Ancient/Classical History/recomended readings

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Expert: - 3/11/2008


Question
I have a desire and appetite for very ancient readings. Historical and religious. I have read the Koran, Bible, Iliad and Odyssey, Epic of Gilgamesh, and others. Can you recommend other readings in this category?
Thanks for your time.

Answer
Sir, it is a great honor to serve one who has a voracious and almost libidinous thirst for classical writing. Here I will list and identify a few books that will hopefully fit into your reading preference.


George Rawlinson's Ancient History: Contains the history of multifarious empires and civilizations, from the Medio-Achaemenids: 550-330 BCE or the Persians of the Pasargadae, Dai, Mardi, Derbices, Sagartii, Desuriaei, Panthialaei, Maraphii, Maspii and the Carmanians, the Amphictyonic Synhedrion of Thessaly with Jason, Polyphron, Polydorus and Alexander as Despots from 380-351 BCE, the tribes of Epirus such as the Orsetae, Parauaei, Thresprotians, Molossians and Chaeonians, the Chaldaeans or the Neo-Babylonians from 2100-1543 BCE under Nimrod and Chedolaomer, 1543-1298 BCE of the Idumean Arab Dynasty, 1298-772 BCE under the sovereignty of the 47 kings and from 772-747 BCE under the hegemony of Despot Pul. Another reference includes the rebellion of the satrap Andragorus and the creation of the Arsacid Dynasty of Parthia: 255 BCE-226 CE. It spoke of the wars of Parthia against Seleucus II Callinicus, Diodotus I, Antiochus III 'Eupator', Antiochus Sidetes, Antiochus IV 'Epiphanes', Eucratides I 'Eupator' and Heliocles I, and of its development as a superpower.

Osprey Publishing: Byzantine Infantryman: 900-1204 CE: Contains the rise of Byzantium from Flavius Belisarius under a brief introduction, and of the loss of the Byzantine Empire's Helladic and Ionian possessions from 1071-1075 CE and 1107-1108 CE of Cephallenia, Zacthynus, Corcyra and the territorial losses in Italy to the Duchy of Spoleto: 776-1201 CE and the Duchy of Benevento, and the threat of Otto I of the Holy Roman Empire to the Byzantine cleruchies. It writes of the reign of Nikephorous II Phocas, Basil II Bulgaroctonus, etc to the rise of the Latin Empire: Kingdom of Thessalonica, and the Hellenistic Successors of the Despotate of Epirus: 1205-1479 CE, the Kingdom of Trebizond: 1204-1461 CE, the Kingdom of Morea (losses at Angelokastron), the Kingdom of Nicaea: 1204-1261 CE and the Tauric Chersonesus.

These are two examples of books that I hope you will find to be of great interest.


Thank you, Conrad Jalowski

Ancient/Classical History

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Conrad T. Jalowski

Expertise

The First Athenian Hegemony: 478-404 BCE, the Second Athenian Hegemony: 378-355 BCE, the Peloponnesian War: 431-404 BCE, the Theban Hegemony (Epaminondas): 371-362 BCE, Hellenistic History: 335-30 BCE, the Roman Principate: 27 BCE-235 CE, the Roman "Barracks Period": 235-284 CE, the Roman Dominate: 284-395 CE, the Gallic Empire: 260-274 CE, the Palmyrene Empire: 260-273 CE, the Britannic Empire: 286-297 CE, the Illyrian Emperors: 268-284 CE, the Occidental Roman Empire: 395-476 CE, the Oriental Roman Empire (Early Byzantine Period): 330-802 CE, the Byzantine Empire (Middle Byzantine Period): 802-1204 CE, the Byzantine Empire (Late Byzantine Period): 1204-1453 CE, the Carolingian Frankish Empire under Charlemagne: 768-814 CE

Experience

I am an assiduous student of Greek, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Medieval and Italian Renaissance history with an in-depth comprehension of Platonic, Aristotelian, Hellenistic (Stoicism, Epicureanism, Skepticism and Cynicism) and Ciceronian philosophy. My passions in the fields of philosophy and history converge in late antique Mediterranean culture (200-650/750 CE). My area of greatest interest spans from the collapse of the Roman Principate in 235 CE and extends to the Mussulman invasions of the Mediterranean. Particular topics within the period of Late Antiquity include the Gallienic Renaissance and the cultivation of Neoplatonism (253-268), the Diocletianic Tetrarchy (293-313), the collapse of the Occidental Roman Empire (476 CE), the reigns of Maurice Tiberius (582-602) and Flavius Heraclius Augustus (610-641) and the Byzantine-Sassanid War (602-628).

Publications
-(The Molloy College Student Literary Magazine): A short analysis on Niccolo Machiavelli's republican treatise titled "Discourses on the First Decade of Titus Livy".

Education/Credentials
-(Molloy College Undergraduate Philosophy Conference) Despotism in Greek and Roman Political Theory: http://www.facebook.com/events/176699492365438/

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