History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Average customer rating:

Beauty.
BUY THIS BOOK!!!!!
History comes alive
Best Historical Novel EVER!!!!!!
Loved It

The Memoirs of Cleopatra: A Novel
Margaret George
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Griffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0312187459

Book Description

Bestselling novelist Margaret George brings to life the glittering kingdom of Cleopatra, Queen of the Nile, in this luch, sweeping, and richly detailed saga. Told in Cleopatra's own voice, this is a mesmerizing tale of ambition, passion, and betrayl, which begins when the twenty-year-old queen seeks out the most powerful man in the world, Julius Caesar, and does not end until, having survived the assassination of Caesar and the defeat of the second man she loves, Marc Antony, she plots her own death rather than be paraded in triumph through the streets of Rome.Most of all, in its richness and authenticity, it is an irresistible story that reveals why Margaret George's work has been widely acclaimed as "the best kind of historical novel, one the reader can't wait to get lost in." (San Francisco Chronicle).

Customer Reviews:

Beauty. .......2007-10-12

This is a beautiful novel. it is long, but when I first read it, I couldn't put it down. I have probably read it more than ten times now. Margaret George is masterful in her telling of the life of Cleopatra. She is portrayed exactly as I would have imagined her to be. Many women identify with Cleopatra, myself included, as she invokes images of beauty, power, love, and tenacity. This is my absolute favorite work of fiction, ever.

BUY THIS BOOK!!!!!.......2007-10-09

I am an avid reader with a bordering obsession in Egyptology....Hands down my Favorite book of all time. A trully gifted Author, who's done her homework.. I could swear to you, I saw the world through Cleopatra's eyes while reading this Unbelievably DETAILED Novel....COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN!!!!!!!! A Must !!!

History comes alive.......2007-08-27

The Memoirs of Cleopatra is a mammoth novel, both in size and scope. Crammed full of historical events, real-life characters and period detail, it breathes new life into the familiar story of the fabled Queen of Egypt.

The book revolves around a triumvirate of finely crafted characters: the ambitious Cleopatra, the aloof Caesar, and the vacillating Antony. While the tale occasionally bogs down under its sheer weight--I felt like I needed a scorecard to keep track of all the characters--it is nonetheless a riveting read.

Margaret George is a fine writer, skillfully depicting epic battles, palace intrigues, and tender intimacies. At times, as Cleopatra reflects upon her life or upon human nature, George's prose is profound and takes on the beauty of poetry.

I think this book would appeal to just about anyone who likes historical fiction. Don't let its size intimidate you.

Best Historical Novel EVER!!!!!!.......2007-08-16

"Memoirs of Cleopatra", by Margaret George, was by far one of the best books I have ever read, and I love books. I was constantly in emotional turmoil along with the character as she made her way through life. George has a great gift for making situations seem real. I felt as if I were actually in the room with Cleopatra as she held meetings, walked the palace, and best of all, had her intimate moments with the two great loves of her life, Ceasar and Marc Antony. I could hardly put the book down as I was enthralled by every detail. I even cried at the inevitable ending (I rarely cry from books), which I knew was coming and almomst dreaded it knowing the book would soon thereafter come to an end.

George really researched her facts well and made them seem as if everything actually happened, even the unknown gaps in Cleopatra's life. I learned a great deal and would never have learned so much from reading a textbook, simply because I would have fallen asleep. With this, I was constantly enthralled and was thinking about it even at work. I wanted to continually read it until I could read no more!

One note, I have read her other two books when I was younger, and, after reading this book at an older age, I feel as if these books would be best suited for older teens and up. The content is very saturated with facts and details that a younger reading may become lost with, let alone the love scenes may be a bit too much for young teens.

Overall, wonderful book by a wonderful author! I am currently re-reading "Henry VIII" and it is amazing!

Loved It.......2007-08-15

This 960 page book is truly outstanding. I have loved Cleopatra from the first time I read about her in grade school. This book gives you tons of visual images through the words of the author and a list of fact-checking sources in the back of the book (something very important to me).It is heart-breaking at times and even though most people know the way she died, it's still with dread that you turn those last few pages. But it's hard not to be in awe of Margaret for doing such a fantastic job. I highly recommend this book.

The October Horse : A Novel of Caesar and Cleopatra

Average customer rating:

Interesting and Absorbing
how to decide a favorite?
Great Finish To An Outstanding Series
Very good book
Historical fiction that reads as if history is happening

The October Horse : A Novel of Caesar and Cleopatra
Colleen McCullough
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster Audio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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Caesar: A Novel (Masters of Rome Series)
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ASIN: 0743528182
Release Date: 2002-11-26

Book Description

The final book in her series about the men who established Rome of the Emperors, The October Horse features Gaius Julius Caesar at the height of his stupendous career. When he becomes embroiled in a civil war between Egypt's King Ptolemy and Queen Cleopatra, he finds himself torn between the fascinations of a remarkable woman and his duty as a Roman. Though he must leave Cleopatra, she remains a force in his life as a lover and as the mother of his only son, who can never inherit Caesar's Roman mantle, and therefore cannot solve his father's greatest dilemma -- who will be Caesar's Roman heir?

A hero to all of Rome except to those among his colleagues who see his dictatorial powers as threats to the democratic system they prize so highly, Caesar is determined not to be worshiped as a god or crowned king. Swearing to bring him down, Caesar's enemies masquerade as friends and loyal supporters while they plot to destroy him. Caesar must die, they decide, for only when he is dead will Rome return to her old republican self.

Packed with battles, intrigue, love affairs, and murders, The October Horse hurtles toward the assassination, and onto the dangerous consequences of that act -- in which the very fate of Rome is at stake.

Download Description

"In her new book about the men who were instrumental in establishing the Rome of the Emperors, Colleen McCullough tells the story of a famous love affair and a man whose sheer ability could lead to only one end -- assassination. As The October Horse begins, Gaius Julius Caesar is at the height of his stupendous career. When he becomes embroiled in a civil war between Egypt's King Ptolemy and Queen Cleopatra, he finds himself torn between the fascinations of a remarkable woman and his duty as a Roman. Though he must leave Cleopatra, she remains a force in his life as a lover and as the mother of his only son, who can never inherit Caesar's Roman mantle, and therefore cannot solve his father's greatest dilemma -- who will be Caesar's Roman heir? A hero to all of Rome except to those among his colleagues who see his dictatorial powers as threats to the democratic system they prize so highly, Caesar is determined not to be worshiped as a god or crowned king, but his unique situation conspires to make it seem otherwise. Swearing to bring him down, Caesar's enemies masquerade as friends and loyal supporters while they plot to destroy him. Among them are his cousin and Master of the Horse, Mark Antony, feral and avaricious, priapic and impulsive; Gaius Trebonius, the nobody, who owes him everything; Gaius Cassius, eaten by jealousy; and the two Brutuses, his cousin Decimus, and Marcus, the son of his mistress Servilia, sad victim of his mother and of his uncle Cato, whose daughter he marries. All are in Caesar's debt, all have been raised to high positions, all are outraged by Caesar's autocracy. Caesar must die, they decide, for only when he is dead will Rome return to her old ways, her old republican self.

Customer Reviews:

Interesting and Absorbing .......2007-07-22

The October Horse is an interesting and absorbing book. I found myself engrossed in this well-crafted story. My only complaint is I expected to find a bit more of Cleopatra in the book. This novel made me even more curious about ancient Rome and get my hands on as many books related to the subject as possible.

how to decide a favorite?.......2007-07-06

This is the last book of the Masters of Rome series, and maybe the best, but it is so hard to decide. They are all exceptional and I strongly advise reading them from the first through to the last. I was lucky enough to have all of them on hand before beginning and went right through all 6 of them. What a treat!

But this last is probably my favorite for the way it brings Julius Caesar to life, from the most important and productive stages of his life, through the tragedy of his assasination and wrapping up the events immediately following the assasination: Antony and Cleopatra and the rise of Octavian/Augustus. I wanted the history to continue, but as Ms. McCullough writes in her author's notes, she had to stop somewhere or she would keep on forever!

I followed up this series by reading the recent biography by Adrian Goldsworthy called "Caesar". Another great book for anyone interested in a strict historical biography. Reading "Caesar", I was constantly amazed at the historical accuracy of Ms. McCullough's stories. She stayed with the truth while fleshing out the characters and bringing them to life. Mr. Goldsworthy makes positive mention of the Masters of Rome series in his epilogue, high praise indeed from an expert, scholarly historian of Ancient Rome. I found it a great treat to have read this series before tackling the long, dry biography. The memory of McCullough's wonderful books brought the real history to life!

Great Finish To An Outstanding Series.......2007-04-25

I'm a huge Julius Caesar fan, and have been ever since I first discovered him when I was in the seventh grade. The man was a true superstar. One of the most brilliant figures in history. Not only one of the greatest military leaders who ever lived, but also a consummate politician, gifted public speaker, and one of the greatest writers of latin prose ever. He excelled at everything he did. McCullough does an excellent job of portraying Caesar, and the other prominent players from the period of the decaying Roman Republic, in a way that makes their personalities and actions real and understandable. And they are all here: Cicero, Cato, Brutus, Cassius, Octavian, Labienus, Mark Antony, Cleopatra and all the rest. Caesar, however, is the star.

The writing is very good and McCullough's command of the actual history of the period is impeccable. She provides maps to help illustrate events. She has even sketched busts of the main characters which are, as far as possible, true to existing portraiture. She even explains her reasons for choices she makes in situations where the record is ambiguous or unclear. Her characters ring true. It's fiction because she invents conversations and conjures up personal incidents, but it is thoroughly researched and McCullough has full command of the factual material she is covering.

Sometimes, the writing is almost too real. As I approached Caesar's assassination, I knew perfectly well what was coming. Despite that knowledge, however, I found the hair on the back of my neck standing up straight as that brutal and tragic scene unfolded.

THE OCTOBER HORSE is the sixth and, regrettably, final book in McCullough's series about the life of Caesar and the collapse of the Roman Republic. The series is a long one, but it's well worth reading in it's entirety. It relates real events of genuinely epic proportions, and it is superbly done. I loved it and would recommend it to anyone. It is at least as entertaining as any fiction you'll ever read. Ten stars if I could give them.

Very good book.......2007-03-09

This is a very readable account of a period in history which has not been well doncumented in literature [other than glamorous and untrue accounts of Cleopatra]. It is well written with just the right amount of dramatic action involved in what could have been a dusty history. It is a good value at the price and a book that one will read again and again.

Historical fiction that reads as if history is happening.......2006-12-10

In the culminating novel of her series depicting the collapse of the Roman Republic, Colleen McCullough details the events from the end of the war between Gaius Julius Caesar and Pompey the Great, through Caesar's defeating all other opposition, to his own assassination in Rome in 45 BC, to the battles of Philippi that ended the first phase of the civil wars and set the stage for the rise of Augustus and the Empire. "A kingdom for a stage, princes to act, and monarchs to behold the swelling scene" as Shakespeare said in a different context...

As with its predecessors starting with "The First Man in Rome", McCullough's novel is exquisitely detailed, little pieces of everyday Roman life falling into place with the larger scenes to move the plot forward; likewise, the action happens so convincingly that the reader can believe it is happening as it is being read- so that even though we all know Caesar died on that fateful Ides of March in 45 BC, the narration can keep us hoping something will change, something will intervene.

If this tale and its predecessors have a fault, it is that Caesar doesn't have one. It's clear, starting three volumes back with "Fortune's Favorites" that McCullough is an unabashed Caesar-fancier, and the books from that point on are definitely biased in his direction. While Cato, Caesar's perpetual adversary, has a reputation for incorruptibility but is portrayed as narrow, inflexible, small-minded and unyielding, many of the same charges could be laid at Caesar's door - except that he is the hero of the story, so what are faults in Cato's case are strengths or virtues for Caesar. Which doesn't make the story any less fun to read. Caesar was one of the seminal political figures of his age as well as one of the great military minds, and anything that brings him into a closer perspective is worth reading.

Cleopatra's Kidnappers: How Caesars Sixth Legion Gave Egypt to Rome and Rome to Caesar

Average customer rating:

History major
Porcia swallows red hot coals... ouch!
Caesar for the regular guy
Caesar's Formidable VI Ironsides
Not historical, unless the 'Gladiator' film is historical.

Cleopatra's Kidnappers: How Caesars Sixth Legion Gave Egypt to Rome and Rome to Caesar
Stephen Dando-Collins
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0471719331

Book Description

A powerful tale of war, romance, and one of history's most desperate gambles

Julius Caesar was nothing if not bold. When, in the wake of his defeat of Pompey at Pharsalus his victorious legions refused to march another step under his command, he pursued his fleeing rival into Egypt with an impossibly small force of Gallic and German cavalry, raw Italian recruits, and nine hundred Spanish prisoners of war-tough veterans of Pompey's Sixth Legion.

Cleopatra's Kidnappers tells the epic saga of Caesar's adventures in Egypt through the eyes of these captured, but never defeated, legionaries. In this third volume in his definitive history of the Roman legions, Stephen Dando-Collins reveals how this tiny band of fierce warriors led Caesar's little army to great victories against impossible odds. Bristling with action and packed with insights and newly revealed facts, this eye-opening account introduces you to the extraordinary men who made possible Caesar's famous boast, "I came, I saw, I conquered."

Praise for Caesar's Legion

"A unique and splendidly researched story, following the trials and triumphs of Julius Caesar's Legio X. . . . More than a mere unit account, it incorporates the history of Rome and the Roman army at the height of their power and gory glory. Many military historians consider Caesar's legions the world's most efficient infantry before the arrival of gunpowder. This book shows why. Written in readable, popular style, Caesar's Legion is a must for military buffs and anyone interested in Roman history at a critical point in European civilization."
-T. R. Fehrenbach author of This Kind of War, Lone Star, and Comanches

Customer Reviews:

History major.......2007-03-28

I am currently finishing his last book, and find that all of his books have a very professional polish. They cover all the small details that enhance the reading and provide and in depth apprecitation of the subject with out being verbose or cumbersom. Read and enjoy thes books do not require a latin dictionary to get through the text.

Porcia swallows red hot coals... ouch!.......2007-02-21

The 6th legion, the FERRATA, was called the 'iron clad'. They fought for Pompey, were captured by Caesar and then turned into his weapon of mass destruction. The 6th were barracaded in Alexandria, fought on the edge of the Nile, fought in Spain, fought in Turkey and served 20 years in the Roman legions before ever laying eyes on the city of Rome. But what a homecoming! Three triumphs in a row. Unheard of, absolutely unheard of.

Stephan Dando-Collins is on a roll. This is the third book of his that I have read and it was the best one. As a non-historian, all I can do is buy and read books that explain more and more at my level. Dando-Collins does not write novels, but they aren'y exactly history books either. They are history told as a story. As the members of the VI Legion might see themselves, certainly. But also as sort of a newspaper account and chronology of an army unit that rises from the dead of 2000 years ago so we can know its' incredible story. And the story in the book is simply astounding. Dando-Collins sucks you into the world of ancient Rome in a chronology as might have been experienced by the very men who lived it. I admit to only having one college degree and a smattering of ancient history. But I am trying to teach myself this subject matter previously avoided because it might have been too dry. Was I ever wrong. Read RUBICON by Tom Holland, and then read this book. Together they will light your way into the Roman past.

Caesar for the regular guy.......2007-02-05

This book was my first foray into ancient history so I can't say whether or not all the info is fact as one reviewer seems to question but I recommend it for anyone just starting to learn about this period. It is a non-imposing 250 pages and comes with both an index explaining the ranks of Roman soldiers and their modern day equivalents as well as a very helpful glossary containing definitions to all the old terms that novices like myself don't know. I picked this up after watching the History Channel to learn the story behind the Caesar-Cleopatra-Marc Anthony intrigue and am happy I did so. If you're an academic this might not be for you. But if you're just getting your feet wet check it out it will help you decide if you really want to read more or are content watching the History Channel.

Caesar's Formidable VI Ironsides.......2006-10-04

With this third text about Roman legions, Dando-Collins (D-C) has again produced a very good military history. His "Cleopatra's Kidnappers" (2006) is a riveting rendering of the legio VI Ferrata.

D-C begins his story with the 48 BC Battle of Farsala (Greece) where an outnumber Caesar defeats Pompey in his bid to take over the Roman Empire. Cornering the tough Legio VI veterans, as Pompey's other legions retreat mostly into death, Caesar offers a deal to these fearless Spaniards. Half agree and half withdraw with the Pompeians. Caesar's VI becomes his best troops through campaigns in Egypt, Greece and Spain. By the end, the VI appropriately earned its immortal name "Ferrata" ("Ironsides") marching into victory, wealth, and glory!

This book is an interesting read for students of Roman military history. D-C refernces several credible ancient sources (Caesar, Appian, Plutarch, Tacitus, Suetonius, Polybus, Cassius Dio, Josephus, Cicero, Pliny the Younger, Seneca, Livy, and Arrian). When necessary he fills in history's gaps with well-reasoned guesses. It is unfortunate that D-C doesn't offer footnotes. A brief 8-page sources appendix is presented.

D-C's novelistic style made "Cleopatra's Kidnappers" a quick read. I read the 286 (hardback) pages leisurely in a few days. The author does his best work while describing battle (i.e. pages 140-44 for a spectacular portrayal of the Battle of the Nile, and pages 163-65 the exciting Battle of Zela). The book witnesses the mighty VI's power in warfare even at half its original size (Caesar never commanded more than 900 legionaires in the VI). The Ferrata was small but formidable.

Curiously, there are only three Mediterranean and city maps (D-C's first two legion books proffer pages and pages informative battle maps). Also, it would have been helpful to hear more of the VI's pre-Caesarian history(a deficiency that allows the book to earn only four stars).

This book is recommendable. It is hopeful that D-C will continue to march, for us, with Rome's legions.

Not historical, unless the 'Gladiator' film is historical........2006-05-28

All three of the "Legion Histories" by this author have left this reader severely disappointed, for lack of scholarship, lack of facts and pure ignoring anything that the author doesn't like, no matter how well it is proven epigraphically, archaeologically or by historians who were much closer to the time.
It is as if someone had a house plan, and the wood, bricks, nails, and a firm foundation, then they ripped up the foundation, build a castle on sand made from a few pretty bricks, and all the rest of the spaces filled with finely spun cotton candy, just because it looks pretty and would sell. Fine, but like a cotton candy house, the "history" of the Sixth Legion just won't hold water. It is historical fantasy, and unfortunately many uncritical or unknowing readers take these books for fact and start quoting them as they write their own novels or try to do serious research.

If you want scholarship, try a scholarly work! These sad attempts don't have footnotes or endnotes, and well they shouldn't, since they would not stand up to checking the sources!
If you want to know more about Roman military history, leave these books on the shelf and pick up a book by a scholar, such as Adrian Goldsworthy, Lawrence Keppie, Graham Webster, Yann le Bohec, Pat Southern, Peter Connolly, or even Osprey books by Michael Simkins, or Nick Secunda.

For better military fiction, find books by Simon Scarrow, or even the older classics by Damion Hunter.

This book makes a great gift for someone who loves "Gladiator" and "HBO's Rome", and believes that they are serious historical references. Otherwise, if you are doing serious research, look elsewhere.

History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)

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Check and see
Suprise! Suprise!
Prescient St Augustine?
Something of a disappointment
Romulus courts Helen, Paris founds Rome, Moses goes to Troy..

History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)
Anatoly T Fomenko
Manufacturer: Delamere Resources LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
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ASIN: 2913621066

Product Description

`History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2` is the second volume of the most explosive and astounding tractate on history ever written - however, every theory it contains, no matter how unorthodox, is backed by rock solid scientific data. The book is easy and pleasant to read; it is well-illustrated, contains hundreds of charts, graphs and illustrations, copies of ancient manuscripts, and countless facts attesting to the falsity of the chronology used nowadays. You will be amazed to discover: - That the chronology universally accepted today and taken for granted is simply wrong; - That ALL methods of dating of ancient sources and artefacts known today are erroneous or non-exact; - That there is not a single document that could be reliably dated earlier than the XIth century; The Author refers to the Middle Ages as the Antiquity and proves mutual superimposition of the Second and the Third Roman Empire, both of which become identified as the respective kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Furthermore, he asserts that the famous reform of the Occidental Church in the XI century by Pope Gregory Hildebrand was the reflection of the XII century reforms of Byzantine emperor Andronicus who in his turn identifies with Jesus Christ. The Trojan war counted by Homer happened only as late as of the XIII century A.D. and the great poet actually lived in XIV century A.D. No stone in history of Antiquity is left unturned. Literally. This book is the beginning of a major correction to the chronology we live with.

Customer Reviews:

Check and see.......2007-06-21

I don't care what other people say of this book. Those affirmig it's fake, they hadn't ever read it. Or have some special reasons to do so. "Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see..." This book won't make you feel comfortable. It'll make you feel free. It'll make you feel you're "not the only one" to feel you'd been lied to for centuries.

Suprise! Suprise!.......2007-03-22

Here is a serie of books which turns "the whole world" upside down. I learned a lot of it and I hope that a new book from A.T. Fomenko will follow very quick. A absolute must for everybody who is interested in history or even a little bit from it.

Prescient St Augustine?.......2006-02-05

We can so far divide the New Chronology into the following three parts:

a) The verifiable theory that proves consensual chronology wrong with the aid of astronomy, statistics and mathematics;

b) The new chronology hypothesis based on a new understanding of known historical facts and the most likely logical explanation of the most obvious inconsistencies inherent in the official version of history;

c) The history conjectures, that is experimental historical reconstructions based on assumptions that the authors believe to make sense in the light of their research and linguistic parallels - void of ironclad factual support to date.

Fomenko's theory complies with the most rigid scientific standards as a whole:

It gives a coherent explanation of what we already know.

- It is consistent: independent lines of inquiry all lead to the same conclusion.

- The predictions it makes are confirmed empirically.

Fomenko goes by the following axioms:

- Chronology is the basis of history;

- Human evolution has always been linear, gradual and irreversible;

- The "cyclic" nature of human civilization is a myth, likewise all the gaps, duplicates, "dark ages" and "renaissances" that we know from consensual history;

- The accumulation of geographical knowledge as reflected in cartography is a gradual and irreversible process;

- The chronological distance between a given manuscript and the events described therein is proportional to the amount of distortions it contains;

- There is no "useless" information in authentic ancient sources.

Why the mainstream historians do not shower mathematician Academician Dr.Prof Fomenko with thanks and laurels?

The Russians:

Because Fomenko asserts that there was no such thing as the Tartar and Mongol invasion followed by three centuries of slavery, providing a formidable body of documental evidence to prove his assertion. The so-called "Tartars and Mongols" were the actual ancestors of the modern Russians, living in a bilingual state with Arabic spoken as freely as Russian. The ancient Russian state was governed by a double structure of civil and military authorities. The hordes were actually professional armies with a tradition of lifelong conscription (the recruitment being the so-called "blood tax"). Their "invasions" were punitive operations against the regions that attempted tax evasion. Fomenko proves that Russian history as we know it today is a blatant forgery concocted by a host of German scientists brought to Russia by the usurper dynasty of the Romanovs, whose ascension to the throne was the result of coup d'état, charged with the mission of making their reign look legitimate. Fomenko proves Ivan the Terrible to be a collation of four rulers, no less. They represented the two rival dynasties - the legitimate rulers and the ambitious upstarts. The winner took it all! Over some 30 years of controversy, Russian historians have made a most remarkable transition - they were initially accusing the young mathematician Fomenko of anticommunist dissident activity and attempts to deface the historical legacy of Soviet Russia; nowadays the middle-aged mathematician is accused of adhering to "pro-communist Russian nationalism" and defacing the proud historical legacy of Great Russia.

The Westerners:

Because Fomenko blows consensual Russian history to smithereens, successfully removing a crucial cornerstone from underneath the otherwise impeccable edifice of World History. Fomenko adds insult to injury, wiping out one by one the Ancient Rome (the foundation of Rome in Italy is dated to the XIV century A. D.), the Ancient Greece and its numerous poleis, which he identifies as the mediaeval crusader settlements on the territory of Greece, and the Ancient Egypt (the pyramids of Giza become dated to the XI-XV century A. D. and identified as the royal cemetery of the Global "Mongolian" Empire, no less). The civilization of the Ancient Egypt is irrefutably dated to the XII-XV century A. D. with the aid of the ancient Egyptian horoscopes cut in stone. He was the first one to decipher and date all such horoscopes, coming up with mediaeval dates in every case. English historians rage at the suggestion that the history of Ancient England was de facto a Byzantine import transplanted to the English soil by the fugitive Byzantine nobility. To reward the English historians who consider themselves the true scribes of World History, the cover of the present book portrays Tintoretto's Jesus Christ crucified on the Big Ben.

The Chinese:

Because Fomenko wipes out the Ancient History of China outright. No such thing. Full point. The compilation of the so-called Ancient Chinese History is reliably datable to the XVII-XVIII century only. It is perfectly recognizable as the Ancient European history, reworked and transcribed in hieroglyphs as yet another historical transplantation, this time performed on the Chinese soil by the loving Jesuit hands. The Chinese are the next in line to go berserk. Chinese history is inevitably bound to get both more ancient and more eventful, proportionally to the growing involvement of China in the world affairs. Chinese historians will keep on finding valid proof of prehistoric Chinese spaceflights until the Politburo orders them to shut up.

The Arabs:

Too bad. Islam with all its key figures is datable to XV-XVI century A. D. Arabic historians may find consolation in the crucial historical role of the Ottoman Empire in the XVI-XVII century. The trouble is that this empire was initially a Christian state, with Hagia Sophia identifiable as Temple of Solomon, according to Fomenko! We can only guess if the acquisition of Alexander the Great (a Macedonian and a Christian) as the founder of the Muslim World Empire will make Fomenko's theories more acceptable to the Arabic mainstream. He certainly does not spare any holy cows at all, claiming The Stone of Qa'Aba in Mecca to contain the lost Arch of the Covenant.

The Divinity:

Despite of reiterated statement that his theory is all about chronology and not Religion, Fomenko stirs up a whole condominium of wasp nests. His collection of anathemas, fatwa, and other condemnations from all parties concerned is already considerable. Little wonder, considering that the history of religions à la Fomenko looks as follows: the pre-Christian period (before the XI century and JC), Bacchic Christianity (XI-XII century, before and after JC), JC Christianity (XII-XVI century) and its subsequent mutations into Orthodox Christianity, the Catholicism, Islam, Buddhism, and so on.

According to Fomenko we know strictly NOTHING about the events that predate the X century A. D.

St Augustin was prescient when he spoke unto us: "be wary of mathematicians, particularly when they speak the truth."

Something of a disappointment.......2005-09-09

After having read the first volume of this expected series of 7 volumes I was triggered by the thesis of these authors that ancient Greek and Roman history did in fact take place in the Middle Ages. So I started studying medieval history of the Middle East - also known as Islamic history - to find out if the opponents of the ancient Greeks and Romans - the Acheamenid Persians, Sassanids, Scythians, Egyptians, etc. - also have their duplicates in medieval history. My search was disappointing: none of the many medieval Islamic dynasties seemed to correspond to the ancient middle eastern rulers.

However, I did find a close correspondence between Herodotus' Persian kings and medieval events:

- the defeat and capture of an Anatolian king - the Lydian Croesus - by the Persian conqueror Cyrus is identical to the defeat and capture of another Anatolian king - sultan Bayezid - by the Asian/Mongol conqueror Tamerlane;
- the Persian conquest of Egypt by the cruel tyrant Cambyses reds almost exactly as the Ottoman conquest of Egypt by Selim the Grim (note the nickname!);
- Darius the Lawgiver of the Persian Empire looks very much alike to Sulayman the Magnificent, the Lawgiver in Islamic history;
- Xerxes, whose main claim to fame is to be defeated by the Greeks at the naval battle of Salamis, looks like Selim II (the Sot) whose main claim to fame is to be defeated by a Spanish-Italian alliance at the naval battle of Lepanto.

I should have expected Fomenko et al. to arrive at similar conclusions, however, they claim that the Persian kings are the alter egos of the Angevin kings of Sicily whose biographies do not contain the exploits of the Persian kings.

The similiarities I indicate lead to the conclusion that Herodotus must have written his Histories at the close of the 16th century. But this is extremely late, given that Herodotus is "the Father of History", so therefore all other "ancient" histories must have been fabricated even later. Yet, the founders of modern chronology - Scaliger and Petavius - laid their foundations also at the close of the 16th century and had the full corpus of ancient histories already at their disposal.

It seems to me that Fomenko has to address these inconsistencies, maybe in the forthcoming 5 volumes?

Another critique of their book is that the correspondencies between different rulers are often based on a superficial comparison of the biographies; upon a more thorough comparison many details appear that do not correspond at all.

Finally, the authors rely heavily on the works of Gregorovius (1821-1891!!) - his medieval histories of Rome and Athens - as the source of medieval history; these works are - at least in the West - hoplessly outdated and have been superceded by more up-to-date works (for instance, Julius Norwich's trilogy on Byzantine history is not even cited).

Romulus courts Helen, Paris founds Rome, Moses goes to Troy.........2005-07-30

If you agree with Fomenko that Roman chronology is basically the foundation of the entire edifice of global chronology; you would also certainly agree that despite its numerous gaps and inconsistencies, Roman history is the best-documented field of ancient history, and thus a reference scale. But how well is the actual date of the Eternal City's foundation known?

Firstly, Rome is supposed to have been founded by the Trojans who had to flee after the fall of Troy. Some claim Rome to have been founded by Aeneas and Ulysses shortly after Troy had fallen; others are of the opinion that there was an entire dynasty that ruled for 500 years between the fall of Troy and the foundation of Rome.

Well, that's just an innocent 500 years long misunderstanding compared with what heretic Fomenko says, asserts, proves in his second volume: Second Roman Empire, Third Roman Empire, Biblical Kingdom of Israel, Biblical Kingdom of Judah, Holy Roman Empire are stories about basically same events, written from different points of view at different times. The underlying events have actually taken place during xii-xv cy. These histories have been written and perfected by multitude of highly talented humanist and clerical writers of xiii-xvi cy disguised as "ancients" with glorious names like Homer, Pluto, Thucydides etc..Chronology 2.0 beta..

Historians are kindly invited to report the bugs.

Average customer rating:

The Life, and the After-Life Influence
A very different book on Cleo..

Cleopatra and Rome
Diana E. E. Kleiner
Manufacturer: Belknap Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0674019059

Book Description

With the full panorama of her life forever lost, Cleopatra touches us in a series of sensational images: floating through a perfumed mist down the Nile; dressed as Venus for a tryst at Tarsus; unfurled from a roll of linens before Caesar; couchant, the deadly asp clasped to her breast. Through such images, each immortalizing the Egyptian queen's encounters with legendary Romans--Julius Caesar, Mark Antony, and Octavian Augustus--we might also chart her rendezvous with the destiny of Rome. So Diana Kleiner shows us in this provocative book, which opens an entirely new perspective on one of the most intriguing women who ever lived. Cleopatra and Rome reveals how these iconic episodes, absorbed into a larger historical and political narrative, document a momentous cultural shift from the Hellenistic world to the Roman Empire. In this story, Cleopatra's death was not an end but a beginning--a starting point for a wide variety of appropriations by Augustus and his contemporaries that established a paradigm for cultural conversion.

In this beautifully illustrated book, we experience the synthesis of Cleopatra's and Rome's defining moments through surviving works of art and other remnants of what was once an opulent material culture: religious and official architecture, cult statuary, honorary portraiture, villa paintings, tombstones, and coinage, but also the theatrical display of clothing, perfume, and hair styled to perfection for such ephemeral occasions as triumphal processions or barge cruises. It is this visual culture that best chronicles Cleopatra's legend and suggests her subtle but indelible mark on the art of imperial Rome at the critical moment of its inception.

Customer Reviews:

The Life, and the After-Life Influence.......2006-03-13

If you can name one famous woman of the ancient world, it is likely the name will be Cleopatra. "That Cleopatra was the most powerful woman in the ancient world's first century B.C. cannot be contested," writes Diana E. E. Kleiner in _Cleopatra and Rome_ (The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press). Her power was not only political, but as everyone knows, sexual. She also had an enormous intellectual grasp, and she had a flair for style and self-promotion in art, architecture, and fashion that was to be influential to the Rome that had ostensibly conquered Egypt. The influence continued long after her dramatic death and even into our own times. Kleiner is qualified to tackle the Cleopatra story, since she is a professor of art history and classics at Yale. The first half of this erudite but amusing volume is a biography of the queen; the second half chronicles her surprisingly strong postmortem power.

Cleopatra has a reputation as a vamp, but Kleiner says there is no evidence she had affairs with anyone except Caesar, and after his death, Antony. In both cases, the men were smitten by her knowledge, and in Caesar's case, he was inspired by her building projects to make some of his own. Also in both cases, Cleopatra was performing a balancing act to protect the independence of her own nation while supporting the superpower of Rome. Antony's affair with her infuriated Rome, or at least Augustus in Rome was able to manufacture public infuriation, and went to war with Antony and Cleopatra. During the invasion Cleopatra killed herself by means of the famous asp. She probably did so to avoid being a captive in Augustus's Rome. Antony also killed himself, one story saying that he did so upon hearing of Cleopatra's suicide. "Cleopatra's death by asp, reenacted in Augustus's triumph in Rome, was instrumental in elevating her to superstar status," writes Kleiner. Augustus was never Cleopatra's lover, but he was smitten by her. Like Caesar before him, he took up urban renewal, changing the city from one of brick to one of marble. It became fashionable for the moneyed set to commission buildings and paintings in the Egyptian style. One of the most surprising battles which Cleopatra posthumously fought was that of hairstyles. She herself had a style known as the "melon", with waved sections looking more-or-less like the outside of a melon. She often wore over her forehead the _uraeus_, the rearing cobra. From this developed the classical Roman style for women, the _nodus_, a roll of hair over the forehead in pompadour-style. The hairstyle, seen repeatedly in sculptures and paintings of the time, was championed by Octavia, the older sister of Augustus and the wife Antony had abandoned for Cleopatra. Kleiner tells the story of the women and their joint efforts with their hairdressers in a chapter wittily titled "Princesses and Power Hair."

Augustus included Cleopatra in monuments, and allowed himself in depictions in such monuments to be robed in the outfits of the Pharaohs. He was merely taking up Cleopatra's image because of its inherent power. Kleiner calls upon statues, friezes, coins, temples, embossed tableware and more to show how the power game was played in the arts of the time. As befits an art historian's book on such a subject, _Cleopatra and Rome_ is beautifully illustrated with ancient art from the times, as well as interpretations of the events in Cleopatra's life by later artists, and even an obligatory still starring Elizabeth Taylor.

A very different book on Cleo.........2005-12-25

If your looking for a book that examines the precarious relationship between Cleopatra VII and her eternal enemies in Rome; well then, this is the book for you.

Kleiner breaks down Cleo's influnce over Roman art and archiecture after her defeat and ultimate suicide in 30BC. She also presents facinating evidence of Augustus use of Cleopatra's cultural image for the images of himself and his wife, daughter, and sister. This is the first book I know of that finds an implicit connection between Octavian, Cleopatra, Antony, Octavia, and Livia.

It is well researched and well written, and perfect for a student of the Classics or Art history.

Cleopatra VII: Daughter of the Nile, Egypt, 57 B.C. (The Royal Diaries)

Average customer rating:

A Leap Into History...
To be continued?
Exciting Book!
Cleopatra VII... =a GREAT book!!!
Daughter of the Nile, Egypt, 57 B.C.

Cleopatra VII: Daughter of the Nile, Egypt, 57 B.C. (The Royal Diaries)
Kristiana Gregory
Manufacturer: Scholastic Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0590819755

Amazon.com

The year is 57 B.C., and 12-year-old Cleopatra, Princess of the Nile, has a lot on her mind. Her father, the Pharaoh of Egypt, nearly died when a venomous adder meant for him attacked and killed his favorite servant. Now the Pharaoh has gone into hiding, hunted by his enemies, and the young princess has to keep her head--literally--as her power-hungry older sister Tryphaena threatens to grab her father's throne.

"I took the cup and raised it toward Tryphaena as if toasting her, but really I was watching the liquid, looking for oil floating on its surface, or powder sticking to the sides of the cup. If I suspected poison and tossed it into the pool, she would have her guards behead me on the spot. If it was indeed poison, one sip and I could die..."

In an elegantly written royal diary, Cleopatra VII has recorded every rich detail from this tumultuous time: her hairsbreadth escape by boat to Rome, where she and her father must plead for help; her struggle to absorb the overwhelming sights (and smells) of this new city and its "barbarian" ways; and her poise and quick thinking as she deals with the likes of General Pompey, Marc Antony, and the famous orator Cicero ("words fly from him like darts!").

Kristiana Gregory, a contributor to the excellent Dear America series, has done an admirable job ghostwriting for the princess, painting an engaging portrait of a resourceful, intelligent, compassionate young woman forged by the forces of her time. The book concludes with a helpful section of maps, portraits, a Pharaonic family tree, and 20 pages of illustrations. (Ages 8 to 12) --Paul Hughes

Book Description

Established Dear America author Kristiana Gregory kicks off the Royal Diaries with the captivating story of young Cleopatra's tumultuous life. Daughter of King Ptolemy Autletes, Pharaoh of Egypt, Cleopatra lives a life filled with opulence and mystery.

Customer Reviews:

A Leap Into History..........2007-08-04

From start to finish this book is a real joy! Delve into the thoughts of Cleopatra VII in this historically accurate account of her early teenage years. A good book for children and adults alike, you can watch your child become fascinated with the goings-on and intrigues of an age that is not written about enough. The Cleopatra we meet in the story is easy to sympathize with and relate to, as well as a character to admire. The book also paints a detailed picture of the setting and age and what it was like to be a princess in ancient Egypt.

I have read most of the Royal Diaries books aloud to my daughters (7, 9, 11), which always succeed to help enamour them with history. However, of the ones I have read, I find Cleopatra VII: Daughter of the Nile, Egypt, 57 B.C. to be all of our's favorite.

Also, my children love the wonderful style of all the books: the hardbacks are a lovely gold, with a detailed color representation of the princess and gold-tipped pages. They make my children feel like royalty themselves!

Educational and entertaining, this is a wonderful choice for a gift or for your own enjoyment.

To be continued?.......2007-06-27

This is a charming, small book concerning a very short period of Cleopatra's life. It generally concords with what is known of Cleopatra. I am disappointed that it was not larger in scope.

Exciting Book!.......2007-04-30

This is a great book! (Much better than Elizabeth) It is like listening to a real person. This is my favorite book in the royal diary series that I have read so far. It is packed with action, adventure, emotion, sadness, happiness, and much more! I just finished reading this about an hour ago. It is wonderful. I really recommend it!

Cleopatra VII... =a GREAT book!!!.......2007-03-26

Cleopatra... is an awesome book about Cleopatra VII when she was 12-14 years old. The story begins when her father, King Ptolemy Alutes, begins losing support among the commoners. He leaves on a ship to go to the Romans for help, and Cleopatra figures that two Ptolmies are better than one, so Cleopatra sneaks aboard to caome. Her father knows no Latin, so she finds it hard to figure out how he will speak to Ceasar, so she ends up doing all the talking after Pompey and his men decide to get smart and insult them in Latin so (he thinks) they won't know what he's saying. Cleopatra has two sisters, Berenice, who is eight years older and very nice, and Tryphaena, who is as "mean and snappish as a crocodile." Whilist Cleopatra and her father are in Rome, Tryphaena takes over the throne and sends them a message that if they ever set foot in Egypt again, they will be beheaded. One night, the King's friends kill Tryphaena in the middle of the night, and afterwards are killed with flying swords be Berenice's guards. Then Berenice takes over. Meanwhile, Cleopatra and her father have finally won the Romans over, and when they return, the King orders Berenice to be put to death for pretending to be Queen. The epilouge is sad, but you can't change history. Overall one of the best books I have ever read, and if you're smart, you'll read it too.

Daughter of the Nile, Egypt, 57 B.C........2007-03-19

-"I could feel my insides shaking. Would this sister try to poison me? Yes, I believe so. As for my other older sister, Berenice-never! She and I adore each other even though I am eight years younger. I took the cup and raised it toward Tryphaena as if toasting her, but really I was watching the liquid, looking for oil floating on the surface, or powder sticking to the sides of the cup. If I suspected poison and tossed it into the pool, she would have her guards behead me on the spot. If it was indeed poison, one sip and I could die... My eyes closed as I took the first sip, as if savoring such and excellent taste, but really my thought was, O Isis, I am afraid... My stomach turned with nervousness, or was it from a fearsome death beginning in me?" Cleopatra was the third daughter of Ptolemy XII and Cleopatra V Tryphaena. Cleopatra's mother died when Cleopatra was very young. When Cleopatra's father is awoken by a hissing sound in his room, he is frightened to see a black adder in the striking position, while his favorite slave jumps on the adder to save the pharaoh, his slave is bitten and killed, then the snake got away. The next day, one of his slaves brings him his food and the Pharaoh orders him to test it, and after his slave takes the first sip of wine he is writhing on the floor in pain. The Pharaoh decides to go into hiding so his guards can find the assassin and kill him. While the king is gone, Tryphaena, the Pharaohs oldest daughter, decided that she was going to be Pharaoh. While Cleopatra's father is gone, Cleopatra suspects her oldest sister for the assassination attempts. Then one night Tryphaena is drug out to the theater, and beheaded on the spot, the same fait was to her guards. The Pharaoh comes back to the palace and announced that he was going to go to Rome to get help to gain control over his people once and for all. When Cleopatra hears the news she decides to go with him so she can translate the Roman language into Egyptian. When they finally arrive in Rome, the royal family soon finds out that the Roman troops are in the northern part of the hemisphere and can't come back for about a half a year. When they finally come back to Rome, there is a huge hurricane out in the ocean, so Cleopatra and her father cannot make the journey home until the sea subsides. It isn't till two years later that Cleopatra and her father can return home. All the while, Berenice has taken the throne and has married six times, each one of her husbands hanged for not meeting her standards. I liked this book, because it had a very unusual story line and many "father killing daughter" scenes.
-One reason I liked this book because it has many funny parts in it, even when Cleopatra may not mean for it to be funny. For example, "I enjoy my father when his high spirits are from good news, not good wine." Another example, "I did not want to wipe off my fingers on the soiled tablecloth or in me hair (like two of the senators were doing)."
-Another reason I liked this book is because of all of the deaths that the family ordered on one another. An example is this, "For three days, there has been much celebrating. Tryphaena is dead... After we left Alexandria, his friends sneaked into the palace while Tryphaena slept, then killed her guards. Awakened by the commotion, she sat up in bed and screamed for help while putting on her slippers (an odd thing to do, in my opinion.) But men tied up her arms and carried her through the dark streets to the Gymnasion, where some of our wrestlers were waiting. One of them stood behind her, grabbed her around the neck, and then with his strong arms lifted her up until she had strangled. A slipper that had fallen from her foot was delivered to Father as proof."
-I liked this book because of all the letters that were written, you can tell who they are and what they are writing about. One example is "Olympus, friend, loyal companion, and student of medicine in Alexandria, to Princess Cleopatra in Rome, friend much missed: Good news, come home."
-I enjoyed reading this book because Cleopatra could understand different languages and a general didn't know that and insulted the Pharaoh while she was there. "As our meal began, Pompey walked over to our table, smiling broadly. When Father stood to greet him, Pompey clasped both his arms and began speaking rapidly in Latin. Father didn't understand one word, but I surely did. `King Auletes,' the general said, `so we finally meet, you gorilla face. Indeed you are a half-baked, a decrepit drunk with a nose like a plum. Did out trumpets wake you from your nap, you lazy dullard?' Dropping Fathers arms, he turned to where I reclined. `Ah, little child,' He smiled. Slowly I stood up and looked around me. The soldiers were grinning with pleasure at their leader's clever trick. I thought in my heart that I must be brave and strong, like Queen Ester and the Queen of Sheba who in their day spoke before the most powerful men on earth. `Sir,' I began in Latin, `I am Cleopatra, Princess of the Nile, third daughter of the King and Pharaoh of Egypt, the man you have so cruelly insulted.' At first, I was so nervous my voice trembled. The Latin words felt awkward on my tongue, but soon I was speaking with confidence, quite well, it seems, because the look on Pompey's face was one of shock. His soldiers' smiles dropped like dead flies. I began to relax." I really enjoyed this book and I think that many others will enjoy it as well.
D. Foster

Cleopatra of Egypt: From History to Myth.

Average customer rating:

Excellent primary resource on Cleopatra VII
Cleopatra Comes To Life Again, After 2000 Years
Great resource for Cleopatra

Cleopatra of Egypt: From History to Myth.

Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Egypt in the Age of Cleopatra: History and Society Under the Ptolemies
Cleopatra: The Life and Loves of the World's Most Powerful Woman (Historical Figures series)
Discoveries: Cleopatra (Discoveries (Abrams))
Cleopatra - A Biography
Cleopatra (Life & Times)

ASIN: 0691088357

Book Description

Fabled for her sexual allure and cunning intelligence, Cleopatra VII of Egypt has fascinated generations of admirers and detractors since her tumultuous life ended in suicide in 30 B.C. The last of the Ptolemaic monarchs who had ruled Egypt for three centuries, Cleopatra created her own mythology. She became an icon in her own lifetime and a legend after her death.

This lavishly illustrated catalogue coincides with a major international exhibition celebrating images of Cleopatra. It explores how she was depicted during her own era, in works ranging from coins to life-size sculpture. Exciting new discoveries are featured--including seven Egyptian-style statues believed to represent Cleopatra, and two portraits probably commissioned while she was living in Rome with Julius Caesar. The book also examines interpretations of Cleopatra from the Renaissance to modern times, as seen in paintings, ceramics, jewelry, plays, operas, and film. In addition, recent archaeological finds from Alexandria (Cleopatra's capital) and from Rome illustrate aspects of life in Cleopatra's day.

EXHIBITION SCHEDULE:

Palazzo Ruspoli, Rome
October 12, 2000-February 25, 2001

The British Museum, London
April 12-August 28, 2001

The Field Museum, Chicago
October 20, 2001-March 2, 2002

Customer Reviews:

Excellent primary resource on Cleopatra VII.......2007-05-07

This is THE book that try to find the real Cleopatra VII. It has tons of photographs on historical artificts, either they were real portraits of her, image inspired from her, or artificts long mis-identified the image as her, or the artificts from her time, this book carries the invaluable information that is hard to find them anywhere else. And this book carries scholars essays that analyse and discuss all the aspects about this famous pharaoh. Great refernece book for anyone who wants to find historical, non-fictional information about her.

Cleopatra Comes To Life Again, After 2000 Years.......2005-10-12

This book, I would say, is the best book I have read, (and that's a lot) on the Ptolemaic Period and Egypt's last and fateful Macedonian Queen, who died for her ambition, and desire to restore her country as major power. She was brave enough to challenge the enslaving and powerful force of Rome, and dreamed of an independant Egyptian Empire. But her attempt to achieve her goal cost her her life, and her country.
After her death, the Romans destroyed most representations of her. They overlooked, however, the many exquisite Egyptian-style statues of the queen, however, and instead destroyed what would have been the many classical depictions of her, which are lost to the Romans wrath. But fortunately, the Egyptian art survived the centuries, and with these gorgeous and mysterious representations of the living goddess herself, Susan Walker, with the help of the British Museum, has pieced together an accurate and enthralling portrait of her eventful life.
The sections, on subjects such as Alexandria, The Ptolemies, and Cleopatra and Rome, this book contains dozens of well-written and powerful essays on the monarch's life and relationship, and also Egypt at the time. Lavishly illustrated with hundreds of full color images of Egyptian style artwork depicting the queen, and also many statues of the people that influenced her life such as her lovers Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, and her nemesis, the enigma Octavian, later to be Augustus, the first emperor of Rome.
I recommend very strongly this book to anyone at all interested in Egyptian, Greek, or Roman history, and art. An unearthly account of the last years of Egyptian power.

Great resource for Cleopatra.......2002-10-19

If pressed, I'd almost say that this is the single best book on Cleopatra. Granted, there are critical biographies, historical accounts, and all sorts of other sources, but this massive book is unique in that it shows nearly every sculpture, coin, or papyrus that can be tied directly to Egypt's last independent ruler. Its fascinating to finally see how Cleopatra presented herself to her subjects -- in traditional Egyptian style for the local population, in Greek style to the Greco-Roman world at large. It's also sobering to see how little remains of her reign. The Romans went after her Greek-style statues, but since they didn't understand Egyptian art, many works of art in that style survive. Besides the impressive visuals, the book includes important essays on many different parts of Cleopatra's reign, life in Alexandria, and the legends that have swirled around Cleopatra after her death. A good comprehensive look at this famous queen, scholarly and readable. But boy, those visuals...!

Average customer rating:

Funny History
One of the more amusing early works.
Magic Potion...
Truly a nose - I mean story - of legendary proportions!!!
Oh, That Nose!

Asterix and Cleopatra (Asterix)
Rene Goscinny
Manufacturer: Orion
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0752866079

Book Description

To impress Julius Caesar, Queen Cleopatra promises to build the Roman Emperor a magnificent palace in just three months. Of course, Asterix has to get involved. By the time his feisty group from Gaul have finished, they’ve outwitted the Roman army, too.

Customer Reviews:

Funny History.......2007-05-13

I love the quotations and implied humor.

This is definitely a great series.

One of the more amusing early works........2007-02-28

Rene Goscinny, Asterix and Cleopatra (Orion, 1969)

Cleopatra makes a bet with Caesar that she can build him a monument in "decadent" Egypt within thirty days, and then realizes she doesn't have the manpower to do it. So, of course, it's our indomitable Gauls to the rescue. It's amazing how many twists and subplots Goscinny could smash into forty-eight pages, and this is one of the books in the series that showcases the surprising complexity the series could achieve. Good stuff. ***

Magic Potion..........2007-02-28

Queen Cleopatra has been challenged by Julius Caesar. Queen Cleopatra challenges Edifis. They've got three months to build Julius an Egyptian estate. Edifis sails to Gaul to get his friend Getafix. Getafix's got a magic potion. May help speed up things...

"Asterix and Cleopatra" is Asterix #6. Special sort of one, I thought. Fun, colourful and kind of exotic. Feels like a holiday for Asterix and Obelix. Saw the "Asterix and Obelix: Mission Cleopatra" film. Sort of coloured it for me, re-reading the comic. Saw a bit more of the French-ness in it. Funny.

Truly a nose - I mean story - of legendary proportions!!!.......2006-02-24

This is by far my favorite of all the Asterix and Obelix stories. Goscinny is truly in his prime here. It's all there: the frustrated, abused bard, the shipwrecked pirates and of course, the nose of Cleopatra (a nose whose beauty is unsurpassed). As an added bonus, we finally get to see how the Sphinx lost its nose (and where it was rather conspicuously buried). Just for that, this thing is worth it!

Oh, That Nose!.......2005-09-28

In this Egyptian adventure, Asterix travels to Egypt to help a hapless architect design and complete a massive palace that Cleopatra is building for Caesar. Of course, it is part of a bet, and the Romans want to stop it, as well as a rival architect with his own plans and goals.

If you have ever wondered why the Sphinx has no nose, this is a must read. It is a fantastic story and one that remains as a favourite.

One nice touch was the Egyptians speaking in hieroglyphics, which make for entertainment. I was interested in this small detail, among the usual laughs that Asterix and friends provide.

Any fan of Asterix would love this story, and I recommend it without reservation.

Average customer rating:

Great condition!
Learning the history you missed as a kid
A Child's (or Beginner's) Introduction to Cleopatra
brilliantly illustrated history
This is a fact filled, beautifully illustrated history.

Cleopatra
Peter Vennema
Manufacturer: HarperTrophy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0688154808
Release Date: 1997-09-22

Book Description

Queen of Egypt at the age of eighteen, Cleopatra's passion was to untie the world under Egyptian rule. Legendary leaders risked their kingdoms to win her heart, and her epic life has inspired countless tales throughout history. A timeless story of love, war, and ambition, their pictorial biography is sure to entertain and educate.

Customer Reviews:

Great condition!.......2007-07-26

The book arrived in a timely manner and was exactly as described. This title has great artwork.

Learning the history you missed as a kid.......2007-06-07

I have found that the best way to learn about many subjects is to pick up a children's book from the library. In a good children's book, the facts are clearly and engagingly laid out, often with wonderful illustrations. You finish the book knowing that you have learned something you didn't already know, and it was explained so simply and clearly that you are not going to forget what you've learned. Cleopatra by Diane Stanley is that kind of book. While it is written "simply", it does not talk down to the child or to an adult reading the book. It just says what happened in a memorable way. Books like these teach history the way it ought to be taught. Highly recommended.

A Child's (or Beginner's) Introduction to Cleopatra.......2006-06-26

This book isn't a history or academic work. In fact, it's a picture book designed for children ages 7 and up. However, that should not suggest that it's not worth a read even for adults as an introduction to the life and times of Cleopatra, Antony, and the fall of the Roman Republic. The author presents a detailed, fact-based account of the queen's life, including pertinent and amazingly helpful references and quotations from Plutarch's histories. No fictional flourishes were added to richen the story, and though sometimes opinion slips in in a description of a descision or event, the story is very unassuming and true to historical evidence and generally accepted fact.
So, as a short academic text, this book lays out the basics of her life (her marriage and civil war with her brother Ptolemy, wishes for an empire combinging East and West, affairs and marriages to Caesar and Antony, defeat at Actium and suicide in Alexandria,) in an inviting, exciting manner. But, in this case, its more important role is as a picture book, a role that it magnificently fills and excels in. Stanley's illustrations are beautiful and lavish, scenes of the beautiful queen and the people of her life set among breathtaking scenery such as the Alexandrian palace and harbor, the streets of Rome, and flowing sea. One particular favorite of mine is the illustration of Cleopatra's vessel as she approaches Antony's encampment at Tarsus, in which she sits reclining, dressed as Venus, in all of her splendor upon the magnificent boat and splendid sea.
For the fledgling historian (particularly a child interested in history) this book is a must. I recommend it to anyone wanting a springboard from which to learn about the wonderful, tragic, and tumultous life of the last Ptolemaic ruler of Egypt, and the fall of the Ptolemaic empire.

brilliantly illustrated history.......2005-04-21

Diane's Stanley's illustrations are masterful, incredibly detailed, and wonderfully expressive; every page (except for the two useful maps) is covered with either spreads that have been delicately painted to look like tile work, as can be seen on the marvelous cover, or has large and intricate paintings, with so much in its compositions that one can look at them repeatedly and find new things to admire.
Stanley's technique is superb, and her medium is gouache.

The history is fascinating and clearly written, and describes the times that Cleopatra lived in as well as what is known about her, which as Staley and Vennema point out, "Everything we know about Cleopatra was written by her enemies", and also, though we know what Julius Caesar, Mark Anthony and Octavian looked like, all we have of Cleopatra's image are crudely carved coins, as her statues were destroyed.
Though only 48 pages in length, each page has either information worth reading and learning (by both children and adults), or is graced by Stanley's beautiful work, making it weighty in content; as an artist and illustrator, I tip my hat to her creativity and skill.

This is a fact filled, beautifully illustrated history........1999-04-01

My son borrowed this book from the school library and loved it so much we're buying it.

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