A must have!, 21 Jul 2007
If your an archaeologist or a student of archaeology then dont go anywhere without your copy, trust me you wont regret it!

Excellent, 21 Jun 2007
Cannot recommend this book too highly, really superb. Unfortunately, for reasons best known to themselves, the Open University did not choose this as their set book for the 1st year of their Classics MA but chose the Kevin Greene book instead, about which the less said the better. If you are a first year archaeology student or just interested in archaeology and you have a choice please buy this book before any other on archaeology, you won't regret it.

Keep to hand, 20 May 2007
If you are considering studying archaeology or if you have a serious interest in it then this book will never leave your side. It is recommended reading by many teachers of the subject. The clear index means that you do not have to read the book from cover to cover, instead you can use the considered overview as a starting point for your further research.
I have used this book from undergrad to postgrad work, it is still my first port of call.

Excellent, 07 Mar 2007

I have been to Egypt, the first time was in 1993, and I made my mind up that I'd like to study Egyptology.

Although in my second year of studying Egyptology, during my first year this was one of my study books.

This book cover ever aspect of Theories, Methods and Practice you can think of, it's a very in-depth read, sometimes you may have to read a chapter twice for the information to sink in, (I know I did).

But I must warn you this book is pretty heavy to pick up, don't do what I did, I got hold of it the wrong way with just one hand and I sprained my wrist,(I'm NOT kidding), so mind how you pick up this heavy book up.

It makes an excellent edition to my little Egyptian library, which now stands at nearly 1000 books on this subject. :-)




Essential University Reading, 15 Apr 2005
If you are studying (or plan to study) archaeology at university, this book is a must. It gives a great overview of contemporary archaeological practice and uses excellent case studies throughout. It is basically the first book you turn to if you want to know about Anything archaeological, and will guide you to the right places to go for more in-depth coverage of subjects. It is a great book.

A must have!, 21 Jul 2007
If your an archaeologist or a student of archaeology then dont go anywhere without your copy, trust me you wont regret it!

Excellent, 21 Jun 2007
Cannot recommend this book too highly, really superb. Unfortunately, for reasons best known to themselves, the Open University did not choose this as their set book for the 1st year of their Classics MA but chose the Kevin Greene book instead, about which the less said the better. If you are a first year archaeology student or just interested in archaeology and you have a choice please buy this book before any other on archaeology, you won't regret it.

Keep to hand, 20 May 2007
If you are considering studying archaeology or if you have a serious interest in it then this book will never leave your side. It is recommended reading by many teachers of the subject. The clear index means that you do not have to read the book from cover to cover, instead you can use the considered overview as a starting point for your further research.
I have used this book from undergrad to postgrad work, it is still my first port of call.

Excellent, 07 Mar 2007

I have been to Egypt, the first time was in 1993, and I made my mind up that I'd like to study Egyptology.

Although in my second year of studying Egyptology, during my first year this was one of my study books.

This book cover ever aspect of Theories, Methods and Practice you can think of, it's a very in-depth read, sometimes you may have to read a chapter twice for the information to sink in, (I know I did).

But I must warn you this book is pretty heavy to pick up, don't do what I did, I got hold of it the wrong way with just one hand and I sprained my wrist,(I'm NOT kidding), so mind how you pick up this heavy book up.

It makes an excellent edition to my little Egyptian library, which now stands at nearly 1000 books on this subject. :-)




Essential University Reading, 15 Apr 2005
If you are studying (or plan to study) archaeology at university, this book is a must. It gives a great overview of contemporary archaeological practice and uses excellent case studies throughout. It is basically the first book you turn to if you want to know about Anything archaeological, and will guide you to the right places to go for more in-depth coverage of subjects. It is a great book.

THEY CAN'T SPELL, THEY WON'T SPELL, 04 Oct 2008
Do NOT buy this book.

This is meant to be the erudite textbook for the Open University's 30-point archaeology course. Unfortunately, it is impossible to read and concentrate on key concepts when for some mystifying reason the publishers have chosen to use 'Americanese cod-spelling', instead of the correct printed form of Queen's English we use here in the UK.

This is extremely off-putting and should NOT be employed in a UK textbook by UK academics writing for UK students in the UK. It may be an increasing, and unwelcome, trend in British universities - and if so, it is a 'trend' that should be thoroughly resisted! No doubt some people will, in Orwellian fashion, deliberately misconstrue what I am saying as racist. However, they miss the point by a mile.

Now, I may have made unwitting typo's here, everyone does now and then; but the format of this book is something else. This is an insidious, and damaging, 'dumbing down' of the worst kind. The point is that, in the UK, plough is spelt just like that - p.l.o.u.g.h. - and centre is spelt c.e.n.t.r.e. - and artefact is spelt with an 'e' - an E! - not an 'i'.

It is time that publishers woke up to the realisation - not -zation! - that the English language is not to be deliberately vandalised in this way and the beauty and integrity of English usage here in this country, formulated over centuries, should NOT be compromised.
Particularly in works of 'academic' literature.
So, author and publisher, Shame On You!

Amazon customers: await the revised publication of this work with spelling corrected - or, meanwhile, if you do actually care about helping to maintain good standards in our culture, language and heritage, then just buy something else.

A must have!, 21 Jul 2007
If your an archaeologist or a student of archaeology then dont go anywhere without your copy, trust me you wont regret it!

Excellent, 21 Jun 2007
Cannot recommend this book too highly, really superb. Unfortunately, for reasons best known to themselves, the Open University did not choose this as their set book for the 1st year of their Classics MA but chose the Kevin Greene book instead, about which the less said the better. If you are a first year archaeology student or just interested in archaeology and you have a choice please buy this book before any other on archaeology, you won't regret it.

Keep to hand, 20 May 2007
If you are considering studying archaeology or if you have a serious interest in it then this book will never leave your side. It is recommended reading by many teachers of the subject. The clear index means that you do not have to read the book from cover to cover, instead you can use the considered overview as a starting point for your further research.
I have used this book from undergrad to postgrad work, it is still my first port of call.

Excellent, 07 Mar 2007

I have been to Egypt, the first time was in 1993, and I made my mind up that I'd like to study Egyptology.

Although in my second year of studying Egyptology, during my first year this was one of my study books.

This book cover ever aspect of Theories, Methods and Practice you can think of, it's a very in-depth read, sometimes you may have to read a chapter twice for the information to sink in, (I know I did).

But I must warn you this book is pretty heavy to pick up, don't do what I did, I got hold of it the wrong way with just one hand and I sprained my wrist,(I'm NOT kidding), so mind how you pick up this heavy book up.

It makes an excellent edition to my little Egyptian library, which now stands at nearly 1000 books on this subject. :-)




Essential University Reading, 15 Apr 2005
If you are studying (or plan to study) archaeology at university, this book is a must. It gives a great overview of contemporary archaeological practice and uses excellent case studies throughout. It is basically the first book you turn to if you want to know about Anything archaeological, and will guide you to the right places to go for more in-depth coverage of subjects. It is a great book.

THEY CAN'T SPELL, THEY WON'T SPELL, 04 Oct 2008
Do NOT buy this book.

This is meant to be the erudite textbook for the Open University's 30-point archaeology course. Unfortunately, it is impossible to read and concentrate on key concepts when for some mystifying reason the publishers have chosen to use 'Americanese cod-spelling', instead of the correct printed form of Queen's English we use here in the UK.

This is extremely off-putting and should NOT be employed in a UK textbook by UK academics writing for UK students in the UK. It may be an increasing, and unwelcome, trend in British universities - and if so, it is a 'trend' that should be thoroughly resisted! No doubt some people will, in Orwellian fashion, deliberately misconstrue what I am saying as racist. However, they miss the point by a mile.

Now, I may have made unwitting typo's here, everyone does now and then; but the format of this book is something else. This is an insidious, and damaging, 'dumbing down' of the worst kind. The point is that, in the UK, plough is spelt just like that - p.l.o.u.g.h. - and centre is spelt c.e.n.t.r.e. - and artefact is spelt with an 'e' - an E! - not an 'i'.

It is time that publishers woke up to the realisation - not -zation! - that the English language is not to be deliberately vandalised in this way and the beauty and integrity of English usage here in this country, formulated over centuries, should NOT be compromised.
Particularly in works of 'academic' literature.
So, author and publisher, Shame On You!

Amazon customers: await the revised publication of this work with spelling corrected - or, meanwhile, if you do actually care about helping to maintain good standards in our culture, language and heritage, then just buy something else.

If you only have one book on Egyptology ..., 01 May 2008
If you can only have one book on Egyptology then this is the one. Ian Shaw has gathered together experts to present a generally accepted history of this fascinating period of history. As a student of Egyptology I a significant collection of works; but this is the one that I keep returning to. I've been using it for many years and can vouch for its broad coverage of a complex (and evolving) topic; the depth squeezed into a readable book is surprising.



Standard issue for the student of Egypt, 17 Jul 2007
This was the second book on Egyptian history I brought as an adult. As an academic resource it is probably the definitive introduction to that subject. It runs chronologically from Predynastic up to the end of the Roman Period, offering a brief but accurate and meaningful glance into the reigns of all the Pharaohs and assorted foreign rulers who shaped Egyptian history.

The academic effort that went into this work must have been immense, and it is rightly one of the most important standard texts for all students, or indeed for those who aspire to become one. Indeed this volume now sits, rather well thumbed as a standard reference on my desk.

At first glance the small typeface and crammed approach makes this a slightly daunting work, but it's division into quite separate works on the major periods of Egyptian history (predynastic,old, FIP, middle, SIP, new, TIP, late, Ptolemaic, roman) means you can easily approach this book "a kingdom at a time", a much better way of tackling it, and also make it an excellent book for soaking up intellectually dead time such as commuting, work etc, which is how I approached it.

Whilst this work lacks some of the readability of Tydesley or Gahlin, it is a veritable gold mine of solidly researched history and for anyone interested in serious/mainstream Egyptian history, there really is no better place to start. It also contains a very useful bibliography for digging further into the nitty gritty of particular areas which fascinate you.

You really do need this book...

Excellent, 28 Feb 2007
I have been to Egypt, the first time was in 1993, and I made my mind up that I'd like to study Egyptology.

Although in my second year of studying Egyptology, during my first year this was one of my study books I was required to read.

This provides you with a lot of information on different periods of the Ancient Egyptian History, in all it covers 700,000 years.

I found this book informative, interesting and enjoyable to read. Sometimes I had to read a chapter twice for all the information to sink in.

Whether you are studying Egyptology or just want a little more knowledge this is an excellent book.

It makes an excellent edition to my little Egyptian library, which now stands at nearly 1000 books on this subject. :-)


One of the best "short" histories of Egypt, 26 Jan 2007
Well, for one i'd like to stress how well I think the various authors have squeezed an amazing amount of information on all aspects of Egyptian history, culture and religion into comparatively few pages. This book provides an excellent base from which a reader can go about gathering more information. No one book will be sufficient to provide a reader with a thoroughly detailed account of Egyptian history without running into many many volumes. What the authors here do is condense the information into a size that is manageable without being "basic".

As a student of Egyptology under Ian Shaw I have found this book invaluable and have used it as a standard reference work in most essays and also as a background work in revision and its' list of resources at the back is extremely good at pointing me in the direction of other, more thorough works.

All in all I thoroughly recommend it to the student as well as someone with any interest in the ancient Egyptian civilisation.




Readable very detailed history, lacking religious insight, 03 Jun 2001
This book gives a detailed look at the history of ancient Egypt, from earliest times to the end of the pharaohs. Well illustrated with drawings & photographs, supporting the text.

Based entirely on the physical evidence from archealogy this history gives the political, but not the religous detail, that aids understanding of the two kingdoms.

The lack of religous reference, vital to a knowledge of the ancient Egyptians and their view of life, is a serious omission. Previous possession of this knowledge, would help the reader to understand the motivation and driving force of the kingdoms.

It is well written, although as different experts cover differing time periods, readability does vary from chapter to chapter. However this is not a major issue.

A must have!, 21 Jul 2007
If your an archaeologist or a student of archaeology then dont go anywhere without your copy, trust me you wont regret it!

Excellent, 21 Jun 2007
Cannot recommend this book too highly, really superb. Unfortunately, for reasons best known to themselves, the Open University did not choose this as their set book for the 1st year of their Classics MA but chose the Kevin Greene book instead, about which the less said the better. If you are a first year archaeology student or just interested in archaeology and you have a choice please buy this book before any other on archaeology, you won't regret it.

Keep to hand, 20 May 2007
If you are considering studying archaeology or if you have a serious interest in it then this book will never leave your side. It is recommended reading by many teachers of the subject. The clear index means that you do not have to read the book from cover to cover, instead you can use the considered overview as a starting point for your further research.
I have used this book from undergrad to postgrad work, it is still my first port of call.

Excellent, 07 Mar 2007

I have been to Egypt, the first time was in 1993, and I made my mind up that I'd like to study Egyptology.

Although in my second year of studying Egyptology, during my first year this was one of my study books.

This book cover ever aspect of Theories, Methods and Practice you can think of, it's a very in-depth read, sometimes you may have to read a chapter twice for the information to sink in, (I know I did).

But I must warn you this book is pretty heavy to pick up, don't do what I did, I got hold of it the wrong way with just one hand and I sprained my wrist,(I'm NOT kidding), so mind how you pick up this heavy book up.

It makes an excellent edition to my little Egyptian library, which now stands at nearly 1000 books on this subject. :-)




Essential University Reading, 15 Apr 2005
If you are studying (or plan to study) archaeology at university, this book is a must. It gives a great overview of contemporary archaeological practice and uses excellent case studies throughout. It is basically the first book you turn to if you want to know about Anything archaeological, and will guide you to the right places to go for more in-depth coverage of subjects. It is a great book.

THEY CAN'T SPELL, THEY WON'T SPELL, 04 Oct 2008
Do NOT buy this book.

This is meant to be the erudite textbook for the Open University's 30-point archaeology course. Unfortunately, it is impossible to read and concentrate on key concepts when for some mystifying reason the publishers have chosen to use 'Americanese cod-spelling', instead of the correct printed form of Queen's English we use here in the UK.

This is extremely off-putting and should NOT be employed in a UK textbook by UK academics writing for UK students in the UK. It may be an increasing, and unwelcome, trend in British universities - and if so, it is a 'trend' that should be thoroughly resisted! No doubt some people will, in Orwellian fashion, deliberately misconstrue what I am saying as racist. However, they miss the point by a mile.

Now, I may have made unwitting typo's here, everyone does now and then; but the format of this book is something else. This is an insidious, and damaging, 'dumbing down' of the worst kind. The point is that, in the UK, plough is spelt just like that - p.l.o.u.g.h. - and centre is spelt c.e.n.t.r.e. - and artefact is spelt with an 'e' - an E! - not an 'i'.

It is time that publishers woke up to the realisation - not -zation! - that the English language is not to be deliberately vandalised in this way and the beauty and integrity of English usage here in this country, formulated over centuries, should NOT be compromised.
Particularly in works of 'academic' literature.
So, author and publisher, Shame On You!

Amazon customers: await the revised publication of this work with spelling corrected - or, meanwhile, if you do actually care about helping to maintain good standards in our culture, language and heritage, then just buy something else.

If you only have one book on Egyptology ..., 01 May 2008
If you can only have one book on Egyptology then this is the one. Ian Shaw has gathered together experts to present a generally accepted history of this fascinating period of history. As a student of Egyptology I a significant collection of works; but this is the one that I keep returning to. I've been using it for many years and can vouch for its broad coverage of a complex (and evolving) topic; the depth squeezed into a readable book is surprising.



Standard issue for the student of Egypt, 17 Jul 2007
This was the second book on Egyptian history I brought as an adult. As an academic resource it is probably the definitive introduction to that subject. It runs chronologically from Predynastic up to the end of the Roman Period, offering a brief but accurate and meaningful glance into the reigns of all the Pharaohs and assorted foreign rulers who shaped Egyptian history.

The academic effort that went into this work must have been immense, and it is rightly one of the most important standard texts for all students, or indeed for those who aspire to become one. Indeed this volume now sits, rather well thumbed as a standard reference on my desk.

At first glance the small typeface and crammed approach makes this a slightly daunting work, but it's division into quite separate works on the major periods of Egyptian history (predynastic,old, FIP, middle, SIP, new, TIP, late, Ptolemaic, roman) means you can easily approach this book "a kingdom at a time", a much better way of tackling it, and also make it an excellent book for soaking up intellectually dead time such as commuting, work etc, which is how I approached it.

Whilst this work lacks some of the readability of Tydesley or Gahlin, it is a veritable gold mine of solidly researched history and for anyone interested in serious/mainstream Egyptian history, there really is no better place to start. It also contains a very useful bibliography for digging further into the nitty gritty of particular areas which fascinate you.

You really do need this book...

Excellent, 28 Feb 2007
I have been to Egypt, the first time was in 1993, and I made my mind up that I'd like to study Egyptology.

Although in my second year of studying Egyptology, during my first year this was one of my study books I was required to read.

This provides you with a lot of information on different periods of the Ancient Egyptian History, in all it covers 700,000 years.

I found this book informative, interesting and enjoyable to read. Sometimes I had to read a chapter twice for all the information to sink in.

Whether you are studying Egyptology or just want a little more knowledge this is an excellent book.

It makes an excellent edition to my little Egyptian library, which now stands at nearly 1000 books on this subject. :-)


One of the best "short" histories of Egypt, 26 Jan 2007
Well, for one i'd like to stress how well I think the various authors have squeezed an amazing amount of information on all aspects of Egyptian history, culture and religion into comparatively few pages. This book provides an excellent base from which a reader can go about gathering more information. No one book will be sufficient to provide a reader with a thoroughly detailed account of Egyptian history without running into many many volumes. What the authors here do is condense the information into a size that is manageable without being "basic".

As a student of Egyptology under Ian Shaw I have found this book invaluable and have used it as a standard reference work in most essays and also as a background work in revision and its' list of resources at the back is extremely good at pointing me in the direction of other, more thorough works.

All in all I thoroughly recommend it to the student as well as someone with any interest in the ancient Egyptian civilisation.




Readable very detailed history, lacking religious insight, 03 Jun 2001
This book gives a detailed look at the history of ancient Egypt, from earliest times to the end of the pharaohs. Well illustrated with drawings & photographs, supporting the text.

Based entirely on the physical evidence from archealogy this history gives the political, but not the religous detail, that aids understanding of the two kingdoms.

The lack of religous reference, vital to a knowledge of the ancient Egyptians and their view of life, is a serious omission. Previous possession of this knowledge, would help the reader to understand the motivation and driving force of the kingdoms.

It is well written, although as different experts cover differing time periods, readability does vary from chapter to chapter. However this is not a major issue.

An alternative view from Herodotus of 'history', 26 Jul 2006
Thucydides follows self-consciously on from Herodotus as a 'historian' but takes a very different tack. Partly this is due to their place in history: Herodotus was the product of a triumphant Athens leading the mediterannean world after shockingly defeating the huge Persian invasion of Greece, while Thucydides lives through the decline of Athens from her high point under Pericles through to her final defeat under Sparta. A critic of Athenian democracy and the rise of the demagogues, Thucydides is also a participant in the 37 years long war, as strategos (General) who was defeated at Amphipolis and exiled from Athens. What is amazing is his ability to stay detached and analytical, despite his personal involvement in events.
This is a heart-breaking story of the decline of a great city-state through her own folly, and a good antidote to all the people who still claim classical Athens as the high point of civilisation - yes, there was a lot that was great, but Athens was also guilty of horrendous massacres, putting whole islands of fellow Greeks to death or to be sold into slavery.
A wonderful 'must read' for anyone interested in ancient history, politics, democracy, war, and human nature - and it also includes a portrait of the maverick, brilliant and ruthless Alcibiades and shows him to be a product of his times.
Unmissable.

Cannot recommend this book too highly, 11 Jun 2006
Who should read this book ?

* Anyone who wants to understand how free societies can descend into tyranny:

* Anyone who does not realise that merely holding free elections is not enough to preserve a society worth living in, especially if you don't combine democracy with the rule of law:

* Anyone who needs to understand how two or more nations can stumble into a war devastating to both:

* Anyone who imagines that genocide and ethnic cleansing were limited to our own era:

* Anyone interested in reading one of the first works of true history ever written.

In other words this history of a terrible war nearly two and half thousand years ago is as relevant in the first decade of the third millenium as it was when it was written, four centuries before the birth of Jesus Christ.

If I had to nominate one historical work for my son and daughter to read, I would think carefully between this volume, Suetonius's "The 12 Caesars", and Herodotus's "Histories", but Thucydides "History of the Peloponnesian war" would edge it.

The Wordsworth Classics version includes an introduction by Lorna Hardwick which I found most helpful in understanding the importance of Thucydides and the context in which his writing needs to be understood.

You cannot take every word in this book for granted, but Herodotus and Thucydides came closer to an objective search for truth than any writer whose works survive and was writing before them or for centuries afterwards.

The story of the tragic wars, initially between Athens and Sparta, which decimated Greek civilisation between 431BC and 404 BC is absolutely gripping, and Thucydides brings the story to life for me.

This translation by Richard Crawley was written more than 130 years ago, and slightly revised by R.C. Feetham in 1903. Despite being more than a century old, I found the translation to be accessible and easy to understand. I understand from those who know more about history than I do that Crawley's translation is now preferred by current experts to the rival Victorian translation by Benjamin Jowett which provides more of a general sense of Thucydides' writing but is less good at conveying the detail.

The most irritating thing about Thucydides book is that it stops suddently in the middle of a sentence in 411 BC, shortly after the overthrow of democracy in Athens and the Athenian naval victory at the Dardanelles. E.g. well before the actual resolution of the conflict between Athens and Sparta, let alone the subsequent struggle between both cities and Thebes.

If, like me, this leaves you wanting to learn more about what happened next, your best bet is to read Xenophon's "A history of my times" which was deliberately written to follow on from Thucydides, to such an extent that it actually starts with the words "And after this."

The reputation of Xenophon among historians as a reliable source has fallen dramatically over the past few decades, and he is undoubtedly not in the same class as Thucydides as a historian, but he certainly is in the same class as a storyteller and he does complete the story of the war.

The father of modern history?, 08 Jun 2006
Far too often, Herodotus takes this title, and it really should be applied to Thucydides rather than him. Do not get me wrong, Herodotus is a fascinating read, and as such is highly recommended, but this, in my eyes, is the first, true, history.

As the title suggests, this is a history of the Peloponnesian War, (of which there were actually three at the minimum), and sadly, his narrative breaks off half way through the final war, after covering a period from roughly 480 BC at the end of the Persian Wars, right up to around about 411BC. The period from 480 to 432, covering the successes of the Greeks in freeing Ionia from Persia, the foundation of the Delian League and the first Peloponnesian war, is sadly very poor, and it can be very hard to make out what is going on, often due to his pro Athenian bias. However, from 432 with the outbreak of the first Archidamian war, he is first class.

Having just studied this text as part of an Ancient History A level, i can recommend it whole heartedly. Though not as easy to read as other writers of the Classical period, he is certainly an author who should be read just because. Combined with Herodotus' "Histories" and Xenophon's "A history of my times", you can cover the whole period and gain a fascinating insight into the views and lives of those in Ancient Greece

A generally decent translation of an historical book - but.., 16 Jan 2006
...there is one thing that all potential readers, particularly those seeking to learn about the Peloponnesian war, should bear in mind.

Contrary to the claim made in the blurb for this book, Thucydides' account is not by any means a perfect 'factual record' of the conflict. While it certainly contains much factual information, and is extremely important for better understanding the war, Thucydides is not as accurate as some historians might hope. We know that much of what he wrote was incorrect, and that many of the speeches he included were little more than creative writing, and as such the reader should always take care not to put too much faith in him.

It's also worth noting that, despite his "contempt for myth and romance", Thucydides' history is filled with tragic elements, and the events at Syracuse are narrated with particularly tragic language used.

Which, to me, only serves to make the book much more interesting.

A far less dry history than many might have you believe, Thucydides' works are a must-read for anyone with even a passing interest in Ancient Greece, the Classical World, or simply history in general, and this accessible version comes highly recommended - just don't believe too much of the blurb!

A perfect publication for the non-professional reader, 07 Dec 2005
The History of the Peloponnesian War is an incredible book. Not only an amazing story, but probably the best text for the study of International Relations ever written. Enough said on the book - read it. The Penguin edition is rather 'free' in its translation which makes it a less heavy read that some of the other copies available and I would recommend it to anyone reading it for the first time. For students however, the Strassler translation, while more expensive, is much more useful as it contains commentary and many maps.

A must have!, 21 Jul 2007
If your an archaeologist or a student of archaeology then dont go anywhere without your copy, trust me you wont regret it!

Excellent, 21 Jun 2007
Cannot recommend this book too highly, really superb. Unfortunately, for reasons best known to themselves, the Open University did not choose this as their set book for the 1st year of their Classics MA but chose the Kevin Greene book instead, about which the less said the better. If you are a first year archaeology student or just interested in archaeology and you have a choice please buy this book before any other on archaeology, you won't regret it.

Keep to hand, 20 May 2007
If you are considering studying archaeology or if you have a serious interest in it then this book will never leave your side. It is recommended reading by many teachers of the subject. The clear index means that you do not have to read the book from cover to cover, instead you can use the considered overview as a starting point for your further research.
I have used this book from undergrad to postgrad work, it is still my first port of call.

Excellent, 07 Mar 2007

I have been to Egypt, the first time was in 1993, and I made my mind up that I'd like to study Egyptology.

Although in my second year of studying Egyptology, during my first year this was one of my study books.

This book cover ever aspect of Theories, Methods and Practice you can think of, it's a very in-depth read, sometimes you may have to read a chapter twice for the information to sink in, (I know I did).

But I must warn you this book is pretty heavy to pick up, don't do what I did, I got hold of it the wrong way with just one hand and I sprained my wrist,(I'm NOT kidding), so mind how you pick up this heavy book up.

It makes an excellent edition to my little Egyptian library, which now stands at nearly 1000 books on this subject. :-)




Essential University Reading, 15 Apr 2005
If you are studying (or plan to study) archaeology at university, this book is a must. It gives a great overview of contemporary archaeological practice and uses excellent case studies throughout. It is basically the first book you turn to if you want to know about Anything archaeological, and will guide you to the right places to go for more in-depth coverage of subjects. It is a great book.

THEY CAN'T SPELL, THEY WON'T SPELL, 04 Oct 2008
Do NOT buy this book.

This is meant to be the erudite textbook for the Open University's 30-point archaeology course. Unfortunately, it is impossible to read and concentrate on key concepts when for some mystifying reason the publishers have chosen to use 'Americanese cod-spelling', instead of the correct printed form of Queen's English we use here in the UK.

This is extremely off-putting and should NOT be employed in a UK textbook by UK academics writing for UK students in the UK. It may be an increasing, and unwelcome, trend in British universities - and if so, it is a 'trend' that should be thoroughly resisted! No doubt some people will, in Orwellian fashion, deliberately misconstrue what I am saying as racist. However, they miss the point by a mile.

Now, I may have made unwitting typo's here, everyone does now and then; but the format of this book is something else. This is an insidious, and damaging, 'dumbing down' of the worst kind. The point is that, in the UK, plough is spelt just like that - p.l.o.u.g.h. - and centre is spelt c.e.n.t.r.e. - and artefact is spelt with an 'e' - an E! - not an 'i'.

It is time that publishers woke up to the realisation - not -zation! - that the English language is not to be deliberately vandalised in this way and the beauty and integrity of English usage here in this country, formulated over centuries, should NOT be compromised.
Particularly in works of 'academic' literature.
So, author and publisher, Shame On You!

Amazon customers: await the revised publication of this work with spelling corrected - or, meanwhile, if you do actually care about helping to maintain good standards in our culture, language and heritage, then just buy something else.

If you only have one book on Egyptology ..., 01 May 2008
If you can only have one book on Egyptology then this is the one. Ian Shaw has gathered together experts to present a generally accepted history of this fascinating period of history. As a student of Egyptology I a significant collection of works; but this is the one that I keep returning to. I've been using it for many years and can vouch for its broad coverage of a complex (and evolving) topic; the depth squeezed into a readable book is surprising.



Standard issue for the student of Egypt, 17 Jul 2007
This was the second book on Egyptian history I brought as an adult. As an academic resource it is probably the definitive introduction to that subject. It runs chronologically from Predynastic up to the end of the Roman Period, offering a brief but accurate and meaningful glance into the reigns of all the Pharaohs and assorted foreign rulers who shaped Egyptian history.

The academic effort that went into this work must have been immense, and it is rightly one of the most important standard texts for all students, or indeed for those who aspire to become one. Indeed this volume now sits, rather well thumbed as a standard reference on my desk.

At first glance the small typeface and crammed approach makes this a slightly daunting work, but it's division into quite separate works on the major periods of Egyptian history (predynastic,old, FIP, middle, SIP, new, TIP, late, Ptolemaic, roman) means you can easily approach this book "a kingdom at a time", a much better way of tackling it, and also make it an excellent book for soaking up intellectually dead time such as commuting, work etc, which is how I approached it.

Whilst this work lacks some of the readability of Tydesley or Gahlin, it is a veritable gold mine of solidly researched history and for anyone interested in serious/mainstream Egyptian history, there really is no better place to start. It also contains a very useful bibliography for digging further into the nitty gritty of particular areas which fascinate you.

You really do need this book...

Excellent, 28 Feb 2007
I have been to Egypt, the first time was in 1993, and I made my mind up that I'd like to study Egyptology.

Although in my second year of studying Egyptology, during my first year this was one of my study books I was required to read.

This provides you with a lot of information on different periods of the Ancient Egyptian History, in all it covers 700,000 years.

I found this book informative, interesting and enjoyable to read. Sometimes I had to read a chapter twice for all the information to sink in.

Whether you are studying Egyptology or just want a little more knowledge this is an excellent book.

It makes an excellent edition to my little Egyptian library, which now stands at nearly 1000 books on this subject. :-)


One of the best "short" histories of Egypt, 26 Jan 2007
Well, for one i'd like to stress how well I think the various authors have squeezed an amazing amount of information on all aspects of Egyptian history, culture and religion into comparatively few pages. This book provides an excellent base from which a reader can go about gathering more information. No one book will be sufficient to provide a reader with a thoroughly detailed account of Egyptian history without running into many many volumes. What the authors here do is condense the information into a size that is manageable without being "basic".

As a student of Egyptology under Ian Shaw I have found this book invaluable and have used it as a standard reference work in most essays and also as a background work in revision and its' list of resources at the back is extremely good at pointing me in the direction of other, more thorough works.

All in all I thoroughly recommend it to the student as well as someone with any interest in the ancient Egyptian civilisation.




Readable very detailed history, lacking religious insight, 03 Jun 2001
This book gives a detailed look at the history of ancient Egypt, from earliest times to the end of the pharaohs. Well illustrated with drawings & photographs, supporting the text.

Based entirely on the physical evidence from archealogy this history gives the political, but not the religous detail, that aids understanding of the two kingdoms.

The lack of religous reference, vital to a knowledge of the ancient Egyptians and their view of life, is a serious omission. Previous possession of this knowledge, would help the reader to understand the motivation and driving force of the kingdoms.

It is well written, although as different experts cover differing time periods, readability does vary from chapter to chapter. However this is not a major issue.

An alternative view from Herodotus of 'history', 26 Jul 2006
Thucydides follows self-consciously on from Herodotus as a 'historian' but takes a very different tack. Partly this is due to their place in history: Herodotus was the product of a triumphant Athens leading the mediterannean world after shockingly defeating the huge Persian invasion of Greece, while Thucydides lives through the decline of Athens from her high point under Pericles through to her final defeat under Sparta. A critic of Athenian democracy and the rise of the demagogues, Thucydides is also a participant in the 37 years long war, as strategos (General) who was defeated at Amphipolis and exiled from Athens. What is amazing is his ability to stay detached and analytical, despite his personal involvement in events.
This is a heart-breaking story of the decline of a great city-state through her own folly, and a good antidote to all the people who still claim classical Athens as the high point of civilisation - yes, there was a lot that was great, but Athens was also guilty of horrendous massacres, putting whole islands of fellow Greeks to death or to be sold into slavery.
A wonderful 'must read' for anyone interested in ancient history, politics, democracy, war, and human nature - and it also includes a portrait of the maverick, brilliant and ruthless Alcibiades and shows him to be a product of his times.
Unmissable.

Cannot recommend this book too highly, 11 Jun 2006
Who should read this book ?

* Anyone who wants to understand how free societies can descend into tyranny:

* Anyone who does not realise that merely holding free elections is not enough to preserve a society worth living in, especially if you don't combine democracy with the rule of law:

* Anyone who needs to understand how two or more nations can stumble into a war devastating to both:

* Anyone who imagines that genocide and ethnic cleansing were limited to our own era:

* Anyone interested in reading one of the first works of true history ever written.

In other words this history of a terrible war nearly two and half thousand years ago is as relevant in the first decade of the third millenium as it was when it was written, four centuries before the birth of Jesus Christ.

If I had to nominate one historical work for my son and daughter to read, I would think carefully between this volume, Suetonius's "The 12 Caesars", and Herodotus's "Histories", but Thucydides "History of the Peloponnesian war" would edge it.

The Wordsworth Classics version includes an introduction by Lorna Hardwick which I found most helpful in understanding the importance of Thucydides and the context in which his writing needs to be understood.

You cannot take every word in this book for granted, but Herodotus and Thucydides came closer to an objective search for truth than any writer whose works survive and was writing before them or for centuries afterwards.

The story of the tragic wars, initially between Athens and Sparta, which decimated Greek civilisation between 431BC and 404 BC is absolutely gripping, and Thucydides brings the story to life for me.

This translation by Richard Crawley was written more than 130 years ago, and slightly revised by R.C. Feetham in 1903. Despite being more than a century old, I found the translation to be accessible and easy to understand. I understand from those who know more about history than I do that Crawley's translation is now preferred by current experts to the rival Victorian translation by Benjamin Jowett which provides more of a general sense of Thucydides' writing but is less good at conveying the detail.

The most irritating thing about Thucydides book is that it stops suddently in the middle of a sentence in 411 BC, shortly after the overthrow of democracy in Athens and the Athenian naval victory at the Dardanelles. E.g. well before the actual resolution of the conflict between Athens and Sparta, let alone the subsequent struggle between both cities and Thebes.

If, like me, this leaves you wanting to learn more about what happened next, your best bet is to read Xenophon's "A history of my times" which was deliberately written to follow on from Thucydides, to such an extent that it actually starts with the words "And after this."

The reputation of Xenophon among historians as a reliable source has fallen dramatically over the past few decades, and he is undoubtedly not in the same class as Thucydides as a historian, but he certainly is in the same class as a storyteller and he does complete the story of the war.

The father of modern history?, 08 Jun 2006
Far too often, Herodotus takes this title, and it really should be applied to Thucydides rather than him. Do not get me wrong, Herodotus is a fascinating read, and as such is highly recommended, but this, in my eyes, is the first, true, history.

As the title suggests, this is a history of the Peloponnesian War, (of which there were actually three at the minimum), and sadly, his narrative breaks off half way through the final war, after covering a period from roughly 480 BC at the end of the Persian Wars, right up to around about 411BC. The period from 480 to 432, covering the successes of the Greeks in freeing Ionia from Persia, the foundation of the Delian League and the first Peloponnesian war, is sadly very poor, and it can be very hard to make out what is going on, often due to his pro Athenian bias. However, from 432 with the outbreak of the first Archidamian war, he is first class.

Having just studied this text as part of an Ancient History A level, i can recommend it whole heartedly. Though not as easy to read as other writers of the Classical period, he is certainly an author who should be read just because. Combined with Herodotus' "Histories" and Xenophon's "A history of my times", you can cover the whole period and gain a fascinating insight into the views and lives of those in Ancient Greece

A generally decent translation of an historical book - but.., 16 Jan 2006
...there is one thing that all potential readers, particularly those seeking to learn about the Peloponnesian war, should bear in mind.

Contrary to the claim made in the blurb for this book, Thucydides' account is not by any means a perfect 'factual record' of the conflict. While it certainly contains much factual information, and is extremely important for better understanding the war, Thucydides is not as accurate as some historians might hope. We know that much of what he wrote was incorrect, and that many of the speeches he included were little more than creative writing, and as such the reader should always take care not to put too much faith in him.

It's also worth noting that, despite his "contempt for myth and romance", Thucydides' history is filled with tragic elements, and the events at Syracuse are narrated with particularly tragic language used.

Which, to me, only serves to make the book much more interesting.

A far less dry history than many might have you believe, Thucydides' works are a must-read for anyone with even a passing interest in Ancient Greece, the Classical World, or simply history in general, and this accessible version comes highly recommended - just don't believe too much of the blurb!

A perfect publication for the non-professional reader, 07 Dec 2005
The History of the Peloponnesian War is an incredible book. Not only an amazing story, but probably the best text for the study of International Relations ever written. Enough said on the book - read it. The Penguin edition is rather 'free' in its translation which makes it a less heavy read that some of the other copies available and I would recommend it to anyone reading it for the first time. For students however, the Strassler translation, while more expensive, is much more useful as it contains commentary and many maps.

Lightweight and unsatisfactory, 21 Jun 2007
I agree with the reviewers "Not Great" and "A Waste of Money". This is a set book for the 1st year of the Open University Classics MA, which I am currently taking, and I find it very lightweight and frustrating. There is nothing to get your teeth into - no case studies (unlike the Renfrew and Bahn book) and nothing to get you thinking and working at the subject. Cannot understand why the OU chose this as their set book rather than Renfrew and Bahn. To be fair to Greene I suspect that the OU course designers didn't even read this book as they refer in their course notes to a 'case study' of the Roman fort at Corbridge which simply isn't in the book - as I said there are no case studies. To any budding archaeology students, if you have a choice go for the Renfrew and Bahn book and give this one a miss.

A good all round synopsis, 10 Apr 2007
This book does not go to deeply into the subject in most instances but it does cover a wide range of subjects and works well with the accompanying website. Yes the Renfrew and Bahn book is much more comprehensive but nowhere near as easy to read.

Get it, it has to be one of the core books along with Renfrew and Bahn

Damn good book, by a damn good lecturer, 30 Sep 2003
Contrary, to the belief of most of the reviewers it is a good book and very useful to theose studying Archaeology, it is especially useful if you happen to study at Newcatle Uni where Kevin Greene himself works and lectures, especially if he takes all of your Archaeology Lectures, as he does with us, as the book ties in with the scheme of work. Even so i bought this book long before i decided to go to Newcastle and it helped me to understand the subject better. Personally this has to be on every archaeology students bookshelf, a winner.

Not great, 26 Mar 2003
I felt this book was actually quite poor. If you would like to read a good general introduction to archaeology, or you are a first year archaeology student, the Renfrew & Bahn's 'Archaeology' is far superior, has a global perpective (as a book on archaeology should) and represents better value for money.

Review of ''Archaeology: an Introduction'', 05 Aug 2002
This is a fantastic book, which can be best described as the bible for all lovers of archaeology. As an archaeology student at university I found this book full to the brim with essential information that every budding archaeologist must have.
The book is well planned out and each chapter leads well into the other. When reading the book you can feel your knowledge of the subject build after every page is turned. The book covers every thing from techniques needed in the field to detailed coverage of previous excavations.
One of the highlights of the book is the superb drawings and sketches that break up the book into easy digestible pieces.
In all this is a must book for all that love the subject.

A must have!, 21 Jul 2007
If your an archaeologist or a student of archaeology then dont go anywhere without your copy, trust me you wont regret it!

Excellent, 21 Jun 2007
Cannot recommend this book too highly, really superb. Unfortunately, for reasons best known to themselves, the Open University did not choose this as their set book for the 1st year of their Classics MA but chose the Kevin Greene book instead, about which the less said the better. If you are a first year archaeology student or just interested in archaeology and you have a choice please buy this book before any other on archaeology, you won't regret it.

Keep to hand, 20 May 2007
If you are considering studying archaeology or if you have a serious interest in it then this book will never leave your side. It is recommended reading by many teachers of the subject. The clear index means that you do not have to read the book from cover to cover, instead you can use the considered overview as a starting point for your further research.
I have used this book from undergrad to postgrad work, it is still my first port of call.

Excellent, 07 Mar 2007

I have been to Egypt, the first time was in 1993, and I made my mind up that I'd like to study Egyptology.

Although in my second year of studying Egyptology, during my first year this was one of my study books.

This book cover ever aspect of Theories, Methods and Practice you can think of, it's a very in-depth read, sometimes you may have to read a chapter twice for the information to sink in, (I know I did).

But I must warn you this book is pretty heavy to pick up, don't do what I did, I got hold of it the wrong way with just one hand and I sprained my wrist,(I'm NOT kidding), so mind how you pick up this heavy book up.

It makes an excellent edition to my little Egyptian library, which now stands at nearly 1000 books on this subject. :-)




Essential University Reading, 15 Apr 2005
If you are studying (or plan to study) archaeology at university, this book is a must. It gives a great overview of contemporary archaeological practice and uses excellent case studies throughout. It is basically the first book you turn to if you want to know about Anything archaeological, and will guide you to the right places to go for more in-depth coverage of subjects. It is a great book.

THEY CAN'T SPELL, THEY WON'T SPELL, 04 Oct 2008
Do NOT buy this book.

This is meant to be the erudite textbook for the Open University's 30-point archaeology course. Unfortunately, it is impossible to read and concentrate on key concepts when for some mystifying reason the publishers have chosen to use 'Americanese cod-spelling', instead of the correct printed form of Queen's English we use here in the UK.

This is extremely off-putting and should NOT be employed in a UK textbook by UK academics writing for UK students in the UK. It may be an increasing, and unwelcome, trend in British universities - and if so, it is a 'trend' that should be thoroughly resisted! No doubt some people will, in Orwellian fashion, deliberately misconstrue what I am saying as racist. However, they miss the point by a mile.

Now, I may have made unwitting typo's here, everyone does now and then; but the format of this book is something else. This is an insidious, and damaging, 'dumbing down' of the worst kind. The point is that, in the UK, plough is spelt just like that - p.l.o.u.g.h. - and centre is spelt c.e.n.t.r.e. - and artefact is spelt with an 'e' - an E! - not an 'i'.

It is time that publishers woke up to the realisation - not -zation! - that the English language is not to be deliberately vandalised in this way and the beauty and integrity of English usage here in this country, formulated over centuries, should NOT be compromised.
Particularly in works of 'academic' literature.
So, author and publisher, Shame On You!

Amazon customers: await the revised publication of this work with spelling corrected - or, meanwhile, if you do actually care about helping to maintain good standards in our culture, language and heritage, then just buy something else.

If you only have one book on Egyptology ..., 01 May 2008
If you can only have one book on Egyptology then this is the one. Ian Shaw has gathered together experts to present a generally accepted history of this fascinating period of history. As a student of Egyptology I a significant collection of works; but this is the one that I keep returning to. I've been using it for many years and can vouch for its broad coverage of a complex (and evolving) topic; the depth squeezed into a readable book is surprising.



Standard issue for the student of Egypt, 17 Jul 2007
This was the second book on Egyptian history I brought as an adult. As an academic resource it is probably the definitive introduction to that subject. It runs chronologically from Predynastic up to the end of the Roman Period, offering a brief but accurate and meaningful glance into the reigns of all the Pharaohs and assorted foreign rulers who shaped Egyptian history.

The academic effort that went into this work must have been immense, and it is rightly one of the most important standard texts for all students, or indeed for those who aspire to become one. Indeed this volume now sits, rather well thumbed as a standard reference on my desk.

At first glance the small typeface and crammed approach makes this a slightly daunting work, but it's division into quite separate works on the major periods of Egyptian history (predynastic,old, FIP, middle, SIP, new, TIP, late, Ptolemaic, roman) means you can easily approach this book "a kingdom at a time", a much better way of tackling it, and also make it an excellent book for soaking up intellectually dead time such as commuting, work etc, which is how I approached it.

Whilst this work lacks some of the readability of Tydesley or Gahlin, it is a veritable gold mine of solidly researched history and for anyone interested in serious/mainstream Egyptian history, there really is no better place to start. It also contains a very useful bibliography for digging further into the nitty gritty of particular areas which fascinate you.

You really do need this book...

Excellent, 28 Feb 2007
I have been to Egypt, the first time was in 1993, and I made my mind up that I'd like to study Egyptology.

Although in my second year of studying Egyptology, during my first year this was one of my study books I was required to read.

This provides you with a lot of information on different periods of the Ancient Egyptian History, in all it covers 700,000 years.

I found this book informative, interesting and enjoyable to read. Sometimes I had to read a chapter twice for all the information to sink in.

Whether you are studying Egyptology or just want a little more knowledge this is an excellent book.

It makes an excellent edition to my little Egyptian library, which now stands at nearly 1000 books on this subject. :-)


One of the best "short" histories of Egypt, 26 Jan 2007
Well, for one i'd like to stress how well I think the various authors have squeezed an amazing amount of information on all aspects of Egyptian history, culture and religion into comparatively few pages. This book provides an excellent base from which a reader can go about gathering more information. No one book will be sufficient to provide a reader with a thoroughly detailed account of Egyptian history without running into many many volumes. What the authors here do is condense the information into a size that is manageable without being "basic".

As a student of Egyptology under Ian Shaw I have found this book invaluable and have used it as a standard reference work in most essays and also as a background work in revision and its' list of resources at the back is extremely good at pointing me in the direction of other, more thorough works.

All in all I thoroughly recommend it to the student as well as someone with any interest in the ancient Egyptian civilisation.




Readable very detailed history, lacking religious insight, 03 Jun 2001
This book gives a detailed look at the history of ancient Egypt, from earliest times to the end of the pharaohs. Well illustrated with drawings & photographs, supporting the text.

Based entirely on the physical evidence from archealogy this history gives the political, but not the religous detail, that aids understanding of the two kingdoms.

The lack of religous reference, vital to a knowledge of the ancient Egyptians and their view of life, is a serious omission. Previous possession of this knowledge, would help the reader to understand the motivation and driving force of the kingdoms.

It is well written, although as different experts cover differing time periods, readability does vary from chapter to chapter. However this is not a major issue.

An alternative view from Herodotus of 'history', 26 Jul 2006
Thucydides follows self-consciously on from Herodotus as a 'historian' but takes a very different tack. Partly this is due to their place in history: Herodotus was the product of a triumphant Athens leading the mediterannean world after shockingly defeating the huge Persian invasion of Greece, while Thucydides lives through the decline of Athens from her high point under Pericles through to her final defeat under Sparta. A critic of Athenian democracy and the rise of the demagogues, Thucydides is also a participant in the 37 years long war, as strategos (General) who was defeated at Amphipolis and exiled from Athens. What is amazing is his ability to stay detached and analytical, despite his personal involvement in events.
This is a heart-breaking story of the decline of a great city-state through her own folly, and a good antidote to all the people who still claim classical Athens as the high point of civilisation - yes, there was a lot that was great, but Athens was also guilty of horrendous massacres, putting whole islands of fellow Greeks to death or to be sold into slavery.
A wonderful 'must read' for anyone interested in ancient history, politics, democracy, war, and human nature - and it also includes a portrait of the maverick, brilliant and ruthless Alcibiades and shows him to be a product of his times.
Unmissable.

Cannot recommend this book too highly, 11 Jun 2006
Who should read this book ?

* Anyone who wants to understand how free societies can descend into tyranny:

* Anyone who does not realise that merely holding free elections is not enough to preserve a society worth living in, especially if you don't combine democracy with the rule of law:

* Anyone who needs to understand how two or more nations can stumble into a war devastating to both:

* Anyone who imagines that genocide and ethnic cleansing were limited to our own era:

* Anyone interested in reading one of the first works of true history ever written.

In other words this history of a terrible war nearly two and half thousand years ago is as relevant in the first decade of the third millenium as it was when it was written, four centuries before the birth of Jesus Christ.

If I had to nominate one historical work for my son and daughter to read, I would think carefully between this volume, Suetonius's "The 12 Caesars", and Herodotus's "Histories", but Thucydides "History of the Peloponnesian war" would edge it.

The Wordsworth Classics version includes an introduction by Lorna Hardwick which I found most helpful in understanding the importance of Thucydides and the context in which his writing needs to be understood.

You cannot take every word in this book for granted, but Herodotus and Thucydides came closer to an objective search for truth than any writer whose works survive and was writing before them or for centuries afterwards.

The story of the tragic wars, initially between Athens and Sparta, which decimated Greek civilisation between 431BC and 404 BC is absolutely gripping, and Thucydides brings the story to life for me.

This translation by Richard Crawley was written more than 130 years ago, and slightly revised by R.C. Feetham in 1903. Despite being more than a century old, I found the translation to be accessible and easy to understand. I understand from those who know more about history than I do that Crawley's translation is now preferred by current experts to the rival Victorian translation by Benjamin Jowett which provides more of a general sense of Thucydides' writing but is less good at conveying the detail.

The most irritating thing about Thucydides book is that it stops suddently in the middle of a sentence in 411 BC, shortly after the overthrow of democracy in Athens and the Athenian naval victory at the Dardanelles. E.g. well before the actual resolution of the conflict between Athens and Sparta, let alone the subsequent struggle between both cities and Thebes.

If, like me, this leaves you wanting to learn more about what happened next, your best bet is to read Xenophon's "A history of my times" which was deliberately written to follow on from Thucydides, to such an extent that it actually starts with the words "And after this."

The reputation of Xenophon among historians as a reliable source has fallen dramatically over the past few decades, and he is undoubtedly not in the same class as Thucydides as a historian, but he certainly is in the same class as a storyteller and he does complete the story of the war.

The father of modern history?, 08 Jun 2006
Far too often, Herodotus takes this title, and it really should be applied to Thucydides rather than him. Do not get me wrong, Herodotus is a fascinating read, and as such is highly recommended, but this, in my eyes, is the first, true, history.

As the title suggests, this is a history of the Peloponnesian War, (of which there were actually three at the minimum), and sadly, his narrative breaks off half way through the final war, after covering a period from roughly 480 BC at the end of the Persian Wars, right up to around about 411BC. The period from 480 to 432, covering the successes of the Greeks in freeing Ionia from Persia, the foundation of the Delian League and the first Peloponnesian war, is sadly very poor, and it can be very hard to make out what is going on, often due to his pro Athenian bias. However, from 432 with the outbreak of the first Archidamian war, he is first class.

Having just studied this text as part of an Ancient History A level, i can recommend it whole heartedly. Though not as easy to read as other writers of the Classical period, he is certainly an author who should be read just because. Combined with Herodotus' "Histories" and Xenophon's "A history of my times", you can cover the whole period and gain a fascinating insight into the views and lives of those in Ancient Greece

A generally decent translation of an historical book - but.., 16 Jan 2006
...there is one thing that all potential readers, particularly those seeking to learn about the Peloponnesian war, should bear in mind.

Contrary to the claim made in the blurb for this book, Thucydides' account is not by any means a perfect 'factual record' of the conflict. While it certainly contains much factual information, and is extremely important for better understanding the war, Thucydides is not as accurate as some historians might hope. We know that much of what he wrote was incorrect, and that many of the speeches he included were little more than creative writing, and as such the reader should always take care not to put too much faith in him.

It's also worth noting that, despite his "contempt for myth and romance", Thucydides' history is filled with tragic elements, and the events at Syracuse are narrated with particularly tragic language used.

Which, to me, only serves to make the book much more interesting.

A far less dry history than many might have you believe, Thucydides' works are a must-read for anyone with even a passing interest in Ancient Greece, the Classical World, or simply history in general, and this accessible version comes highly recommended - just don't believe too much of the blurb!

A perfect publication for the non-professional reader, 07 Dec 2005
The History of the Peloponnesian War is an incredible book. Not only an amazing story, but probably the best text for the study of International Relations ever written. Enough said on the book - read it. The Penguin edition is rather 'free' in its translation which makes it a less heavy read that some of the other copies available and I would recommend it to anyone reading it for the first time. For students however, the Strassler translation, while more expensive, is much more useful as it contains commentary and many maps.

Lightweight and unsatisfactory, 21 Jun 2007
I agree with the reviewers "Not Great" and "A Waste of Money". This is a set book for the 1st year of the Open University Classics MA, which I am currently taking, and I find it very lightweight and frustrating. There is nothing to get your teeth into - no case studies (unlike the Renfrew and Bahn book) and nothing to get you thinking and working at the subject. Cannot understand why the OU chose this as their set book rather than Renfrew and Bahn. To be fair to Greene I suspect that the OU course designers didn't even read this book as they refer in their course notes to a 'case study' of the Roman fort at Corbridge which simply isn't in the book - as I said there are no case studies. To any budding archaeology students, if you have a choice go for the Renfrew and Bahn book and give this one a miss.

A good all round synopsis, 10 Apr 2007
This book does not go to deeply into the subject in most instances but it does cover a wide range of subjects and works well with the accompanying website. Yes the Renfrew and Bahn book is much more comprehensive but nowhere near as easy to read.

Get it, it has to be one of the core books along with Renfrew and Bahn

Damn good book, by a damn good lecturer, 30 Sep 2003
Contrary, to the belief of most of the reviewers it is a good book and very useful to theose studying Archaeology, it is especially useful if you happen to study at Newcatle Uni where Kevin Greene himself works and lectures, especially if he takes all of your Archaeology Lectures, as he does with us, as the book ties in with the scheme of work. Even so i bought this book long before i decided to go to Newcastle and it helped me to understand the subject better. Personally this has to be on every archaeology students bookshelf, a winner.

Not great, 26 Mar 2003
I felt this book was actually quite poor. If you would like to read a good general introduction to archaeology, or you are a first year archaeology student, the Renfrew & Bahn's 'Archaeology' is far superior, has a global perpective (as a book on archaeology should) and represents better value for money.

Review of ''Archaeology: an Introduction'', 05 Aug 2002
This is a fantastic book, which can be best described as the bible for all lovers of archaeology. As an archaeology student at university I found this book full to the brim with essential information that every budding archaeologist must have.
The book is well planned out and each chapter leads well into the other. When reading the book you can feel your knowledge of the subject build after every page is turned. The book covers every thing from techniques needed in the field to detailed coverage of previous excavations.
One of the highlights of the book is the superb drawings and sketches that break up the book into easy digestible pieces.
In all this is a must book for all that love the subject.

out of date, 14 Apr 2008
Unfortunately this work has not been updated to reflect current discoveries and as such reflects the known Archaeological evidence of its time.

Archeologists Dream, 17 Mar 2008
This book is huge and the information inside is solely based on archeology found in modern England. There are lots and lots of great pictures, maps and coin collections. The book takes us through the Roman period to the battle of Hastings. It is a very interesting read although I found it very biased towards Christianity and not very informative about our heathen heritage but still a very good book. A must have for students and all those interested in early English history. I also recommend 'A Brief History of the Anglo-Saxons' and to learn about English native Gods I recommend 'Gods and Myths of Northern Europe'. See my reviews.

I Loved This Book, 31 Jan 2007
This is one of the best books I have bought from amazon.co.uk. I bought this book for a course I was taking on British archaeology. I am normally not that interested in this area of history/archaeology, being more interested in Egyptology. However, not only did this book teach me about a subject I did not really know before owning it, but it also captivated my interest and imagination about the Anglo-Saxons.

I recommend this book to everyone. It is written as a historical narrative, but it also includes descriptions of the archaeological evidence that underpins a lot of our current understanding of the time period. The text is easy to understand, well-written and concise and is complemented by a very large number of beautiful photographs. This book is not only a treat for the mind, it's also a treat for the eye.

Eminently Readable!, 06 Nov 2006
Ok. Just to be clear, I have never been in the slightest bit interested in history. Of anything. Or anyone. My interest in this period of English history was sparked by Bernard Cornwell's Last Kingdom, etc.. This book by James Campbell is an excellent introduction for an amateur like me. It is nicely illustrated and clearly written. If you want to fill in any missing facts around Cornwell's (partly factual) stories of this period, then this book is for you.

Indispensable, 30 Sep 2004
Just beginning to date a little in the light of subsequent research, this is nevertheless an excellent introduction to the period, fluently written by Campbell, John and Wormald. The picture essays add detail to the main body of narrative; even more valuable are the magnificent illustrations. An essential and valuable introductory work.

A must have!, 21 Jul 2007
If your an archaeologist or a student of archaeology then dont go anywhere without your copy, trust me you wont regret it!

Excellent, 21 Jun 2007
Cannot recommend this book too highly, really superb. Unfortunately, for reasons best known to themselves, the Open University did not choose this as their set book for the 1st year of their Classics MA but chose the Kevin Greene book instead, about which the less said the better. If you are a first year archaeology student or just interested in archaeology and you have a choice please buy this book before any other on archaeology, you won't regret it.

Keep to hand, 20 May 2007
If you are considering studying archaeology or if you have a serious interest in it then this book will never leave your side. It is recommended reading by many teachers of the subject. The clear index means that you do not have to read the book from cover to cover, instead you can use the considered overview as a starting point for your further research.
I have used this book from undergrad to postgrad work, it is still my first port of call.

Excellent, 07 Mar 2007

I have been to Egypt, the first time was in 1993, and I made my mind up that I'd like to study Egyptology.

Although in my second year of studying Egyptology, during my first year this was one of my study books.

This book cover ever aspect of Theories, Methods and Practice you can think of, it's a very in-depth read, sometimes you may have to read a chapter twice for the information to sink in, (I know I did).

But I must warn you this book is pretty heavy to pick up, don't do what I did, I got hold of it the wrong way with just one hand and I sprained my wrist,(I'm NOT kidding), so mind how you pick up this heavy book up.

It makes an excellent edition to my little Egyptian library, which now stands at nearly 1000 books on this subject. :-)




Essential University Reading, 15 Apr 2005
If you are studying (or plan to study) archaeology at university, this book is a must. It gives a great overview of contemporary archaeological practice and uses excellent case studies throughout. It is basically the first book you turn to if you want to know about Anything archaeological, and will guide you to the right places to go for more in-depth coverage of subjects. It is a great book.

THEY CAN'T SPELL, THEY WON'T SPELL, 04 Oct 2008
Do NOT buy this book.

This is meant to be the erudite textbook for the Open University's 30-point archaeology course. Unfortunately, it is impossible to read and concentrate on key concepts when for some mystifying reason the publishers have chosen to use 'Americanese cod-spelling', instead of the correct printed form of Queen's English we use here in the UK.

This is extremely off-putting and should NOT be employed in a UK textbook by UK academics writing for UK students in the UK. It may be an increasing, and unwelcome, trend in British universities - and if so, it is a 'trend' that should be thoroughly resisted! No doubt some people will, in Orwellian fashion, deliberately misconstrue what I am saying as racist. However, they miss the point by a mile.

Now, I may have made unwitting typo's here, everyone does now and then; but the format of this book is something else. This is an insidious, and damaging, 'dumbing down' of the worst kind. The point is that, in the UK, plough is spelt just like that - p.l.o.u.g.h. - and centre is spelt c.e.n.t.r.e. - and artefact is spelt with an 'e' - an E! - not an 'i'.

It is time that publishers woke up to the realisation - not -zation! - that the English language is not to be deliberately vandalised in this way and the beauty and integrity of English usage here in this country, formulated over centuries, should NOT be compromised.
Particularly in works of 'academic' literature.
So, author and publisher, Shame On You!

Amazon customers: await the revised publication of this work with spelling corrected - or, meanwhile, if you do actually care about helping to maintain good standards in our culture, language and heritage, then just buy something else.

If you only have one book on Egyptology ..., 01 May 2008
If you can only have one book on Egyptology then this is the one. Ian Shaw has gathered together experts to present a generally accepted history of this fascinating period of history. As a student of Egyptology I a significant collection of works; but this is the one that I keep returning to. I've been using it for many years and can vouch for its broad coverage of a complex (and evolving) topic; the depth squeezed into a readable book is surprising.



Standard issue for the student of Egypt, 17 Jul 2007
This was the second book on Egyptian history I brought as an adult. As an academic resource it is probably the definitive introduction to that subject. It runs chronologically from Predynastic up to the end of the Roman Period, offering a brief but accurate and meaningful glance into the reigns of all the Pharaohs and assorted foreign rulers who shaped Egyptian history.

The academic effort that went into this work must have been immense, and it is rightly one of the most important standard texts for all students, or indeed for those who aspire to become one. Indeed this volume now sits, rather well thumbed as a standard reference on my desk.

At first glance the small typeface and crammed approach makes this a slightly daunting work, but it's division into quite separate works on the major periods of Egyptian history (predynastic,old, FIP, middle, SIP, new, TIP, late, Ptolemaic, roman) means you can easily approach this book "a kingdom at a time", a much better way of tackling it, and also make it an excellent book for soaking up intellectually dead time such as commuting, work etc, which is how I approached it.

Whilst this work lacks some of the readability of Tydesley or Gahlin, it is a veritable gold mine of solidly researched history and for anyone interested in serious/mainstream Egyptian history, there really is no better place to start. It also contains a very useful bibliography for digging further into the nitty gritty of particular areas which fascinate you.

You really do need this book...

Excellent, 28 Feb 2007
I have been to Egypt, the first time was in 1993, and I made my mind up that I'd like to study Egyptology.

Although in my second year of studying Egyptology, during my first year this was one of my study books I was required to read.

This provides you with a lot of information on different periods of the Ancient Egyptian History, in all it covers 700,000 years.

I found this book informative, interesting and enjoyable to read. Sometimes I had to read a chapter twice for all the information to sink in.

Whether you are studying Egyptology or just want a little more knowledge this is an excellent book.

It makes an excellent edition to my little Egyptian library, which now stands at nearly 1000 books on this subject. :-)


One of the best "short" histories of Egypt, 26 Jan 2007
Well, for one i'd like to stress how well I think the various authors have squeezed an amazing amount of information on all aspects of Egyptian history, culture and religion into comparatively few pages. This book provides an excellent base from which a reader can go about gathering more information. No one book will be sufficient to provide a reader with a thoroughly detailed account of Egyptian history without running into many many volumes. What the authors here do is condense the information into a size that is manageable without being "basic".

As a student of Egyptology under Ian Shaw I have found this book invaluable and have used it as a standard reference work in most essays and also as a background work in revision and its' list of resources at the back is extremely good at pointing me in the direction of other, more thorough works.

All in all I thoroughly recommend it to the student as well as someone with any interest in the ancient Egyptian civilisation.




Readable very detailed history, lacking religious insight, 03 Jun 2001
This book gives a detailed look at the history of ancient Egypt, from earliest times to the end of the pharaohs. Well illustrated with drawings & photographs, supporting the text.

Based entirely on the physical evidence from archealogy this history gives the political, but not the religous detail, that aids understanding of the two kingdoms.

The lack of religous reference, vital to a knowledge of the ancient Egyptians and their view of life, is a serious omission. Previous possession of this knowledge, would help the reader to understand the motivation and driving force of the kingdoms.

It is well written, although as different experts cover differing time periods, readability does vary from chapter to chapter. However this is not a major issue.

An alternative view from Herodotus of 'history', 26 Jul 2006
Thucydides follows self-consciously on from Herodotus as a 'historian' but takes a very different tack. Partly this is due to their place in history: Herodotus was the product of a triumphant Athens leading the mediterannean world after shockingly defeating the huge Persian invasion of Greece, while Thucydides lives through the decline of Athens from her high point under Pericles through to her final defeat under Sparta. A critic of Athenian democracy and the rise of the demagogues, Thucydides is also a participant in the 37 years long war, as strategos (General) who was defeated at Amphipolis and exiled from Athens. What is amazing is his ability to stay detached and analytical, despite his personal involvement in events.
This is a heart-breaking story of the decline of a great city-state through her own folly, and a good antidote to all the people who still claim classical Athens as the high point of civilisation - yes, there was a lot that was great, but Athens was also guilty of horrendous massacres, putting whole islands of fellow Greeks to death or to be sold into slavery.
A wonderful 'must read' for anyone interested in ancient history, politics, democracy, war, and human nature - and it also includes a portrait of the maverick, brilliant and ruthless Alcibiades and shows him to be a product of his times.
Unmissable.

Cannot recommend this book too highly, 11 Jun 2006
Who should read this book ?

* Anyone who wants to understand how free societies can descend into tyranny:

* Anyone who does not realise that merely holding free elections is not enough to preserve a society worth living in, especially if you don't combine democracy with the rule of law:

* Anyone who needs to understand how two or more nations can stumble into a war devastating to both:

* Anyone who imagines that genocide and ethnic cleansing were limited to our own era:

* Anyone interested in reading one of the first works of true history ever written.

In other words this history of a terrible war nearly two and half thousand years ago is as relevant in the first decade of the third millenium as it was when it was written, four centuries before the birth of Jesus Christ.

If I had to nominate one historical work for my son and daughter to read, I would think carefully between this volume, Suetonius's "The 12 Caesars", and Herodotus's "Histories", but Thucydides "History of the Peloponnesian war" would edge it.

The Wordsworth Classics version includes an introduction by Lorna Hardwick which I found most helpful in understanding the importance of Thucydides and the context in which his writing needs to be understood.

You cannot take every word in this book for granted, but Herodotus and Thucydides came closer to an objective search for truth than any writer whose works survive and was writing before them or for centuries afterwards.

The story of the tragic wars, initially between Athens and Sparta, which decimated Greek civilisation between 431BC and 404 BC is absolutely gripping, and Thucydides brings the story to life for me.

This translation by Richard Crawley was written more than 130 years ago, and slightly revised by R.C. Feetham in 1903. Despite being more than a century old, I found the translation to be accessible and easy to understand. I understand from those who know more about history than I do that Crawley's translation is now preferred by current experts to the rival Victorian translation by Benjamin Jowett which provides more of a general sense of Thucydides' writing but is less good at conveying the detail.

The most irritating thing about Thucydides book is that it stops suddently in the middle of a sentence in 411 BC, shortly after the overthrow of democracy in Athens and the Athenian naval victory at the Dardanelles. E.g. well before the actual resolution of the conflict between Athens and Sparta, let alone the subsequent struggle between both cities and Thebes.

If, like me, this leaves you wanting to learn more about what happened next, your best bet is to read Xenophon's "A history of my times" which was deliberately written to follow on from Thucydides, to such an extent that it actually starts with the words "And after this."

The reputation of Xenophon among historians as a reliable source has fallen dramatically over the past few decades, and he is undoubtedly not in the same class as Thucydides as a historian, but he certainly is in the same class as a storyteller and he does complete the story of the war.

The father of modern history?, 08 Jun 2006
Far too often, Herodotus takes this title, and it really should be applied to Thucydides rather than him. Do not get me wrong, Herodotus is a fascinating read, and as such is highly recommended, but this, in my eyes, is the first, true, history.

As the title suggests, this is a history of the Peloponnesian War, (of which there were actually three at the minimum), and sadly, his narrative breaks off half way through the final war, after covering a period from roughly 480 BC at the end of the Persian Wars, right up to around about 411BC. The period from 480 to 432, covering the successes of the Greeks in freeing Ionia from Persia, the foundation of the Delian League and the first Peloponnesian war, is sadly very poor, and it can be very hard to make out what is going on, often due to his pro Athenian bias. However, from 432 with the outbreak of the first Archidamian war, he is first class.

Having just studied this text as part of an Ancient History A level, i can recommend it whole heartedly. Though not as easy to read as other writers of the Classical period, he is certainly an author who should be read just because. Combined with Herodotus' "Histories" and Xenophon's "A history of my times", you can cover the whole period and gain a fascinating insight into the views and lives of those in Ancient Greece

A generally decent translation of an historical book - but.., 16 Jan 2006
...there is one thing that all potential readers, particularly those seeking to learn about the Peloponnesian war, should bear in mind.

Contrary to the claim made in the blurb for this book, Thucydides' account is not by any means a perfect 'factual record' of the conflict. While it certainly contains much factual information, and is extremely important for better understanding the war, Thucydides is not as accurate as some historians might hope. We know that much of what he wrote was incorrect, and that many of the speeches he included were little more than creative writing, and as such the reader should always take care not to put too much faith in him.

It's also worth noting that, despite his "contempt for myth and romance", Thucydides' history is filled with tragic elements, and the events at Syracuse are narrated with particularly tragic language used.

Which, to me, only serves to make the book much more interesting.

A far less dry history than many might have you believe, Thucydides' works are a must-read for anyone with even a passing interest in Ancient Greece, the Classical World, or simply history in general, and this accessible version comes highly recommended - just don't believe too much of the blurb!

A perfect publication for the non-professional reader, 07 Dec 2005
The History of the Peloponnesian War is an incredible book. Not only an amazing story, but probably the best text for the study of International Relations ever written. Enough said on the book - read it. The Penguin edition is rather 'free' in its translation which makes it a less heavy read that some of the other copies available and I would recommend it to anyone reading it for the first time. For students however, the Strassler translation, while more expensive, is much more useful as it contains commentary and many maps.

Lightweight and unsatisfactory, 21 Jun 2007
I agree with the reviewers "Not Great" and "A Waste of Money". This is a set book for the 1st year of the Open University Classics MA, which I am currently taking, and I find it very lightweight and frustrating. There is nothing to get your teeth into - no case studies (unlike the Renfrew and Bahn book) and nothing to get you thinking and working at the subject. Cannot understand why the OU chose this as their set book rather than Renfrew and Bahn. To be fair to Greene I suspect that the OU course designers didn't even read this book as they refer in their course notes to a 'case study' of the Roman fort at Corbridge which simply isn't in the book - as I said there are no case studies. To any budding archaeology students, if you have a choice go for the Renfrew and Bahn book and give this one a miss.

A good all round synopsis, 10 Apr 2007
This book does not go to deeply into the subject in most instances but it does cover a wide range of subjects and works well with the accompanying website. Yes the Renfrew and Bahn book is much more comprehensive but nowhere near as easy to read.

Get it, it has to be one of the core books along with Renfrew and Bahn

Damn good book, by a damn good lecturer, 30 Sep 2003
Contrary, to the belief of most of the reviewers it is a good book and very useful to theose studying Archaeology, it is especially useful if you happen to study at Newcatle Uni where Kevin Greene himself works and lectures, especially if he takes all of your Archaeology Lectures, as he does with us, as the book ties in with the scheme of work. Even so i bought this book long before i decided to go to Newcastle and it helped me to understand the subject better. Personally this has to be on every archaeology students bookshelf, a winner.

Not great, 26 Mar 2003
I felt this book was actually quite poor. If you would like to read a good general introduction to archaeology, or you are a first year archaeology student, the Renfrew & Bahn's 'Archaeology' is far superior, has a global perpective (as a book on archaeology should) and represents better value for money.

Review of ''Archaeology: an Introduction'', 05 Aug 2002
This is a fantastic book, which can be best described as the bible for all lovers of archaeology. As an archaeology student at university I found this book full to the brim with essential information that every budding archaeologist must have.
The book is well planned out and each chapter leads well into the other. When reading the book you can feel your knowledge of the subject build after every page is turned. The book covers every thing from techniques needed in the field to detailed coverage of previous excavations.
One of the highlights of the book is the superb drawings and sketches that break up the book into easy digestible pieces.
In all this is a must book for all that love the subject.

out of date, 14 Apr 2008
Unfortunately this work has not been updated to reflect current discoveries and as such reflects the known Archaeological evidence of its time.

Arche