The Ancient Mariners: Seafarers and Sea Fighters of the Mediterranean in Ancient Times. - Second Edition

Essential reading for ancient history enthusiasts. The achievements of the ancients in maritime endeavors were not equalled until the 19th century. Imagine a 180 foot ship with a multi-sail rig, with a 600 passenger capacity, making regular runs directly across the Mediterranean. They didn't just hug the shore! Imagine a fleet of 100 of these ships also supplying Rome with its essential grain. Then imagine ships fully capable of sailing both with and into the wind with captains who clearly understand the ways of sail and wind as clearly as any modern sailor. The command of the sea is shown to have been essential to any strong ancient city state, nation or empire. The book details the enormous volume of Roman trade with India, and indirectly with China was measured in millions of gold aurei and silver denarii. You won't understand the ancient world if you have not read this book.

I found this book to be a great read, it flows more like a novel than any dry technical text. Casson is a great writer; I will spare you any quotations, but there are several that would provide a prime example of Mr. Casson's writing skill. I read this together with his Ships And Seafaring In Ancient Times, the two go together like meat and potatoes. By the end of this book I was severely critiquing all those shows on the History Channel that depict ancient ships of any kind. You will know, and be able to describe in fine detail, the difference between a Penteconter and a Trireme, the role of the Pentecontarchos in the Athenian Navy of the fourth century B.C., or the technical questions of the actual configuration of the "Forty" of Ptolemy IV. EXTREMELY enjoyable, especially since Casson takes the time to flesh out some of the major characters of ancient history like Archimedes, Demosthenes, Phormio, and Odysseus by providing details as to their personal lives. Absolutely a fantastic book.

The author Lionel Casson is Professor Emeritus of Classics at New York University. This second edition incorporating new information revealed by ancient shipwrecks recently discovered and explored by marine archeologists was published by the Princeton University Press. Sorting through accounts by travelers, official government records, depictions of ships on pottery and public buildings, Dr. Casson has compiled an interesting account of how Egyptians, Phoenicians, Minoans, Mycenaeans and other peoples around the Mediterranean both traded and fought for control of trade. The maps, photos and illustrations were well chosen to illustrate the text. I must leave it to the scholar to comment on the accuracy of Mr. Casson's conclusions. Recommend this as an interesting and enjoyable read.

We know so little about seamanship in the ancient world. What seem like simple questions cannot be conclusively answered. Partially because archeology is difficult with wooden vessels of which no remains can be found and partly because so few individuals engaged in maritime activity. This book collects what is known and integrates it into the history of the time.The history of early civilization is a history of the Mediterranean (apologies to the Americas and Asia) and this grand sea is the center point of enormous activity and integrates so many different cultures and empires. This book improves our understanding of how men covered this body of water and the challenges they faced and the technology they applied.Slightly pedantic, but this cannot be helped since the subject matter requires it. Highly recommended.

The book was fine very good condition.

This is a very well-written book by an expert who carries his expertise lightly. I found it a fascinating account of ships and sailors around the ancient Mediterranean, and would now like to read about the same subject in other regions that he mentions, like the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean. It destroys the absurd claim that globalization is a recent phenomenon.

Very knowledgeable author with a writing syle for the general public.

This book way exceeded my expectations of finding out the early details of ship construction. It also gives a different and fascinating view on the development of cultures around the Mediterranean, where seamanship became the key to power. Wonderful book.

Dense but a really marvellous book! Lionel Casson never disappoints!

I think the book was imported. Excellent condition. Had been searching for this book, but as new it was too expensive. This was perfect.

When the book did arrive late,which was not your fault it was found to be the book that I had been wanting to complete my work. Many thanks, Dibnah