History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Average customer rating:

Very Enjoyable...
An absolutely fantastic book
Absolutley brilliant!
The Best Modern Source on the Market
This is a Great book

Greece and Rome at War
Peter Connolly
Manufacturer: Greenhill Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

A revised edition of this guide to twelve centuries of military development. Connolly combines a detailed account of the arms and armies of Greece and Rome with full color artwork.

Customer Reviews:

Very Enjoyable..........2007-03-14

I have always been an avid history buff, especially during the Hellenistic, Greco-Roman Era, and was very impressed with Peter Connolly's book. I teach history courses at a local Junior College and have used this book in my curriculum on many occasions. I would highly recommend this book to all ages. Good pictures, good research, and very interesting dialogue.

An absolutely fantastic book.......2007-02-02

It is one of the best books I' ve ever read! What I liked the most was the siege warfare, the siege weapons and the reconstruction of soldiers and battle formations! Being a Greek, I can assure you that the Greek section of the book is very helpful in learning ancient warfare!

Absolutley brilliant!.......2005-11-09

This book is a very well illustrated study on the armour, weaponry, tactics and soldiers of both the Greeks and the Romans. This is a great book for someone starting off in this subject and yet it is thorough enough to be used and referenced by proper scholars as well. I think this book is a must-have for anyone interested in classical warfare but I have noticed that on the American site this book is listed as out of print. Therefore I highly reccomend that anyone who wishes to purchase this book for a decent price (since I have noticed that the used books available on here go up to $80!!) go to the UK Amazon site (www.amazon.co.uk) where this is still in print and is around 19pounds and shipping to the states is very reasonable. Enjoy!!

The Best Modern Source on the Market.......2005-08-16

Connolly's Greece and Rome at war is the best one-volume work on warfare in the classical age. The book begins with a detailed account of the Second Persian invasion of Greece. It goes on to describe in the most scrupulous fashion the appearance, arms, armor, tactics, organization, and leadership structure of the Greek armies.

Connolly tackles Macedon and Alexander the Great next, describing the fine details of the soldiers of the Hellenistic age.

The book then switches focus to the Western Mediterranean and Italy. Connolly gives the best description of the early Italian military systems that has ever been given. With the plethora of information from both archaeological and ancient literary sources, he paints a picture of the Etruscan, Latin, Celtic, Sabine, Samnite, and early Roman militaries.

Following the Italian section, Connolly gives an account of the "Great Wars"--the Punic Wars and the subsequent/parallel struggles in Greece and the near east. He details his own travels and explorations which have led him to be able to describe the exact route of Hannibal through the alps and into Italy. He also interprets Polybius and redeems characters such as Flaminius, Longus, and Varro, whom Polybius was obliged to condemn as inept commanders due to his relationship with Scipio Aemilianus.

The book also has accounts of the early, middle, and late imperial army in the same detailed fashion that Connolly provided for Greece, Macedonia, Italy, and early Rome. Appendices on naval warfare and siege/defense tactics are included as well.

Conolly's superb artwork makes this work a true masterpiece. Almost evry page is beautifully decorated with paintings of troops, armor, weapons, or sculptures from the classical world.

This book is a must have for anyone interested on the topic.

This is a Great book.......2005-06-23

I really enjoy reading this book. It has great information about the various military structures of the greek and roman armys. The book goes in detail about how they fought, what armor they wore, how the marched, even what kind of food they ate. But this is only about half the book. The other parts of the book talk about differnt wars, battles, and campaigns. One of my favorite part of this book is about how the romans gradualy took over italy. I thought this was very intersting. I am a big military history fan so I already knew some things about Marius, Ceaser, and the Punic wars, but never had I come upon a detailed acount of how the romans really came to power in italy. It was also intersting to read about the early italian military systems.
The book went into great detail about many ages of fighting, and gave detailed accounts of battles acnd campaigns. This book is a great book for anyone to read. It has the detail to impress any hisorian and also has cosmetic appeal to keep you intersted.
This book is well worth your money.

Warfare in the Classical World: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Weapons, Warriors and Warfare in the Ancient Civilisations of Greece and Rome

Average customer rating:

An excellent introduction to ancient warfare
Great Read
The Best Resource Available on Ancient Warfare
Must have if you are interested in ancient wars
All you wanted to know about Greek and Roman Military!

Warfare in the Classical World: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Weapons, Warriors and Warfare in the Ancient Civilisations of Greece and Rome
John Gibson Warry
Manufacturer: University of Oklahoma Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0806127945

Amazon.com

From the rise of Greece to the fall of Rome, this superbly illustrated volume is a wonderful account of the warriors and battles that dominated Europe and the Near East for more than 1,000 years. The story begins at Troy, drawing upon Homeric legend and modern archaeological evidence. It continues through Greece's Persian and Peloponnesian Wars, Alexander the Great, Rome's Punic Wars, Hannibal, Julius Caesar, and the barbarian invasions. Although John Warry's text is worth reading, the color drawings of uniforms, equipment, weapons, warships, siege engines, and more are the real highlight and make the chronicle extremely accessible. Warfare in the Classical World will excite both readers who have a mature interest in the period and, although it's not a kids' book, children becoming acquainted with ancient history for the first time.

Customer Reviews:

An excellent introduction to ancient warfare.......2007-05-13

This is an excellent introduction to ancient warfare. It is lavishly illustrated, and provides excellent diagrams to support some of the concepts such as how a phalanx of Greek infantry manoevered and then moved into combat. The book covers the technology of the times, but also looks at tactics and gives an overview of the politics that lead to the various conflicts. I would higly recommend this book for beginners in the field of ancient warfare such as myself. My only reservation, is that while the primarary authorities are extensively referenced in the text, I would have liked to see a bibliography (although the glossary is great too!) Highly recommended for beginners or those with a general interest in the topic.

Great Read.......2007-03-29

Loved the book. The sketches and battle tactics illustrated made them come alive for me. Gave me a much better insight into the whole thing. And the delivery was fast, even with free shipping.

The Best Resource Available on Ancient Warfare.......2007-02-09

As I researched the equipment and modes of Greek warfare while writing the historical novel "Maccabee," I consulted numerous excellent sources, but John Warry's book was without a doubt the best. It became my virtual bible for the staging of the battle sequences between the Jews in the Maccabean Revolt and their Syrian enemies who employed the Greek methods that had worked so well for Alexander the Great. Warry's explanations of military techniques in their historical context as well as the wealth of illustrations makes this a valuable resource for anyone interested in ancient warfare.

Must have if you are interested in ancient wars.......2006-12-08

I just got this for my son Shawn and I ended up reading it first. I am sure during this X'Mas both of us will want to fight for the book. The pictures and the drawings are of the highest qualities. I love the descriptions of major wars. I just wish that the author has given it more explanation of the drawings for the major battles like adding more legends. Also, it is kind of hard to read/understand the numbers and types of soldiers for both sides on the battlefield. But all in all, this is a great book that I suspect I will read and re-read many times.

All you wanted to know about Greek and Roman Military!.......2006-03-19

This volume contains details of battles, of famous strategic details that are hard to find in other books. There are pages on the uniforms and weaponry along with the organization of the entire armies of the times.

Great Book for the Military Buffs.

The Rise of the Roman Empire (Penguin Classics)

Average customer rating:

HANGING
Rome Rising
Good read
Worth the price for a single lesson of history
Sadly, Penguin has abridged Polybius in this edition

The Rise of the Roman Empire (Penguin Classics)
Polybius
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Customer Reviews:

HANGING.......2006-11-03

Great Book....slow starter...leaves you hanging at the end. To bad we have so litle from appian...

Rome Rising.......2006-08-24

Our times can be best understood from those that have come prior. Reading Polybius's The Rise of the Roman Empire is one of the good historical sources to assist in this process. A Greek statesman, who saw the rise of Roman first hand and wrote about it.

Greece was waning in 200 BC and Roman was rising and the Mediterranean gained a new empires. His book is more a personal overview and historical discussion of the events in tune to Tocqueville's Democracy in America, but less a study like the brilliant Capitalism and Civilization in the 15th to 18th Century by Braudel. If you like reading the Roman histories from Livy, this will give you an understanding of the early part of the history, while still a republic. Learn about the effect of Hannibal and the destruction of Carthage in 146 BC.

It is just sad that a lot of his other writings have been lost to us.

Good read.......2005-11-03

As stated by previous reviewer Polybius treatment of the encounter between the Roman Commander Regulus and the Spartan General Xanthippus (leading the Carthaginians), and the "lessons learned" from their encounter justifies buying this book.You can still learn from others mistakes.

Worth the price for a single lesson of history.......2003-07-29

Polybius treatment of the encounter between the Roman Commander Regulus and the Spartan General Xanthippus (leading the Carthaginians), and the "lessons learned" from their encounter justifies buying this book. The rest is gravy.

Sadly, Penguin has abridged Polybius in this edition.......2003-05-25

It is unfortunate that, despite the fact that some of Polybius's Histories have been lost over time, Penguin made the decision to cut out even more from the text that has luckily survived down to us through the ages. To make matters worse, the introduction doesn't really state clearly what exactly has been cut.

Next time I want to read one of the classics, I'll go immediately to Loeb. It's worth the extra cash. Anyone want my Penguin copy?

Archaic Times to the End of the Peloponnesian War (Translated Documents of Greece and Rome)
Average customer rating:
Archaic Times to the End of the Peloponnesian War (Translated Documents of Greece and Rome)
Charles W. Fornara
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Book Description

The first volume is devoted to the period which begins with the era of Greek colonization and ends with the close of the Peloponnesian War in 404 B. C. Charles Fornara has gathered together material compiled from inscriptions, ancient encyclopedias, scholia, and similar sources. The material, much of it translated by him for the first time, covers not only events of national significance - wars and treaties, the founding of towns and colonies, the dedication of temples - but also presents such records of daily life as ration lists, wine trade regulations, inventories of treasure, drinking songs, and financial records. The documents are accompanied by a brief commentary, which is basically intended to clarify obscurities in the text. An extensive glossary and indexes explain obscure terms of Greek social and governmental structure and permit detailed prosopographical analysis. This book will be welcomed by students and teachers of ancient history.

History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)

Average customer rating:

Check and see
Suprise! Suprise!
Prescient St Augustine?
Something of a disappointment
Romulus courts Helen, Paris founds Rome, Moses goes to Troy..

History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)
Anatoly T Fomenko
Manufacturer: Delamere Resources LLC
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`History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2` is the second volume of the most explosive and astounding tractate on history ever written - however, every theory it contains, no matter how unorthodox, is backed by rock solid scientific data. The book is easy and pleasant to read; it is well-illustrated, contains hundreds of charts, graphs and illustrations, copies of ancient manuscripts, and countless facts attesting to the falsity of the chronology used nowadays. You will be amazed to discover: - That the chronology universally accepted today and taken for granted is simply wrong; - That ALL methods of dating of ancient sources and artefacts known today are erroneous or non-exact; - That there is not a single document that could be reliably dated earlier than the XIth century; The Author refers to the Middle Ages as the Antiquity and proves mutual superimposition of the Second and the Third Roman Empire, both of which become identified as the respective kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Furthermore, he asserts that the famous reform of the Occidental Church in the XI century by Pope Gregory Hildebrand was the reflection of the XII century reforms of Byzantine emperor Andronicus who in his turn identifies with Jesus Christ. The Trojan war counted by Homer happened only as late as of the XIII century A.D. and the great poet actually lived in XIV century A.D. No stone in history of Antiquity is left unturned. Literally. This book is the beginning of a major correction to the chronology we live with.

Customer Reviews:

Check and see.......2007-06-21

I don't care what other people say of this book. Those affirmig it's fake, they hadn't ever read it. Or have some special reasons to do so. "Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see..." This book won't make you feel comfortable. It'll make you feel free. It'll make you feel you're "not the only one" to feel you'd been lied to for centuries.

Suprise! Suprise!.......2007-03-22

Here is a serie of books which turns "the whole world" upside down. I learned a lot of it and I hope that a new book from A.T. Fomenko will follow very quick. A absolute must for everybody who is interested in history or even a little bit from it.

Prescient St Augustine?.......2006-02-05

We can so far divide the New Chronology into the following three parts:

a) The verifiable theory that proves consensual chronology wrong with the aid of astronomy, statistics and mathematics;

b) The new chronology hypothesis based on a new understanding of known historical facts and the most likely logical explanation of the most obvious inconsistencies inherent in the official version of history;

c) The history conjectures, that is experimental historical reconstructions based on assumptions that the authors believe to make sense in the light of their research and linguistic parallels - void of ironclad factual support to date.

Fomenko's theory complies with the most rigid scientific standards as a whole:

It gives a coherent explanation of what we already know.

- It is consistent: independent lines of inquiry all lead to the same conclusion.

- The predictions it makes are confirmed empirically.

Fomenko goes by the following axioms:

- Chronology is the basis of history;

- Human evolution has always been linear, gradual and irreversible;

- The "cyclic" nature of human civilization is a myth, likewise all the gaps, duplicates, "dark ages" and "renaissances" that we know from consensual history;

- The accumulation of geographical knowledge as reflected in cartography is a gradual and irreversible process;

- The chronological distance between a given manuscript and the events described therein is proportional to the amount of distortions it contains;

- There is no "useless" information in authentic ancient sources.

Why the mainstream historians do not shower mathematician Academician Dr.Prof Fomenko with thanks and laurels?

The Russians:

Because Fomenko asserts that there was no such thing as the Tartar and Mongol invasion followed by three centuries of slavery, providing a formidable body of documental evidence to prove his assertion. The so-called "Tartars and Mongols" were the actual ancestors of the modern Russians, living in a bilingual state with Arabic spoken as freely as Russian. The ancient Russian state was governed by a double structure of civil and military authorities. The hordes were actually professional armies with a tradition of lifelong conscription (the recruitment being the so-called "blood tax"). Their "invasions" were punitive operations against the regions that attempted tax evasion. Fomenko proves that Russian history as we know it today is a blatant forgery concocted by a host of German scientists brought to Russia by the usurper dynasty of the Romanovs, whose ascension to the throne was the result of coup d'état, charged with the mission of making their reign look legitimate. Fomenko proves Ivan the Terrible to be a collation of four rulers, no less. They represented the two rival dynasties - the legitimate rulers and the ambitious upstarts. The winner took it all! Over some 30 years of controversy, Russian historians have made a most remarkable transition - they were initially accusing the young mathematician Fomenko of anticommunist dissident activity and attempts to deface the historical legacy of Soviet Russia; nowadays the middle-aged mathematician is accused of adhering to "pro-communist Russian nationalism" and defacing the proud historical legacy of Great Russia.

The Westerners:

Because Fomenko blows consensual Russian history to smithereens, successfully removing a crucial cornerstone from underneath the otherwise impeccable edifice of World History. Fomenko adds insult to injury, wiping out one by one the Ancient Rome (the foundation of Rome in Italy is dated to the XIV century A. D.), the Ancient Greece and its numerous poleis, which he identifies as the mediaeval crusader settlements on the territory of Greece, and the Ancient Egypt (the pyramids of Giza become dated to the XI-XV century A. D. and identified as the royal cemetery of the Global "Mongolian" Empire, no less). The civilization of the Ancient Egypt is irrefutably dated to the XII-XV century A. D. with the aid of the ancient Egyptian horoscopes cut in stone. He was the first one to decipher and date all such horoscopes, coming up with mediaeval dates in every case. English historians rage at the suggestion that the history of Ancient England was de facto a Byzantine import transplanted to the English soil by the fugitive Byzantine nobility. To reward the English historians who consider themselves the true scribes of World History, the cover of the present book portrays Tintoretto's Jesus Christ crucified on the Big Ben.

The Chinese:

Because Fomenko wipes out the Ancient History of China outright. No such thing. Full point. The compilation of the so-called Ancient Chinese History is reliably datable to the XVII-XVIII century only. It is perfectly recognizable as the Ancient European history, reworked and transcribed in hieroglyphs as yet another historical transplantation, this time performed on the Chinese soil by the loving Jesuit hands. The Chinese are the next in line to go berserk. Chinese history is inevitably bound to get both more ancient and more eventful, proportionally to the growing involvement of China in the world affairs. Chinese historians will keep on finding valid proof of prehistoric Chinese spaceflights until the Politburo orders them to shut up.

The Arabs:

Too bad. Islam with all its key figures is datable to XV-XVI century A. D. Arabic historians may find consolation in the crucial historical role of the Ottoman Empire in the XVI-XVII century. The trouble is that this empire was initially a Christian state, with Hagia Sophia identifiable as Temple of Solomon, according to Fomenko! We can only guess if the acquisition of Alexander the Great (a Macedonian and a Christian) as the founder of the Muslim World Empire will make Fomenko's theories more acceptable to the Arabic mainstream. He certainly does not spare any holy cows at all, claiming The Stone of Qa'Aba in Mecca to contain the lost Arch of the Covenant.

The Divinity:

Despite of reiterated statement that his theory is all about chronology and not Religion, Fomenko stirs up a whole condominium of wasp nests. His collection of anathemas, fatwa, and other condemnations from all parties concerned is already considerable. Little wonder, considering that the history of religions à la Fomenko looks as follows: the pre-Christian period (before the XI century and JC), Bacchic Christianity (XI-XII century, before and after JC), JC Christianity (XII-XVI century) and its subsequent mutations into Orthodox Christianity, the Catholicism, Islam, Buddhism, and so on.

According to Fomenko we know strictly NOTHING about the events that predate the X century A. D.

St Augustin was prescient when he spoke unto us: "be wary of mathematicians, particularly when they speak the truth."

Something of a disappointment.......2005-09-09

After having read the first volume of this expected series of 7 volumes I was triggered by the thesis of these authors that ancient Greek and Roman history did in fact take place in the Middle Ages. So I started studying medieval history of the Middle East - also known as Islamic history - to find out if the opponents of the ancient Greeks and Romans - the Acheamenid Persians, Sassanids, Scythians, Egyptians, etc. - also have their duplicates in medieval history. My search was disappointing: none of the many medieval Islamic dynasties seemed to correspond to the ancient middle eastern rulers.

However, I did find a close correspondence between Herodotus' Persian kings and medieval events:

- the defeat and capture of an Anatolian king - the Lydian Croesus - by the Persian conqueror Cyrus is identical to the defeat and capture of another Anatolian king - sultan Bayezid - by the Asian/Mongol conqueror Tamerlane;
- the Persian conquest of Egypt by the cruel tyrant Cambyses reds almost exactly as the Ottoman conquest of Egypt by Selim the Grim (note the nickname!);
- Darius the Lawgiver of the Persian Empire looks very much alike to Sulayman the Magnificent, the Lawgiver in Islamic history;
- Xerxes, whose main claim to fame is to be defeated by the Greeks at the naval battle of Salamis, looks like Selim II (the Sot) whose main claim to fame is to be defeated by a Spanish-Italian alliance at the naval battle of Lepanto.

I should have expected Fomenko et al. to arrive at similar conclusions, however, they claim that the Persian kings are the alter egos of the Angevin kings of Sicily whose biographies do not contain the exploits of the Persian kings.

The similiarities I indicate lead to the conclusion that Herodotus must have written his Histories at the close of the 16th century. But this is extremely late, given that Herodotus is "the Father of History", so therefore all other "ancient" histories must have been fabricated even later. Yet, the founders of modern chronology - Scaliger and Petavius - laid their foundations also at the close of the 16th century and had the full corpus of ancient histories already at their disposal.

It seems to me that Fomenko has to address these inconsistencies, maybe in the forthcoming 5 volumes?

Another critique of their book is that the correspondencies between different rulers are often based on a superficial comparison of the biographies; upon a more thorough comparison many details appear that do not correspond at all.

Finally, the authors rely heavily on the works of Gregorovius (1821-1891!!) - his medieval histories of Rome and Athens - as the source of medieval history; these works are - at least in the West - hoplessly outdated and have been superceded by more up-to-date works (for instance, Julius Norwich's trilogy on Byzantine history is not even cited).

Romulus courts Helen, Paris founds Rome, Moses goes to Troy.........2005-07-30

If you agree with Fomenko that Roman chronology is basically the foundation of the entire edifice of global chronology; you would also certainly agree that despite its numerous gaps and inconsistencies, Roman history is the best-documented field of ancient history, and thus a reference scale. But how well is the actual date of the Eternal City's foundation known?

Firstly, Rome is supposed to have been founded by the Trojans who had to flee after the fall of Troy. Some claim Rome to have been founded by Aeneas and Ulysses shortly after Troy had fallen; others are of the opinion that there was an entire dynasty that ruled for 500 years between the fall of Troy and the foundation of Rome.

Well, that's just an innocent 500 years long misunderstanding compared with what heretic Fomenko says, asserts, proves in his second volume: Second Roman Empire, Third Roman Empire, Biblical Kingdom of Israel, Biblical Kingdom of Judah, Holy Roman Empire are stories about basically same events, written from different points of view at different times. The underlying events have actually taken place during xii-xv cy. These histories have been written and perfected by multitude of highly talented humanist and clerical writers of xiii-xvi cy disguised as "ancients" with glorious names like Homer, Pluto, Thucydides etc..Chronology 2.0 beta..

Historians are kindly invited to report the bugs.

Soldiers and Ghosts: A History of Battle in Classical Antiquity

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You'd better be into this kind of thing
Interesting Review of the Greek, less so for the Roman
Solid Academic History of Classical Battle
A Different Perspective
A thoughtful survey of Greek and Roman warfare

Soldiers and Ghosts: A History of Battle in Classical Antiquity
J. E. Lendon
Manufacturer: Yale University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0300119798

Book Description

Sparta, Macedon, and Rome—how did these nations come to dominate the ancient world? What set their armies apart? Noting this was an age that witnessed few technological advances, J. E. Lendon shows us that the most successful armies were those that made the most effective use of cultural tradition. Ancient combat moved forward by looking backward for inspiration—the Greeks, to Homer; the Romans, to the Greeks and to their own heroic past. The best ancient armies recruited soldiers from societies with strong competitive traditions; and the best ancient leaders, from Alexander to Julius Caesar, called upon those traditions to encourage ferocious competition at every rank.
Ranging from the Battle of Champions between Sparta and Argos in 550 B.C. through Julian’s invasion of Persia in A.D. 363, Soldiers and Ghosts brings to life the most decisive military contests of ancient Greece and Rome. Lendon places these battles, and the methods by which they were fought, in a sweeping narrative of ancient military history. On every battlefield, living soldiers fought alongside the ghosts of tradition—ghosts that would inspire greatness for almost a millennium before ultimately coming to stifle it.

Customer Reviews:

You'd better be into this kind of thing.......2007-08-14

This book was very good at getting into not only how the ancients fought but why. Some of the progressions and terminology get hard to follow but it's worth the concentration. If you're an ancient culture fan, this is an excellent book. If not, I think you'll be bored silly.

Interesting Review of the Greek, less so for the Roman.......2007-08-09

Lendon does a credible job of describing and explaining Greek cultural norms and how it affected warfare. I think its effectiveness Lendon's ability to correlate the Homeric epics and with Greek warfare. Since the relationship between the Greeks and their epic is clear, the thesis, I think, holds well.

I think that the application of this approach in the Roman era (cultural norms affecting warfare) is less profound. In Greece, the epics actually affected an army's structure and tactics. With Rome, it is more about how the army operated and conducted itself in warfare and the balance between discipline and virtue - less an explaination and more a description.

Five stars for the Greek section, three for the Roman, averaging a solid four.

Solid Academic History of Classical Battle.......2006-11-04

Lendon's treatise is not a broad sweeping description of classical battle. It is comprised of a series of chapters analysing battles in the ancient Greek and Roman tradition and isolating changes that happenned in formation and tactics. While the changes are analysed, Lendon's central thesis is the constant reference to "epic battle" which could be defined loosely as that occuring in the Iliad: seeking out personal combat, demonstating individual glory and competency at arms, and seeking personal danger to gain glory. All of these elements are a certain ethic of battle that, accorinding to Lendon has waxed and wained throughout the classcal times.

Lendon starts with an analysis of the elements of epic battle as defined by the Iliad and then traces this battle ethic within the mindset of the ancient Greeks in the Great Age and Hellenistic periods. Interpretations may have been different and elements may have been stressed that were in fact not practised during battle, but the pull of history and the example to which all Greeks defined themselves was that of the epic warrior.

In many cases this lead to actions that may have either directly contradicted the ethic -- ie mass battle without breaking ranks, and the killing of individual soldiers who did break ranks (the Roman practise of decimation).

Lendon tells us that there was no single homogeneous way of Greek or Roman warfare. The epic style stressed individual combat, but although this may have been something that was more practised in Marathon, it was certainly not used in Alexander's time, though writers of the age may make referential comment on the importance of epic battle and how Alexander largely defined himself in terms of homage to the Ancients.

Latterly Roman warfare developed from maniple to cohort warfare with an initial layering of Roman offensive power giving way to large-scale clashed of massed, shielded infantry. There was also tension between discipline, which encouraged every man to maintain his place within the ranks, in order for victory to be won, and the quest for bravery and glory by seeking out individual battle -- which could be an often was disasterous (as happenned at Adrianapol). The secret of the Roman's according to Lendon, was the ability of the commanders to blend and control the two elements. To demonstrate the above we are offerred the examples of early manipular warfare against the Greeks, latter restrained warfare during the Punic war, the tension between the two in the Jewish War, and then the latter battle against the Parthians in Persia. Indeed Lendon makes the point that the Persian war in the early 4th Cen. was carried out by Julius because the Persians were who you battled against, as did the Greeks, if one wanted to wage war and be more closely regarded as part of the epic tradition.

Lendon is I think, more credible than Victor Davis Hanson in his handling of classical history. While his central thesis may be controversial Lendon sticks to what he knows and is not so strong on the truth certainty principle that seems to define (largely) America academics. In short he's more reasonable that Hanson.

The book is scholarly yet flows reasonably well. It is useful as an antedote against an understanding that Greek or Roman warfare was static in any way. New methods of battle, not surprisingly, did arise, and although each may have been different there always was a person, Seneca, Caeser, Alexander or Josephus ready to cite elements of the epic battle tradition as a conservative refrain. While not breezy, "Soldiers and Ghosts" is a good academic read.

Note* If you are reading this book to get an overview of the history of the era it may not be the best introduction. Lendon picks slices of time and analyses battle tactics and ethics. He leaves out (though unlike Hansen, he does not do it deliberately) whole swathes of history, Valen's battle with the Germans, Adrianapole, Cannae, the Actium, Thebes and others are all absent.

A Different Perspective.......2006-02-14

Subtitled A History of Battle in Classical Antiquity, Soldiers and Ghosts turned out to be a far different book from what I expected. If you're looking for a complete military history of the classical world or a detailed exposition on organization, tactics and weapons look elsewhere. Professor Lendon instead explores the impact of the Greek and Roman cultures on their warfare. I certainly found his thesis an eye-opener, providing a perspective on the subject I never considered before. Well written and up-to-date, this will no doubt prove to be a landmark study of the subject.

A thoughtful survey of Greek and Roman warfare.......2005-10-15

JE Lendon's "Soldiers and Ghosts" provides a unique survey of Greek and Roman warfare from 400 BCE to the late Roman Empire, emphasizing how much the Greeks and Romans consciously emulated the past, or at least emulated the idealized past as they understood it from ancient authors. The most successful armies, Lendon contends, were those who could blend the lessons of the past (as understood) with the social and cultural realities of their own time.

I found his exploration of Roman military practice from the Early Republic to Late Empire to be most interesting, evolving -- although I am not certain "evolution" is necessarily the most accurate word -- from use of a Macedonian-style phalanx to maniples to cohorts and back to a phalanx. He emphasizes the traditional tension in the Roman army between "virtus" (more or less individual heroics, often in defiance of orders) and "disciplina" (disciplined organization under control of the commanders). If anyone conceives of the Roman army at any time being a machinelike organization of perfect discipline, Lendon's book should cure that view; Roman generals of all eras were often faced with the repeated problem of their soldiers -- not just eager young aristocratic officers but also common footsoldiers -- insisting on launching themselves into quick battle when prudence and common sense would dictate restraint.

Lendon also emphasizes the importance of competition between indviduals and, especially among the Romans, units as a force behind better training and performance in battle.

Average customer rating:

retaliation
Reflections on a mirage
TOO ACADEMIC

Spartan Reflections
Paul Cartledge
Manufacturer: University of California Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0520231244

Book Description

The complex and distinctive Spartan tradition has been a prominent theme in western thinking from antiquity to today. Sparta is also one of a handful of ancient Greek cities with enough existing evidence for historians to create a realistic social portrait. Over the past quarter-century Paul Cartledge has established himself as the leading international authority on ancient Sparta. Spartan Reflections is a superb collection of his essays--two are published here for the first time, and the rest, often difficult to locate, have been revised and updated for publication in book form. Giving us a real sense of what Sparta was like as a culture, these essays constitute a fascinating introduction to and overview of ancient Spartan history and its reception. This collection, unique in breadth and scope, will be an essential source for anyone interested in this idiosyncratic society.
Cartledge brings us up to date on what is known about the most important and intriguing aspects of Sparta: its military development, questions of gender and sexuality, and the difficult problem of artistic and literary aspects of Sparta. We learn about the institutions that distinguished Sparta from other city-states, including its religion, education process, degree of literacy, secret service, unusual system of servitude, and institutionalized pederasty. Throughout, Cartledge also makes important comparisons with Athens, helping us grasp what is really striking about Sparta.
Cartledge's writing is clear and engaging as he draws from myriad sources both ancient and modern, as well as from political and cultural theory. These essays, together with their magisterial bibliography, demonstrate his remarkable scholarly and intellectual range. Spartan Reflections will be an important source on the most significant issues in Sparta scholarship today as well as a fascinating look at this culture for general readers.
A Selection of the History Book Club

Customer Reviews:

retaliation.......2004-11-14

for the above reviewer, too academic you say, how much so are you the general reader. i'm 20, in my second year at uni studying classical greece and it's at a level to which everyone can read. it is an insult to the general readers intelligence that you refer to it as too academic. may i suggest concentration!

Reflections on a mirage.......2004-04-26

Paul Cartledge of Cambridge university is one of the foremost philhellenes and classical scholars in the world. Beyond that, to my knowledge he is the preeminent authority on ancient Sparta of the present age. In fact, I can only think of a handful of names that would qualify as being in his class.

The present book is a compilation of essays that Cartledge wrote during various times during his intellectual career. Cartledge engages sundry enduring questions that the in inquisitor of Spartan history is apt to have.

Some of the topics covered include the Laconian approach to slavery, homosexuality, the art of war, the duel kingship concept, the idea of the egalitarian citizen, the position and treatment of Lacedamon women as well as the AGOGE [i.e.: public education] of young Spartan males.

Through it all, Cartledge attempts an elucidation between what Sparta was "really" like and what he liked to call the Spartan "mirage" would have outsiders believe. The latter was how Sparta wished to project herself to all other Greek city states.

The present text is far easier to read than his SPARTA AND LACONIA (which was his doctoral dissertation presented in book form). Nevertheless, it would be prudent for the reader to have at least some familiarity with the Homeric epics as well as Herodotus and Thucydides. If you're able to grasp some of the inferences Cartledge makes, you'll be fine. If not, you might get lost.

This is a book that should be read by all graduate and undergraduate classrooms where the course is has in mind a focus on ancient Sparta. If Sparta is what you're interested in, then Cartledge is whom you should be reading. He really is that good.

TOO ACADEMIC.......2002-02-12

This book is not for the general reader interested in Sparta or Greek history. It is much too academic, with numerous references to other Greek scholars and to their writings. I know Paul Cartledge is an expert in the subject, but because of the schoarly manner in which this book was written, I just could not finish it.

Warfare in the Classical World: War and the Ancient Civilisations of Greece and Rome (Classic Conflicts (London, England).)

Average customer rating:

A delighting trip over our past
Text-only version of the Illustrated Encyclopedia
A Lucid and Indispensable Study of Classical Warfare

Warfare in the Classical World: War and the Ancient Civilisations of Greece and Rome (Classic Conflicts (London, England).)
John Gibson Warry
Manufacturer: Salamander Books Ltd
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Binding: Paperback

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Warfare in the Classical World: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Weapons, Warriors and Warfare in the Ancient Civilisations of Greece and Rome

ASIN: 1840650044

Customer Reviews:

A delighting trip over our past.......2002-05-14

A look at our past is a look at out past wars. All over the history, civilizations, kingdoms and states have emerged, survived or obliterated based in their skill to win battle after battle (not only at the battlefields but also at the political arena). I am afraid it's not different nowdays.

It's interesting to have a look at gifted generals whose best skill was to know the timely place and time for fighting and their pursuit of decesive wins. Overall, victory depends usually in just one man with his skills and shortcomings.

I love this book on account of its global outlook of wars as one of the weapons in the array of ancient leaders. Demografy, economy or beliefs are key factor that great generals were able to tip in their favor.

In this book, the author is bent on placing each leader or general into political, economical and social context. It is not only a catalogue of wars, outflaking movements and so on. There are plently of examples of great generals almost ever-winner that could not overcome other factors and eventually were defeated (as Anibal or Espartacus) by enemies, comrades or chiefs. On the contrary how geniuos as Julio Cesar or Escipion africanus could innovate and emerged victorious against all hurdles by fair means or fouls.

In the list of gifted people, there were really little known people who made great exploits (as Lucullus, the brother of Anibal and so on). Many factors drive life and glory and not always the best or better is the winner.

This book must be thought of as a global modern view that places each name and battle in a place in History and that directs you into reading ancient sorces of much narrow scope and less reliable but closer to real facts: Xenophon, Arrio, Julio Cesar, tuciddides and so many which are shed with a different light under a more encopassing view.

All in all, a pleasure to enjoy. By the way, how different in the real story of Spartacus from the famous film. Men, with our mistakes are the best sources or our grievances.

Text-only version of the Illustrated Encyclopedia.......2001-01-12

This book has exactly the same text as the Illustrated Encyclopedia of ancient warfare by the same author, but there are no illustrations. If you can spare a few more bucks, by the illustrated version: it has a wealth of battle maps, color plates and other illustrated material which makes this text-only version pale in comparison, although it is still quite informative. I give it 4 stars while I would give the illustrated version 5.

A Lucid and Indispensable Study of Classical Warfare.......2000-07-06

The number of misconceptions about ancient warfare is legion. There is a tendency to see ancient battles as little more than bloody scrums, with none of the tactical art, deception, or finesse of modern battle. Indeed, the tactics and weaponry are often perceived as being static, nowhere near as fluid as those of today.

John Warry punctures all of these myths with his seminal work "Warfare in the Classical World", which covers the Greek and Roman art of war in a single slim, accessible volume.

Warry does not fall into the trap which often befalls military historians in that he strives to place each conflict in its proper political context. Surprisingly, there is not a single battle map in the book, as he is for the most part concerned with how armies fight and not the results of single battles.

In each section, Warry begins with an incisive commentary on the sources from which we have inherited our historical knowledge, probing the biases of each. He then describes the political scene of the day before analyzing the art of war as practiced at the time, finally wrapping up with a brief summary.

This makes for highly entertaining and thought-provoking reading, and allows the reader to grasp the evolution of land and naval warfare from the Homeric Age to the fall of Rome.

And what an evolution this was, from the individual, hand-to-hand combat of the Heroic Greeks to the extremely disciplined and varied tactics of the Roman Legion. Ancient warfare was anything but a static affair as brilliant warriors constantly sought the battlefield edge through new tactics and weaponry.

Take, for example, the evolution of the spear, from the short, thrusting weapon used by early Greek phalangists to the throwing spear represented by the Roman pilum, craftily designed so as to make the shields of the barbarian hordes they faced useless. Or the rise and fall of elephants in battle, first used by Persians battling the Greeks, then employed by the Carthaginians against Rome before falling out of favor with Hannibal's defeat at Zama. Talk about heavy cavalry!

Book Description

This edition offers the first full-scale commentary on the neglected second book of Lucan's epic poem on the civil war between Caesar and Pompey: De bello civili. It pays particular attention to Lucan's inheritance from Virgil's Augustan epic and response to its challenge. The introduction gives a general account of Lucan's life and work, a discussion of his narrative, a survey of language, style and meter, and a brief history of the text. The commentary offers assistance with grammar and translation and aims to provide the political, historical and geographical background to Lucan's epic narrative.

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