4 History


74406 PANORAMA OF THE CLASSICAL WORLD


by Nigel Spivey and Michael Squire The world of ancient Greece and Rome is the starting point for Western philosophy, science, literature and art. This strikingly original account analyses the period by the ideas and value that underpinned its history, specifically: the centrality of the body in life and death; society, sexuality, gender and the family; hygiene and diet; the worship of gods and admiration of heroes; money and economic life; war and rebellion; politics in both theory and practice. The authors’ text is supported by a wealth of “soundbites”, an anthology of extracts from the ancient world, and an amazing 590 illus (400 in colour) provide a striking visual context to every aspect of the ancient world. Plus a dictionary of Classical lives and mythology, timeline and maps. 368pp softback, 8¾”×11".


£18.95 NOW £9


74799 SIEGE MINES AND UNDERGROUND WARFARE by Kenneth Wiggins


Siege warfare, the attack and defence of fortified places has been a feature of human conflict since the dawn of history. The legend of the Wooden Horse of Troy was brought to a sudden conclusion by a bold and ingenious stroke of invention. Few individuals commanded more fear and respect than the miner, who with his pick, shovel and crowbar was a serious threat to the security of the strongest foundations. This Shire handbook traces the development of undermining techniques from the earliest evidence of ancient and medieval siege warfare. The advent of gunpowder revolutionised the mine in the 16th century and beneath the trenches in Flanders mining and counter mining reached new levels of intensity and destructive capability before this offensive strategy came to an end. Illustrated softback, 56pp.


£5.99 NOW £3


70474 HOUSE OF WISDOM: How the Arabs Transformed


Western Civilization by Jonathan Lyons


Following the collapse of the Roman Empire, Europe became a backwater, a world of subsistence farming, minimal literacy and frequent violent conflict. However, in lands from Spain to Persia, Islamic culture was in full bloom, dazzling the few Europeans who


travelled to see the scientific advances coming from Baghdad, Antioch and Toledo. Known as the House of Wisdom, an army of scholars worked there at the behest of the Abbasid caliphs, painstakingly recording and cataloguing the discoveries, theories and ideas of the great Muslim thinkers, men like al-Khwarizmi, the pioneer of algebra, Avicenna, the physician and philosopher, Gaber, the chemist, and Averroes, whose writings expounded and extended Aristotle’s great works of logic. Even while their countrymen were waging bloody Crusades against Muslims, a few Christian scholars travelled east to seek out the great minds of the Arab world at immense personal risk, most famously Adelard of Bath, who in 1109 returned to England with priceless jewels of astronomical and mathematical science which would transform European scientific understanding. Lyons’ important book presents for the first time the Western debt owed to the medieval Arabs. Colour plates and a timeline. 248pp. $26 NOW £8


74041 IN BED WITH THE TUDORS The Sex Lives of a Dynasty from Elizabeth of York to Elizabeth I by Amy Licence


Amy Licence guides us through the birth of Elizabeth of York’s sons Arthur and Henry, Catherine of Aragon’s subsequent marriage to both of them and the birth of her daughter Mary, Henry VIII’s other


five wives and his mistresses, and the respectively tragic and non-existent sex lives of his daughters Mary and Elizabeth. From fertility or otherwise, conception, pregnancy and into the delivery chamber, then on to maternal and infant mortality, each woman was expected to do their wifely and dynastic duty. Following Elizabeth of York’s six successful deliveries she died following a miscarriage 12 years after Prince Henry was born. Catherine of Aragon paid the price for bearing just a girl, and Anne Boleyn did the same but paid a much greater price. Jane Seymour provided the required son, but died shortly after his birth. 256pp, colour illus. £20 NOW £5.50


73350 EGYPT: A Short History by Robert L. Tignor


Egypt has many layers - ancient and modern, Greek and Roman, Christian and Islamic. Over the 5,000 years of human settlement in the Nile River valley, she developed a unique and influential culture, sophisticated art and technology, and monumental architecture in the form of pyramids and temples - all governed by a centralized monarchy. The great age of the pharaohs, with which most people associate Egypt, is just the beginning of the story. This volume also gives a brilliant account of the tumultuous history that followed, from the Greek and Roman conquests, through the rise of Christianity, the Arab-Muslim triumph, Egypt’s incorporation into powerful Islamic empires, Napoleon’s 1798 invasion, the country’s absorption into the British Empire and right up to modern, post-colonial Egypt under Nasser, Sadat and Mubarak. 363 pages with illus and colour plates, maps. £19.95 NOW £6


ORDER HOTLINE: 020 74 74 24 74 71966 BRITAIN’S ROYAL HERITAGE:


An A to Z of the Monarchy by Marc Alexander


Arranged in a convenient A-Z format, with many cross references, it contains mini biographies on each of the 42 kings and queens who have ruled since the Norman Conquest, and also provides details of the royal lines in Scotland before the Act of Union, the background to the royal houses of Britain, and the consorts - largely foreign - who have married into the monarchy, as well as a mine of other information. Here, from King Athelstan in AD 825 to our own Queen Elizabeth II, are the royal scandals, the wars, the ceremonies, the households, the tombs and insignia - even the royal pets and needlework. 372 paperback pages 17.5cm x 25cm lavishly illus in colour. £14.99 NOW £3.50


73060 BOOK OF KNIGHTS by L. A. Williams From heraldry to weaponry, training and real battles, repelling invading forces, and revelling in the ancient stories of legend, here is the knight in all his gory glory. Here are the famous incidents in knightly history that would have nourished your bellicose ambitions, such as Joan of Arc’s courageous campaign against the British and Burgundian occupation of France, and the notorious Battle of Agincourt in which French knights found themselves victims of their own body armour. Here, too, are King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table, the Christian knight Rinaldo and the Nordic hero Beowulf. 134 pages 34cm x 25cm, colour illus. £16.99 NOW £4


74753 COMPACT TIMELINE HISTORY OF ANCIENT


EGYPT by Shereen Ratnagar A comprehensive, up-to-date record which explores the lives of the pharaohs and other historical figures, but also looks in detail at the daily lives of ordinary people - scribes, priests and villagers - who maintained the machinery of the state. It explains the intricacies of


the culture’s religious beliefs, examines ancient Egypt’s art, relics, temples, monuments and language, takes a close look at her view of the afterlife, and follows the rhythms of what was in fact an agricultural society. Here are fascinating details of the trading patterns and military expeditions that left Egypt’s mark on Africa, the Mediterranean, western Asia and even farther afield. 256 pages, dazzling colour. £12.99 NOW £5


73065 BRITANNIA: 100 Documents that


Shaped a Nation by Graham Stewart Here are the historical roots of our culture, society, language, religious traditions and political institutions from Roman province to 21st century European nation-state - through 100 historic documents. The great translations of the Bible, the plays of Shakespeare and Dr Johnson’s dictionary have left indelible marks on the English language, and Adam Smith’s The Wealth of Nations continues to guide our understanding of economic policy. The documents selected embrace a wide range of spheres: politics and religion, warfare and diplomacy, economics and the law, science and invention, literature and journalism and sport and popular music. The first edition of The Times rubs shoulders with the laws of Marylebone Cricket Club. 434 pages illus in colour and Where To Find The Documents. £25 NOW £5


73095 GREAT EMPIRES OF ASIA edited by Jim Masselos


The book brings to life 1,000 years of history, ranging from the Khmer, who inhabited South East Asia from 802 onwards, through the Mongols whose empire lasted for 200 years, and the Ottomans who played a significant role in world history, the Meiji Restoration in Japan from 1868 to the end of the Second World War in 1945. In this superbly illustrated volume, experts on art and history analyse the whole Asian imperial enterprise, with an emphasis on the cultural and creative. Their essays provide a decisive corrective to old myths about European dominance relative to Asia, and show instead the polycentric nature of world power during the past 500 years. They prove how Asian kingdoms dominated global political geography and challenged the states of Europe, rather than the reverse. 240 pages 28cm x 22cm, illus in colour.


ONLY £7.50 73258 SACRED SWORDS: Jihad in the Holy


Land 1097-1291 by James Waterson A history of both the Crusades and the Mongol response to them from the destruction of the People’s Crusade in 1097 to the conquest of Acre in 1291, clarifying the Islamic way of war and the men who made jihad. Reconstructs the politics of the Levant from the First Crusade on, and places all the action of that period in the wider context of the Muslim world of the time. Here are the famed leaders of the jihad: Zangi, Nur al-Din, Saladin and Baybars. The story of the Holy War that would eventually destroy the Latin Kingdom is traced and analysed from its origins among the princes of northern Iraq plus the history of the long naval contest. 206 pages, plates, maps. £19.99 NOW £3.50


73577 SPAIN, EUROPE AND THE WIDER 


WORLD 1500-1800 by J. H. Elliott Some 20 years ago, the author published Spain and Its World 1500-1700. In this new volume - extended to 1800 - he gathers writings that reflect his recent research and thinking, on the subject of politics, art, culture and ideas in Europe and the colonial worlds. Organised around three themes - early modern Europe, European overseas expansion and the works and historical context of El Greco, Velázquez, Rubens and Van Dyck - this comprehensive book offers a rich survey of what has lain at the heart of the author’s interests throughout a long and distinguished career. The volume includes 14 essays, lectures and articles of remarkable breadth and freshness, written with the author’s characteristic brio. It also encompasses an unpublished lecture in honour of the late Hugh Trevor-Roper. 322 pages illustrated in b/w.


£25 NOW £8 73873 BRIEF HISTORY OF THE PRIVATE


LIVES OF THE ROMAN EMPERORS by Anthony Blond


A welcome reprint of the 1994 enjoyably monstrous, lively and amusing account of the Roman emperors. It is ancient history with all the boring bits taken out as effortlessly Blond provides a scandalous exposé of the life of the Caesars. Julius Caesar was an arrogant charmer and a swank, while the revered Augustus was so conscious of his lack of height that he put lifts in his sandals. But they were nothing compared to Caligula, Claudius and Nero. Cicero revealed himself as a slum landlord in a letter to his friend Atticus. The loan of money at 48% by Brutus, ‘The noblest Roman of them all’, is a matter of Senatorial record. Augustus, friendless and bored in his old age, hoped his wife would find him a virgin for the afternoon. Huge fun. 234pp in paperback.


£7.99 NOW £4.75 74336 CHEEK BY JOWL: A History of


Neighbours by Emily Cockayne Emily Cockayne maps the complex emotional, sexual and economic threads of association between neighbours. The London Assize of Nuisance dealt with the rancour when a man removed a privy that he shared with a neighbour. Eavesdropping has been commonly linked with sowing ‘discord between neighbours’. Mary Wallys from London took the opportunity to cavort naked in bed with her lover when her book-binding husband was out of town. All was overheard and then overseen (by lifting up a painted cloth) by the neighbour! Fascinating case law. 273pp, illus.


£20 NOW £6


73960 HISTORY OF WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR by Jacob Abbott


William the Conqueror’s reign significantly transformed England. Born in Normandy and promised the throne of England by King Edward, William decided to invade the country after another contender for the crown took the throne. Chronicling the years from his illegitimate birth to his calamitous burial, Jacob Abbott’s enthralling narrative captures the young conqueror’s struggle, ambition and aspirations during his time in power. With a brief history of the Saxon and Danish kings of England and the Dukes of Normandy. Original engravings, 144pp, paperback. £9.99 NOW £4.75


73933 BIRTH OF CLASSICAL EUROPE: A History from Troy to Augustine


by Simon Price and Peter Thonemann This history of Classical Europe will travel from the so- called Minoan civilisation of Crete to the later Roman Empire, from the middle of the second millennium BC to the 4th and 5th centuries AD. At the centre stand the ancient peoples of the northern Mediterranean basin, the Greeks and the Romans. The nine chapters of the book are structured chronologically. With no less than 34 maps and 31 illustrations and drawings such as one of the Athenian Acropolis on page 125, a colour plate showing a reconstruction of miniature fresco from Knossos circa 1600BC and another of a Bard singing of the past from a fresco at Pylos shortly before 1200BC are among the well-chosen illustrations. 400 pages.


$35 NOW £5 73928 ANCIENT GREECE AS


IT WAS by Eric Chaline A book written to offer advice for travellers to Athens, the birthplace of democracy, in the year 415BC. Written just like a modern day travel book, giving directions, ferry departures, sights to see in the surrounding areas, the publicly maintained gymnasia with running tracks, horse and chariot race tracks, baths and shops around the Acropolis, this is a complete


overview of the city and even where to stay and eat when visiting these iconic sights. The special coloured map introduces us to the Mediterranean world of the time with the spheres of influence of the Greeks, Carthaginians and Persians and how to make the most of your trip. Greek letters and numbers, temples and public buildings, accommodation, appreciating the arts of sculpture and painting, going to the theatre and the famous playwrights of the time, battle sites of the Persian wars. 160pp. Illus and maps. $16.95 NOW £4.50


73929 ANCIENT ROME AS IT WAS by Ray Laurence


Written in the style of a contemporary guidebook, there is a concise background to the history, politics and people of Ancient Rome in AD300, best places to visit like the forums of Julius Caesar and Augustus, the Temple of Jupiter, the Bath of Diocletian, the gardens of Rome and the Subura. We learn that the Theatre of Pompey is closed at the time for reconstruction and that the Pantheon boasts the world’s largest dome. What to see and where to go in the surrounding areas, tips on how to find entertainment on a budget, practical considerations for the traveller and useful phrases. Line art and other illus, 160pp.


$16.95 NOW £4.50


73927 ANCIENT EGYPT AS IT WAS by Charlotte Booth


Travel back in time to explore the city of Thebes in 1200BC. Written in the style of a contemporary guidebook, here is a concise background to the history, politics and people of Ancient Egypt, the best places to visit such as the Temple of Luxor, the Temple at Karnak, all about domestic life and the armed forces, from Narmer to the pyramids, to Aswan and Nubia and the temples at Abu Simbel, even entertaining on a budget, hunting, public squares, food and drink, shopping, medical treatments, crime and the law and useful phrases. 160pp, many illus, maps.


$16.95 NOW £4.50


74325 AS IT WAS: Set of Three Buy all three and save more.


ONLY £10


74755 TIMELINE HISTORY OF THE MIDDLE AGES: From 400 CE to 1500 CE by Meredith Macardle


With thousands of facts in an accessible at-a-glance format, and an invaluable timeline showing the continuous stream of events from the 5th to the 16th centuries, this is a unique, chronological, visual record of a dramatic and defining period in human history. From the Crusades to the glorious cathedrals and from the mighty castles to the humble lives of serfs, this book explores every aspect of medieval Europe. The Middle Ages bridged the years from the decline of classical Roman civilisation to the renewal of knowledge in the European Renaissance but, far from being a ‘Dark Age’, the medieval period was a time of creativity and invention. Organised around major subjects such as politics, dynasties, wars, religion, the arts and everyday life, and names like Francis of Assisi, Joan of Arc and Richard the Lionheart. 140 pages 32cm x 25cm, colour with maps, timeline and list of major museums.


£14.99 NOW £7


73995 STORY OF ENGLAND by Michael Wood For an island country of modest dimensions situated on the fringes of Europe, England’s influence on world history, culture, literature and politics has been disproportionately great. The historian, filmmaker and broadcaster Michael Wood took an original and highly effective approach, exploring the national narrative from Roman times to the present day through the eyes of one place - Kibworth, a village in Leicestershire. What swung it for Wood though was the astonishing treasure trove of documents from the village for the medieval period and a further wealth of documentation covering the industrial age from the mid-18th century onwards. An absolutely compelling tale of England in miniature with departing Romans, Viking and Saxon immigrants, Norman conquerors, the Black Death and famine, religious and political conflict, the Industrial Revolution, the Empire and two World Wars. 440 page paperback, photos.


£9.99 NOW £5


73811 BLUE-WATER EMPIRE: The British in the Mediterranean Since 1800 by Robert Holland


For nearly 200 years the Mediterranean Sea lay at the heart of British seapower, what Winston Churchill termed “Britain’s first battlefield”. Although the British had been a strong military and trade presence in the region for some considerable time, following Nelson’s overwhelming victory over Napoleon Bonaparte’s French Navy in the Battle of the Nile at Aboukir Bay in 1798 the Royal Navy became the undisputed master of the seaways and surrounding shores. Here many thousands of Britons spent their lives, their graves still visible from Gibraltar to Corfu and Malta to Palestine, Iraq and Cyprus. The British in the Med have left many legacies in administration, law, culture, language and architecture. Evokes the conflicts and friendships, military bands, tennis, churches, barracks, schools plus the disillusionment and hopefulness between the British and local societies often caught up in dramatic events, revealing a much more complex social structure than had before been supposed. 16pp of colour and b/w paintings and photos, 439pp.


£25 NOW £7 74292 HEAVEN ON EARTH: A Journey


Through Shari’a Law by Sadakat Kadri When the prophet Muhammad enunciated the Qur’an in the 620s, the word Shar’ia meant a path to water. Some scholars went on to interpret it in terms of criminal justice and jihad, others saw it as embracing the search for knowledge such as astronomy. The author of this important study, a Harvard-educated human rights barrister, he distinguishes between Shar’ia and fiqh. Fiqh is the study of law where interpretation is permissible, unlike the Shar’ia which is identified with divine immutability. Travelling round the Middle East in 2009 and 2010, the author found that suspicion of the western world was extremely high, but he also had many productive encounters with Muslim lawyers and politicians. The first part of the book is a history of Islamic law, and the second considers its status today with a focus on four themes: attitudes towards war, modernity, criminal justice and religious tolerance. Citing Islamic writers such as al-Jahiz and the theologian al- Ghazali, the book looks at the history of the interpretation of Islamic law. 332pp, paperback.


£12.99 NOW £6


74308 SOME TALK OF ALEXANDER: A Journey Through Space and Time in the Greek World


by Frederic Raphael


Past and present are telescoped throughout the book: the ribald fantasies of the ancient sculptor Baubo are compared with dreamlike and indelicate images by Magritte, a Roman marble of Ariadne is juxtaposed with the Surrealist de Chirico’s angular, semi-abstract treatment of the same theme, Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s Helen is compared with Marilyn Monroe, and a photo of the Greek Colonels from the early 70s is brought in to illustrate the concept of oligarchy. The supporters of the tyrant Peisistratus were the radicals of their day, and Frederic Raphael compares the political theatre of the ancient world with the rhetoric of the French Revolution. Greek distrust and repression of women has had numerous interpretations, including René Girard’s idea that men kill each other in war in a bloody parody of childbirth. 336pp, bibliography, numerous black and white photos.


£24.95 NOW £7


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