The Fall of Empires: From Glory to Ruin- An Epic Account of History's Ancient Civilizations

by Cormac O'Brien

Reaching out across the span of centuries, ancient empires continue to capture our imagination. From the Parthenon of Athens to the pyramids of Egypt, the epic monuments of the ancient world not only remind us of their builders’ greatness – they also make us wonder at the forces required to topple such vigor and genius...

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Ancient History, World History, Historical

304 pages, Paperback

First published June 5, 2009

Reviews

[Bryan Whitehead]

Despite taking on a huge task – short versions of the rise and fall of 16 great empires – historian Cormac O’Brien manages to be both engaging and thorough (or at least as thorough as space allows). I found myself drawn to the conversational, even clever writing as much as the history, which was a welcome treat in this particular realm of nonfiction. To be sure, the entries are a bit uneven. In particular, the Maya chapter reflects just how little we know about what was once a vast realm. But in general the work is informative and at points even entertaining.

[Cristian Pascalau]

A bit hard to read. Heavily focused on years.

[Maggie]

Great detailed book examining numerous civilisations. I added to the book by photocopying maps of all the regions mentioned which provided helpful extra information.

[Michelle]

This book takes on a pretty ambitious project, detailing empires that lasted centuries in one chapter apiece. Unsurprisingly, it does some chapters better than others. It did a great job with Alexander the Great, and Rome (as much as you can do in a chapter, Carthage and Egypt. This is a good introduction to get you interested in specific peoples and time periods so you can find more in-depth material on them later.

[Sam]

So so so good so far. It's so good in fact that I find myself reading it 90 percent more than the school books I actually am required to read. Whoops, but so worth it.

[Barry]

Brief introductory history 'tasters' about a range of ancient empires. Obviously, if you're looking for more depth and solidity, go elsewhere, but not bad as a starter.

[Tim O'Neill]

Good overall view of a few empires. Wish there were maps to help place in context.