The Greco-Persian Wars

This is quite simply THE book to read to thoroughly understand the conflict between Classical Greece and Imperial Persia. It rivals Kagan's "The Peloponnesian War" in depth and detail. And while not quite the break neck read of Holland's "Persian Fire" it compensates with an eminently readable style and makes Cartledges's "Thermopylae" look anemic and cadaverous even given the significantly more limited scope of the latter's work. Green does an exceptional job of comparing and contrasting the ancient sources of information on the period, Herodotus, Plutarch, Aeschylus etc. and weaves them together with the modern scholarship of Burn and Pritchett etc. while injecting his own theories to provide a narrative that brings both the players and their times vividly to life. Green takes Herodotus to task for bias and obvious propagandistic nonsense early and often and with common sense and logic corrects many of the more egregious errors of the primary sources, in particular the size of Xerxes army, specifically the probable confusion between chiliarchs (commander of 1,000 men) and myriarchs (commander of 10,000 men). Using Munro and Maurice among others he corrects the likely decimal error in Herodotus's calculation of the size of Xerxes army. Reducing it from a phantasmagorical 1.7 million men to more credible 170,000 infantry with another 40,000 cavalry, quisling Greeks and miscellaneous others. Add in no small amount of irreverent levity and you have the perfect tract on what Thomas Cahill (How the Irish Saved Civilization) refers to as a "hinge" of history. In two words, BUY IT!

Green does an amazing job of recounting the Greco-Persian Wars in a way that is not mind-numbing or revisionistic. I found this book refreshing and validates the brilliance and fortitude of character of the ancient Greeks. This book captures the true essence of the Greek struggle against Persian aggression and demonstrates the awe-inspiring achievement of the Greeks. The quintessential "David and Goliath" with all the heroism and bravery that one would find in any epic war novel. I laud Green's ability to draw his reader into an ancient struggle for freedom, the outcome of which establishes the foundation for which the political ideology of Western civilization is based.

The Graeco-Persian Wars were arguably the first conflict in the Western world to be related in truly "historical" terms. Herodotus, its chronicler, is the father of ancient history. Our modern-day narrator, Peter Green is multi-talented. Not only does he reinterpret the conflict in terms a twentieth-century reader can understand, he also writes with astonishing clarity. I especially like the subliminal comparisons of Themistocles with Churchill: an inevitable result, perhaps, of Green's post-war perspective. The parallels, however, are valid: as the fate of the perimeter troops at Dunkirk attests, France of 1940 was not without its Thermopylaes. And, like Winston, Themistocles was a good Admiralty man - it was the Greek navy that finally beat off the Great King and his Barbarians.

The Greco-Persian Wars reads like a novel, but presents its' thesis in a most thorough, analytical manner. Green is, perhaps, the most easily read scholar on ancient Greece which is evident in this effort as well as his "Alexander of Macedon". The Greco-Persian Wars masterfully recounts Xerxes' march through Greece, the heroic battle of Thermopylae, the miraculous Greek naval victory at Salamis, and the subsequent withdrawal of Persian forces. Interwoven among this narrative is excellent insight into the political machinations present among the vying city-states of Greece. Green resurrects Themistocles, in all his martial splendor, from the elitist dismissals of Herodotus, to show that Themistocles' naval genius and personal courage saved the day despite the intense and ongoing city-state rivalries and a monied and powerful Athenian majority which preferred a Marathon-like ground engagement. The Greco-Persian Wars, despite its' generic title, is an outstanding tale of heroism, bravery, and perserverence that deserves the attention of any history connoisseur. Read this book. It is outstanding!

Peter Green does an excellent job explaining the background of Greece and Persia which led to the Greco-Persian wars. His points of view and comments are right on the mark when he describes the generals, politicians and common soldiers that were caught up in this war. It is amazing how these Greek city states were able to have an alliance with each other, when they barely got along in the first place. It is true that feuds are forgotten when a common and daunting adversary is threatening an existance of the empire. Green's analysis of the Battle of Marathon are chilling as one of the reviewers noted. An amazing triumph for the Greeks, who were outmanned by a large degree. I recommend this book to any student, researcher or casual history enthusiast of Ancient Greece. Highly recommended.