.C. - A.D. 337), McLean
    Babylon, Memphis, Persepolis: Eastern Contexts of Greek Culture, Walter Burkett
    The City of Sharp Nosed Fish, Greeks Lives in Roman Egypt, Peter Parsons
    The story of the late 19th century expedition of Grenfell and Hunt to the ruins of Oxyrhynchos, outside of Cairo, where they found a massive horde of papyri detailing the everyday lives of Greek colonist in Egypt from Alexander up to Roman times. Fascinating.
    The Role of Metals in Ancient Greek History Michail Yu Treister
    Daily Life in Greece at the Time of Pericles, Robert Flaceliere
    Hellenistic History and Culture, Peter Green ed.
    Dividing the Spoils, Robin Waterfield


    Macedon

    Lysimachus: A Portrait of Hellenistic Kingship Helen S. Lind
    A History of Macedonia Errington
    The Macedonian State N Hammond
    The Macedonian Empire: The Era of Warfare Under Philip II and Alexander the Great 359-323 BC James R. Ashley
    Alexander the Great and the logistics of the Macedonian Army, Donald W. Engels.
    The Genius of Alexander the Great N.G. Hammond
    Alexander by Robin Lane Fox
    Alexander to Actium: The Historical Evolution of the Hellenistic Age Peter Green
    Alexander of Macedon Peter Green
    Alexander Lt. Col. Theodore Ayrault Dodge
    The Nature of Alexander the Great, Mary Renault- The Grandmother of Classical Historical Fiction gives her non-fic opinion of Al. Well written and also provides a glimpse behind the scenes of her famous trilogy.


    Epiros

    Pyrrhos: King of Epirus Petros Garoufalias
    Epirus Hammond
    The Illyrians John Wilkes Fantastic book- v. good on the differences between the Illyrians and the Greeks, really puts them in context


    Seleukids

    The House of Seleucus Edwyn R. Bevan
    http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&...result#PPR3,M1
    A link to an etext version of the above, I hope
    Late Achaemenid and Hellenistic Babylon T. Boiy
    The Seleucid Army: Organisation and Tactics in the Great Campaigns Bar-Kochva
    From Samarkhand to Sardis (best on Seleukids) Sherwin-White and Kuhrt
    The Seleucid Army: Organisation and Tactics in the Great Campaigns Bar-Kochva
    Roman War of Antiochos the Great by Grainger


    Ptolemies

    The House of Ptolemy Edwyn R. Bevan !!read it online!!
    A History of the Ptolemaic Empire (very good) G. Holbl
    Cleopatra, Ernle Bradford- Begins with a concise and informative overview of the Ptolemies, and includes the most interesting analysis of Caesar's character I have ever seen. Made me think.
    Rome and the Ptolemies of Egypt : the development of their political relations 273-80 B.C., Anssi Lampela


    Baktria

    Thundering Zeus (Baktria - excellent) Holt
    The Greek Kingdom of Bactria Sidky
    The Greeks in Bactria and India W.W. Tarn
    The Indo-Greeks A.K. Narain
    The Greeks in India : A Survey in Philosophical Understanding, Demetrios Th. Vassilides
    https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showt...eek+references
    Intercourse Between India and the Western World H.G. Rawlinson

    Persian/Parthian

    The Persians Maria Brosius
    From Cyrus to Alexander: A History of the Persian Empire Pierre Briant
    The Parthians Malcolm Colledge
    Older book that traces the Parni throughout til the Sassanids.
    Shadows in the Desert: Ancient Persia at War Kaveh Farrokh
    History of Persia, Sir Percy Sykes. Old but good. Go for the first volume since it deals with the EB timeframe and beyond.
    A History of Parthia, George Rawlinson Old but excellent.
    Ancient Persia : from 550 BC to 650 AD, Josef Wiesehöfer (trans. Azizeh Azodi), excellent modern study covering Achaemenid, Arsacid and Sasanian Period (Seleucids are largely ommited, sadly) it is A MUST!
    Rome and Persia in late antiquity : neighbours and rivals, by Beate Dignas and Engelbert Winter, very good overview of the development of mtual relations from Carrhae to the fall of Sasanian Empire, studying not only mutual wars, but also the development of the diplomatic protocol, trade and cultural interchange.
    History of the Persian Empire, A.T. Olmstead


    Pontus

    The Foreign policy of Mithridates VI Eupator King of Pontus B.C McGing
    Colloquica Pontica
    Cambridge Ancient History V. 9, Pontus and its Neighbors, M. Rostovtzeff, H.A. Ormerod
    Mithridates the Great, Rome's Indomitable Enemy, Philip Matyszak
    The Poison King, Adrienne Mayor



    Haydasan

    History of Armenia Movses Khorenatsi. A classic.
    The Armenians A.E. Redgate
    The Kingdom of Armenia M. Chahin
    The Pre-History of the Armenians in 2 volumes. Gabriel Soultanian
    The Peasantry of Ancient Armenia, The Art of Dionysius Grammarian and his Armenian Interpretations, Political parties in Ancient Armenia, Armenia in the Period of Justinian, all by Nicolas Adontz
    Tigranes II and Rome, Hakob H. Manandyan
    A History of Armenia, Vahan M. Kurkjian(entire book online)

    Rome

    Rubicon by Tom Holland
    The Fall of the Roman Empire Peter Heather
    The Ancient Roman City John E. Stambaugh
    History of Rome Theodor Mommsen
    History of Rome Indro Montanelli
    Claudius by Barbara Levick
    War and Imperialism in Republican Rome W.V. Harris
    Handbook to Life in Ancient Rome (Lesley and Roy Adkins)
    As the Romans Did: A Sourcebook in Roman Social History (Jo-Ann Shelton)
    The Cambridge Companion to the Roman Republic (Various)
    Greek and Roman Medicine (Ian Dawson)
    The Roman World; The Oxford History of the Classical World Boardman, Griffin, Murray ed.
    In the Name of Rome:The Men Who Won the Roman Empire Adrian Goldsworthy
    The Battle That Stopped Rome: Emperor Augustus, Arminius, and the Slaughter of the Legions in the Teutoburg Forest Peter S. Wells
    Good book about the Battle of Teutoburg Forest that is backed up with archaeological evidence. The author, Wells, goes into cultural aspects of Germania during that time. He also talks about how that Battle haunted Rome and inspired the Germanic people for years to come.
    Roman Religion, Valerie Warrior
    Roman Art, Ramage and Ramage
    The Jews in the Roman World, Michael Grant- also pretty much anything he ever wrote is worth looking at
    The Enemies of Rome by P. Matyszak
    greatest leaders that fought Rome, from Hannibal to Attila. addressed to general public somewhat lacks depth. it is obviously impossible to tell every character's story thoroughly in a single volume. fine read nevertheless.
    Scipio Africanus, B. Liddell Hart
    The Roman Army at War 100 BC - AD 200, The Complete Roman Army, Roman Warfare, Adrian Goldsworthy
    Weapons of the Romans, Michel Feugere
    Rome and Her Enemies: An Empire Created and Destroyed By War, Jane Penrose (Ed.). An Osprey Title.
    Ancient Rome: A Military and Political History, Christopher S. Mackay.

    Caesar Adrian Goldsworthy
    Caesar Lt. Col. Theodore Ayrault Dodge
    Caesar's Legion: The Epic Saga of Julius Caesar's Elite Tenth Legion and the Armies of Rome
    Stephen Dando-Collins


    Carthage

    Carthage: A History Serge Lancel
    The Fall of Carthage by Adrian Goldsworthy
    Motya, Unearthing a Lost Civilization, Gaia Servadio
    The Carthaginians in Spain, an article in vol. 7 of The Cambridge History A. Schulten
    The North African Stones Speak Paul MacKendrick Archeology and its relation to history
    Tripolitania DJ Mattingly Very detailed about this part of North Africa
    The Phoenicians and the West; Politics, Colonies and Trade Maria Eugenia Aubert Not Carthage specific but a lot of cultural info
    The World of the Phoenicians, Sabatino Moscati A decent survey of Carthaginian history on the second half but really worth it for the chapters on culture, religion and language

    Hannibal, Ernle Bradford
    Hannibal Lt. Col. Theodore Ayrault Dodge
    Hannibal's last battle: Zama and fall of Carthage, B. T. Carey.
    good narrative on Punic wars, but the beauty of this book is in detailed graphic reconstructions of all major engagements, both at sea and on land.


    Celts/Gauls/Germans

    The Prehistory of Germanic Europe Schutz
    The Ancient Celts Barry Cunliffe
    The Celtic Empire, The First Millenium of Celtic History 1000BC - 51 AD, Peter Berresford Ellis
    Die Germanen Herwig Wolfram
    Die Roemer in Germanien Reihhard Wolters
    Der Limes, Geschichte einer Grenze Egon Schallmayer
    Die Goten und ihre Geschichte Herwig Wolfram
    Geschichte der Kriegskunst, Die Germanen, Vom Kampf der Römer und Germanen bis zum Übergang ins Mittelalter Hans Dellbrück
    The Celts Edited by Sabatino Moscati, Otto Hermann Frey, Venceslas Kruta, Barry Raftery, Miklós Szabó 1991.
    Celts and the Classical World David Rankin 1996.
    Gallia Narbonensis: Southern Gaul in Roman Times A.L.F. Rivet 1990.
    The Historical Atlas of the Celtic World, John Haywood- Stretches to modern times but half the book is pertinent to the EB time frame. Good maps.


    Lusotannan

    The Romans in Spain, 217 BC – AD 117, C.H.V. Sutherland
    Roman Spain: Conquest and Assimilation, Leonard A. Curchin
    Rome's Enemies (4): Spanish Armies, R. Martinez, R. Trevino, A. McBride
    (Osprey, but what the hell)

    Hispaniae: Spain and the Development of Roman Imperialism, 218-82 BC, J. S. Richardson
    The Decline of the Roman Republic, George Long Download it as a PDF.


    Britain and Ireland

    Roman Ireland Vittorio di Martino
    Agricola invaded Ireland! Maybe.
    Roman Britain Plantagenet Somerset Fry
    The standard work on Roman sites in Britain with plenty of history. Also a good book for IBFD.


    Sab'yn

    Monuments of South Arabia 1983 Falcon-Oleander Press. Brian Doe- from Teleklos Archelaou
    Arabia Felix From the Time of the Queen of Sheba: Eighth Century B.C. to First Century A.D. 1999 University of Notre Dame Press Jean-Francois Breton -from Teleklos Archelaou
    Hellenism in the East Amelie Kuhrt, Susan Sherwin-White ed.
    A compilation, I read the article The Arab-Persian Gulf under the Seleucids by Jean-Francois Salles- a lot more was going on there than you might think
    Ancient South Arabia Klaus Schippman -Qwerty
    Das Reich der Königin von Saba, Gabriel Mandel


    Getai/Thrace

    The Ancient Civilization of Romania E.Condurachi and C. Daicoviciu
    The Thracians R.F. Hoddinott
    Bulgaria in Antiquity R.F. Hoddinott

    All three contain sections on the Getai and their environs in the EB time frame, also tons of photos and cultural info, plus a lot about the Celtic kingdom of Komontorius from ca. 280 to 220 BCE.


    Sarmatians/Yuezhi/Saka Rauka

    Scythians and Greeks; Cultural Interactions in Scythia, Athens and the Early Empire ed. David Braund Mostly translations of Russian academic works that have not been available in English
    The Sarmatians T. Sulimiroki
    The World of the Scythians Renate Rolle (translated from German)
    The above two books not specific to EB time frame per se but lots of pics and cultural info
    UNESCO History of Civilizations of Central Asia, vol. II: The development of sedentary and nomadic civilizations: 700 BC to AD 250. Ed. by Janos Harmatta, with co-editors B.N. Puri and G.F. Etemadi. 1994. Chapters on Parthia, the greek kingdoms of Central Asia, Nomads in east central Asia, the Yueh-chih, The Sakas and Indo-Parthians, the Kushans, languages and scripts in GraecoBactria and the Saca kingdoms, etc.
    The Tarim Mummies, JP Mallory and Victor H. Mair
    Warriors of the Steppe, Hildinger

    Misc

    Ancient Cyprus, Veronica Tatton-Brown- A publication of the British Museum

    A Bibliography of the Classical Sources germane to EB.

    I think it is important to remind people that some (many) of these works are not themselves primary sources, even though they are old. Livy's history of the early republic is a secondary work of scholarship in the same way that Tom Holland's Rubicon is. "Primary" vs. "Secondary" is not better vs. worse, but merely a distinction of kind.

    Most of these are available online at either the Library of Ancient Texts Online or the Perseus Project, and they are in the Loeb Library.

    Herodotus, The Histories
    Xenophon, Anabasis, Hellenica, Cyropaedia, Constitution of Sparta, Ways and Means, The Cavalry General, On Horsemanship
    Thucydides, The History of the Peloponnesian War
    Aristotle, Athenian Constitution, Politics, Nicomachean Ethics
    Polybius, The Histories (The Rise of the Roman Empire)
    Plutarch, The Parallel Lives, The Moralia
    Aeschines, Against Ctesiphon
    Demosthenes, Philippics, Orations
    Arrian, The Campaigns of Alexander, Array Against the Alans, Art of Tactics, Indica
    G. Julius Caesar, Gallic War, Civil War
    Appian, Roman History
    Titus Livius, Ad Urbe Condita
    M. Tullius Cicero, Too Many to List;try the Verrine Orations and the Caesarian Speeches to start
    G. Suetonius Tranquillus, Lives of the Twelve Caesars
    Josephus, The Jewish War, Jewish Antiquities, Against Apion
    Strabo, The Geograhy
    Tacitus, The Histories, The Annals of Imperial Rome, Germania, Agricola
    Cassius Dio, Roman History
    G. Sallustius Crispus, The Catiline Conspiracy, The Jugurthine War
    G. Plinius Caecilius Secundus, Epistulae
    Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica
    Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Roman Antiquities

    Podcasts and Other Web Resources

    A very selective and short list of some of the better online resources that might be of interest to the EB community. Not intended to be comprehensive.

    The History of Rome. Fantastic Podcast, to be found on iTunes. A must for all EB players.
    12 Byzantine Rulers: The History of the Byzantine Empire . Another fantastic podcast, not in the EB time frame but still worth a listen.
    In Our Time. Well known BBC radio programme hosted by Melvyn Baron Bragg. A wide range of subjects, some quite germane to EB. Also on iTunes.

    iTunes U offers podcasts of university lectures and courses for free. The sound quality is often mediocre as these are not recorded specifically for webcasting but just as a byproduct of a lecture or symposium. Still some good stuff. You find these by going to the iTunes Store and clicking on iTunesU.

    Stanford;

    Geography of World Cultures, Martin Lewis
    Hannibal, Patrick Hunt
    Alexander in Fact, Alexander in Fiction, Alexander's Predecessors John L'Heureux
    Egypt's Hold on the Greek Imagination, Marsh McCall

    Santa Clara University;
    History 110 Roman Republic, Isabelle Pafford

    Loyola Marymount University
    King Leonidas and the 300 Spartans, 2nd Annual Classics Archaeology Symposium

    Indianapolis Museum of Art;
    Roman Art at the Louvre

    Berkley

    History4A: The Ancient Mediterranean World

    Google Books is a good resource for those who don't mind reading online, however unless the book is out of copyright you will only get a partial preview at best.

    Digital Book Index is a much better source for etexts and pdfs to download: the Ancient History category is 7 webpages long. Most are free: the more recent books are for sale.

    The Ancient History Sourcebook has a good selection of classical texts and extracts, some not easily available elsewhere.
    Last edited by oudysseos; 08-09-2011 at 16:04.
    οἵη περ φύλλων γενεὴ τοίη δὲ καὶ ἀνδρῶν.
    Even as are the generations of leaves, such are the lives of men.
    Glaucus, son of Hippolochus, Illiad, 6.146



  2. #2

    Default Re: Europa Barbarorum Bibliography

    Go with stuff much more focused on individual factions, not big sweeping generic works.

    N Hammond's The Macedonian State
    R.M. Berthold's Rhodes in the Hellenistic Age
    G. Holbl's A History of the Ptolemaic Empire (very good)
    Holt's Thundering Zeus (Baktria - excellent)
    Sidky's The Greek Kingdom of Bactria
    Sherwin-White and Kuhrt's From Samarkhand to Sardis (best on Seleukids)
    P. Cartledge's Sparta and Lakonia and Hellenistic and Roman Sparta (both are excellent and cheap)
    Piper's Spartan Twilight
    C. Habicht's Athens From Alexander to Antony
    Salmon's Wealthy Corinth
    Schutz' The Prehistory of Germanic Europe
    Hammond's Epirus
    Serge Lancel's Carthage: A History

    And if you do absolutely need something huge and that does a great job covering most all things in this period, even though it has to be quite disjointed, try Green's Alexander to Actium.
    Last edited by Teleklos Archelaou; 10-18-2006 at 16:42.

  3. #3
    Hellpuppy unleashed Member Subedei's Avatar
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    Default Re: Europa Barbarorum Bibliography

    May I add one question? Any good books about Parthia or Bactria around? Thank you....
    “Some may never live, but the crazy never die” (Hunter S. Thompson)

  4. #4

    Default Re: Europa Barbarorum Bibliography

    Those two I listed above are two of the best ones you can find on Bactria. I don't know about the Parthians though. Oh, I forgot to add Serge Lancel's Carthage: A History.

    If you can find those books I mentioned above, and if you're serious about any one or few of them, you'll have a really good intermediate handle on most of these subjects.

  5. #5
    Member Member paullus's Avatar
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    Default Re: Europa Barbarorum Bibliography

    oxford and cambridge presses have both been putting out "companion" books to various stages or places of the ancient world in recent years (some are still pre-press), and they are quite good, though some of the articles in them can be thicker than others.

    Soldiers and Ghosts by Lendon is a good read, though I don't agree with everything he says.
    There's a nice, light book by Goldsworthy called In the Name of Rome, its about some of the better Roman generals. Its not very demanding, pretty well-written, and has maps.
    Roman War of Antiochos the Great by Grainger is an interesting perspective on the Seleukids and Romans up to Magnesia. Like Lendon, not sure how much I agree, but I liked it.
    War in the Hellenistic World by Chaniotis is a well-researched book on issues surrounding war, though not so much about war itself. Its heavy on Krete, so if that's your interest, it and other works by Chaniotis are worth following up.

    I'll also echo the quality of Holt's and Holbl's books on TA's list.
    "The mere statement of fact, though it may excite our interest, is of no benefit to us, but when the knowledge of the cause is added, then the study of history becomes fruitful." -Polybios


  6. #6

    Default Re: Europa Barbarorum Bibliography

    Yeah, it's sort of sad that there isn't something bigger and better on the Seleukid empire, but that's that - I get the feeling there may be more work and discoveries in the future here with more publication of Babylonian tablets though. There's a good Religion and Religious Practices in the Seleukid Kingdom published in 1990, but it's sort of specific.

  7. #7
    EB Nitpicker Member oudysseos's Avatar
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    Default Re: Europa Barbarorum Bibliography

    Found Carthage: A history and will have a look. Gratias tibi ago. What I'm really interested in is the continuity of Persian history from Cyrus to the Sassanids. Any good reads?
    οἵη περ φύλλων γενεὴ τοίη δὲ καὶ ἀνδρῶν.
    Even as are the generations of leaves, such are the lives of men.
    Glaucus, son of Hippolochus, Illiad, 6.146



  8. #8
    EB Token Radical Member QwertyMIDX's Avatar
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    Default Re: Europa Barbarorum Bibliography

    Tele mentioned a lot of the ones I would have but here are some others

    Pierre Briant's From Cyrus to Alexander: A History of the Persian Empire
    Barry Cunliffe's The Ancient Celts
    Barry Cunliffe's Greeks, Romans, and Barbarians: Spheres of Interaction
    Bar-Kochva's The Seleucid Army: Organisation and Tactics in the Great Campaigns
    Raphael Sealey's A History of the Greek City States, 700-338 B. C.
    Simon Hornblower's The Greek World 479-323 BC
    John E. Stambaugh's The Ancient Roman City
    History is for the future not the past. The dead don't read.


    Operam et vitam do Europae Barbarorum.

    History does not repeat itself. The historians repeat one another. - Max Beerbohm

  9. #9

    Default Re: Europa Barbarorum Bibliography

    Quote Originally Posted by Teleklos Archelaou
    Go with stuff much more focused on individual factions, not big sweeping generic works.

    N Hammond's The Macedonian State
    R.M. Berthold's Rhodes in the Hellenistic Age
    G. Holbl's A History of the Ptolemaic Empire (very good)
    Holt's Thundering Zeus (Baktria - excellent)
    Sidky's The Greek Kingdom of Bactria
    Sherwin-White and Kuhrt's From Samarkhand to Sardis (best on Seleukids)
    P. Cartledge's Sparta and Lakonia and Hellenistic and Roman Sparta (both are excellent and cheap)
    Piper's Spartan Twilight
    C. Habicht's Athens From Alexander to Antony
    Salmon's Wealthy Corinth
    Schutz' The Prehistory of Germanic Europe
    Hammond's Epirus
    Serge Lancel's Carthage: A History

    And if you do absolutely need something huge and that does a great job covering most all things in this period, even though it has to be quite disjointed, try Green's Alexander to Actium.
    Whoa! Holt was one of my favorite History professors at the University of Houston
    Those who would give up essential liberties for a perceived sense of security deserve neither liberty nor security--Benjamin Franklin

  10. #10
    EBII Mapper and Animator Member -Praetor-'s Avatar
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    Default Re: Europa Barbarorum Bibliography

    Teleklos, Oudisseos, both of you have made my day very happy, and just provided me with entertainment for the closing summer. Thank you very much, guys!!!! I was actually looking for ancient texts to read, but didn`t know which ones were good and deep and others weren`t!!!

    A question, how much does those books cost in your country BTW (an average)?

  11. #11

    Default Re: Europa Barbarorum Bibliography

    That Carthage one is hard to find and a little expensive. You can get the Holbl pretty cheap on Amazon and the Athens from Alexander to Antony, both of Cartledge's books on Sparta, and also I'll mention Lionel Casson's Ships and Seamanship in the Ancient World - all of those are pretty cheap in trade paperback on Amazon too. Some others are harder to find.

    mcantu - you lucky dog. Holt knows more about Baktria than anyone else writing in English at least (some French might have more archaeological knowledge that hasn't been published yet for all I know).
    Last edited by Teleklos Archelaou; 10-19-2006 at 03:48.

  12. #12

    Default Re: Europa Barbarorum Bibliography

    A very good idea for a thread, may make for some interesting trips to the library for some 'light reading'

    Might also pay to compile all of these sources into a single post as well, for easy reference.

  13. #13

    Default Re: Europa Barbarorum Bibliography

    A good book about the Tenth Legion is:

    Caesar's Legion

    I can't remember the author, but it is a very good bock if you're interested in the post-Marius Roman army.

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  14. #14
    Hellpuppy unleashed Member Subedei's Avatar
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    Default Re: Europa Barbarorum Bibliography

    Thanks to Teleklos Archelaou, Quwerty & all others...yeah this is a very good threat. I will look those up, maybe amazon Germany distribute them. I always wondered where you guys in EB get all the wicked names & units from
    “Some may never live, but the crazy never die” (Hunter S. Thompson)

  15. #15

    Default Re: Europa Barbarorum Bibliography

    Quote Originally Posted by oudysseos
    Found Carthage: A history and will have a look. Gratias tibi ago. What I'm really interested in is the continuity of Persian history from Cyrus to the Sassanids. Any good reads?
    try Persians: An Introduction (Hardcover) by Maria Brosius
    http://www.amazon.com/Persians-Intro.../dp/0415320895

    It's quite general but not that bad.

  16. #16
    Abou's nemesis Member Krusader's Avatar
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    Default Re: Europa Barbarorum Bibliography

    For information and analysis on the Pontic Kings.

    B.C McGing: The Foreign policy of Mithridates VI Eupator King of Pontus
    "Debating with someone on the Internet is like mudwrestling with a pig. You get filthy and the pig loves it"
    Shooting down abou's Seleukid ideas since 2007!

  17. #17

    Default Re: Europa Barbarorum Bibliography

    Quote Originally Posted by Teleklos Archelaou
    That Carthage one is hard to find and a little expensive. You can get the Holbl pretty cheap on Amazon and the Athens from Alexander to Antony, both of Cartledge's books on Sparta, and also I'll mention Lionel Casson's Ships and Seamanship in the Ancient World - all of those are pretty cheap in trade paperback on Amazon too. Some others are harder to find.

    mcantu - you lucky dog. Holt knows more about Baktria than anyone else writing in English at least (some French might have more archaeological knowledge that hasn't been published yet for all I know).
    I did luck out...I had him for Western Civ I/II, a class on Rome and one on Alexander. I tried to take his class on Greece but it was allway full...

    He told a story once that when he first started teaching, his wife would drive him to work. When he got out of the car she would say a date (any date) and he would have to tell her something that happened in that year
    Those who would give up essential liberties for a perceived sense of security deserve neither liberty nor security--Benjamin Franklin

  18. #18

    Default Re: Europa Barbarorum Bibliography

    Yeah, I forgot that one Krusader. For everyone else - McGing's book is the only modern book that is serious scholarship that deals with the kingdom of Pontos, and thankfully it does provide a history of the kingdom too briefly. Better than you'll find anywhere else. It's a shame there isn't a good solid history on the whole kingdom.

    Maybe the members could put together a list of no more than three books per faction. Might try that internally and then post and sticky it.

  19. #19

    Default Re: Europa Barbarorum Bibliography

    Wow there are some great books in the list so far. Im wondering what book you guys are using to find your historical facts in regards to the Getai and other Thrakian tribes ( I realise that only the Getai are represented in the game in any real detail ) I ask because I am researching the entirety of Romanian history for a Romanian mod for Civ 4 Warlords ( Shameless plug I know ) and would like to be able to find more solid information on the Getai other than after the Romans invaded.

  20. #20

    Default Re: Europa Barbarorum Bibliography

    The French archeological survey on Afghanistan is effectively impressive, but getting a little older now.
    Meanwhile, the work was particulary concentrate on the Saka and Hun periods, with extensive search in the evolution of Budhist temple.

    I'll warn you as soon as I get my hands on the exact references.

  21. #21
    EB Pointless Extras Botherer Member VandalCarthage's Avatar
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    Default Re: Europa Barbarorum Bibliography

    Edwyn R. Bevan's The House of Seleucus and The House of Ptolemy
    Helen S. Lind's Lysimachus: A Portrait of Hellenistic Kingship
    W.W. Tarn's The Greeks in Bactria and India
    A.K. Narain's The Indo-Greeks
    Errington's A History of Macedonia
    Petros Garoufalias' Pyrrhos: King of Epirus
    T. Boiy's Late Achaemenid and Hellenistic Babylon

    Those are some of my favorites in addition to those that Mike and Dave posted; unfortunately most are relatively expensive and Lind's all but completely beyond reach. Bevan's however are a little more at the lower end of the price spectrum, and are truly fantastic texts for the general study of the two states. Another great author I recommend is Plutarch He was an incredible guy and his lives of Pyrrhus and Eumenes for example are incredibly insightful.
    Last edited by VandalCarthage; 10-23-2006 at 11:50.
    "It is an error to divide people into the living and the dead: there are people who are dead-alive, and people who are alive_alive. The dead-alive also write, walk, speak, atc. But they make no mistakes; only machines make no mistakes, and they produce only dead things. The alive-alive are constantly in error, in search, in questions, in torment." - Yevgeny Zamyatin

  22. #22
    Member Member paullus's Avatar
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    Default Re: Europa Barbarorum Bibliography

    For the Getai and the Thraikians generally, I couldn't point you toward a source that's generally available or readable that I also consider particularly trustworthy. There have been some pretty good archaeological compilations coming out in recent years, or are soon to come out, but aren't as readable as someone like Tarn.

    If you want something that covers the Getai, I'd suggest Dacia by Parvan. Make sure its the translated history, not the archaeology report collections (unless that's what you want). Parvan was an excellent archaeologist, but his analysis can be seriously lacking. His nationalist leanings are regularly evident, and result in glaring contradictions (continuity of population in transylvania to the present day, but the real Dacians also left transylvania to maintain independence) or a refusal to incorporate the very evidence he cites (sometimes he understates Celtic influence, or tries to totally separate the Daco-Getae from other Thracians). But its still a good read, just be wary.
    Last edited by paullus; 10-23-2006 at 03:38.
    "The mere statement of fact, though it may excite our interest, is of no benefit to us, but when the knowledge of the cause is added, then the study of history becomes fruitful." -Polybios


  23. #23
    Involuntary Gaesatae Member The Celtic Viking's Avatar
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    Default Re: Europa Barbarorum Bibliography

    Greetings fellow EB-fanatics!

    I've got one self-inflicted assignment in school to write about why the Roman empire fell, so I would be very grateful if you could throw in some names of good sources concerning that topic. I count to one book already named in here which is all about that topic, so many thanks for that! But the other books mentioned here doesn't seem to cover this aspect adequately for me to buy them (if they cover it at all), so any more tips would be highly valued!

    Thanks.

  24. #24
    EB Nitpicker Member oudysseos's Avatar
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    Default Re: Europa Barbarorum Bibliography

    I'll try and collate the suggestions from time to time. Thanks everybody for chipping in.
    οἵη περ φύλλων γενεὴ τοίη δὲ καὶ ἀνδρῶν.
    Even as are the generations of leaves, such are the lives of men.
    Glaucus, son of Hippolochus, Illiad, 6.146



  25. #25
    Krusader's Nemesis Member abou's Avatar
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    Default Re: Europa Barbarorum Bibliography

    I've started reading Thundering Zeus and it is quite good so far. Granted, I am only about ~40 pages in, but already Holt has done much to rehabilitate images Seleucus I and Antiochus I. I really didn't know how much they had done to make the Seleucid empire what it was, but Holt discusses it.

    Seriously, this is a good book to get - especially because of the obscurity of the topic. Go through your library though because buying it is going to cost a lot of money for something that is less than 200 pages.

  26. #26
    EBII Mapper and Animator Member -Praetor-'s Avatar
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    Default Re: Europa Barbarorum Bibliography

    Hi!

    I`ve started reading Flaubert`s Zalambo. Actually the first historic novel, and I`ve read elsewhere that it`s well known for beign a good historic portrait of Carthage`s history...

    I can`t think of a better place to ask than here.

    Is it accurate? I`ve read some awkward things, such as Baals beign the denomination of not a single god, but the name given to the pantheon of gods... or that Melkart is one of the forms of Moloc...

    That`s weird for a noob like me...

    But on the other hand, the initial depictions of the city of carthage are stunning for it`s detail.

    Soo, has anyone read that novel? It`s pretty old, from 1862, so it shouldn be expensive (thus inaccesible for poor mortals like us)

    Cheers!!!

  27. #27

    Post Re: Europa Barbarorum Bibliography

    Ancient Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire by Simon Baker and Mary Beard
    Good book based on the BBC1 series. Includes information on the foundation of Rome, the reforms of Tiberius Graccus, the civil war of Ceasar vs. Pompey, Augustus, Nero, The Jewish Revolt, Hadrian, Constantine and the Western empire's fall.

    Ceasar: The Gallic War and Ceasar: The Civil War by Gaius Julius Ceasar
    Good writings by Gaius Julius Ceasar about his most famous wars. However it is just a little heavy for under sixteens. Strange that he wrote it in the third person.

  28. #28
    Slow left-arm orthodox Member Calgacus's Avatar
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    Default Re: Europa Barbarorum Bibliography

    David Mattingly has just published a book about Britain under Roman rule called 'An Imperial Possession'. It's in the Penguin History of Britain series which David Cannadine has been editing. Having looked at it briefly, it seems quite an intense read - lots of dense factual information from archaeological surveys - but some of his conclusions are very interesting. I imagine it's aimed at later undergraduates who require a core text for a Roman Britain module.

    No one seems to have mentioned Tacitus or Arrian, but maybe I just missed the posting? Arrian's 'Campaigns of Alexander' are worth a go, but get a bit wearing after a while - he doesn't seem to have been a particularly inspired writer in terms of style, and no matter what the translators do, it does tend to plod a bit. Also his sources are a bit dodgy, and he seems to have strange ideas about kings never lying.

    Tacitus's 'Histories', 'Annals' and both the 'Agricola' and 'Germania' are all worth reading. Their content is excellent, and his style is both easy to follow and eminently quotable. If you haven't already read them, I'd strongly recommend trying them out. The 'Agricola' and 'Germania' are both pretty short (they usually come in the same volume) and are a good way in. The 'Annals' jumps about a bit with its areas of interest, but is, again, extremely good. For me, his best work, because of its overall coherency, is the 'Histories' which details the Year of the Four Emperors.

    Also, if you can get access to JSTOR, the online journals resource, there are many. many articles on every conceivable aspect of ancient civilisation. Only trouble is that the number of libraries which subscribe to this are quite limited.
    Calgacus

    [Exit, pursued by a bear]

  29. #29

    Red face Re: Europa Barbarorum Bibliography

    Don't forget a modern classic....
    Theodor Mommsen, History of Rome Literature Nobel Prize 1902.

    Or a soft and fast (sometimes funny) reference to roman history.....
    Indro Montanelli, History of Rome
    Last edited by Publio Cornelio Escipión Africano Mayor; 11-10-2006 at 17:03.
    Vulnerat omnes, ultima necat



  30. #30

    Post Re: Europa Barbarorum Bibliography

    Hey! Publio Cornelio Escipión Africano Mayor has got my old avatar. Thought nobody would pick it up.

    One that I just ordered today:
    Histories: The Rise of the Roman Empireby Polybius
    I haven't seen it yet, but it is supposed to have plenty of information about the Roman conquest of the Mediterranean and the early Roman Army. It is, however, supposed to be incredibly hard to understand and interpret. Certainly if you are a younger reader.

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