ghosts of warriors

[Goffredo]

Hi guys, I am reading "Ghosts and Warriors: a history of battle in classical antiquity" by J. E. Lendon

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/custom ... 55&s=books

Anyone read it? Comments?

[Praefectusclassis]

Hi Jeff,
There are certainly thoughts about this (imho) very interesting book, right here

[Arthes]

When I looked at the title of this thread...I thought some more ghostly warriors had been spotted....oh damnit :roll:

[stevesarak]

Its one of only two books that I put down and never finished. Maybe I expected something else, but I found it boring. It seemed that the author was more concerned about doing a comparison of other ideas rather then a book standing on its own merit. Maybe that was the point of the book, but I expected more.

[D B Campbell]

... I found it boring.

I found it quite the opposite, Steve. Maybe Lendon's lyrical style doesn't suit everybody.

[stevesarak]

... I found it boring.

I found it quite the opposite, Steve. Maybe Lendon's lyrical style doesn't suit everybody.

The majority of reviews I’ve heard do seem to be for it. I think someday I’ll have to go back and try to finish it.

[Tarbicus]

The majority of reviews I’ve heard do seem to be for it. I think someday I’ll have to go back and try to finish it.

Steve, I think I know what you're talking about, but you really should persist with it. There are a lot of "Ooh hock: never thought of that", and "Uhmmmmm.... 8) interesting" bits.

[caiusbeerquitius]

There are a lot of "Ooh never thought of that", and "Uhmmmmm.... interesting" bits.

I agree. The part about the 3rd century AD cavalry, however, is not so well researched IMO, and does not make exactly new contributions to the topic, rather deepens old stereotypes. He´d better have left it away.

[stevesarak]

The majority of reviews I’ve heard do seem to be for it. I think someday I’ll have to go back and try to finish it.

Steve, I think I know what you're talking about, but you really should persist with it. There are a lot of "Ooh hock: never thought of that", and "Uhmmmmm.... 8) interesting" bits.

With an enticing review like that, how could I not. I’m currently in the middle of “In the name of Romeâ€

[Goffredo]

Well guys, I finished it!
I am too busy and stressed out to attempt a summary or review, but I do want to leave a few comments.

I really do feel this book is brilliant and does suggest very VERY interesting views. For me, the first part on Greece and Alexander was a little tough, but it paid off for the second part on Rome.

Someone in this thread said the author's stlye is lyrical. YES. That is the perfect word! I especially found his way of telling a battle original. He does not tell it straight thru but breaks it up, highlighting the behavior of the human characters, with comments, and THIS had the effect, on me at least, to suspend time, like in slow motion, giving the episode a lyrical and almost poetic touch. The story of Julian to me was moving and the author's interpretations is convincing. At least for the moment. I will have to re-read some parts and do some more thinking. But a book that manages to get one thinking is a darn good book. Yes?

The only real defect I see is that is that it falls short in not attempting to describe/explain/hint at how things evolved in the very late empire and early medieval Europe. Too much meat? OK, but what happened to the classical ghosts that moved so many Greeks, Macedonians, Romans, provincials, germanic auxilliaries? Did they survive into the medieval world? He does point out that they did in the East-roman (byzantine) world. Maybe they survived in the global roman world only because they found in the roman professional army a community (a world in a world) that thrived on them, and once the professional army died out the ghosts fell from the foreground into the background, if not to disappear, to mingle with new ghosts and myths.

[wdial]

I doubt you'll enjoy it as much as "In the Name of Rome" Steve. I've read that book several times.

I also had a hard time following the style of writing. I bet he'd be great to sit down and have a chat with.

[D B Campbell]

I bet he'd be great to sit down and have a chat with.

He sure is!