Could anyone tell me any really good Ancient Civilization Books? Iam really bored. Thanks for the help.

Well,

Will Durant's "The Story of Civilization" is still considered one of the best series to show the intellectual development of mankind from the prehistoric to 'modern' era.

And Edward Gibbons' "The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" is still the 'standard to beat' so far as late classical history goes ('ancient' civilization is divided into 'archaic' and 'classical' periods).

Still, for pure fun, Herodotus' "The History" gives an interesting prelude to the Persian War (it, besides just talking about the war, goes into the history of greece and persia-- as was then known). Caesars's "The Gallic War" is pretty good, too, though it is biased against the Celts... and Tacitus' "Agricola" and "Germania" are great books that tend to use the 'barbarians' as symbols of what Rome once WAS... mainly noble, brave, etc...

There are many modern writers who deal with this period, but the 'oldies' are what you should start with.

Jim

Probably as well to go to the translated classics first: Livy, Thucydides, Tacitus, Suetonius, Herodotus: decent editions often have good notes as well.
The Cambridge histories are first class and any of the standard "university press" histories make an ideal launch pad before you begin to explore the narrow lanes.

YES...

from Livy you will recognize a lot of the 'examples from history' our modern leaders refer to.

It's also worth remembering that great literature can be as informative as -if not more so than - most history books. Translations of say Juvenal and Martial and Petronius (for the Romans) or Aristophanes, Plato and Euripides (for the Greeks). satirists wherever possible: they tend to show you how life really was.
As for Gibbon: he's worth reading as literature any way: one of the very greatest English prose stylists.

[Edited on 17-7-2003 by Estragon]

In my haste I forgot to add Plutarch -fascinating biographer

But Plutarch is so much the impersonator, and summarizer, of so many ancient writers, with the special touch of self-reflective 'humanism' added to give him distinction...... Nothing of his is really special save for his own artistic additions... Which were, on their own, important for western civ, eh estragon


[Edited on 17-7-2003 by onlyinmydreams]

indeed so, oimd; but alas he is the sole repository of so much that otherwise would be lost.

Thank you very much everyone for their replies. I most like books about mysterious civilization objects like Pyramids. I have heard of a book called "The Eyes of the Sphinx". Is that any good? Some say it is BS, some say it is really good. Thanks again.

If it's more the "mystery" side, Surf_U, I'd steer clear of the mainstream- and anything I';ve suggested up to now. If you're a genuine beginner then I'd start withh Golden Oldies (Mouldies?): von Daeniken, Ignatius Donnelly for example.

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!
The book you are looking for is not one of those studies on the Romans, or the Greeks. You want Rene Noorbergen's
"Secrets of the Lost Races"
This will start you off on the craziest mental journey of your life, if you really get into the bibliography - because he just touches on a lot of issues that are fully fleshed out in the hundreds of sources he cites.

I can guarantee u'll like this one. I did. Very VERY interesting. I definately recommend it.

Dead Men's Secrets
Author: Jonathon Gray

Go read it. Definately worth the read.

The Atlantis Blueprint

I forgot who wrote it but is sheds a lot of light on Atlantis, Rome, Greece, and the pre-Christ times.

A must read.
Tassadar

Darage -
whats' dead men about?

Prehistory.


He shows facts from around the world, anomolies, etc.

Things dealing with geography, astronomy, mathematics, metallurgy, glasswork, megalith construction, building techniques, mechanical devices, clothing, art, health, elecricity, flight, lost secrets and weaponry. All catalogued in a list of over 1000 items that overwhelmingly proves the existence of an earlier technologically superior to todays.

Things he's done, seen, gotten, and his theory of what happened.

It's a great book and i really do suggest you go and get it if you are into ancient civilisations and prehistory.

It really does open ur mind up to alternate views than the history u learn in school.

That's the same stuff that Noorbergen discusses in lost races.

I also read the Atlantis blueprint - definatly recoment it.

Also anything by Sitchin !

hello..surfup

the oldest & still surviving knowledge & culture is in

India- surviving as the Vedic Cosmology of the
Rishis'

Ancient civilization gave us whats come down as a seeming 'symbolic' religious programme.

BUT IS..is a very cutting edge Physics/Philosophy /Spirit
'platform' of knowledge..

leading Quantum resonance models & Quantum Chromo-
dynamic Theory, are only now beginning to fathom the
nature of universe- long ago described by Vedic Cosmo-
logy.

Would that be 'down your alley'?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

enjoy your journey

You can't be more right, India is very well known for its ancient secrets. I know that, because I am from India!! I have heard of many rumors that "Saints" or people like them are capable of many things. If you are interested in reading more, I could give you links to some interesting books and websites.