What got you into the period?

[Tancredii]

OT: Does anyone know any good pre-Greek books. Iron, bronze age cultures? I'm interested in this part of history right now, before the creating of the first great states we know today.

Yes I do the very first book that got me hooked - greek Armies by Peter Conolly - nice section on heroic era (homer etc). Not sure it is availbale anymore though - although Peter Conolly did also do a soft back Iliad book covering much the same content (was later and may still be available) - good illustrations but a little light if you really are into the period. Failing that Osprey also cover the period well too.

[hoom]

I got into this period from people pointing out innacuracies in RTW eg the beginnings of the EB team.
Before that pretty much my picture of the Rome period was that they had short swords because they didn't know how to make bigger ones, Macedonia was in the middle east, Cleopatra was Egyptian riding a sphinx for a chariot & that Gauls were like Asterix & Obelix. I'd heard of Alexander & Hannibal but had no idea what they'd actually done.

When I started getting a clue to the reality I got fascinated, particularly with Carthage & the Diadochi

[Xurr]

My Father got me interested in ancient Rome. He was a US Marine corp drill instructor and has this tattoo that says "Semper Fidelis". When I asked about it he gave me the whole run down on what it meant and where it came from. From that moment on I was interested in all things Roman.

[Khazar_Dahvos]

I believe my interest for different ancient cultures began when I was in third grade and realized that books had a cornucopia of knowledge to be had. I started with the ancient Mycenae and worked my way up!!!!