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V**H
"Our arrows will blot out the sun." "Thus we will fight in the shade."
I always enjoy Matyszak writing history. This is a good history from prehistoric Peloponnese to the end of Persian Wars. I wish he'd covered the post Peloponnesian Wars, Sparta dealing with Alexander the Great and Rome and such, but there would have to be a huge section on the wars with Athens.Additional: he does cover the rest of Spartan history in a second book. So yay!
G**Y
Excellent read
An easy to read introduction into the world of ancient Sparta. I consider it a must read for anyone interested in Ancient Greece.
K**H
Another excellent readable ancient history from Philip Matyszak
Cannot recommend this and others of the author's books to lovers of ancient military history.Wish these books had been available when I took classical history in college.
A**I
The Spartans, From Backwater to Their Finest Hour
A summary of the review on StrategyPage:'Matyszak, author of Gladiator: The Roman Fighter's [Unofficial] Manual, Imperial General, and others, brings a broad understanding of Classical Antiquity, and some often impish humor, to the history of Sparta from its origins to its most iconic moment, Thermopylae. He opens with discussions of the geographic setting and the sources, both archaeological and literary. Matyszak follows with chapters on the mythic origins of the city, the First Messenian War, and Lycurgus, the quasi-mythic founder of Sparta’s unique social and military institutions. He then gives us chapters on the conquest of Messenia, the shaping of Spartan military institutions, the domination of the Peloponnesus, and the reign of Cleomenes I, which brings us to the eve of the Persian Wars. These take up three chapters, on organization and tactics of the Spartan Army, Sparta’s unimpressive role in the War of Marathon, and then “Thermopylae: Their Finest Hour". Matyszak offers a goodly number of interesting insights, often in amusing fashion (e.g., Lycurgus’s rules on coins, centuries before they were invented, suggesting some tinkering with the historical record by later Spartans). While written primarily for the layman, "Sparta: Rise of a Warrior Nation" will prove useful reading for anyone with an interest in Ancient Greece.'For the full review, see StrategyPage
A**R
Great and detailed early history of Sparta
The great thing about this book is that it is one of the rare books about archaic greek history. And describes Sparta in that period in considerable detail. The messenian wars and the creation on the peloponesian league are described in great detail, something that you will not find in almost any other book, especially an up-to-date one. Highly reccomended.
J**P
First class history
Written with insight, wit and verve. Highly recommended as a brief introduction to the rise of Sparta and defeat of Persia with some foreshadowing of the later war with Athens (not covered here)
A**R
the beginning
Can't really comment, bought for Christmas present for a "Spartan warrior"
G**O
Klasse!
Eine spannende Erzählung des Aufstiegs und des Sturzes der Spartaner.Der Autor erzählt unglaublich fesselnd. Die zwei Bände fliegen nur so dahin.An jedem Punkt macht der Autor deutlich, was vielleicht Mythos und was möglicherweise wahr ist.Das einzige was ich total bedauere: warum sind diese beiden Bände nicht übersetzt worden?Es gibt heute, in der aktuellen politischen Situation, kaum etwas hilfreicheres für alle die dem Mythos nachtrauernIch hab beide Bände verschlungen!obwohl ich ständig den Übersetzer heranziehen musste;denn der Autor hat wirklich ein elaboriertes Englisch (Cambridge Prof)Also übersetzt die beiden Bücher bitte, sonst mach ich es- und das ist bei meinem Englisch eine echte Drohung :-)
