Anyone have a good book to recommend other than this one?

On BookBub today "The Roman Republic" by Michael Crawford is offered at a healthy discount. Anyone familiar with it? Or do you have a recommendation for an introductory history that would inform my collecting?
Steve

 

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I really enjoyed "Philip II of Macedonia - Greater than Alexander" by Richard A. Gabriel. C 2010


Makedon Philip II Tet Pella LIFETIME 353-349 Zeus Horse star spearhd Le Rider 102

 

For a $1.99 I'm buying it without a second thought

I love BookBub!

 

Wait...what is this BookBub?!

I have been reading the books by Wayne Sayles and find them very enjoyable and informative. If you buy them from his vcoins store I think he signs them.

 

Lovely coin, looks like it has big reliefs.

 

https://www.bookbub.com/home/

Free and deeply discounted digital books.

 

Thanks Mat. Yeah, it really is a beautiful coin. The reliefs are strong, and well centered. I felt that I wanted to get a quality piece of this underrated historical figure. Although Alexander III brilliantly executed Philip's plans and dreams, Philip was the one whom overcame so much adversity and built a powerful State and Military for Makedon. He was a brilliant man. Had Alexander NOT had a well seasoned Army and Cavalry, seasoned military leadership, huge monetary supply, and a pacified Greece/Thrace (everything that Philip did), I doubt if Alexander could had capitulated Persia.

Makedon Philip II 359-336 BC AE 17 Horse Rider LEFT-LEFT facing RARE

 

I completely agree with you analysis @Alegandron and love those coins - especially that tet!

Thanks for that @TIF

 

Try the seaby on roman and ancient coins

 

Bummer. I like paper myself. Even for some out of print or strictly digital issues I have had them printed and bound. Next on my list to have printed, RPC Volumes I-III Consolidated Supplement. Digital only, so I need to get it bound. Anyone know of an inexpensive bookbinder? I dislike the cheapo Kinko's spiral bound stuff. I'd like to have it hard bound. When done, I will dispose of my Supplement I and II.

Anyway, got distracted. What kinds of books are you looking for? Digital only, paper, culture, etc.

 

"The Roman Republic" by Crawford is a good text. Really the only complaint I've heard about it is that it's too dry for some but all of Crawford's writing is academic in nature and is meant to be informative rather than entertaining, so if you're up for that you'll enjoy just about any book of his.

 

I really like Max and Albert hirmer and jpc Kent's Roman coins - a big coffee table book with beautiful photos and excellent history!

 

Crawford's The Roman Republic is part of the "Fontana History of the Ancient World" project, which attempts to do serious history writing in the format of outline and attestation. The goal is to give an authoritative overview of the topic so the reader gets to know the issues and the sources. It is written for historians who need it as a jumping off point for further work. It was first copyrighted in 1978, so it has been around a while, but in this field still has currency.

Crawford does use coins as evidence, but it is not a numismatic study by any stretch. Nonetheless, his interest in monetary matters does keep the currency in the gunsights.

For $2 you can't go wrong, unless you don't think you would ever use it even as a reference book.

 

Michael Grant wrote a number of books about various aspects of Roman culture and history, and they are written for a general audience, so they are an enjoyable place to start.

 

I agree. His "The Twelve Caesars" was particularly interesting to me.

 

I got to agree with Ken here.
Good paper books are a pain to store but preferred over digital.
I can read a book all day no problems but have to take several breaks trying to read from a computer screen.

 

Have you tried an e-reader? I have an e-ink reader(Kindle Paperwhite) and actually prefer it to physical books because it is completely unlike an LCD/LED screen on my eyes and can be used in any light level. Some of the older ones don't seem to work as well with books with lots of maps and illustrations but the newer generation with higher resolution screens work really well.

I still buy physical books when they're the only option but I highly prefer digital and you can't beat the convenience.

 

For coin catalogs and references I've found paper books easiest to use but for all else, I'm loving digital! I still buy paper books but not for the "junk food" books. The last time I moved I spent a fortune in shipping because of my books. It's grown worse since then due to this coin hobby and all of those heavy reference books and catalogs. Oh well

 

Agreed. I read Michael Grant back in University 40 years ago. Good reference and easy read.

 

Oh great, I just bought 15 more books to read!