Download or read book The Eyes of Archimedes The Siege of Syracuse written by MR Dan Armstrong and published by . This book was released on 2014-03 with total page 424 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It's the end of the third century before Christ. The city-state of Syracuse is a critical seaport in Rome's second war with Carthage. One of the ancient world's most beautiful cities, it is also the home of the famous Greek mathematician Archimedes. When Syracuse comes under Carthaginian control in 214 B.C., the Roman general Marcus Claudius Marcellus storms the city with 40,000 soldiers and 60 warships, only to be confronted by the most sophisticated weapons the world has ever seen, all built and designed by Archimedes. The Roman army is turned back as though toy soldiers three separate times. Unwilling to concede, Marcellus blockades the city by land and sea, determined to starve Syracuse into submission. Timon Leonidas, an orphan of the war, is Archimedes' slave during the last three years of the mathematician's life and through the duration of the siege. Timon tells the story of a city held hostage from the perspective of a young Greek, privy to the political intrigue that boils around his master. When Syracuse finally falls, Marcellus' first concern is to secure its greatest asset, the aging mathematician. In one of the most poignant moments in all of history, a Roman soldier, certain the scientist is casting a hex, strikes Archimedes down as he sketches out a geometry problem. In his last moments, Archimedes gives his cherished slave a gift more powerful than any weapon used in the siege, but with the promise that it can only be revealed to save his life-a promise that becomes Timon's fate to break.

Download or read book Mastering the West written by Dexter Hoyos and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2017-04-17 with total page 361 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "A history of the Punic Wars intended for all audiences"--

Download or read book Cornelius Nepos Life of Hannibal written by Bret Mulligan and published by Open Book Publishers. This book was released on 2015-10-05 with total page 176 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Trebia. Trasimene. Cannae. With three stunning victories, Hannibal humbled Rome and nearly shattered its empire. Even today Hannibal's brilliant, if ultimately unsuccessful, campaign against Rome during the Second Punic War (218-202 BC) make him one of history's most celebrated military leaders. This biography by Cornelius Nepos (c. 100-27 BC) sketches Hannibal's life from the time he began traveling with his father's army as a young boy, through his sixteen-year invasion of Italy and his tumultuous political career in Carthage, to his perilous exile and eventual suicide in the East. As Rome completed its bloody transition from dysfunctional republic to stable monarchy, Nepos labored to complete an innovative and influential collection of concise biographies. Putting aside the detailed, chronological accounts of military campaigns and political machinations that characterized most writing about history, Nepos surveyed Roman and Greek history for distinguished men who excelled in a range of prestigious occupations. In the exploits and achievements of these illustrious men, Nepos hoped that his readers would find models for the honorable conduct of their own lives. Although most of Nepos' works have been lost, we are fortunate to have his biography of Hannibal. Nepos offers a surprisingly balanced portrayal of a man that most Roman authors vilified as the most monstrous foe that Rome had ever faced. Nepos' straightforward style and his preference for common vocabulary make Life of Hannibal accessible for those who are just beginning to read continuous Latin prose, while the historical interest of the subject make it compelling for readers of every ability.

Download or read book Syracuse 415 413 BC written by Nic Fields and published by Osprey Publishing. This book was released on 2008-05-20 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Osprey's study of one of the most important battles of the Peloponnesian War (431 - 404 BC). In 415 BC Athens launched a large expeditionary force, its goal the rich, grain-producing island of Sicily. This was in response to a call for help in a minor war from an old ally but the true objectives were the powerful city of Syracuse, suspected of supporting Athens' Peloponnesian enemies, and imperial expansion. The Athenians won an inconclusive victory over the Syracusans late in the year and renewed their attack in the spring of 414. After a period of energetic siege warfare and a series of large-scale battles on land and sea, the Syracusans gained the upper hand and the expedition ended in total disaster with grave consequences for the future of Athens. Nic Fields explores the background of this foolhardy venture in which Athens took on a nation that was militarily and financially strong and over 700 miles distant. Then, following the narrative of Thucydides, the chronicler of the Peloponnesian War, he describes and explains the long and violent campaign that pitted the two largest democracies of the Greek world against each other.

Download or read book The Battle of the Books written by Joseph M. Levine and published by Cornell University Press. This book was released on 1991 with total page 452 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 1. Wotton vs. Temple -- 2. Bentley vs. Christ Church -- 3. Stroke and Counterstroke -- 4. The Querelle -- 5. Ancient Greece and Modern Scholarship -- 6. Pope's Iliad -- 7. Pope and the Quarrel between the Ancients and the Moderns -- 8. Bentley's Milton -- 9. History and Theory -- 10. Ancients -- 11. Moderns -- 12. Ancients and Moderns.

Download or read book Tides of War written by Steven Pressfield and published by Bantam. This book was released on 2007-01-30 with total page 452 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Narrated from death row by Alcibiades’ bodyguard and assassin, a man whose own love and loathing for his former commander mirrors the mixed emotions felt by all Athens, Tides of War tells an epic saga of an extraordinary century, a war that changed history, and a complex leader who seduced a nation. Brilliant at war, a master of politics, and a charismatic lover, Alcibiades was Athens’ favorite son and the city’s greatest general. A prodigal follower of Socrates, he embodied both the best and the worst of the Golden Age of Greece. A commander on both land and sea, he led his armies to victory after victory. But like the heroes in a great Greek tragedy, he was a victim of his own pride, arrogance, excess, and ambition. Accused of crimes against the state, he was banished from his beloved Athens, only to take up arms in the service of his former enemies. For nearly three decades, Greece burned with war and Alcibiades helped bring victories to both sides — and ended up trusted by neither. BONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Steven Pressfield's The Profession. Praise for Tides of War “Pressfield’s battlefield scenes rank with the most convincing ever written.”—USA Today “Pressfield serves up not just hair-raising battle scenes . . . but many moments of valor and cowardice, lust and bawdy humor. . . . Even more impressively, he delivers a nuanced portrait of ancient athens.”—Esquire “Unabashedly brilliant, epic, intelligent, and moving.”—Kirkus Reviews “Pressfield’s attention to historic detail is exquisite. . . . This novel will remain with the reader long after the final chapter is finished.”—Library Journal “Astounding, historically accurate tale . . . Pressfield is a master storyteller, especially adept in his graphic and embracing descriptions of the land and naval battles, political intrigues and colorful personalities, which come together in an intense and credible portrait of war-torn Greece.”—Publishers Weekly

Download or read book Great Naval Battles of the Ancient Greek World written by Owen Rees and published by Casemate Publishers. This book was released on 2018-12-31 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Naval warfare is the unsung hero of ancient Greek military history, often overshadowed by the more glorified land battles. Owen Rees looks to redress the balance, giving naval battles their due attention. This book presents a selection of thirteen naval battles that span a defining century in ancient Greek history, from the Ionian Revolt and Persian Invasion to the rise of external naval powers in the Mediterranean Sea, such as the Carthaginians.Each battle is set in context. The background, wider military campaigns, and the opposing forces are discussed, followed by a narrative and analysis of the fighting. Finally, the aftermath of the battles are dealt with, looking at the strategic implications of the outcome for both the victor and the defeated. The battle narratives are supported by maps and tactical diagrams, showing the deployment of the fleets and the wider geographical factors involved in battle. Written in an accessible tone, this book successfully shows that Greek naval warfare did not start and end at the battle of Salamis.

Download or read book The Peace of Nicias and the Sicilian Expedition written by Donald Kagan and published by Cornell University Press. This book was released on 2013-01-16 with total page 402 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Why did the Peace of Nicias fail to reconcile Athens and Sparta? In the third volume of his landmark four-volume history of the Peloponnesian War, Donald Kagan examines the years between the signing of the peace treaty and the destruction of the Athenian expedition to Sicily in 413 B.C. The principal figure in the narrative is the Athenian politician and general Nicias, whose policies shaped the treaty and whose military strategies played a major role in the attack against Sicily.

Download or read book Greek and Macedonian Land Battles of the 4th Century B C written by Fred Eugene Ray, Jr. and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2012-10-06 with total page 245 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With its mixture of famous battles and storied commanders, warfare in 4th century B.C. Greece has long held a fascination for military enthusiasts and the general public alike. Histories, biographies, and popular culture have turned the exploits of noted generals like Xenophon and Iphicrates of Athens, Epaminondas of Thebes, and the father-son team of Philip II and Alexander the Great of Macedonia into the stuff of legend. Drawing from ancient accounts along with suitable analogs, this detailed work offers meticulous reconstructions of 187 of the 4th century's most significant land engagements, considering tactical patterns, evolving trends, and the lasting impact of the era's most influential military minds. By separating myth from reality, these recreations provide incredible insight into past ways of war that continue to influence the course of combat today.

Download or read book The First Punic War written by John Lazenby and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2016-04-29 with total page 201 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The text provides a study of the longest continuous war in ancient history and the greatest naval conflict ever fought. It is intended for Roman history courses, academic and research libraries, and military history buffs.

Download or read book Monte Cassino written by Matthew Parker and published by Anchor. This book was released on 2004-06-01 with total page 445 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Monte Cassino is the true story of one of the bitterest and bloodiest of the Allied struggles against the Nazi army. Long neglected by historians, the horrific conflict saw over 350,000 casualties, while the worst winter in Italian memory and official incompetence and backbiting only worsened the carnage and turmoil. Combining groundbreaking research in military archives with interviews with four hundred survivors from both sides, as well as soldier diaries and letters, Monte Cassino is both profoundly evocative and historically definitive. Clearly and precisely, Matthew Parker brilliantly reconstructs Europe’s largest land battle–which saw the destruction of the ancient monastery of Monte Cassino–and dramatically conveys the heroism and misery of the human face of war.

Download or read book Land Battles in 5th Century BC Greece written by Fred Eugene Ray, Jr. and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2011-08-11 with total page 325 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Relying heavily on primary sources such as Herodotus, Thucydides and Plutarch, this volume provides the first-ever tactical level survey of all Greek land engagements which occurred during the 5th century BC, a seminal period in the history of western warfare"--Provided by publisher.

Download or read book Parallel Lives written by Plutarch and published by e-artnow. This book was released on 2018-11-02 with total page 1759 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This eBook has been formatted to the highest digital standards and adjusted for readability on all devices. Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans or Parallel Lives is a series of biographies of famous men, arranged in tandem to illuminate their common moral virtues or failings, probably written at the beginning of the second century AD by Plutarch. Parallel Lives comprises 23 pairs of biographies, each pair consisting of one Greek and one Roman, as well as four unpaired, single lives. It is a work of considerable importance, not only as a source of information about the individuals described, but also about the times in which they lived. Volume I contains 13 pairs of biographies from Theseus and Romulus to Cimon and Lucullus, with comparisons.

Download or read book The Cambridge Companion to the Roman Republic written by Harriet I. Flower and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2014-06-23 with total page 519 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This second edition examines all aspects of Roman history, and contains a new introduction, three new chapters and updated bibliographies.

Download or read book Harry Haft written by Alan Scott Haft and published by Syracuse University Press. This book was released on 2015-02-01 with total page 210 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Alan Scott Haft provides the first-hand testimony of his father, Harry Haft, a holocaust victim with a singular story of endurance, desperation, and unrequited love. Harry Haft was a sixteen-year-old Polish Jew when he entered a concentration camp in 1944. Forced to fight other Jews in bare-knuckle bouts for the perverse entertainment of SS officers, Harry quickly learned that his own survival depended on his ability to fight and win. Haft details the inhumanity of the "sport" in which he must perform in brutal contests for the officers. Ultimately escaping the camp, Haft’s experience left him an embittered and pugnacious young man. Determined to find freedom, Haft traveled to America and began a career as a professional boxer, quickly finding success using his sharp instincts and fierce confidence. In a historic battle, Haft fights in a match with Rocky Marciano, the future undefeated heavyweight champion of the world. Haft’s boxing career takes him into the world of such boxing legends as Rocky Graziano, Roland La Starza, and Artie Levine, and he reveals new details about the rampant corruption at all levels of the sport. In sharp contrast to Elie Wiesel’s scholarly, pious protagonist in Night, Harry Haft is an embattled survivor, challenging the reader’s capacity to understand suffering and find compassion for an antihero whose will to survive threatens his own humanity. Haft’s account, at once dispassionate and deeply absorbing, is an extraordinary story and an invaluable contribution to Holocaust literature.

Download or read book A War Like No Other written by Victor Davis Hanson and published by Random House Trade Paperbacks. This book was released on 2006-09-12 with total page 418 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: One of our most provocative military historians, Victor Davis Hanson has given us painstakingly researched and pathbreaking accounts of wars ranging from classical antiquity to the twenty-first century. Now he juxtaposes an ancient conflict with our most urgent modern concerns to create his most engrossing work to date, A War Like No Other. Over the course of a generation, the Hellenic city-states of Athens and Sparta fought a bloody conflict that resulted in the collapse of Athens and the end of its golden age. Thucydides wrote the standard history of the Peloponnesian War, which has given readers throughout the ages a vivid and authoritative narrative. But Hanson offers readers something new: a complete chronological account that reflects the political background of the time, the strategic thinking of the combatants, the misery of battle in multifaceted theaters, and important insight into how these events echo in the present. Hanson compellingly portrays the ways Athens and Sparta fought on land and sea, in city and countryside, and details their employment of the full scope of conventional and nonconventional tactics, from sieges to targeted assassinations, torture, and terrorism. He also assesses the crucial roles played by warriors such as Pericles and Lysander, artists, among them Aristophanes, and thinkers including Sophocles and Plato. Hanson’s perceptive analysis of events and personalities raises many thought-provoking questions: Were Athens and Sparta like America and Russia, two superpowers battling to the death? Is the Peloponnesian War echoed in the endless, frustrating conflicts of Vietnam, Northern Ireland, and the current Middle East? Or was it more like America’s own Civil War, a brutal rift that rent the fabric of a glorious society, or even this century’s “red state—blue state” schism between liberals and conservatives, a cultural war that manifestly controls military policies? Hanson daringly brings the facts to life and unearths the often surprising ways in which the past informs the present. Brilliantly researched, dynamically written, A War Like No Other is like no other history of this important war.

Download or read book Western Sahara written by Stephen Zunes and published by Syracuse University Press. This book was released on 2010-08-04 with total page 358 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Western Sahara conflict has proven to be one of the most protracted and intractable struggles facing the international community. Pitting local nationalist determination against Moroccan territorial ambitions, the dispute is further complicated by regional tensions with Algeria and the geo-strategic concerns of major global players, including the United States, France, and the territory’s former colonial ruler, Spain. Since the early 1990s, the UN Security Council has failed to find a formula that will delicately balance these interests against Western Sahara’s long-denied right to a self-determination referendum as one of the last UN-recognized colonies. The widely-lauded first edition was the first book-length treatment of the issue in the previous two decades. Zunes and Mundy examined the origins, evolution, and resilience of the Western Sahara conflict, deploying a diverse array of sources and firsthand knowledge of the region gained from multiple research visits. Shifting geographical frames—local, regional, and international—provided for a robust analysis of the stakes involved. With the renewal of the armed conflict, continued diplomatic stalemate, growing waves of nonviolent resistance in the occupied territory, and the recent U.S. recognition of Morocco’s annexation, this new revised and expanded paperback edition brings us up-to-date on a long-forgotten conflict that is finally capturing the world’s attention.