Research Catalog

Title

The enemies of Rome : from Hannibal to Attila the Hun / Philip Matyszak.

Author

Matyszak, Philip

Publication

London : Thames & Hudson, 2004.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Description

296 p. : ill.; 24 cm.

Summary

"This book looks at the growth and eventual demise of Rome from the viewpoint of the people who fought against it. They varied from the highly cultivated Greeks and Egyptians, to wild and rebellious Britons and Germans, to the Asiatic empires of the Persians and Parthians. Their leaders were driven by ambition, vindictive hatred, fear, political calculation, or simply naked greed. Some fought to preserve their heritage and ancient way of life, some for personal survival, and others from a warrior's love of battle." "Defying the might of Rome was a dangerous business, and few of the men and women described in these pages died in their beds. Some, like Vercingetorix and Jugurtha, were captured, exhibited in triumph and then, while their conquerors sat down to a festive dinner, killed in the dungeons below. Rather than face such an end, some of Rome's greatest adversaries, including Hannibal, Boudicca and Cleopatra, killed themselves." "Here is the reality behind legends such as Spartacus the gladiator, and the stories of Shapur the conqueror, Viriathus the guerrilla leader and Mithridates the connoisseur of poisons. Some enemies of Rome were noble heroes, others were murdering villains, but each has a unique and fascinating story."--Jacket.

Subjects

• Geschichte
• History
• Rome > History
• Rome > Foreign relations
• Rome > Colonies
• Roman provinces

Genre/Form

History

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references (p. 286-288) and index.

Processing Action (note)

• committed to retain

Contents

Hannibal -- Philip V -- Viriathus -- Jugurtha -- Mithridates -- Spartacus -- Vercingetorix -- Orodes II -- Cleopatra -- Arminius -- Boudicca -- Josephus -- Decebalus -- Shapur I -- Zenobia -- Alaric -- Attila.

ISBN

• 050025124X
• 9780500251249

OCLC

• 59182181
• SCSB-12832240

Owning Institutions

Harvard Library