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The Persians
A history of the Persian Empire. A beautiful gold embossed royal blue cover with all kinds of illustrations, maps. etc.
374 pages, Hardcover in slipcase
First published January 1, 1999
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
July 28, 2018
In my mind, somewhere between cherry brandy cocktails and Morecambe and Wise dance routines, is where I put the category of ancient civilizations. Not very helpful, I know, but then I will never win any QuizUp contests in this subject. Thus I am always looking to expand my limited knowledge as I yearn to discover what really happened to the Hittites, Trojans, Babylonians, and Persians.
The Persians. Again, in my mind, I had tagged them as having a long-lasting empire. This book quickly set me straight, as the Achaemenid Dynasty only lasted just over 200 years. Oh, but what a fast-moving time it seemed to be. Starting with Cyrus the Great in 550 BC, the Persians continuously fought to expand their boundaries, becoming the largest empire that had ever existed to that time. It wasn't easy, as they were living amid mountains and deserts with irrigation being a constant goal. Yet they had royal roads and a first-class postal service, all the while uniting different tribes under one centralized blanket. Cyrus, Darius I, and Xerxes are the leaders remembered for their works, although much of what we know is skewed by the ancient Greeks and their biased histories.
Why did ancient empires suddenly disappear? Troy = bam, gone. Hittites = bam, gone. Babylonia = bam, gone. If not for Alexander the Great, the Persian Empire might have continued, but Alexander's sacking of Persepolis erased that great city from future greatness and signaled the end of Achaemenid power. Ozymandias indeed.
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.
The author, J.M. Cook, does a straight re-telling of the empire, from leaders to customs to peoples to cultures. I learned quite a bit but it was all rather lifeless. Sometimes I became lost in names and events, which slowed down my reading considerably. Still, it's a proper history and is also a Folio Edition so just looking at the cover made me happy.
Book Season = Summer (lost armies in hot sandstorms)
The Persians. Again, in my mind, I had tagged them as having a long-lasting empire. This book quickly set me straight, as the Achaemenid Dynasty only lasted just over 200 years. Oh, but what a fast-moving time it seemed to be. Starting with Cyrus the Great in 550 BC, the Persians continuously fought to expand their boundaries, becoming the largest empire that had ever existed to that time. It wasn't easy, as they were living amid mountains and deserts with irrigation being a constant goal. Yet they had royal roads and a first-class postal service, all the while uniting different tribes under one centralized blanket. Cyrus, Darius I, and Xerxes are the leaders remembered for their works, although much of what we know is skewed by the ancient Greeks and their biased histories.
Why did ancient empires suddenly disappear? Troy = bam, gone. Hittites = bam, gone. Babylonia = bam, gone. If not for Alexander the Great, the Persian Empire might have continued, but Alexander's sacking of Persepolis erased that great city from future greatness and signaled the end of Achaemenid power. Ozymandias indeed.
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.
The author, J.M. Cook, does a straight re-telling of the empire, from leaders to customs to peoples to cultures. I learned quite a bit but it was all rather lifeless. Sometimes I became lost in names and events, which slowed down my reading considerably. Still, it's a proper history and is also a Folio Edition so just looking at the cover made me happy.
Book Season = Summer (lost armies in hot sandstorms)
February 7, 2015
Not a Book For Beginners.
I picked this book up after watching 'The Persian Empire', a 24 course college level class by Professor John Lee. That class was excellent and hooked me on ancient history. I joined the Folio Society just so I could get this book and the set it came in, though my expectations were set a little high.
This book was not an easy read. It is a bland telling of Achaemenid history with lists of unknown names and places throughout. If you don't already know Ancient Persian history you won't be able to get past the first chapter. This is a major problem for a book I thought would teach me Ancient Persian history!
However, with the proper background knowledge this book is very useful. It is full of facts and citations, many of which are original sources. Luckily I had that, though I felt the need to consult the video lectures many times to not be lost.
It has a great index at the end and helpful page references in the text. As a previous poster said, the maps aren't really helpful. They are more artwork on the endpapers than useful tools.
I gave the book three stars because I was expecting it to be something it wasn't; an easily readable narrative. However, if I were to grade it as a textbook along with a class or a reference book on a shelf I would have given it four or five stars.
I picked this book up after watching 'The Persian Empire', a 24 course college level class by Professor John Lee. That class was excellent and hooked me on ancient history. I joined the Folio Society just so I could get this book and the set it came in, though my expectations were set a little high.
This book was not an easy read. It is a bland telling of Achaemenid history with lists of unknown names and places throughout. If you don't already know Ancient Persian history you won't be able to get past the first chapter. This is a major problem for a book I thought would teach me Ancient Persian history!
However, with the proper background knowledge this book is very useful. It is full of facts and citations, many of which are original sources. Luckily I had that, though I felt the need to consult the video lectures many times to not be lost.
It has a great index at the end and helpful page references in the text. As a previous poster said, the maps aren't really helpful. They are more artwork on the endpapers than useful tools.
I gave the book three stars because I was expecting it to be something it wasn't; an easily readable narrative. However, if I were to grade it as a textbook along with a class or a reference book on a shelf I would have given it four or five stars.
January 13, 2017
This is an exhaustive read. The one downside to the Folio edition is the maps. Perhaps I am spoiled by the Landmark Histories series...but the maps were hardly adequate for the subject.
Read
March 22, 2024The author was very arbitrary in what sources he would accept as legitimate. He did accept that Nehemiah was governor and accepted a few references to Ezra, but Esther was pure fiction in his mind.
The book isn't as interesting as the other in the series, and he is very repetitive in covering the history. Only at the end, discussing Alexander's conquest does he choose to be terse.
The book isn't as interesting as the other in the series, and he is very repetitive in covering the history. Only at the end, discussing Alexander's conquest does he choose to be terse.
October 1, 2019
I'm not much given to posting reviews online, but having seen that other readers of this book feel as I do, and finding that helpful, here I am with my first review on Goodreads to endorse much of what's already been said.
Professor Cook is fairly thorough in his treatment of the subject matter, but - my word! - he is dry. It's as if the story told is, like the illustrations in the book, in black and white. Where's the colour that makes the Persian civilisation so fascinating even at the distance of 2,500 years? There are a number of easily accessible histories of the Persian Empire, each of which is more readable than this, and each of which leaves me with a better appreciation of the history - some having used fewer words to do so. I'm not sure that Professor Cook adds much at all to the material that was already available when he wrote. What, I wonder, did he hope to achieve with his book?
Unfortunately his treatment of the information in the Hebrew Bible (the Old Testament) is deeply flawed. To cite just one example: he follows the scholars who endorse the biblical record of Nehemiah returning to Judah in the reign of Artaxerxes I but then locate Ezra’s return in the reign of Artaxerxes II - despite the clear evidence in Ezra chapter 8 that Ezra is already in Judah when Nehemiah arrives. It's nonsense. There are several examples of this kind of thing. I don't expect Professor Cook, a secular scholar (or indeed anyone reading this review!), to share my respect for the Bible as something that has more-than-human origins; I do, however, expect him to get basic facts rights, and to treat the Old Testament at least on the same level as other contemporary sources. The disadvantage Professor Cook creates for himself is that, because I can't trust him with the Old Testament, I wonder to what extent I can trust him at all. Perhaps there's a moral in all of this - but I leave readers to make up their own minds.
Not recommended when there are superior works so readily available.
Professor Cook is fairly thorough in his treatment of the subject matter, but - my word! - he is dry. It's as if the story told is, like the illustrations in the book, in black and white. Where's the colour that makes the Persian civilisation so fascinating even at the distance of 2,500 years? There are a number of easily accessible histories of the Persian Empire, each of which is more readable than this, and each of which leaves me with a better appreciation of the history - some having used fewer words to do so. I'm not sure that Professor Cook adds much at all to the material that was already available when he wrote. What, I wonder, did he hope to achieve with his book?
Unfortunately his treatment of the information in the Hebrew Bible (the Old Testament) is deeply flawed. To cite just one example: he follows the scholars who endorse the biblical record of Nehemiah returning to Judah in the reign of Artaxerxes I but then locate Ezra’s return in the reign of Artaxerxes II - despite the clear evidence in Ezra chapter 8 that Ezra is already in Judah when Nehemiah arrives. It's nonsense. There are several examples of this kind of thing. I don't expect Professor Cook, a secular scholar (or indeed anyone reading this review!), to share my respect for the Bible as something that has more-than-human origins; I do, however, expect him to get basic facts rights, and to treat the Old Testament at least on the same level as other contemporary sources. The disadvantage Professor Cook creates for himself is that, because I can't trust him with the Old Testament, I wonder to what extent I can trust him at all. Perhaps there's a moral in all of this - but I leave readers to make up their own minds.
Not recommended when there are superior works so readily available.
February 14, 2023
Excellent book in regards to getting a start into the history of the Persians. My prior knowledge of the subject was minuscule and I had only known bits and pieces of Cyrus The Great, Darius, and Xerxes, and this narrative really brought me into a deep dive and explored their characters and ambitions rather well. The style of writing isn’t too dry for me and I could read along with understandability and at times I found myself unable to put down the book- even though it’s well into 4AM! I’d say this book is an excellent precursor to further deeper dives. I’m sure that whichever title I pickup next that is about The Persians, I’d have a better foundation to explore further. Truly enjoyable read.
March 26, 2025
I enjoyed reading this book and the author's perspective on certains topics. It does a good job dwelving the historical sources and how they matter and may be biased as well. However, I would not recommend this as an introductory book. It focuses too much on certain topics like background of cyrus the great and darius' ascension at the expense of middle and later achaemenidian History. It does not dwelve into topics of religion and state structure adequately enough. It is a great book as an adjunct.
September 8, 2023
The Persians by J.M. Cook can be found as "The Persian Empire" its written by an academic for other academics, more concerned with being factual than fascinating. While all the other civilizations are from the Bronze Age the Persians didn't show up until the 6th Century, their empire only lasting 200 years and changed the world for it.
Anyway, this book is good and goes in depth to the Persians, there are probably better alternatives out their. There are better sources for many aspects of the Persian Empire than any of these other civilizations since their history was recorded in detail by the Greeks, not to mention putting the effort to describe society and daily life and culture.
Even to this day, the Persian proverb of training a good son "ride fast, shoot straight, and despise all lies" holds true. I'd of liked more alliterative relevance and appeal.
Anyway, this book is good and goes in depth to the Persians, there are probably better alternatives out their. There are better sources for many aspects of the Persian Empire than any of these other civilizations since their history was recorded in detail by the Greeks, not to mention putting the effort to describe society and daily life and culture.
Even to this day, the Persian proverb of training a good son "ride fast, shoot straight, and despise all lies" holds true. I'd of liked more alliterative relevance and appeal.
March 10, 2025
A bit slow in some parts, especially when it comes to describing the geographic limits of the empire, but overall a good overview of the Achaemenid empire. I wish there were a bit more time spent on the interactions with the Greeks, but I am aware there are dedicated books for that.
April 2, 2023
A book as dry as the sands of Arabia.
November 5, 2023
Very good book⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I found this interesting to read as well as colourful! The uniqueness of the ancient Persians was overwhelmingly great, you can tell that they had a lot of influence in other cultures east and west of them, i particularly like the parts about sogdia and Bactria, as those were the places my ancestors came from! Even if you don’t have roots, please read this book!
September 10, 2015
Informative, but dull as dirt.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews