Classical World

741 Pages·2006·31.64 MB·English

by  Robin Lane Fox

AN
EPIC HISTORY
OF
GREECE ROME
AND
'Epic the true sense'
In THE TIMES, BOOKS OF THE YEAR
'Hugely entertaining ancient history lives for
Robin Lane Fox and he makes it live for
his audience", a terrific read'
SUNDAY TIMES
The classical civilizations ofGreece and Rome dominated the world for
centuries and continue to intrigue, inspire and enlighten us with their
legacies - including philosophy, politics, theatre, athletics, celebrity, science
and even the pleasures of horse racing. Robin Lane Fox's spellbinding
history spans almost a tholtsand years ofchange, from the foundation of
the world's first democracy to the Roman Republic and the Empire under
Hadrian. Bringing to life great figures such as Homer, Socrates, Alexander,
Julius Caesar, Augustus and the first Christian martyrs, exploring the
ancients' ideas of freedom,justice and luxury, this wonderful tour brings
the titanic histories ofGreece and Rome together in a masterly study.
'He writes supremely well ... a keen eye for the telling detail and
powerful example ... the humanity of the exercise shines through ...
compulsory, and compulsive, reading'
PETERJONES. SUNDAY TELEGRAPH
'The fortunate reader is propelled onwards on the crest ofa wave of
dazzling prose'
PAUL CARTLEDGE. BBC HISTORY
'Lane Fox writes with courage and without moralizing ...
Here is a portrait ofantiquity, warts and all'
MAURICE POPE,THE TIMES HIGHER EDUCATION SUPPLEMENT
ISBN 0-141-02141-1
IIII I
PengUIn
History 9 780141 021416
...
Coverphotographs:
Patrick Leroy/RMN;Alamy U.K. [9.99 pen~ULn corn
CAN.$20.00
PENGUIN BOOKS
THE CLASSICAL WORLD
'Colourful,pacey,panoramic...agrand survey'
BoydTonkin, Independent, BooksoftheYear
'A masterful canterthroughthe Classicalera ...Wearein the
hands ofan authorwhoknowsthatan epiccan onlybedriven
bybigcharacters... Here liesthe author's mastery,matchinga
lifelongfamiliaritywithhissubjectto the basicneedsofa newly
arrivedapprentice' NigelSpivey, FinancialTimes
'A stirring,authoritative andentertainingaccountfrom Homer's
Iliadto Hadrian's Wall byoneofOxford's mostcelebrated
classicists' Obseroer
'Witty...engaging... decidedly laddish...LaneFox isan
excellentstoryteller' Mary Beard, Independent
'To be warmly welcomedasa stimulatingsurveyof 1,000years
ofclassical history...alwayselegant, butalsored-blooded,
judgementaland above all, clear' Church Times
'His storytellinghereis incense and engaging...amagnificenr,
panoramic inrroduction to the ancientworld'
PeterHeather,SundayTimes
PENGUII' BOOKS
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FirstpublishedbyAllenLane2005
PublishedwithnewmalerialinI'enguinBooks2006
5
Copyright©RobinLaneFox,2005,1006
Allrighlsreserved
ThemoralrighloftheaUlhorhasbeenasserted
TypeserbyRowlandPhorotypesettingLtd,BuryStEdmunds,Suffolk
PrinledinEnglandbyClaysLtd,StIvespk
ExceptintheUnitedStatesofAmerica,thisbookissoldsubjlX't
toIheconditionthatitshallnot,bywayoftradeorotherwise,belent,
re-sold,hiredout,orotherwisecirculatedwithoutthepublisher's
priorconsentinanyformofbindingor<coverotherthanthatin
whichilispubiil;hedandwithoulasimilar<conditionincludingthis
<conditionbeingimpmedonIhesubsequentpurchaser
ISBN-13: 978-0-r41-01T4I~6
ISBN-IO: 0-141-02141-1
FOR MARTHA
T6aaa na86uan
He foundhis fatheraloneinhiswell·orderedorchard
Diggingroundaplant:hewaswearingadirtytunic.
Patchedandunseemly,androundhisshinshehadbound
Sewnleatherleg-guards, keepingoffscratches,
Andhehadglovesonhishandsbecauseofthethorns.
Onhisheadheworeagoatskincap,increasinghisairofsorrow.
When noble,enduringOdysseussawhim
Worn byoldageandwith suchgreatsadness in hisheart,
Hestoodbeneathatallpear-treeandshedtears...
Odysseus returnstohisfather: Homer, Odyssey 24.226-34
This tomb ofwell·sculptedmetal
Coversthedeadbodyofagreathero,
Zenodotus. Buthissoulisinheaven, whereOrpheusis,
Where Platois,andhasfoundaholyseat,{itto receiveagod.
For, hewasavaliantcavalrymanin theEmperor'sservice,
Famous, eloquent,god-like. Inhisspeech
He wasacopyofSocratesamongthe Tlalianpeople.
T.eavingtohischildrenhissoundancestralfortune,
He hasdied.a{itoldman. leavingboundlesssorrow
To hiswell·bornfriends, hiscityanditscitizens.
PalatineAnthology7.363, possiblycomposed byHadrianhimself
Contents
List ofMaps Xlll
Preface xv
Hadrian andthe Classical World I
PART ONE
The Archaic Greek World
T HomericEpic I3
2 The Greeks'Settlements 24
3 Aristocrats 38
4 TheImmortal Gods 49
5 Tyrantsand Lawgivers 58
6 Sparta 69
7 TheEastern Gleeks 79
8 Towards Democracy 88
9 ThePersianWars 99
10 TheWestern Greeks III
PART TWO
The ClassicalGreek World
II Conquestand Empire us
12 AChangingGreek CultutalWorld I37
IX
CONTENTS
"3 Periclesand Athens IS'
I4 ThePeloponnesian War 159
"5 Socrates 169
16 Fighting for FreedomandJustice 175
17 Women and Children 185
18 Philip ofMacedon 192
19 The Two Philosophels 201
20 Fourth-centuryAthenians 213
PART THREE
Hellenistic Worlds
21 Alexander the Great 229
22 Alexander'sEarlySuccessors 241
23 Life in the Big Cities 252
24 Taxes and Technologies 264
25 The NewWorld 271
26 Rome Reaches Out 281
27 The Peaceofthe Gods 296
28 Liberationin the South 304
29 Hannibal and Rome F2
30 DiplomacyandDominance 322
PART FOUR
The Roman Republic
3" Luxury and Licence 333
32 TurbulenceatHome and Abroad 343
33 Pompey'sTriumphs 355
34 TheWorld ofCicero 366
35 TheRise ofJulius Caesar 377
36 TheSpectreofCivilWar 387
x
CONTENTS
37 The FatalDictator 400
38 LiberationBetrayed 415
PART FIVE
From Republic to Empire
39 Antonyand Cleopatra 427
40 The Making ofthe EmperoI 439
4I Morals and Society 448
42 SpectatorSports 460
43 The Roman Army 471
44 The NewAge 481
PART SIX
An Imperial World
45 TheJulio-Claudians 497
46 RulingtheProvinces 5'0
47 Effects ofEmpire 52°
48 ChristianityandRoman Rule 533
49 Surviving Four Emperors 541
50 TheNew Dynasty 547
5' The LastDays ofPompeii 556
52 ANew Man in Action 568
53 APagan and Christians 575
54 Regime Change, Home and Away 583
55 Presentingthe Past 590
Hadrian: aRetrospective 597
Notes 607
Select Bibliography 636
Commentary on the Illustrations 671
Index 685
X>
List ofMaps
I Greece andtheAegeanworld 14
2 Greek settlements overseas 26
3 Thewestern Greeks I I 3
4 TheAthenian Empire Il7
5 Theconquests ofAlexander 232
6 TheHellenistic world 254
7 Rome reachesout:
(a) Within Italy; 284
(b) Against herneighbours 285
8 Rome's expansioninItaly before 95 Be 345
9 Rome's westernprovinces 483
10 Rome'sEmpire to theEast 514
II (a) Pompeiiand its neighbours; 557
(b) Town planofPompeii 558