Review by Choice Review
This diminutive tome is a gem. Founded on the premise that the city is the font from which civilization itself flows, Cartledge (Cambridge) employs 11 examples of the Greek polis to chart history from the Bronze Age to Christendom. He includes all the major players (Argos, Athens, Sparta, Syracuse, Thebes) as well as less-well-known and more far-flung but equally important urban manifestations (e.g. Alexandria, Byzantion, Massalia, Miletus). Organized chronologically into five parts, the book allots each city an average of 16 pages. Cities manage to stand not just for histories of place, but as touchstones for a sweeping account conversant on everything from politics to science, from economics to literary accomplishments. Cartledge renders the entire tale in a lively, user-friendly, yet encyclopedically informed manner, all in a format "suitable for pulling out of a pocket to read on the train or bus or plane." Rounded out with an appendix on the Panhellenic sanctuaries of Olympia and Delphi, supporting materials include a bibliography for each period and city, a time line, glossary, and a Who's Who. Maps, plans, and photographs are minimal but judiciously selected. A thoroughly enjoyable study designed for maximum accessibility. Summing Up: Essential. All levels/libraries. B. A. Ault University at Buffalo, SUNY
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Cartledge, professor of Greek culture at the University of Cambridge, has created an intriguing overview of Greek history by providing synopses of 11 key city-states, each representing a different facet of Greek life and culture, such as politics, gender, and philosophy. Beginning with the earliest example of the successful polis, proto-Greek Cnossos on the island of Crete, and continuing through the near-mythical city of Mycenae; Argos; doomed Miletus; Massalia (present-day Marseilles), the first of the great Greek "colonies"; and through to the rise of laconic Sparta, it is easy to trace the development of Greek civilization. Classical Greece is examined in the descriptions of Athens, Syracuse, and Thebes. The description of Hellenic Alexandria is symbolic of the transition of the classical period into the Hellenistic age. A final discussion of the polis of Byzantion notes the decline of city-state independence. A list of significant individuals, a glossary, and a time line are beneficial. Other than labeling Athens, Ga., as that state's capital in comments on the proliferation of Greek city names throughout the world, errors are few. 20 b&w illus., 4 maps. (Jan.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
Cartledge (Classics, Univ. of Cambridge; Ancient Greek Political Thought in Practice) ushers readers through the geopolitical atmospheres of various Greek city-states, from the Bronze Age of Knossos and Mycenae to the Archaic Sparta, the Classical Athens, and the Hellenistic Alexandria. The similarities and differences between each polis are readily apparent, and, for so brief a study, this work manages to discuss an enviable array of topics, from military engagements to women's roles, sociopolitical history, architecture, and cultural impacts on later civilizations. The explanations of Greek spellings, monetary units, and measures of distance, as well as the time line, glossary, and "Who's Who," would be especially useful for newcomers. VERDICT Aiming for a general audience, Cartledge achieves a fast-paced, highly engaging romp through ancient Greece. An excellent choice for anyone seeking an introduction to the topic; for all its readability, this book doesn't skimp on the research. -Crystal Goldman, San Jose Sate Univ., CA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
