docoflove1974 Posted June 25, 2006 Report Share Posted June 25, 2006 (edited) Right now I'm watching a documentary on the History Channel on Alexander the Great (it's ok...quite pro-Alexander, a bit on the fluffy side, but decent enough for a Saturday night). I'm curious about the Persian empire. I know that, when we talk about Persia, we're generally talking about what is now the area in and around Iran. But the documentary is placing battles against the Persians in Asia Minor, specifically in Lydia (SW Turkey). How far did the Persian Kingdom extend? What good sources are there on Persian history that you guys can recommend? Thanks! Edited June 25, 2006 by docoflove1974 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pertinax Posted June 25, 2006 Report Share Posted June 25, 2006 (edited) Just to get started leafing through "Rome's Enemies (3): Parthians ans Sassanid Persians" is worth a look. Osprey series no 175.Gives some rough context. Edited June 25, 2006 by Pertinax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Dalby Posted June 25, 2006 Report Share Posted June 25, 2006 Just to get started leafing through "Rome's Enemies (3): Parthians ans Sassanid Persians" is worth a look.Osprey series no 175. True, but the Persian Empire before Alexander was quite a bit different from these. As DoL has heard, it extended all the way from the Greek cities of Asia Minor to the edge of the river Indus in western India -- also, sometimes, taking in Armenia to the north and Egypt to the south. In fact, practically the whole area that Alexander eventually ruled, plus a few other bits that Alexander never got around to dealing with. The best author on the Persian Empire is, definitely, Herodotus! Never yet beaten. He wrote about a hundred years before Alexander, but the Empire had already reached its full extent in his time and he travelled through quite a lot of it. A good recent writer on the Persian Empire is Pierre Briant, but I don't know if his book on the history of the Empire has been translated into English. But you'll be happy enough with the French, Docoflove? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pantagathus Posted June 25, 2006 Report Share Posted June 25, 2006 The best author on the Persian Empire is, definitely, Herodotus! Never yet beaten. I think everyone should know by now that I'm with Andrew on this. Get the info from the 'horse's mouth' per se. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docoflove1974 Posted June 25, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2006 (edited) Herodotus...check! Will work on that soon enough. As for French...not a problem, AD...I can read it just fine. It's the speaking of it that I fail Forgot to add: any version of Herodotus that's recommended over others? Just a quick perusing of Amazon has many offered, and left to my own devices, I tend to go with either Penguin or Oxford. Edited June 25, 2006 by docoflove1974 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pantagathus Posted June 25, 2006 Report Share Posted June 25, 2006 I have the Penguin and it is perfectly fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Dalby Posted June 25, 2006 Report Share Posted June 25, 2006 I have the Penguin and it is perfectly fine. I second that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docoflove1974 Posted June 25, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2006 Penguin it is! Thanks, gents! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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