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Persian Empire

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The Czar
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Persian Empire

Post by The Czar » Wed May 9th, 2012, 2:43 pm

I have lately become fascinated with the late Roman and Byzantine empires. Really anything from the reign of Augustus to the fall of Constantinople in the 15th century.

I've read a lot of HF on the period(s), as well as some straight history, and I have decided I need to do some more reading into the "villains", i.e. the various "barbarian" tribes, and more importantly, the Persians.

Now obviously, the Persian or Parthian empire existed for a long time, so no one book, HF or Straight history, is going to cover the waterfront.

The only HF i've found that deals with the Persians much is Creation by Gore Vidal.

Anybody got any recommendations? Either HF or straight history is fine.
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Post by marklord » Wed July 25th, 2012, 2:36 pm

I am currently reading (well listening to the audiobook) Harry Sidebottom's Fire in the East, which covers the war between the Romans and the Sassanids. There's a bit about the Persian culture in there, not in depth, but might be enough to feed your hunger for all things Persian.

I would recommend Vidal's Julian if you are into the Late Roman period. I don't remember there being a lot on the Persians though, but I read it a while ago now so can't recall specifics.
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Post by annis » Wed July 25th, 2012, 6:14 pm

We have a thread somewhere about the Persia/Parthian Empires if I can find it...

Here it is
http://www.historicalfictiononline.com/ ... php?t=5446

Tom Holland, who wrote the non-fiction book Persian Fire has recently written another called In the Shadow of the Swordwhich might be of interest.

I''ve just been reading Christian Cameron's novels Killer of Men and Marathon, Books 1 & 2 in his Long War series - excellent on the origins of the Pelopponesian War between Greece and the Persian Empire and its progress.

Also enjoyed Nick Brown's The Siege -set during the Palmyrian Rebeliion against Rome.

Recommended as a reference: Jona Lendering's Livius website- an excellent resource for subjects relating to the ancient world
http://www.livius.org/persia.html
Last edited by annis on Wed July 25th, 2012, 6:27 pm, edited 4 times in total.

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Post by annis » Thu July 26th, 2012, 5:51 pm

Nearly forgot one which has come out recently- Manda Scott's Eagle of the Twelfth - may have been mentioned in the previous list. Also Alfred Duggan's Winter Quarters - two aristocratic young Gauls join Caesar's army as auxiliary cavalrymen and later take part in Crassus' doomed Parthian campaign.
Last edited by annis on Thu July 26th, 2012, 9:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post by R.W.Ware » Thu September 27th, 2012, 2:29 am

Last edited by R.W.Ware on Thu September 27th, 2012, 7:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Adding two more from an author's recommendations...
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Antoine Vanner
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Winter Quarters by Alfred Duggan

Post by Antoine Vanner » Sat October 20th, 2012, 12:54 pm

Winter Quarters by Alfred Duggan tells of the adventures of a Gaulish mercenary who is involved in the doomed campaign against the Parthians by Crassus, the luckless third member of the First Triumvirate. With the exception of a small cavalry force which escaped under the command of Cassius (later assassin of Julius Caesar), Crassus's entire army was surrounded at Carrhae, in modern Iraq, and forced to surrender. Crassus killed himself - which was poetic justice, since he had put down the rebellion of Spartacus with great brutality, but it was hard on the rank and file. Duggan describes the campaign, and its aftermath, well.
Last edited by Antoine Vanner on Sat October 20th, 2012, 1:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Helen_Davis

Post by Helen_Davis » Fri February 22nd, 2013, 4:54 am

BUMP

Any novels about the queens of Persia? I'm really interested in fiction about them, if it exists in English...

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Post by Margaret » Sun February 24th, 2013, 6:17 pm

There's a YA novel by Susan Fletcher, Shadow Spinner, about a girl who becomes a servant to Sheherezade, which is set in Persia. I've reviewed it at HistoricalNovels.info.
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Helen_Davis

Post by Helen_Davis » Sun February 24th, 2013, 6:46 pm

[quote=""Margaret""]There's a YA novel by Susan Fletcher, Shadow Spinner, about a girl who becomes a servant to Sheherezade, which is set in Persia. I've reviewed it at HistoricalNovels.info.[/quote]

Thanks Margaret!

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