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20 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
` .. was a turning point in the history of Classical Greece..', April 24, 2008
This is less a book about the battle of Thermopylae itself than it is about the context for and consequences of the battle as assessed by Professor Cartledge. The battle between the might of the Persian empire and Leonidas and his 300 Spartans is both heroic and legendary. But is it a battle that changed the world?
Professor Cartledge makes a case that `The Battle of Thermopylae, in short, was a turning-point not only in the history of Classical Greece, but in all the world's history, eastern as well as western.' This can be quite a compelling argument, especially for those of us who see ancient Greece as the source of many of our current cultural and political values. But I think it misleading to see the battle itself as a simple battle between good (freedom) and evil (slavery). While such emotive comparisons are further enabled by making mention of the events of September 11 2001 and 7 July 2005, a more careful reading of Professor Cartledge's writing is required to understand the context for his reasoning.
In the 5th century BC, the Persian empire was huge. It encompassed parts of India and what is now Pakistan in the east, included Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran, the Levant and Egypt and parts of Macedonia. The Greeks, by interfering in Persian affairs, draw attention to themselves and thus begins a series of what Herodotus styled as the `beginnings of the misfortunes for both Greeks and Persians'.
The outline of the Battle of Thermopylae is relatively well known and can be simply summarised: for two days the 300 Spartans held off the might of Persia. On the third day, the Spartans were betrayed, outflanked and destroyed.
To understand this battle, it is important to understand the structure of Spartan society and its seemingly paradoxical cultural values. The real value of Professor Cartledge's book, to me, was the history of events leading to Thermopylae and the discussion of Spartan society. I'll leave it to the scholars to debate the extent to which this battle changed the world: I enjoyed the discussion but am not yet convinced by the conclusions.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
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 Thermopylae: The Battle That Changed the World (Vintage) 1400079187
Paul Cartledge
Vintage
Thermopylae: The Battle That Changed the World (Vintage)
Books
` .. was a turning point in the history of Classical Greece..'
This is less a book about the battle of Thermopylae itself than it is about the context for and consequences of the battle as assessed by Professor Cartledge. The battle between the might of the Persian empire and Leonidas and his 300 Spartans is both heroic and legendary. But is it a battle that changed the world?
Professor Cartledge makes a case that `The Battle of Thermopylae, in short, was a turning-point not only in the history of Classical Greece, but in all the world's history, eastern as well as western.' This can be quite a compelling argument, especially for those of us who see ancient Greece as the source of many of our current cultural and political values. But I think it misleading to see the battle itself as a simple battle between good (freedom) and evil (slavery). While such emotive comparisons are further enabled by making mention of the events of September 11 2001 and 7 July 2005, a more careful reading of Professor Cartledge's writing is required to understand the context for his reasoning.
In the 5th century BC, the Persian empire was huge. It encompassed parts of India and what is now Pakistan in the east, included Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran, the Levant and Egypt and parts of Macedonia. The Greeks, by interfering in Persian affairs, draw attention to themselves and thus begins a series of what Herodotus styled as the `beginnings of the misfortunes for both Greeks and Persians'.
The outline of the Battle of Thermopylae is relatively well known and can be simply summarised: for two days the 300 Spartans held off the might of Persia. On the third day, the Spartans were betrayed, outflanked and destroyed.
To understand this battle, it is important to understand the structure of Spartan society and its seemingly paradoxical cultural values. The real value of Professor Cartledge's book, to me, was the history of events leading to Thermopylae and the discussion of Spartan society. I'll leave it to the scholars to debate the extent to which this battle changed the world: I enjoyed the discussion but am not yet convinced by the conclusions.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
J. Cameron-Smith "Expect the Unexpected"
April 24, 2008
- Overall: 5
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