Rome and Persia, Adrian Goldsworthy
Rome and Persia, Adrian Goldsworthy
List: $44.99 | Sale: $31.50
Club: $22.49

Rome and Persia
The Seven Hundred Year Rivalry

Author: Adrian Goldsworthy

Narrator: Mark Elstob

Unabridged: 20 hr 25 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Basic Books

Published: 09/05/2023

Synopsis

The epic rivalry between the ancient world’s two great superpowers 

The Roman empire was like no other. Stretching from the north of Britain to the Sahara, and from the Atlantic coast to the Euphrates, it imposed peace and prosperity on an unprecedented scale. 

Its only true rival lay in the east, where the Parthian and then Persian empires ruled over great cities and the trade routes to mysterious lands beyond. This was the region Alexander the Great had swept through, creating a dream of glory and conquest that tantalized Greeks and Romans alike. Tracing seven centuries of conflict between Rome and Persia, historian Adrian Goldsworthy shows how these two great powers evolved together. Despite their endless clashes, trade between the empires enriched them both, and a mutual respect prevented both Rome and Persia from permanently destroying the other. 

Epic in scope, Rome and Persia completely reshapes our understanding of one of the greatest rivalries of world history. 

Author Bio

Adrian Goldsworthy was educated in Penarth and then read ancient and modern history at St. John's College, Oxford, where he subsequently completed his doctorate in ancient history. His DPhil thesis was the basis for his first book, The Roman Army at War 100 BC-AD 200, which looked at how the Roman army actually operated on campaign and in battle.

For several years Adrian taught in a number of universities and then began to write for a wider audience. A succession of books followed dealing with aspects of ancient military history, including Roman Warfare, The Punic Wars (which was later reissued as The Fall of Carthage), Cannae, In the Name of Rome, and The Complete Roman Army. More recently he has looked at wider themes, combining the military focus with discussion of politics and society in a biography of Caesar and a study of the decline and fall of the Roman Empire titled How Rome Fell.

Adrian is now a full-time writer and a visiting fellow at the University of Newcastle. He frequently gives one-off lectures and talks both to universities and other groups in the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, and Europe. He often appears as a talking head or presenter in TV documentaries and has acted as consultant on both documentaries and dramas.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Kist on August 28, 2024

Valiant effort but Goldsworthy may have bit off more than he could chew. The available sources unfortunately don't match the ambition. There are some high points but they get a bit buried in the unknown.......more

Goodreads review by GrahamReads on June 08, 2024

Just finished: New York: Basic Books, 2023. Had higher expectations for this book; it didn't deliver. While it could be engaging at times, I failed to hold my attention all the way through. That said, there were several takeaways. 1. The Romans never intended to conquer the Parthians/Sassians. Although......more

Goodreads review by Annarella on September 04, 2023

Adrian Goldsworthy writes historical fiction that are as informative as a history book and history book that are as entertaining as novel. This is a well researched book that made me learn about a part of the Roman history that was new to me. It was an excellent read Highly recommended. Many thanks to......more

Goodreads review by Jonathan on January 04, 2024

Imperial Hubris - Antiquity Edition The Eagle and The Lion is a slightly underwhelming exploration of the dynamic between the Roman and Persian empires. While Edward Gibbon's works offer a more comprehensive description of this period, this book falls a bit short in delivering fresh insights from......more

Goodreads review by Marks54 on December 15, 2023

This book is a largely narrative history of relations between the Roman Empire and the variety of empires that ruled the areas to the east of the Roman Empire between the Mediterranean Sea and what we not call India. The story covers the time between the initial imperial contacts, during the time of......more

Add to Cart
Add to Wish List