Search found 259 matches

by sean_m
Mon Nov 16, 2020 2:39 am
Forum: Alexander's contemporaries
Topic: Three books on the Achaemenids
Replies: 3
Views: 14602

Three books on the Achaemenids

One which came out a few years ago, one which is new, and one which is in editing. Waters, Matthew (2014) Ancient Persia: A Concise History of the Achaemenid Empire, 550–330 BCE (Cambridge University Press: New York) I read this and its a good concise overview which tries to be 'cutting edge' which ...
by sean_m
Sat Nov 14, 2020 9:33 pm
Forum: Philip and Alexander's predecessors
Topic: Philip II by Ed Anson
Replies: 1
Views: 9979

Re: Philip II by Ed Anson

Adrian Goldsworthy has also returned to ancient history with a book on Philip and Alexander ( Philip and Alexander – kings and conquerors , Head of Zeus (UK) / Basic Books (USA)). The publishers picked Tom Holland, Barry Strauss, and Victor Davis Hanson to write blurbs which includes some controvers...
by sean_m
Mon Nov 09, 2020 9:49 pm
Forum: Alexander's contemporaries
Topic: "Armed Force in the Teispid-Achaemenid Empire" Published
Replies: 0
Views: 12448

"Armed Force in the Teispid-Achaemenid Empire" Published

My first book is coming out from Franz Steiner Verlag this month: "Armed Force in the Teispid-Achaemenid Empire: Past Approaches, Future Prospects." Its the first book on Achaemenid armies since 1992, and the first written by someone who can read any ancient Near Eastern language. It conta...
by sean_m
Fri Jul 03, 2020 3:07 pm
Forum: Discuss Alexander the Great
Topic: apocryphal 10 men over the cliff
Replies: 5
Views: 6535

Re: apocryphal 10 men over the cliff

Everyone knows about the Nietschean influence on John Milius's Conan the Barbarian (1982) but I did not know about Dietrich Bonhoefer's influence! I remember a similar story about the Old Man of the Mountain. Closed social media and the political economy of publishing are encouraging all of these an...
by sean_m
Sun May 03, 2020 8:52 pm
Forum: 'Off-topic' forum
Topic: Hiding treasure for eternity
Replies: 2
Views: 7774

Re: Hiding treasure for eternity

Thank you!

I recently read an excellent paper working through the reasons why hoards might be deposited in FRANÇOIS de CALLATAŸ, "Coin Deposits and Civil Wars in a Long-term Perspective (c.400 BC–1950 AD)" which is available on academia dot edu
by sean_m
Thu Apr 16, 2020 9:12 pm
Forum: The Diadochi
Topic: Battle of Magnesia
Replies: 55
Views: 99723

Re: Battle of Magnesia

At least we have some Greek manuscripts on India, my understanding is that with the climate in India + the habit of writing on palm leaves (just as fragile as papyrus) + invasions and changes in religion we have very little early Indian writing other than Buddhist texts and Sanskrit linguistics and ...
by sean_m
Fri Mar 27, 2020 7:56 pm
Forum: Discuss Alexander the Great
Topic: Xenophon
Replies: 11
Views: 9557

Re: Xenophon

Image

This is from Rhaetia, and Rhaetians are barbarians, and I drunk it unmixed, so be prepared for some crashing of weddings and/or funerals.
by sean_m
Fri Mar 27, 2020 10:39 am
Forum: Discuss Alexander the Great
Topic: Xenophon
Replies: 11
Views: 9557

Re: Xenophon

I'm just thinking that a notice on the Internet is like a grave marker on wood, the half-life is in years. If we want someone to be able to put the facts of Paul's life together in 10 years, we need to do it in on paper.
by sean_m
Thu Mar 26, 2020 11:10 pm
Forum: Discuss Alexander the Great
Topic: Xenophon
Replies: 11
Views: 9557

Re: Xenophon

Cross-posted to my site. Are there plans to write a brief obituary and publish it in print somewhere?
by sean_m
Fri Mar 13, 2020 7:12 pm
Forum: Discuss Alexander the Great
Topic: Alexander sent Afghan soil to his mother?
Replies: 9
Views: 26257

Re: Alexander sent Afghan soil to his mother?

Also, Roel Konijnedrijk caught Steven Pressfield making up a story about Spartan boys having to drink a mouthful of water, run ten miles and spit it out . As Roel says, anyone can read all the ancient sources on Sparta, and that story is not in them: Pressfield just wanted some tough warrior wisdom,...
by sean_m
Wed Feb 05, 2020 10:12 pm
Forum: Discuss Alexander the Great
Topic: Alexander's Late Marriages
Replies: 5
Views: 4074

Re: Alexander's Late Marriages

I think a 11- to 13-year-old son would have changed things quite a bit, because they were old enough to have agency and almost old enough to be a threat. So any scheming warlord had to act fast: they could not just take possession of them, they would also have to kill them or come to terms within th...
by sean_m
Tue Jan 28, 2020 9:52 am
Forum: Discuss Alexander the Great
Topic: Alexander's Late Marriages
Replies: 5
Views: 4074

Re: Alexander's Late Marriages

Thanks Alexias. I put this out there to see if it would start up a conversation, there is the interesting article by Baynham which is the first defence of Alexander in this area I have read. According to Plutarch, Aristobulus says Parmenion encouraged Alexander to hook up with Barsine . I think the ...
by sean_m
Fri Jan 24, 2020 6:15 pm
Forum: Discuss Alexander the Great
Topic: Alexander's Late Marriages
Replies: 5
Views: 4074

Alexander's Late Marriages

After Alexander had liquidated his immediate rivals, it was not clear who would become king if he died. His brother Philip had some kind of disability that the sources don't want to talk about, and being 18 he had no sons. According to Diodorus 17.16.2, Antipater and Parmenion urged him to marry bef...
by sean_m
Sat Nov 02, 2019 9:18 pm
Forum: Philip and Alexander's predecessors
Topic: Αρχαιολογικόν Δελτίον
Replies: 5
Views: 14369

Re: Αρχαιολογικόν Δελτίον

Thank you Pauline! I tried to thank you at the gmail address you gave me some years ago, but it no longer works for me. You can find my email address on my about page . Unfortunately, most of the people studying early Aegean Greek warfare only use archaeology through broad books written in English ....
by sean_m
Sat Nov 02, 2019 2:38 pm
Forum: Philip and Alexander's predecessors
Topic: Αρχαιολογικόν Δελτίον
Replies: 5
Views: 14369

Re: Αρχαιολογικόν Δελτίον

Thank you Pauline! Greece had not so much money to print nice journals with photographs in 1963. I think I have been swindled and this is the same spear that Minor M. Markle talks about. Do they say anything about the date? Snodgrass thought "early iron age" and Christopher Matthew thought...