My Ancient history book purchases

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by CoinBlazer, Apr 20, 2019.

  1. CoinBlazer

    CoinBlazer Numismatic Enthusiast

    Before I start collecting ancients, I need to know about the history!
    So I purchased these 2 history books at a used book store.
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  3. Kentucky

    Kentucky Supporter! Supporter

    My problem is that I buy these with the best of intentions and end up not reading them
     
  4. Bing

    Bing Illegitimi non carborundum Supporter

    Ditto. Let me qualify what I say next by saying I'm not an academic. I have two degrees, but I always hated school. For me to get interested in a book, there has to be a story with a plot. I currently read at least two books per week and sometimes more. But they are all historical fiction where the writer takes an historical event and weaves a tale. I'm probably in the minority here on CT as I believe many of the members are, in fact, academics. That's good for me. They temper much of what I read with the actual facts. My bottom line is that you need to buy books that you will read and not sit on bookshelves collecting dust.
     
  5. CoinBlazer

    CoinBlazer Numismatic Enthusiast

    Oh I will read them for sure. I read more nonfiction that fiction any day of the week.
     
  6. Justin Lee

    Justin Lee I learn by doing

    Similar here too. I'm in classes currently and have to read other academic papers for it, and when I'm not in classes lately, I take a break from reading mostly, though I do research for work still.

    I got SPQR a handful of months ago, started leafing through a little bit had to put it down and haven't picked it up again yet... And I LOVE Mary Beard! I've watched all her docs... Maybe I just need to stick to videos on YouTube.

    I do find myself going through my reference books regularly though, like my Butcher Syria book and Emmett's Alexandria book.
     
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  7. Kentucky

    Kentucky Supporter! Supporter

    I have to admit that I have quite a few signed first editions that I bought with no intention of reading.
     
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  8. dadams

    dadams Well-Known Member

    I just bought SPQR yesterday and hope to will start it after I finish the historical fiction novel I'm currently reading - The Judgement of Caesar by Steven Saylor.

    One can never have too many books.
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  9. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    SPQR is great!! I've advocated collecting her list of 14 emperors (chapter 10) as an alternative to Suetonius' 12 Caesars.
     
  10. David Atherton

    David Atherton Flavian Fanatic

    I purchased that same book on ancient Rome over 15 years ago. I was attracted to the coffee table size. Other than the Barrington atlas, it's one of the largest books in my collection.

    I also recommend SPQR by Mary Beard. Her sceptical approach to ancient history makes for a sobering read. You will not find the same old historical myths retold without critism in her books. Her Pompeii book is a treat as well.
     
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  11. Limes

    Limes Well-Known Member

    Thanks all for the book suggestions. I love books on history and in the holiday i go through the hoard collected during the year.
     
  12. jb_depew

    jb_depew Well-Known Member

    I read a fair bit of nonfiction, but also enjoy historical fiction novels. I'm currently reading A Pillar of Iron by Taylor Caldwell, which is an account of Cicero's life. I'd recommend it.
     
  13. tartanhill

    tartanhill Well-Known Member

    Highly recommend David L. Vagi's Coinage and History of the Roman Empire.

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    It covers the Imperatorial age c. 82 to 27 BC and the Roman Empire from 27 BC to 480 AD. There are two volumes: the first covers the history of the rulers and the second covers the coinage. Just the history volume alone is invaluable.
     
  14. Bert Gedin

    Bert Gedin Well-Known Member

    Someone here, who shall remain nameless buys books with good intentions and ends up not reading them. Some good intentions ! At the very least, he (or she) could use the Index, and look up names, events, battles etc. Thus the books would be a useful resource, and not a mere dust-collector !!! - SPQR. I've read it, and enjoyed it. Mary Beard is often seen on various non-fiction historical films on TV.
     
    Last edited: Apr 21, 2019
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  15. Voulgaroktonou

    Voulgaroktonou Well-Known Member

    I will recommend no single book, but only offer an observation that some members may find interesting. I work in a university library that specializes in books on ancient Greece, Rome, Byzantium, and modern Greece. At currently over 270,000 volumes, our collection is one of the most comprehensive in the world. My primary responsibility is to review the new literature and select the books for purchase. We acquire between 4000-5000 books annually. One might think there's nothing new to write about events of 2000 years ago. Hardly the case!
     
  16. Numisnewbiest

    Numisnewbiest Well-Known Member

    I, too, bought Mary Beard's SPQR and have yet to read through it, but I absolutely love Mary Beard. If I ever win a ridiculous amount in the lottery, I'm going to offer her whatever amount she would need to take me on a personal guided tour of Rome, Pompeii, and Herculaneum.
    Her book goes well with the other handful of books on my desk that were put there so I see them staring at me every day, hopefully urging me to actually pick one up and read it through. The two I've read the most are The Letters of the Younger Pliny and Suetonius' The Twelve Caesars, many times each. Also on my desk are Anthony Everitt's Augustus, Annelise Freisenbruch's Caesar's Wives, Tacitus's The Annals of Imperial Rome, and Julius Caesar's The Civil War.
     
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  17. Valentinian

    Valentinian Well-Known Member

    My favorite fictional account of Cicero's life is Robert Harris's trilogy beginning with Imperium. I got it as a stand-alone book and was eager to read the other two, which I did. They are excellent and far better than two Roman mystery series I have read and see recommended. I recommended Imperium to my adult daughter and said I would send the rest if she wanted and was surprised when she called several times as she was reading them to say she loved them and wanted to know how much was true, which we discussed (Answer: Effectively all the big events, but obviously not the dialogue or internal thoughts) . So, I got her Tom Holland's popular history book "Rubicon" and she read that too.
     
  18. Orfew

    Orfew Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus

    SPQR was a great read. I really enjoyed it. I also love the idea of a collection of the 14 emperors she mentions.
     
  19. Marsyas Mike

    Marsyas Mike Well-Known Member

    Over the past few years I have assembled a large, random collection of books on ancient history, culture, art and literature, courtesy my local public library, which is committing institutional suicide by purging their impressive collection. Twenty-five cents each, five for a dollar. Contemporary stuff, and old stuff. Here is a recent one -

    Theodore Ayrault Dodge, Great Captains, Cæsar: a history of the art of war among the Romans down to the end of the Roman Empire, with a detailed account of the campaigns of Caius Julius Cæsar. With 258 charts, maps, plans of battles and tactical manœuvres, cuts of armor, weapons, and engines.(Boston and New York: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, The Riverside Press, Cambridge, 1893).

    I thought it would be one of those out-of-date tomes, fun to look through, but from what I saw on line this is kind of a classic - Dodge was a Union veteran who lost a leg at Gettysburg, so he knows his way around a battlefield. My copy is original 1893 printing, loaded with maps, etc. Not bad for a quarter, but I am sad to see it leave the local library collection.

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  20. Numisnewbiest

    Numisnewbiest Well-Known Member

    True to form, inspired by your post, I went straight to Amazon and found this book used for $1.99, and bought it immediately. It looks like a great read, but so do the others on my desk that are still waiting for some attention (haha). This one looks very interesting, as I like reading about the military tactics used in ancient times.
     
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  21. Puckles

    Puckles Cat Whisperer

    Have to agree with you Bing. I love history but learn it most enjoyably through well researched historical fiction. It puts you there. I've just returned from the siege of Malta in 1565 via Simon Scarrow's Sword and Scimitar. I thought a Maltese coin of de Vallette would be a worthwhile souvenir of my journey but they are fairly pricey for my budget.
     
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