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Xerxes

A Persian Life
By Richard Stoneman
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Xerxes was the Great King of the Persian Empire from 486–465 B.C., historically remembered mainly for his failed expedition against Greece and the legendary stand of Leonidas and the 300 at Thermopylae. In this comprehensive biography, Richard Stoneman challenges the negative portrayals shaped by later Greek writers and Alexander the Great’s propaganda, using the latest archaeological research and Achaemenid studies to offer a Persian perspective. The book examines Xerxes' accomplishments, including the architectural grandeur of Persepolis and his religious commitments, providing a nuanced portrait of a ruler of a vast, multicultural empire often seen as the opposite of Greek values.
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Format: Hardback
$9599
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book is ideal for readers interested in ancient history, Persian studies, and biographies of influential historical figures, as well as those keen to explore perspectives beyond traditional Greek historiography.

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The first full-scale account of a Persian king vilified by history

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Xerxes: The first full-scale account of a Persian king vilified by history.

Xerxes, Great King of the Persian Empire from 486–465 B.C., has gone down in history as an angry tyrant full of insane ambition. The stand of Leonidas and the 300 against his army at Thermopylae is a byword for courage, while the failure of Xerxes’ expedition has overshadowed all the other achievements of his twenty-two-year reign.

In this lively and comprehensive new biography, Richard Stoneman shows how Xerxes, despite sympathetic treatment by the contemporary Greek writers Aeschylus and Herodotus, had his reputation destroyed by later Greek writers and by the propaganda of Alexander the Great. Stoneman draws on the latest research in Achaemenid studies and archaeology to present the ruler from the Persian perspective.

This illuminating volume does not whitewash Xerxes’ failings but sets against them such triumphs as the architectural splendour of Persepolis and a consideration of Xerxes’ religious commitments. What emerges is a nuanced portrait of a man who ruled a vast and multicultural empire which the Greek communities of the West saw as the antithesis of their own values.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Times Higher Education praises the book for boldly tackling complex and conflicting sources to produce an excellent, cradle-to-grave biography of Xerxes. Kirkus Reviews describes it as a biography that sparks curiosity and appetite for further knowledge. Choice commends the fresh light cast on Xerxes, while Bryn Mawr Classical Review finds the biography a useful companion for those interested in the Greek-Persian wars and Near Eastern civilizations, particularly for readers less familiar with the Achaemenid Empire.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780300180077

Publisher: Yale University Press

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 15 August 2015

Country: United States

Imprint: Yale University Press

Illustration: 40 b-w illus.

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 156.0mm

Height: 235.0mm

Weight: 703g

Pages: 288

Collections

Ancient & Classical History Biography & Memoir History & Archaeology History & Military Middle Eastern History Non-Fiction Political Biographies Richard Stoneman

About the Author

Richard Stoneman is Honorary Visiting Professor, University of Exeter, and the author of numerous books. He lives in Devon, UK.

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