Persians
Ratings3
Average rating3.7
A stunning portrait of the magnificent splendor and enduring legacy of ancient Persia The Achaemenid Persian kings ruled over the largest empire of antiquity, stretching from Libya to the steppes of Asia and from Ethiopia to Pakistan. From the palace-city of Persepolis, Cyrus the Great, Darius, Xerxes, and their heirs reigned supreme for centuries until the conquests of Alexander of Macedon brought the empire to a swift and unexpected end in the late 330s BCE. In Persians, historian Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones tells the epic story of this dynasty and the world it ruled. Drawing on Iranian inscriptions, cuneiform tablets, art, and archaeology, he shows how the Achaemenid Persian Empire was the world’s first superpower—one built, despite its imperial ambition, on cooperation and tolerance. This is the definitive history of the Achaemenid dynasty and its legacies in modern-day Iran, a book that completely reshapes our understanding of the ancient world.
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Oh my goodness gracious. I am not even sure I am going to be adequately able to say what I would like to about this book! I want to go back and read a finished copy of this book, looking deeper into some of the areas that I felt were not quite there - almost, but not quit
I enjoyed reading about some of the figures that developed and advanced the Persian empire, but felt that there was some reaching by the author on the subject. Now, admittedly, Persia is not my area of expertise. It is one area that I have been needing to dive into further, but due to time constraints, I never did. This book is a great starting point for me.
Now, I mentioned above that I want to read through it again, and some of ya'll might be asking WHY!?
There are a few reasons. As I said, there are some areas that I want to dive into a bit further and do some of my own research on. I can't sit here and say “that is just wrong, or I am not sure that is how that happened.” Until I can research and draw my own conclusions - I am leaving the author as the undisputed expert.
Overall, I did enjoy reading through this book, and I can see a million different rabbit holes that I am wanting to dive into. Cyrus the Great is already on my hit list to dive into, and learn more on.
Decent start, and I look forward to seeing more from this author in the future.
