Any book recommendations?

[Deaghaidh]

So my knowledge of the classical era is fairly superficial, and I'd like to change that. Anyone have a recommendation for goid books?

I'm particularly interested in Carthage or anything about Ptolemaic Egypt that isn't all about Cleopatra.

As for a recommendation of my own, I just read the Aeniad for the first time. It was Dryden's translation and only .99 on Kindle. I enjoyed it (well, the first 3/4s, the last stretch is clearly the part Virgil wasn't finished with), found it surprisingly engaging. I didnt expect a 2000 year old piece of propaganda to have such vibrancy, warmth and emotional resonance.

 

[Borgratz]

I liked reading Hannibal's war, which is a translation from parts of ab urbe condita from Livius. You won't get a lot of insights on Carthage inner workings of course (Livius is quite Roman :>) but it tells the story of the second Punic war in a more interesting way than the other original sources.

If you are okay with modern literature and are interested in the Roman classical period, there is the Cicero trilogy by Robert Harris.

 

[Manic Eskimo]

I finished ghost on the throne a couple of weeks ago, based on a recommendation from this forum. It follows the years after Alexander's death up until the beginning of the game. So very good to get an idea of what has just been happening.

It was good, it's what I would call a popular history. In that it really brought the characters to life, at times it almost felt like a novel. It really had me rooting for Eumenes up to the last moment, spoiler alert he dies.

 

[Dual_CoRed]

" Legionary: The Roman Soldiers (Unnoficial) Manual by Philip Matyszak. The book reads like a recruitment guide for an aspiring legionary. Very entertaining and informative. Of course, the audible version of " Gates of Fire" is incredible as the narrator gives a tremendous performance.

 

[Nortrix]

For fictional entertainment i recommend Emperor series by Conn Iggulden(life of Ceasar) and Eagle series by Simon Scarrow( follow two roman Legionaries at the time of Vespasian 70AD ish).

 

[Franconian]

I liked reading Hannibal's war, which is a translation from parts of ab urbe condita from Livius. You won't get a lot of insights on Carthage inner workings of course (Livius is quite Roman :>) but it tells the story of the second Punic war in a more interesting way than the other original sources.

If you are okay with modern literature and are interested in the Roman classical period, there is the Cicero trilogy by Robert Harris.

I want to second the Cicero trilogy from Harris. The feeling it gives is really great

 

[AKronblad]

I finished ghost on the throne a couple of weeks ago, based on a recommendation from this forum. It follows the years after Alexander's death up until the beginning of the game. So very good to get an idea of what has just been happening.

It was good, it's what I would call a popular history. In that it really brought the characters to life, at times it almost felt like a novel. It really had me rooting for Eumenes up to the last moment, spoiler alert he dies.

I'm glad you liked it. Try out Dividing the Spoils too.

 

[J_de_Silentio]

For historical fiction, Colleen McCullough's Master's of Rome is probably the best series to immerse you in the spirit of Rome. It's not an easy read, as the Roman names are long and the books are a little daunting. But, if you are a reader and can slog through them, it's worth it.

The first books is The First Man in Rome. The audiobooks are abridged, so skip them unless you can find the unabridged versions.

 

[Abstracted]

A History of the Ptolemaic Empire (Günther Hölbl, 2001) is a good overall treatment of the Ptolemies, and unlike many academic books doesn't cost a fortune.

 

[Gurkhal]

Not Carthage or Ptolomaic Egypt but a really, in my opinion, good book which touches on a lesser researched area, namely that of Archaic and Classical Greek monarchy is this.

https://www.amazon.com/Heroic-Ruler...heroic+rulers+of+archaic+and+classical+greece

It gives different perspectives of different ways that Greek monarchs ruled and held on to power and why monarchy had a hard time in Archaic and Classical Greece. Or at least that's my impression of it.

 

[Franconian]

For historical fiction, Colleen McCullough's Master's of Rome is probably the best series to immerse you in the spirit of Rome. It's not an easy read, as the Roman names are long and the books are a little daunting. But, if you are a reader and can slog through them, it's worth it.

The first books is The First Man in Rome. The audiobooks are abridged, so skip them unless you can find the unabridged versions.

That sounds like a good read. Thanks for the tip

 

[Plaid Shirts]

I greatly enjoy Rubicon by Tom Holland. It is maybe not the best for giving the reader explanation for views and defenses of views, so it's not going to turn you into a historian or anything. But it reads a lot better for it, in my opinion. More like reading a story than a text book. If you're looking for something to help ignite an interest in Roman history, I highly recommend it. The book is largely what caused me to become so interested in Rome in the first place.

The timeline of the book is pretty good too for this game. The majority of the narrative falls between about 200-40BC.

 

[icedt729]

"Mastering the West: Rome and Carthage at War" by Dexter Hoyos is a great source for the Punic Wars, and for Carthaginian society and politics. It also does a good job of putting the Punic Wars into context as a major step in Rome's development from an Italian regional hegemon into a serious imperial power.

"Age of Conquests: The Greek World from Alexander to Hadrian" by Angelos Chaniotis covers the Greek-speaking world, with a fair bit of time spent on Ptolemaic Egypt as one of the most important players. It's very strong on religious, political, and social aspects, including the role of Hellenistic kingship, the blending of Greek and indigenous beliefs and practices, the impact of Roman power, etc.

"By the Spear: Philip II, Alexander the Great, and the Rise and Fall of the Macedonian Empire" by Ian Worthington gives a detailed account of how Macedonia became a key power in such a short time during the reign of Philip, and serves as a good prequel to Chaniotis's book.

 

[Tisifoni12]

In addition to the original histories referenced by ImphALPA I would recommmend:

• The Fall of Carthage by Adrian Goldsworthy
• CarthageMust be Destroyed by Richard Miles
• A History of the Hellenistic World by Errington
• Greece and Rome at War by Peter Connolly
• Armies of the Macedonian and Punic Wars by Duncan Head (probably rare)
• The Seleucud Army by Bar Kochba

 

[Zylathas]

For historical fiction, Colleen McCullough's Master's of Rome is probably the best series to immerse you in the spirit of Rome. It's not an easy read, as the Roman names are long and the books are a little daunting. But, if you are a reader and can slog through them, it's worth it.

The first books is The First Man in Rome. The audiobooks are abridged, so skip them unless you can find the unabridged versions.

I definitely recommend this aswell, one of my favorite books ever. I believe George RR Martin praises it aswell for its scope.

 

[Esben_DRK]

For fiction, I would also recommend Colleen McCulloughs series. For a historian, I find Adrian Goldsworthy a very compelling author, who has written extensively about the time period.

 

[Grubnessul]

The Storm before the Storm: The Beginning of of the End of the Roman Republic by Mike Duncan is a good read.

 

[Captain Frakas]

HANSEN (M. H.), The Athenian Democracy in the Age of Demosthenes, 1991.
MOSSÉ (C.), Histoire d'une démocratie, Athènes, Paris, Le Seuil, 1971.
VERNAND (J.-P.), L’Univers, les dieux, les hommes. Récits grecs des origines, Paris, Le Seuil, 1999.
VEYN (P.), L'Empire gréco-romain, Paris, 2005.

are all interesting reads, so are other books of those authors.

The first two are about how worked the Athenian Democracy and its history.
The third is a summary of Greek myths.
The fourth is a set of miscellaneous articles about the Roman empire and its society.

None are about Carthage, thus.

 

[ExtraNoise]

If anyone is interested in the Roman Republic, I can't recommend SPQR by Mary Beard enough.

 

[Meraun]

Are you looking for a Histroy book or rather a Novel?

For Novel: Eagle of the Empire Series from Simon Scarrow. Its the Story of 2 Legionaries. It is, ofcourse, very Rome Focused. It starts a the Roman Invasion in Brittania (The Sucsessful one ) and goes on into the Year with 4 Emporerers.

https://www.amazon.de/Geschichte-An...=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1531114932&sr=1-1

THis one is a extremly good University-Book about Ancient History. I laid the fundtation to my Knowlegde. Its German, but as far as i know, there is a Englisch Version as well