Narrative enjoyable, analytically weak

This work stands somewhat in the tradition of Donald Kagan’s multi-volume history of the Peloponnesian War, although the earlier volumes by Rahe go much more into detail on the Persian Wars.

As a (many moons ago) MA student in Classical Greek history, this was an enjoyable listen. The story of the evolution of Greek history at this juncture is like a pair of old slippers, with a familiar cast of characters, angels, demons and denouements.

However.

This is not serious history. This is the kind of book that students on their way to a post in the US state department read, attempting to convey some basic concepts of state-craft like diplomacy, without getting too caught up in exactly how the ancient Greeks understood the state, diplomacy or even democracy. The understanding of the latter indicated in this book goes not one inch past Ancient History 101 in its emphasis that war was “not an ideological crusade”. Which is true, but unexplained and very limited in this book.

The book is also limited by its repeated and unexplained assertions that certain events or certain interpretations of the sources are likely or unlikely. “It is very likely that…” More than once I found myself snapping irritably, “on what basis???”

I enjoyed the previous book on the “Grand Strategy of Classical Sparta”, even if it does not really explain what “Grand Strategy” is and how it can consistently be conveyed across two hundred years of Spartan history, a view which does not always sit easily other maxims rather too easily asserted as immutable laws, E.g. that foreign policy is always an expression of domestic politics. This book less so.

This is the third or fourth book on Ancient Greek history I’ve reviewed and the pronunciation of Greek place names has actually got worse. Chal-chid-isee made me want to rip my hair out. But that’s just me, don’t judge it on that. Listen, by all means. It’s free with membership after all!

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