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History of the Peloponnesian War

by Thucydides

'With icy remorselessness, it puts paid to any notion that the horrors of modern history might be an aberration - for it tells of universal war, of terrorism, revolution and genocide' Tom HollandThe long life-and-death struggle between Athens and Sparta plunged the ancient Greek world into decades of war. Thucydides was an Athenian and achieved the rank of general in the earlier stages of the war, and in this detailed, first-hand contemporary account he writes as both a soldier and a historian. He applies a passion for accuracy and a contempt for myth and romance in compiling a factual record of a ruinous conflict that would eventually destroy the Athenian empire.Translated by Rex Warner with an introduction and notes by M. I. Finley

History of the Peloponnesian War (Dover Thrift Editions)

by Thucydides Richard Crawley

The entire Greek world plunged into three decades of bloodshed in 431 B.C., when the ongoing friction between Athens and Sparta exploded into war. Ten years into the struggle, the Athenian general Thucydides was dismissed for a military failure that led to a triumph for posterity: the former general retired to write an account of the war, resulting in one of the world's great history books.Thucydides' chronicle of the disastrous 27-year conflict between the Greek city-states resonates with tales of heroism and villainy, deeds of courage and desperation, and the eternal folly of human nature. As an insightful amateur historian, he traces the war's roots to prior hostilities between Greece and Persia and examines the relative merits of the Athenian League and the Spartan alliance. Scrupulously impartial and accurate, Thucydides presents detailed, knowledgeable analyses of battles in addition to dialogues reflecting the political atmosphere. This ancient tale of the rise and fall of a democratic empire remains enduringly relevant to modern times.

A History of the Peninsular War Volume I 1807-1809: From the Treaty of Fontainebleau to the Battle of Corunna [Illustrated Edition] (A History of the Peninsular War #1)

by Sir Charles William Chadwick Oman Kbe

Illustrated with 9 maps and 2 portraitsThe 1807-14 war in the Iberian Peninsula was one of the most significant and influential campaigns of the Napoleonic Wars. Arising from Napoleon's strategic need to impose his rule over Portugal and Spain, it evolved into a constant drain on his resources. Sir Charles Oman's seven-volume history of the campaign is an unrivalled and essential work. His extensive use and analysis of French, Spanish, Portuguese and British participants' accounts and archival material, together with his own inspection of the battlefields, provides a comprehensive and balanced account of this most important episode in Napoleonic military history.The first part of this classic work provides the background to the war and its origins, and covers the early stages of the conflict. Introducing the subject and many of its main players, this volume recounts the French invasion of Portugal and the forcible deposition of the Spanish royal family, the beginning of Spanish popular resistance, the arrival of the British in the Iberian Peninsula, the first victories of Sir Arthur Wellesley (the future Duke of Wellington), Napoleon's personal participation in the Spanish campaign, the French surrender at Baylen, and Sir John Moore's terrible retreat, ending with his death in the hour of victory at the Battle of Corunna.

A History of the Peninsular War, Volume II January to September 1809: From the Battle of Corunna to the End of the Talavera Campaign [Illustrated Edition] (A History of the Peninsular War #2)

by Sir Charles William Chadwick Oman Kbe

Illustrated with 9 maps and 5 portraitsThe 1807-14 war in the Iberian Peninsula was one of the most significant and influential campaigns of the Napoleonic Wars. Arising from Napoleon's strategic need to impose his rule over Portugal and Spain, it evolved into a constant drain on his resources. Sir Charles Oman's seven-volume history of the campaign is an unrivalled and essential work. His extensive use and analysis of French, Spanish, Portuguese and British participants' accounts and archival material, together with his own inspection of the battlefields, provides a comprehensive and balanced account of this most important episode in Napoleonic military history.The fate of the Iberian Peninsula was very much in the balance during the period January-September 1809, when it seemed all too possible that Napoleon would achieve control over Spain and Portugal. This volume covers the continuing Spanish resistance to French occupation, the renewed French invasion of Portugal, and the return to the Peninsula and subsequent victories of Sir Arthur Wellesley, including his outmanoeuvring of the French from Oporto and culminating in the hard-fought victory at Talavera.

A History of the Peninsular War, Volume III September 1809 to December 1810: September 1809 to December 1810: Ocana, Cadiz, Bussaco, Torres Vedras [Illustrated Edition] (A History of the Peninsular War #3)

by Sir Charles William Chadwick Oman Kbe

Illustrated with 14 maps and 5 portraitsThe 1807-14 war in the Iberian Peninsula was one of the most significant and influential campaigns of the Napoleonic Wars. Arising from Napoleon's strategic need to impose his rule over Portugal and Spain, it evolved into a constant drain on his resources. Sir Charles Oman's seven-volume history of the campaign is an unrivalled and essential work. His extensive use and analysis of French, Spanish, Portuguese and British participants' accounts and archival material, together with his own inspection of the battlefields, provides a comprehensive and balanced account of this most important episode in Napoleonic military history.Volume III covers the period from September 1809 to December 1810, when the French were consolidating their hold on Spain, crushing resistance and attempting to drive the British out of Portugal. However, they could not wholly defeat their opponents. The forces of the Spanish Regency Council, with British and Portuguese aid, held out against the siege of Cadiz. Wellington's Allied army fought a model defensive battle at Bussaco, stalling the French drive into Portugal and enabling the British and Portuguese forces to retire to the shelter of the Torres Vedras fortifications. Here the Allies' defence led to a strategic victory, blunting the French offensive, and ultimately forcing the French to abandon their invasion.

A History of the Peninsular War, Volume IV December 1810-December 1811: Massena's Retreat, Fuentes De Onoro, Albuera, Tarragona [Illustrated Edition] (A History of the Peninsular War #4)

by Sir Charles William Chadwick Oman Kbe

Illustrated with 16 maps and 5 portraitsThe 1807-14 war in the Iberian Peninsula was one of the most significant and influential campaigns of the Napoleonic Wars. Arising from Napoleon's strategic need to impose his rule over Portugal and Spain, it evolved into a constant drain on his resources. Sir Charles Oman's seven-volume history of the campaign is an unrivalled and essential work. His extensive use and analysis of French, Spanish, Portuguese and British participants' accounts and archival material, together with his own inspection of the battlefields, provides a comprehensive and balanced account of this most important episode in Napoleonic military history.Volume IV covers the period during which Portugal was finally secured from the danger of French conquest. French successes in Spain continued but the army under Massena was forced finally to retreat from Portugal. The Allied offensive began to gather momentum, although their attempt to recapture Badajoz was unsuccessful. Beresford's campaign on the southern frontier of Portugal included one of the hardest-fought actions of the era, the Battle of Albuera, and Graham's victory at Barrosa aided the long-running defence of Cadiz against the French siege. Wellington saw victory at Fuentes de Onoro, and smaller scale successes for the British Army also occurred at El Bodon, Sabugal and Arroyo dos Molinos.

A History of the Peninsular War, Volume V: Valencia, Ciudad Rodrigo, Badajoz, Salamanca, Madrid [Illustrated Edition] (A History of the Peninsular War #5)

by Sir Charles William Chadwick Oman Kbe

Illustrated with 15 maps and 6 portraitsThe 1807-14 war in the Iberian Peninsula was one of the most significant and influential campaigns of the Napoleonic Wars. Arising from Napoleon's strategic need to impose his rule over Portugal and Spain, it evolved into a constant drain on his resources. Sir Charles Oman's seven-volume history of the campaign is an unrivalled and essential work. His extensive use and analysis of French, Spanish, Portuguese and British participants' accounts and archival material, together with his own inspection of the battlefields, provides a comprehensive and balanced account of this most important episode in Napoleonic military history.During this period, the outcome of the war was effectively decided by Wellington's advance from Portugal into Spain. The operations that took place at this time included the French campaigns of late 1811, the Allied offensive, and Wellington's great victory at Salamanca. Other notable actions included that at Garcia Hernandez, and there were also smaller operations such as those on the east coast of Spain. Orders of battle, lists of strength and casualties, and an account of Wellington's intelligence officer and code-breaker Sir George Scovell, whose efforts contributed greatly to Wellington's plans of campaign, are given in the appendices to this volume.

A History of the Peninsular War, Volume VI: Siege of Burgos, Retreat of Burgos, Vittoria, the Pyrenees [Illustrated Edition] (A History of the Peninsular War #6)

by Sir Charles William Chadwick Oman Kbe

Illustrated with 11 maps and 2 portraitsThe 1807-14 war in the Iberian Peninsula was one of the most significant and influential campaigns of the Napoleonic Wars. Arising from Napoleon's strategic need to impose his rule over Portugal and Spain, it evolved into a constant drain on his resources. Sir Charles Oman's seven-volume history of the campaign is an unrivalled and essential work. His extensive use and analysis of French, Spanish, Portuguese and British participants' accounts and archival material, together with his own inspection of the battlefields, provides a comprehensive and balanced account of this most important episode in Napoleonic military history.Between the autumn of 1812 and the late summer of 1813 campaigning in the peninsula took on a new aspect. From being a defence of Portugal and those parts of Spain not under French control, it became an effort by the British, Spanish and Portuguese forces to drive the French out completely. Operations at the end of 1812 included the unsuccessful British siege of Burgos and the subsequent retreat; renewed campaigning on the east coast of Spain, including Murray's actions around Tarragona; and the beginning of the final offensive against the French, including the epic battles of Roncesvalles, Maya and Sorauren.

A History of the Peninsular War, Volume VII: St Sebastian's Capture, Wellington's Invasion of France, Battles of Nive, Orthez, Toulouse [Illustrated Edition] (A History of the Peninsular War #7)

by Sir Charles William Chadwick Oman Kbe

Illustrated with 18 maps and illustrationsThe 1807-14 war in the Iberian Peninsula was one of the most significant and influential campaigns of the Napoleonic Wars. Arising from Napoleon's strategic need to impose his rule over Portugal and Spain, it evolved into a constant drain on his resources. Sir Charles Oman's seven-volume history of the campaign is an unrivalled and essential work. His extensive use and analysis of French, Spanish, Portuguese and British participants' accounts and archival material, together with his own inspection of the battlefields, provides a comprehensive and balanced account of this most important episode in Napoleonic military history.Between August 1813 and the end of hostilities in April 1814, Napoleon's forces were finally expelled from the Iberian Peninsula. Wellington's army invaded southern France, only halting its operations when news was received of Napoleon's abdication. The events covered in this volume include the British siege and capture of St Sebastian; the final campaigning in eastern Spain; Wellington's invasion of France; and the last actions of the war in the Battle of Toulouse and the French sortie from Bayonne. A chapter on the place of the Peninsular War in history concludes Oman's monumental work.

A History of the Peoples of the British Isles: From 1870 to the Present

by Thomas Heyck

Volume III deals with the 'long twentieth century'. Its main themes are:* the contraction of British industrial power and the shift to a service-based economy* the decline of Victorianism and the rise of Modernism* the climax of class society between the wars and the blurring of class lines after the 1960s* the impact of two world wars* the decline of British power and the empire* the partition of Ireland* the devolution of power to Wales and Scotland.

A History of the Peoples of the British Isles: From Prehistoric Times to 1688

by Stanford Lehmberg

The three volumes of A History of the Peoples of the British Isles weave together the histories of England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales and their peoples. The authors trace the course of social, economic, cultural and political history from prehistoric times to the present, analyzing the relationships, differences and similarities of the four areas. Covering British history from prehistoric times to 1688, Volume I's main themes include: * the development of prehistoric, Roman and Anglo-Saxon Britain* discussions of family and class structures* Medieval British history* the Stuart and Tudor leaderships* the arts and intellectual developments from 1485 to 1688. Presenting a wealth of material on themes such as women's history, the family, religion, intellectual history, society, politics, and the arts, these volumes are an important resource for all students of the political and cultural heritage of the British Isles.

History of the Pequot War: The Accounts Of Mason, Underhill, Vincent And Gardener On The Colonist Wars With Native American Tribes In The 1600s

by Charles Orr

Step back into the tumultuous early days of American colonial history with Charles Orr's History of the Pequot War: The Accounts of Mason, Underhill, Vincent, and Gardener on the Colonist Wars with Native American Tribes in the 1600s. This compelling compilation offers an unparalleled window into the Pequot War, a brutal and decisive conflict that shaped the future interactions between European settlers and Native American tribes.Orr meticulously gathers and presents the firsthand accounts of four key figures: John Mason, John Underhill, Philip Vincent, and Lion Gardener. Their narratives provide a comprehensive and multifaceted view of the events, strategies, and personal experiences during the Pequot War. Through their eyes, readers gain insight into the motivations, challenges, and brutal realities faced by both the colonists and the Pequot people.The book delves into the origins of the conflict, exploring the cultural tensions, economic pressures, and territorial disputes that led to the outbreak of war. It vividly recounts significant battles, such as the Mystic Massacre, and examines the tactics and decisions that ultimately led to the near-destruction of the Pequot tribe. Orr's compilation not only captures the military aspects of the war but also provides context to the broader impact on colonial and Native American relations.Join Charles Orr in exploring this critical chapter in American history, and gain a deeper appreciation for the resilience, conflict, and transformation that defined the Pequot War. This book is a must-read for anyone seeking to comprehend the profound and lasting consequences of early colonial warfare on the shaping of the New World.

History of the Persian Empire

by A. T. Olmstead

Out of a lifetime of study of the ancient Near East, Professor Olmstead has gathered previously unknown material into the story of the life, times, and thought of the Persians, told for the first time from the Persian rather than the traditional Greek point of view. "The fullest and most reliable presentation of the history of the Persian Empire in existence."—M. Rostovtzeff

A History of the Personal Social Services in England: Feast, Famine and the Future

by Ray Jones

This book provides a detailed narrative and analysis of the 50-year development of the personal social services in England, located throughout the changing ideological, political and relevant professional contexts of the period. Drawing on the experience and recollections of key players who were active during major moments, it constitutes a significant addition to the social work and social policy literature, synthesising important and often original evidence, and some provocative interpretations. The book speaks to crucial on-going issues and contentious current debates, such as the place of bureaucratic management structures in ‘practices with people' generally, and social work specifically. It will be of interest to student and qualified social workers, social policy students and researchers, and policy makers, as well as those with a general interest in the history and trajectory of current issues facing social work and social care in England.

History of the Philippines: From Indios Bravos To Filipinos

by Luis H. Francia

Over three million Filipino Americans now live in the US, but popular histories of this rich, complicated nation are still rare. From ancient Malay settlements to Spanish colonization, the American occupation and beyond, A History of the Philippines recasts various Philippine narratives with an eye for the layers of colonial and post-colonial history that have created this diverse and fascinating population. A History of the Philippines begins with the pre-Westernized Philippines in the 16th century and continues through the 1899 Philippine-American War, the nation's relationship with the United States’ controlling presence, culminating with its independence in 1946 and two ongoing insurgencies, one Islamic and one Communist. Luis H. Francia creates an illuminating portrait that offers the reader valuable insights into the heart and soul of the modern Filipino, laying bare the multicultural, multiracial society of contemporary times.

The History of the Pioneer German Language Press of Ontario, 1835-1918

by Herbert Kalbfleisch

This is the story of the rise and eventual disappearance of approximately thirty German weekly newspapers during a period of slightly more than eighty years. It describes the successes and difficulties encountered in maintaining a newspaper press directed at a minority group which was being slowly absorbed into the English-dominated pattern of Ontario. The First World War brought the German newspaper press to an abrupt end by government decree and although this prohibition lifted later, the German press in Ontario never completely recovered. It has remained, however, a fascinating tale out of Ontario's early history.

History of the Plurality of Worlds: The Myths of Extraterrestrials Through the Ages (Historical & Cultural Astronomy)

by Pierre Connes

Modern research has demonstrated that many stars are surrounded by planets—some of which might contain the right conditions to harbor life. This has only reinforced a question that has been tormenting scientists, philosophers and priests since Antiquity: Are there other inhabited worlds beyond our own?This book analyzes the many ways that humans have argued for and depicted extraterrestrial life over the centuries. The first known texts about the subject date from as early as the 6th century BC. Since that time, countless well-known historical characters like Lucretius, Aristotle, Thomas Aquinas, Cusanus, Bruno, Kepler, Descartes, and Huygens contributed to the debate; here, their lesser known opinions on the subject are studied in detail.It is often difficult for the modern mind to follow the thinking of our ancestors, which can only be understood when placed in the relevant context. The book thus extends its scope to the evolution of ideas about cosmology in general, as well as the culture in which these great thinkers wrote. The research is presented with the author's insights and humor, making this an easy and enjoyable read.

A History of the Political Philosophers (Routledge Library Editions: Political Thought and Political Philosophy #10)

by George Catlin

Originally published in 1939, this book was intended as a guide to political theory intelligible to the common reader, with quotations from the original sources sufficiently extensive to enable them to sample for themselves the ‘taste’ and ‘colour’ of these writings. This history of theory has been placed against brief descriptions, as background, of the civilization of the times, as the reader passes down the avenues of thought from age to age. It is a history of political thought set against the background of the history of civilization, but that thought is also displayed in the setting of the characteristics and biographies of the thinkers, whose minds we search and whom we seek to know familiarly, however long ago gone to dust.

The History of the Port of London: A Vast Emporium of All Nations

by Peter Stone

&“This meticulously researched account underlines the importance of the capital&’s docklands . . . from Roman landing to modern financial centre.&” —Discover Britain The River Thames has been integral to the prosperity of London since Roman times. Explorers sailed away on voyages of discovery to distant lands. Colonies were established and a great empire grew. Funding their ships and cargoes helped make the City of London into the world&’s leading financial center. In the nineteenth century a vast network of docks was created for ever-larger ships, behind high, prison-like walls that kept them secret from all those who did not toil within. Sail made way for steam as goods were dispatched to every corner of the world. In the nineteenth century London was the world&’s greatest port city. In the Second World War the Port of London became Hitler&’s prime target. It paid a heavy price but soon recovered. Yet by the end of the 20th century the docks had been transformed into Docklands, a new financial center. The History of the Port of London: A Vast Emporium of Nations is the fascinating story of the rise and fall and revival of the commercial river. The only book to tell the whole story and bring it right up to date, it charts the foundation, growth and evolution of the port and explains why for centuries it has been so important to Britain&’s prosperity. This book will appeal to those interested in London&’s history, maritime and industrial heritage, the Docklands and East End of London, and the River Thames.

A History of the Post in England from the Romans to the Stuarts (Routledge Revivals)

by Philip Beale

This book was originally published in 1998. From Roman times until this century the business of government has been largely carried out by the writing of letters, either in the form of instructions or of authorisations to deliver information orally. These documents were addressed to the recipient and authenticated by a seal or signature, often having a greeting and a personal conclusion. The messengers who took them also carried copies of laws and regulations, summonses to courts and whatever else was needed for the administration of the country. Without a means of speedy delivery to all concerned there could be no effective government. Separate postal services developed to meet the needs of nobles, the church, merchants, towns and the public. This book discusses three meanings of the word 'post’: the letters, those who carried them, and the means of distribution. It shows that there is some continuity from Roman times and that the postal service established throughout England after the conquest of 1066 continued until 1635 when it was officially extended to the public, thus starting its amalgamation with the other services.

History of the Present: Essays, Sketches, and Dispatches from Europe in the 1990S

by Timothy Garton Ash

The 1990s. An extraordinary decade in Europe. At its beginning, the old order collapsed along with the Berlin Wall. Everything seemed possible. Everyone hailed a brave new Europe. But no one knew what this new Europe would look like. Now we know. Most of Western Europe has launched into the unprecedented gamble of monetary union, though Britain stands aside. Germany, peacefully united, with its capital in Berlin, is again the most powerful country in Europe. The Central Europeans—Poles, Czechs, Hungarians—have made successful transitions from communism to capitalism and have joined NATO. But farther east and south, in the territories of the former Soviet Union and the former Yugoslavia, the continent has descended into a bloody swamp of poverty, corruption, criminality, war, and bestial atrocities such as we never thought would be seen again in Europe. Timothy Garton Ash chronicles this formative decade through a glittering collection of essays, sketches, and dispatches written as history was being made. He joins the East Germans for their decisive vote for unification and visits their former leader in prison. He accompanies the Poles on their roller-coaster ride from dictatorship to democracy. He uncovers the motives for monetary union in Paris and Bonn. He walks in mass demonstrations in Belgrade and travels through the killing fields of Kosovo. Occasionally, he even becomes an actor in a drama he describes: debating Germany with Margaret Thatcher or the role of the intellectual with Václav Havel in Prague. Ranging from Vienna to Saint Petersburg, from Britain to Ruthenia, Garton Ash reflects on how "the single great conflict" of the cold war has been replaced by many smaller ones. And he asks what part the United States still has to play. Sometimes he takes an eagle's-eye view, considering the present attempt to unite Europe against the background of a thousand years of such efforts. But often he swoops to seize one telling human story: that of a wiry old farmer in Croatia, a newspaper editor in Warsaw, or a bitter, beautiful survivor from Sarajevo. His eye is sharp and ironic but always compassionate. History of the Present continues the work that Garton Ash began with his trilogy of books about Central Europe in the 1980s, combining the crafts of journalism and history. In his Introduction, he argues that we should not wait until the archives are opened before starting to write the history of our own times. Then he shows how it can be done.

History of the Present: Essays, Sketches, and Dispatches from Europe in the 1990s

by Timothy Garton Ash

The 1990s. An extraordinary decade in Europe. At its beginning, the old order collapsed along with the Berlin Wall. Everything seemed possible. Everyone hailed a brave new Europe. But no one knew what this new Europe would look like. Now we know. Most of Western Europe has launched into the unprecedented gamble of monetary union, though Britain stands aside. Germany, peacefully united, with its capital in Berlin, is again the most powerful country in Europe. The Central Europeans--Poles, Czechs, Hungarians--have made successful transitions from communism to capitalism and have joined NATO. But farther east and south, in the territories of the former Soviet Union and the former Yugoslavia, the continent has descended into a bloody swamp of poverty, corruption, criminality, war, and bestial atrocities such as we never thought would be seen again in Europe. Timothy Garton Ash chronicles this formative decade through a glittering collection of essays, sketches, and dispatches written as history was being made. He joins the East Germans for their decisive vote for unification and visits their former leader in prison. He accompanies the Poles on their roller-coaster ride from dictatorship to democracy. He uncovers the motives for monetary union in Paris and Bonn. He walks in mass demonstrations in Belgrade and travels through the killing fields of Kosovo. Occasionally, he even becomes an actor in a drama he describes: debating Germany with Margaret Thatcher or the role of the intellectual with Václav Havel in Prague. Ranging from Vienna to Saint Petersburg, from Britain to Ruthenia, Garton Ash reflects on how "the single great conflict" of the cold war has been replaced by many smaller ones. And he asks what part the United States still has to play. Sometimes he takes an eagle's-eye view, considering the present attempt to unite Europe against the background of a thousand years of such efforts. But often he swoops to seize one telling human story: that of a wiry old farmer in Croatia, a newspaper editor in Warsaw, or a bitter, beautiful survivor from Sarajevo. His eye is sharp and ironic but always compassionate. History of the Present continues the work that Garton Ash began with his trilogy of books about Central Europe in the 1980s, combining the crafts of journalism and history. In his Introduction, he argues that we should not wait until the archives are opened before starting to write the history of our own times. Then he shows how it can be done.

A History of the Providence River: With the Moshassuck, Woonasquatucket and Seekonk Tributaries

by Robert A. Geake

The Providence River begins its journey from the confluence of the Moshassuck and Woonasquatucket Rivers, in the capital city from which the river takes its name. A short distance downstream, the Seekonk River joins with the Providence as they flow on toward the mouth of Narragansett Bay. The history of the Ocean State was made on the banks of this historic river. It was here that Roger Williams established the first settlement dedicated to religious liberty, Rochambeau's army made its first encampment on the road to Yorktown and the Walsh-Kaiser Shipyard built World War II vessels for the Allied maritime effort. Along its waters glided boats and ships engaged in the slave trade, the raid on the "Gaspee" and all manner of coastal commerce. Historian Robert A. Geake has paddled the river's length to uncover the mysteries coursing within.

A History of the Ptolemaic Empire

by Günther Hölbl

This compelling narrative provides the only comprehensive guide in English to the rise and decline of Ptolemaic rule in Egypt over three centuries - from the death of Alexander in 323 BC to the tragic deaths of Antony and Cleopatra in 30 BC.The skilful integration of material from a vast array of sources allows the reader to trace the political and religious development of one of the most powerful empires of the ancient eastern Mediterranean. It shows how the success of the Ptolemies was due in part to their adoption of many features of the Egyptian Pharaohs who preceded them - their deification and funding of cults and temples throughout Egypt.

A History of the Pyrrhic War (Routledge Studies in Ancient History)

by Patrick Alan Kent

A History of the Pyrrhic War explores the multi-polar nature of a conflict that involved the Romans, peoples of Italy, western Greeks, and Carthaginians during Pyrrhus’ western campaign in the early third century BCE. The war occurred nearly a century before the first historical writings in Rome, resulting in a malleable narrative that emphasized the moral virtues of the Romans, transformed Pyrrhus into a figure that resembled Alexander the Great, disparaged the degeneracy of the Greeks, and demonstrated the malicious intent of the Carthaginians. Kent demonstrates the way events were shaped by later Roman generations to transform the complex geopolitical realities of the Pyrrhic War into a one-dimensional duel between themselves and Pyrrhus that anticipated their rise to greatness. This book analyses the Pyrrhic War through consideration of geopolitical context as well as how later Roman writers remembered the conflict. The focus of the war is taken off Pyrrhus as an individual and shifted towards evaluating the multifaceted interactions of the peoples of Italy and Sicily. A History of the Pyrrhic War is a fundamental resource for academic and learned general readers who have an interest in the interaction of developing imperial powers with their neighbors and how those events shaped the perceptions of later generations. It will be of interest not only to students of Roman history, but also to anyone working on historiography in any period.

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