Persian Fire: The First World Empire, Battle for the West

How did a relatively small band of Greeks halt the expansion of the mighty Persian empire and, subsequently, change the history of the western world forever? This is the question to ponder on whilst you read this fascinating work. Firstly, a quick note on the author, Holland has a brilliant knack for disseminating the classical past in an engaging way. From his descriptions of the brutal schooling of the Spartans, the fiercest warriors of Greece, to his portrayals of the political manipulation of Themistocles in the Athenian ecclesia – his beautiful prose makes for swift reading of complex procedures. Speaking as a history student, the past is not always as straightforward as we would like it to be. However, writers like Holland showcase classical history at its best by exercising scepticism alongside true representations of the myths, as they were supposed to be told, to give wonderfully coherent accounts. For the first half of the book, Holland focuses on the origins of the Persian Empire, Athens and Sparta to assign a context to the battle for the west. Initially, Holland portrays the Medes as an insignificant, nomadic tribe on the fringes of established civilisation and then traces their rise to pre-eminence to the point of Eastern domination. The Persian story, both mystical and cynical, places the Great King in a semi-divine light with the purpose of annihilating the Lie in the name of Ahura Mazda, the omnipotent Persian god, and therefore gives the Great King an ideological, and undoubtedly pragmatic, motive for expansion. This background proves vital in setting the scene for the resulting conflicts and for luring the reader away from simplistic Greek perceptions of the Persians as effeminate, “trousered barbarians”. The chapters on the development of Athens and Sparta demonstrate to the reader that the war was not just a matter of the Greeks versus the Persians. Classical Greece was, in fact, a very diverse place and the polis (city-state) next door could be a completely alien world; as a result, ‘Greekness’ was not fixed or defined. Holland reinforces this point with exemplary style as he handles the narrative of the precarious beginnings of Athenian democracy, whilst stage-managing the multitude historical actors, with ease and contrasts this with the austere and rustic development of Sparta. It soon becomes apparent throughout Persian Fire that the war was, perhaps, more about vested interests and demagoguery than it was about liberty or Hellenistic fervour. Holland is in his element when describing the intense battle scenes towards the end of the book. The author creates vivid pictures in the imagination of disciplined Spartans taking comfort in their witticisms in the face of imminent death at Thermopylae. In addition to this the grim portrayals of the battle at Marathon, as a small Greek force first locked swords – or triremes – with the Persian invader, make for fascinating reading. However, the anticipation for these moments and the rich context provided are what make them truly satisfying to read. However, with the positives aside, the reader should be prepared to find this work a challenging read. The study is obviously very well researched and can leave the reader feeling a tad overwhelmed at times. Anglicised versions of Greek names are not the easiest to read for someone in the infancy of their interest in the Greek world. But, as with all great works, if the reader perseveres and grasps the rudiments of the narrative they will be rewarded and will, most likely, build their vocabulary alongside enjoying a sensational story of the clash between east and west. Eloquent and erudite, articulate and assiduous; Holland brings the classical past to life with sober judgment and novelistic flair. I would recommend this novel to anyone with an interest in classical Greece, but be prepared to find it challenging due to the prodigious amount of detail provided.

Great narrative History. A delight.

Tom Holland Does it again. A unique perspective on a history on which so much was written. As usual, Tom Holland begins at the source by allocating a section to each of the three main protagonists of the Medic Wars: Athens, Sparta, and the Persian empire. All three sections evolve toward the main events of the two Medic Wars which are covered in the latter part of the book. You don't only end up knowing what happened during the Medic Wars and how they happened but why the events happened as almost a natural conclusion of the evolution of the three players toward the conflagrations. Tom Holland is an exceptional historian and he proved it again in this book.

A typical Tom Holland. Full of interesting facts and stories, well told in the tradition of british "narrative history". Tom Holland combines the best abilities of a scholar and a writer. When I read such a book, I am often surprised how entertaining it can be to learn about ancient history. One of my favourite books from the last decade.

Très bien structuré et documenté. Belle écriture