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Customer Review
- Reviewed in the United States on July 10, 2007Tom Holland scored some major points with Rubicon, a terrific, narrative account of the fall of the Roman Republic. His clear prose, entertaining characterization and solid research and diverse use of sources can be apppreciated by all levels of readers. Holland may not have improved between his two books, but he certainly hasn't lost a step either. In Persian Fire, he recounts the rise of the Persian Empire and the revolutionary changes in Greek life, focusing on the late Archaic age in Sparta and Athens. I'm sure the point has been made before, but I like Holland's insistence that Marathon proved to be the first real test of the democracy of Athens. Holland traces their subsequent rise in prestige and the spread of democracy to this great victory over the hegemonic superpower of Persia. Holland's narrative is sleek, the various Athenian factions are (thankfully) clarified and the representation of the Persians is quite good. He tends to over-do his comparisons to the contemporary world, but overall, Holland treats my favorite historical event with his unique touch and has written a wonderfully accessible account of a stodgy, academic conflict. Well done, Tom.
