Book Reviews
- Albert Noyer
- David Wishart
- Egypt Books (11)
- Greece Books (30)
- Lindsey Davis
- Margaret Doody
- Modern Authors
- Rome Books (60)
- Rosemary Rowe
- Steven Saylor
- Troy
'A Visitor's Guide to the Ancient Olympics,' by Neil Faulkner
A review of the 2012 introduction to the world of the ancient Greek Olympics of the Classical period, 'A Visitor's Guide to the Ancient Olympic,' by Neil Faulkner.
'Masters of Command' by Barry Strauss
A review of the 2012 'Masters of Command: Alexander, Hannibal, Caesar, and the Genius of Leadership' written by Barry Strauss.
'Ghost on the Throne,' by James Romm
Although 'Ghost on the Throne' includes a biographical sketch of Alexander, it isn't about him, but his successors, their ambitions, alliances, and treachery.
'Oh My Gods: A Modern Retelling of Greek and Roman Myths'
Here is my review of Philip Freeman's 'Oh My Gods: A Modern Retelling of Greek and Roman Myths.' Find out what a new edition of the same old myths has to offer adults.
'Julius Caesar' by Bill Yenne
History writer Bill Yenne's 'Julius Caesar: Lessons in Leadership From the Great Conqueror,' offers a stellar study guide to Julius Caesar's Gallic and Civil War commentaries. His study of the politics of the time are not as reliable.
'The Romans and Their World,' by Brian Campbell
'The New Atlas of World History' is a new timeline cum atlas of the history of humans to the year 2010.
Spartans A New History
Review of Nigel M. Kennell's Spartans A New History
2009 Book Reviews
These are the main Ancient/Classical History books reviewed in the year 2009.
Books on Ancient Magic and Religion
Some books on this list go into the rationale for linking magic and religion, but for the purposes of this introduction, it's enough to say they weren't completely separate in ancient life. You'll find material on curses, love spells, priestesses rituals, and related topics. What you won't find here is the ancient myths except as they exemplify the use of magic. This covers a large field.
A.D. 62: Pompeii - East, Rebecca
In Rebecca East's historical fiction time travel story, the heroine lands in Pompeii right before a devastating earthquake, but several years before the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. She is able to use her modern knowledge of events in history to work her way up the ancient social ladder.
Achilles - Cook, Elizabeth
Elizabeth Cook's little story (barely over 100 pages for the story itself) gets to the heart of Achilles' participation in the Trojan War.
Ad Infinitum: A Biography of Latin - Ostler, Nicholas
Nicholas Ostler tells the story of the Latin language from its emergence to its near death.
Aeschylus Oresteia - Hughes, Ted
Ted Hughes easy to read, poetic translation of Aeschylus' trilogy about the curse of the House of Atreus.
Alexander of Macedon 356-323 B.C. - Green, Peter
Peter Green's biography of Alexander of Macedon tells a rich, colorful story of the life of Alexander the Great, noting his acts of egomania and growing contempt for mere mortals no less than his military brilliance. If you're looking for a single comprehensive, easy to read, if long, work on Alexander, this should be it.
'Alexander the Great and His Empire,' by Pierre Briant, focuses on the Achaemenids so this account of Alexander's career focuses more on people and places in the Persian Empire than you're likely to find elsewhere.
All Roads Lead to Murder - Bell, Albert
An engaging story, which breathes life into the Roman Empire of the first century and the story of the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, while showing the conflicts inherent in period social customs.
Always I am Caesar - Tatum, W. Jeffrey
Review of W. Jeffrey Tatum's Always I Am Caesar.
Ancient Greek Divination - Sarah Iles Johnston
Review of Sarah Iles Johnston's Ancient Greek Divination.
Ancient Greek Love Magic - Faraone, Christopher A.
The agape or philia of the Greeks included affection, and also the sexual passion felt towards our mates, according to the University of Chicago's Christopher A. Faraone. Eros, however, was new, disorienting passion, conceived of as an attack of unwelcome lust, aptly represented as inflicted by the arrow-wielding god of love.
Ancient Rome and Modern America - Margaret Malamud
Margaret Malamud shows how America has used the history of ancient Rome to mirror its self-image.
Aspasia of Miletus - Henry, Madeleine
Madeleine Henry studies the original liberated woman, a fifth century Athenian metic, Aspasia of Miletus.
Battle of Marathon - Krentz, Peter
A review of "The Battle of Marathon," by Peter Krentz.
Battle of Salamis - Strauss, Barry
The Battle of Salamis was fought by Greek city-states against the Persian Empire led by Xerxes. It was a battle of a rich, giant empire against small, impoverished, disjointed, feuding political entities. It looked like a sure bet for the Persians, but, as Barry Strauss shows, it was precisely the strengths of the Persian Empire and its fleet...
Battle That Stopped Rome - Wells, Peter S.
If you're trying to understand what we know of the Teutoberg Forest disaster in A.D. 9, when three Roman legions were annihilated by German tribes, or you are looking for background on the opening scene of the movie Gladiator, Peter S. Wells' very clearly written The Battle That Stopped Rome - Emperor Augustus, Arminius, and the Slaughter of the...
Belisarius: The First Shall Be Last - Belzoni, Paolo
Irene Hahn reviews the novel "Belisarius: The First Shall Be Last," by Paolo Belzoni.
Betray the Night, by Benita Kane Jaro
Review of Benita Kane Jaro's Betray the Night, a novel about the exile of Ovid.
Caesar's Legion - Dando-Collins, Stephen
Review of "Caesar's Legion The Epic Saga of Julius Caesar's Elite Tenth Legion and the Armies of Rome," by Stephen Dando-Collins.
Children of Athena - Loraux, Nicole
How the Athenians' myth justified differential treatment of men and women.
Caesar: Life of a Colossus - Goldsworthy, Adrian
Irene Hahn reviews Adrian Goldsworthy's Caesar Life of a Colossus.
Cicero - Everit, Anthony
In "Cicero," Anthony Everitt deftly weaves Roman hoodlums, generals, and moralists of the first century B.C. into his story of the life and tragedy of Marcus Tullius Cicero.
Chronicle of Zenobia: The Rebel Queen - Weingarten, Judith
Book Review of Judith Weingarten's Chronicle of Zenobia: The Rebel Queen by Irene Hahn.
Classical Mythology & More - Colakis, Marianthe and Mary Joan Masello
As its title suggests, Classical Mythology and More - A Reader Workbook is both a workbook and reader of the myths of ancient Greece and Rome. The workbook requires outside research and reasoning, and also supplies bits of lore and, occasionally, simple recipes.
Cleopatra of Egypt - Walker, Susan and Peter Higgs, eds
Eleven essays on the changing images of Cleopatra and a catalogue of artifacts from an internetional exhibit on Cleopatra and her world leave many unanswered questions.
Cleopatra's Heir - Bradshaw, Gillian
Irene Hahn reviews "Cleopatra's Heir," an alternative historical fiction by Gillian Bradshaw about the son of Caesar and Cleopatra -- Caesarion.
Completely Parsed Cicero - Maclardy, Archibald A.
If you are teaching Cicero's First Oration Against Catiline, whether to a family, a class, or yourself, this is the perfect tool. Absolutely everything is explained and in case that's not enough, Maclardy provides a translation in the margin. Originally written in the nineteenth century, "Completely Parsed Cicero" is like a review course in Latin.
Daughter of Lazarus - Bell, Albert A., Jr.
Irene Hahn reviews "Daughter of Lazarus," a work of historical fiction, by Albert A. Bell, Jr., which takes place during the reign of Domitian.
Day of the Barbarians - Barbero, Alessandro
The Day of the Barbarians: The Battle That Led to the Fall of the Roman Empire, by Alessandro Barbero.
Dead Sea Scrolls - A Biography - John J. Collins
Review of John J. Collins' 2012 'The Dead Sea Scrolls'.
Democracy and Knowledge - Josiah Ober
The 1st chapter explains that Athenian democracy was unlike modern democracy for one main reason: modern democracy "willfully ignores popular sources of useful knowledge."
Disease - Flier, Joyce
"Disease," by Joyce Flier is an accessible look at Egyptian disease and medicine.
Empires of the Silk Road - Christopher I. Beckwith
Beckwith wrote Empires of the Silk Road to counter the "barbarian" image and to fill a void, since there is no other work that covers the same area and expanse of time so sympathetically.
The Encyclopedia of Jewish Myth, Magic and Mysticism
Biblical history's inherent spirituality, such as Jewish mysticism, can both aid and obstruct professionals and amateurs alike. Fortunately there's a book available to help unpack some of the symbolic meanings of the Hebrew Bible and other ancient texts: The Encyclopedia of Jewish Myth, Magic and Mysticism.
Engineering in the Ancient World - Landels, J. G.
Engineering in the Ancient World, by J. G. Landels. Review of Landels' Engineering in the Ancient World.
Etruscan Life and Afterlife - Bonfante, Larissa
Etruscan Life and Afterlife is a collection of monographs on Etruscan topics from 1986.
Euripides' Alcestis - Hughes, Ted
Two heroes emerge from this modern adaptation, by Ted Hughes, of Euripides' drama, Heracles and the best of women, Alcestis, wife of Admetos.
Exchange and the Maiden - Ormand, Kirk
The role of women in a homosocial Greek world.
Extraordinary Voyage of Pytheas the Greek - Cunliffe, Barry
Archaeologist Barry Cunliffe takes anachronistic liberties with his portrayal of ancient travel writer Pyheas the Greek.
Fires of Vesuvius, The - Mary Beard
The subtitle of Mary's Beard's the Fires of Vesuvius catches the essence of her book. Beard tells us about what we can see in the remains of Pompeii and what lies behind it in Roman history.
Getorix - The Eagle and the Bull - Geary, Judith
Historical Fiction for young adults, by Judith Geary, dealing with the son of a Celtic chieftain captured by Romans in the time of Sulla and Marius.
Gothic Wars - Kulikowsky, Michael
Jordanes is the main source of information on the Goths, but Michael Kulikowsky says he is unreliable, even if he is the only source on the origins of the Goths.
Great Caesar! - Fry, Plantagenet Somerset
Biography of the greatest man ever, according to some.
Greco-Roman World of the New Testament Era - Jeffers, James S.
Greco-Roman World of the New Testament Era.
Greek Fire, Poison Arrows & Scorpion Bombs - Mayor, Adrienne
In "Greek Fire, Poison Arrows & Scorpion Bombs - Biological and Chemical Warfare in the Ancient World," Adrienne Mayor does a masterful job of showing how everything modern in the areas of terrorism and warfare has ancient antecedents.
Greek Tragedy - Bauer, Nancy Sorkin
Review of Greek Tragedy, by Nancy Sorkin Rabinowitz.
Hannibal Crosses the Alps - Prevas, John
We have to accept that we don't know what happened to Hannibal Barca in his famous crossing of the Alps, but given our ignorance, Prevas has done an admirable job interpreting events and trying to show why his recreated routes through the Alps work best.
History of Money - Weatherford, Jack
This isn't the place to turn to for a look at economic theory, but for a fast paced history of the world through the lens of money, this is an excellent choice.
History of the Ancient World - Bauer, Susan Wise
Review of Susan Wise Bauer's The History of the Ancient World: From the Earliest Accounts to the Fall of Rome.
Household & Family Religion in Antiquity - Bodel, John and Saul Olyan
Review of Household and Family Religion in Antiquity, edited by John Bodel and Saul M. Olyan.
How to Mellify a Corpse, by Vicki Leon
Review of VIcki Leon's "How to Mellify a Corpse".
Huns - Thompson, E.A.
Review of E.A. Thompson's 1948 text on the nomadic people led by Attila.
Hypatia of Alexandria - Dzielska, Maria
Review of Maria Dzielska's book on the truth behind the legend of the woman described as the body of Aphrodite and the spirit of Plato.
Imperial Exits Review
Review of Imperial Exits, by Julius Cicatrix and Martin Rowson.
Imperium - A Novel of Ancient Rome - Harris, Robert
Book Review of Robert Harris' novel about Cicero, Imperium, by Irene Hahn.
In the Courts of the Sun
Review of the Science fiction thriller In the Courts of the Sun, by Brian D'Amato.
Iokaste - Grossack, Victoria and Alice Underwood
How could Oedipus marry his mother? Surely he could see how much older she was than he? And how did she not know he was her son? These are issues Victoria Grossack and Alice Underwood address in this work of historical fiction.
Island of Ghosts - Bradshaw, Gillian
Review of Island of Ghosts by Gillian Bradshaw, an historical fiction novel about Sarmatians in Roman Britain at Hadrian's Wall, during the reign of Marcus Aurelius.
Julian - Vidal, Gore
Gore Vidal's fictional memoirs of Emperor Julian the Apostate.
Kleopatra - Essex, Karen
When Cleopatra died Octavian destroyed favorable histories of the pharaoh. Karen Essex' fictional biography looks at what the remarkable woman must have been like.
Last Pagan - Murdoch, Adrian
Review of Adrian Murdoch's The Last Pagan: Julian the Apostate and the Death of the Ancient World.
Laughter of Aphrodite - Green, Peter
Peter Green constructs a biography based on the few known facts of Sappho's life.
Libraries in the Ancient World - Casson, Lionel
Review of Lionel Casson's Libraries in the Ancient World.
Life in Ancient Rome - Kaufman, William
Learn about Ancient Rome while you color.
Lives of the Caesars - Barrett, Anthony, ed.
Product summary and review of Lives of the Caesars, edited by Anthony A. Barrett.
Lock - Jaro, Benita Kane
Product summary and review of The Lock - an historical novel about Cicero by Benita Kane Jaro. In The Lock Benita Kane Jaro writes about Cicero and other major figures in Rome of the time - Clodius Pulcher - Pompey - Milo.
Love, Sex, and Tragedy - Goldhill, Simon
"Why study classics?" is such an open-ended question that to get 321 pages that actually stick to the point -- more or less -- is pretty impressive. That Simon Goldhill does that while providing a survey of the classics and its impact on history, laced with many fascinating facts and truly illustrative photos is quite a feat.
Lovers' Legends - Callimach, Andrew
Andrew Callimach's "Lovers' Legends - The Gay Greek Myths" puts together the major stories about Greek heroes' and gods' love affairs with other men.
Myths of the World - Norse Gods and Heroes - Roberts, Morgan J.
Review of Morgan J. Roberts' Myths of the World - Norse Gods and Heroes.
Magic in the Ancient Greek World - Collins, Derek
A review of Derek Collins' Magic in the Ancient Greek World.
"Makers of Ancient Strategy"
Edited by Victor Davis Hanson this 2010 books looks at major ancient figures connected with warfare, as well as items like fortifications that are part of a defense strategy.
Julius Caesar
History writer Bill Yenne's 'Julius Caesar: Lessons in Leadership From the Great Conqueror,' offers a stellar study guide to Julius Caesar's Gallic and Civil War commentaries. His study of the politics of the time are not as reliable.
Nefertiti : Egypt's Sun Queen - Tyldesley, Joyce
Joyce Tyldesley attempts to unravel the many mysteries surrounding the fourteenth century B.C. Egyptian queen by looking at archaeological evidence, religious and mortuary art, and architecture from the late 18th dynasty.
Night Attila Died - Babcock, Michael A.
In The Night Attila Died - Solving the Murder of Attila the Hun Michael A. Babcock explains how philological evidence supports his theory that Attila the Hun did not die on his wedding night of a nosebleed or an alcoholism-induced esophageal rupture.
October Horse - McCullough, Colleen
Irene Hahn reviews the last in the Masters of Rome series, by Colleen McCullough, "The October Horse."
Party Politics in the Age of Caesar - Taylor, Lily Ross
Product review of "Party Politics in the Age of Caesar," by Lily Ross Taylor, a close examination of the political system of personal favoritism, bribery, religious machinations, and such Roman favorites as coitiones and bringing one's troops in to scare people into voting.
Penelopiad - Atwood, Margaret
In Penelopiad, Margaret Atwood rewrote the story of Odysseus from the viewpoint of his wife for a 21st century series retelling the ancient myths.
Pharaoh - Essex, Karen
Irene Hahn reviews "Pharaoh," the conclusion to the fictional biography of Cleopatra, written by Karen Essex.
The Poison King - Adrienne Mayor
The Poison King - The Life and Legend of Mithradates, by Adrienne Mayor is an exploration of the life of Rome's deadliest enemy.
Plagues and Poxes - Bollet, A.J.
A.J. Bollet reports on diseases that have created epidemics among human populations. Plagues and Poxes is a series of essays on individual diseases.
Pompeii - Harris, Robert
Pompeii, by Robert Harris, is a retelling of the volcanic eruption of Mt. Vesuvius from the perspective of an ancient aqueduct engineer.
Portrait of a Priestess - Connelly, Joan Breton
Portrait of a Priestess: Women and Ritual in Ancient Greece, by Joan Breton Connelly, uses photographs of artifacts and written texts to challenge the assumption that women in ancient Greece were truly as secluded and repressed as Victorian and feminist scholarship have suggested. Connelly's material covers a wide geographic area and a long...
Pride of Carthage - Durham, David Anthony
Pride of Carthage, by David Anthony Durham, is an historical fiction story of Hannibal and Carthage which Irene Hahn reviews.
Quest for the Lost Roman Legions - Clunn, Tony
Irene Hahn's review of The Quest for the Lost Roman Legions, by Tony Clunn, a book about the Roman disaster in the Teutoberg Forest.
Ramses : The Son of Light Vol. I - Jacq, Christian
Review of the fictional biography of the long-lived pharaoh Ramses of Egypt, "Ramses : The Son of Light, by Christian Jacq. Ramses is thought to have been "the" pharaoh whom Moses encountered in the Bible.
Ramses The Eternal Temple, Vol. II - Jacq, Christian
Review of Christian Jacq's The Eternal Temple (or The Temple of a Million Years).
Red Tent - Diamant, Anita
Mingling the religions and customs of the Canaanites, the followers of Abraham, and the Egyptians, "The Red Tent," by Anita Diamant, is a story of generations of a gifted, but dysfunctional family.
Return of Ulysses - Hall, Edith
My review of The Return of Ulysses, by Edith Hall.
Roman Family - Dupont, Florence
Instead of a conflict between family values and the values of the state, Republican Romans steeped their children in morality so they would become fit members of the body politic.
Roman Warfare - Goldsworthy, Adrian
Review of Adrian Goldsworthy's Roman Warfare.
Roman Woodworking - Ulrich, Roger B.
Roman Woodworking is an amply b&w illustrated reference work for those students and scholars interested in ancient trees and wood crafts. It should share shelf space with books on ancient ships and architecture and would be an especially handy companion for Vergil and Pliny.
Sailing the Wine-Dark Sea - Why the Greeks Matter - Cahill, Thomas
Review of Thomas Cahill's overview of ancient Greece, Sailing the Wine-Dark Sea - Why the Greeks Matter.
Sand of the Arena - Duffy, James
Irene Hahn's review of Sand of the Arena (A Gladiator of the Empire Novel).
Satire - Dominik, William J. and WIlliam T. Wehrle
Origins of the Roman genre and review of Dominik and Wehrle's book on Roman Satire.
Secundus Papyrus - Noyer, Albert
The Secundus Papyrus is a mystery constructed in the 5th century A.D. and largely taking place in the imperial city of Ravenna, in the Western Empire. Book review by Irene Hahn
Seneca's Oedipus - Rutenberg, Michael
A recent translation of Seneca's tragedy, adapted by Michael Rutenberg, makes Oedipus accessible to modern audiences.
Serpent Grail - Gardiner, Philip with Gary Osborn
Reader review of The Serpent Grail, by Philip Gardiner with Gary Osborn.
Shadow Women - Hunt, Angela Elwell
Review of Angela Elwell Hunt's "The Shadow Women." In "The Shadow Women," Hunt tells the Exodus story of Moses from the perpective of his sister, mother, and wife.
Sophon of Carthage - Hardy, R.
Historical romance puts flesh back on the ancient city.
Sport and Spectacle in the Ancient World - Kyle, Donald G.
A review of sport historian Sport and Spectacle in the Ancient World by Donald G. Kyle.
Tres Porculi - Williams, Rose
Between Rose Williams' easy-to-read Latin translation of the story of the "Three Little Pigs," and James Hillyer Estes' toga-clad line drawings of the main characters, Tres Porculi is great fun to read aloud.
Trying Neaira Review - Hamel, Debra
Review of Debra Hamel's "Trying Neaira - The True Story of a Courtesan's Scandalous Life in Ancient Greece."
Tutankhamen - El Mahdy, Christine
Review of Christine El Mahdy's Biography of Tutankhamen and Akhenaten, the Amarna pharaohs.
Vergil's Aeneid, Hero, War, Humanity - Cobbold, G.B.
In Vergil's Aeneid, Hero, War, Humanity, G.B. Cobbold has translated Vergil's Aeneid for the modern reader who has no knowledge of Latin and only a limited knowledge of Classics.
Warrior Women - Davis-Kimball, Jeannine
Probably because it is written by two people, "Warrior Women" has one serious flaw: It seems disjointed. The first part of the book contains a fascinating look at the archaeological remains of the Amazons, an explanation of what they mean, and an intimate look at the life of an archaeologist. The second part floats around the world.
Words and Ideas - Dominik, William J.
"Words and Ideas," by William J. Dominik, combines word building and etymology with Greco-Roman culture. It even explains the oddities of spelling conventions and why a name like Aeschylus is also spelled Aischylos.
World of Odysseus - Finley, M.I.
A vital, classic work on Homer and the Odyssey that should be required reading for anyone studying Homer, plus it's short and easy to read.
Writing in History - Rampolla, Mary Lynn
A Pocket Guide to Writing in History, by Mary Lynn Rampolla, is a great modern companion to Strunk and White's 1918 gem, Elements of Style, for all students who have to write papers. It is particularly useful, as the title implies, for students of history.
Books - Reviews of Books on Ancient/Classical History
Reviews of books on Ancient History, Classics, mythology, and historical fiction set in ancient times.
Caesar and Cleopatra Fiction
Fiction about Julius Caesar and Cleopatra of Egypt.
Irene Hahn
Irene Hahn reviews books on ancient Rome.
Roman Britain - Sutcliff, Rosemary
Historical fiction about Roman Britain, by young adult writer Rosemary Sutcliff.
Guest Reviews
Readers review books by such books authors as L. Sprague deCamp, Raymond Selkirk, Ross Leckie, Karen Essex, Gillian Bradshaw, Allan Massie, Anne Rice and Anita Diamant.
Review of "Penelope's Daughter," by Laurel Corona
A short review of Penelope's Daughter, by Laurel Corona.
Review - "The Pericles Commission," by Gary Corby
A review of Gary Corby's debut novel, an historical mystery about Periclean Athens called "The Pericles Commission."
2010 Book Reviews
These are the main Ancient/Classical History books reviewed in the year 2010.