The Persian Expedition (Classics)
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Product Description
Product Description
In The Persian Expedition, Xenophon, a young Athenian noble who sought his destiny abroad, provides an enthralling eyewitness account of the attempt by a Greek mercenary army - the Ten Thousand - to help Prince Cyrus overthrow his brother and take the Persian throne. When the Greeks were then betrayed by their Persian employers, they were forced to march home through hundreds of miles of difficult terrain - adrift in a hostile country and under constant attack from the unforgiving Persians and warlike tribes. In this outstanding description of endurance and individual bravery, Xenophon, one of those chosen to lead the retreating army, provides a vivid narrative of the campaign and its aftermath, and his account remains one of the best pictures we have of Greeks confronting a 'barbarian' world.
About the Author
Xenophon was born c.430BC, an Athenian gentleman. Whilst fighting for Greece, he was finally banished due to his devotion to Socrates and support for Sparta. Settling near Olympia under Spartan protection, he began to write his treatises, histories and biographies.
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DARIUS and Parysatis had two sons. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
DARIUS and Parysatis had two sons. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
15 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I enjoyed this book both as a serious historical account of a significant event in ancient history and as a rip-roaring boys-own annual type of adventure.
Xenophons account of the fighting return of the ten thousand Greek mercenaries, from the heart of the Persian Empire back to Greece, gripped the imagination of his Greek peers and added to the growing rumblings in the Greek agoras that Persia was ripe for invasion. This culminated with Alexanders famous conquests.
In military terms, the Greeks ability to change tactics in the face of constantly differing challenges, (from formal enemy armies to highly effective guerilla tactics), together with the obvious Greek discipline and camaraderie, could stand in army manuals today.
Xenophons account of the fighting return of the ten thousand Greek mercenaries, from the heart of the Persian Empire back to Greece, gripped the imagination of his Greek peers and added to the growing rumblings in the Greek agoras that Persia was ripe for invasion. This culminated with Alexanders famous conquests.
In military terms, the Greeks ability to change tactics in the face of constantly differing challenges, (from formal enemy armies to highly effective guerilla tactics), together with the obvious Greek discipline and camaraderie, could stand in army manuals today.
15 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Nail-biting account of how a defeated army of Greek mercenaries, stranded deep in enemy territory, battled their way home through Persia and Kurdistan. Xenophon's account may be somewhat self-serving (and disconcertingly, he writes about himself in third person), but it's still plenty gripping. It's impossible not to cheer as the Greeks, lost and exhausted, top their umpteenth mountain crest and finally catch a glimpse of their salvation: "The sea! The sea!".
Xenophon is your basic military man, so he pretty much cuts to the chase. Rivers are to be forded, women are to be seized, and he doesn't have much time for poetical asides. Nevertheless he's a sharp observer of human character, in a practical sort of way; this is no dry historical document. The always surprisingly modern outlook of the Greeks comes through in every line, and passages of Xenophon's pep-talks could be taken out a management handbook:
"... there will be a great rise in their spirits if one can change the way they think, so that instead of having in their heads the one idea of "What is going to happen to me?", they may think "What action am I going to take?"."
The Penguin translation is clear and servicable, although the introduction is actually more difficult to follow than the story itself.
23 of 25 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
A very pleasurable introduction to classical literature. Easily the best work of Xenophon. I slogged through the _Hellenica_ and found this book wonderful in comparison.
It is crisp in language and easy to digest. The Warner translation comes across better than the Loeb translation.
Highly recommended
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Mercenary History No 1
Xenophon has had a bad press, (as the antecedent of Thucydides) in his 'Hellenica', he has been held up in contrast as a biased raconteur by the armchair historians of the... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Rhoops
The Journal of a Greek "Adventure"
With 10,000 other Greek mercenaries, Xenophon embarked on a military expedition to aid the Persian prince Cyrus against his brother, the Great King. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Mike Sadler
A primer for leadership.
This world was all new to me and I was worried that it may be turgid and impenetrable. But it is really clearly written. Read more
Published on 16 Feb 2010 by Milo Doyle
Good
Good read but remember this is a book written in ancient times so has little of the standard conventions that make modern books enjoyable to read.
Published on 31 Oct 2009 by M. S. Landon
Alexander the Great loved this book...
A long time ago I had to read bits of this book in the original Greek, and it was tough going. So I am grateful for an excellent translation. Read more
Published on 3 Nov 2007 by H. Beentje
A great epic, who needs SciFi and Fantasy?
I keep encouraging younger readers to embrace the classics and the Anabasis or Persian expedition is the first recommendation, that I make. Read more
Published on 13 Jun 2006 by buddingpasha
Fascinating True Ancient Events
Occasionally the language can be a bit turgid and it is'nt edge of the seat stuff all the way through. Read more
Published on 6 Sep 2005 by Mr. R. M. Crawley
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