The Ancient History category has 310 audiobooks on Listento.it, with an average listener rating of 4.5★ across 2,807 ratings. The most-rated is Magicians of the Gods.
The History of Rome, Volume 6: Books 40 - 45
Summary
Livy's splendid adventure of Rome's rise to dominance comes to a close in this concluding volume of his magnificent history. Sadly, the work abruptly halts near the completion of book 45, which concerns events in Greece in the year 168 BC. The missing portions, numbering 107 books, have never been found. The original text of this monumental history, which came to 142 books when he completed it, carried the story to 9 BC. Livy called his work Ab Urbe Condita, though we refer to it as The History of Rome. Almost the entire subject of volume six deals with Rome's struggle with Macedon, ending in the defeat of Perseus at the battle of Pydna. It was an epic struggle with a dangerous foe. And though it was certainly not intended by Livy to be the end of his work, this segment does provide a spectacular display of his writing talent and penchant for drama... a fitting end to an epic work. Translation: Roberts
Public Domain (P)2011 Audio Connoisseur
The History of Rome, Volume 4, Books 26-32
Summary
No historian has ever possessed the ability to highlight dramatic episodes in the manner that Livy accomplished. He had an uncanny feel for the narrative potential inherent in historical works, and he brought out the drama so well that, even after 2,000 years, we still feel a stirring thrill whenever we hear his retelling of the epic grandeur of the Roman Republic. In this volume, Hannibal and Carthage are finally worn down by the grim determination of the Roman people, and their army is destroyed at Zama by Publius Scipio. And hardly is this over before the vengeful Romans cast their eyes eastward to Philip of Macedon, who had made the fatal error of backing the Carthaginians. Livy's The History of Rome continues in an additional two volumes. Translation: William Masfen Roberts.
Public Domain (P)2011 Audio Connoisseur
The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Volume I
Summary
The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire has always maintained its initial appeal to both the general public and scholars alike. Its sheer scale is daunting, encompassing over a millennium of history, covering not merely the Western Empire from the days of the early emperors to its extinction in AD 476, but also the Eastern Empire, which lasted for another thousand years until the Turks vanquished it in 1453. But Gibbon’s style, part historical fact and part literature, is enticing, and the sheer honesty of the man, who endeavours to be scrupulously impartial in his presentation, endears him to the reader. In this recording, David Timson incorporates the most salient of Gibbon’s footnotes. In Volume I (chapters I-XV), Gibbon opens by setting the scene with the Empire as it stood in the time of Augustus (d. AD 14) before praising the time of the Antonines (AD 98-180). The death of Marcus Aurelius and the accession of Commodus and his successors ushers in turbulent and dangerous times which were only occasionally marked by a wise and temperate ruler. The volume ends in AD 324, with Constantine the Great becoming undisputed Roman emperor, uniting both the East and Western Empires. PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.
Public Domain (P)2014 Naxos AudioBooks
The Year 1000
Summary
From celebrated Yale Professor Valerie Hansen, a groundbreaking work of history showing that bold explorations and daring trade missions connected all of the world’s great societies for the first time at the end of the first millennium. People often believe that the years immediately prior to AD 1000 were, with just a few exceptions, lacking in any major cultural developments or geopolitical encounters, that the Europeans hadn’t yet reached North America, and that the farthest feat of sea travel was the Vikings’ invasion of Britain. But how, then, to explain the presence of blonde-haired people in Maya temple murals at Chichén Itzá, Mexico? Could it be possible that the Vikings had found their way to the Americas during the height of the Maya empire? Valerie Hansen, an award-winning historian, argues that the year 1000 was the world’s first point of major cultural exchange and exploration. Drawing on nearly 30 years of research, she presents a compelling account of first encounters between disparate societies, which sparked conflict and collaboration eerily reminiscent of our contemporary moment. For readers of Jared Diamond’s Guns, Germs, and Steel and Yuval Noah Harari’s Sapiens, The Year 1000 is an intellectually daring, provocative account that will make you rethink everything you thought you knew about how the modern world came to be. It will also hold up a mirror to the hopes and fears we experience today.
©2020 Valerie Hansen (P)2020 Simon & Schuster Audio
Ravenna
Summary
This riveting audiobook narrated by Phyllida Nash traces the history of the city that led the West out of the ruins of the Roman Empire At the end of the fourth century, as the power of Rome faded and Constantinople became the seat of empire, a new capital city was rising in the West. Here, in Ravenna on the coast of Italy, Arian Goths and Catholic Romans competed to produce an unrivaled concentration of buildings and astonishing mosaics. For three centuries, the city attracted scholars, lawyers, craftsmen, and religious luminaries, becoming a true cultural and political capital. Bringing this extraordinary history marvelously to life, Judith Herrin rewrites the history of East and West in the Mediterranean world before the rise of Islam and shows how, thanks to Byzantine influence, Ravenna played a crucial role in the development of medieval Christendom. Drawing on deep, original research, Herrin tells the personal stories of Ravenna while setting them in a sweeping synthesis of Mediterranean and Christian history. She narrates the lives of the Empress Galla Placidia and the Gothic king Theoderic and describes the achievements of an amazing cosmographer and a doctor who revived Greek medical knowledge in Italy, demolishing the idea that the West just descended into the medieval "Dark Ages." Based on the latest archaeological findings, this monumental book provides a bold new interpretation of Ravenna's lasting influence on the culture of Europe and the West.
©2020 Judith Herrin (P)2020 Princeton University Press
The Sultans
Summary
This brilliantly readable work of history tells the bizarre story of the Ottoman Empire as seen through the lives of its extravagant and tyrannical sultans. With their absolute power, their love of pomp, and their overwhelming venality and corruption, rarely has a great empire been ruled by such grotesque and awesome figures. There was Suleiman the Magnificent, who allowed his wife to persuade him to murder his eldest son and his best friend; Murad III, who left 103 children behind him when he died; Mustafa, who was kept in a cage, attended by deaf-mutes, until he ascended to the throne. There were sultans who practiced their archery on living people; sultans who drowned the ladies of their harem by the score; and sultans who gave the reins of empire to their favorite eunuchs. For 400 years, they fought wars, terrorized their subjects, made Turkey into a great empire, and then allowed her to decline into ostentatious and impotent decay.
©1973 Noel Barber (P)2000 Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Storia di Roma
Summary
La storia di Roma racconta la parabola del più grande impero occidentale con la scrittura affilata che ha negli anni appassionato - e appassiona tutt'ora - i lettori di Indro Montanelli. Abile, la penna dell'autore ripercorre i rivolgimenti culturali e politici della società romana dalle sue origini al crollo dell'impero, unendo alla sempre precisa cronaca degli eventi, ritratti vivaci delle figure che di Roma hanno incarnato la storia. Il risultato è un racconto coinvolgente e scevro da accademismi, che invita a conoscere meglio il passato e, allo stesso tempo, a riflettere sul mondo contemporaneo. Dalle guerre puniche all'affermazione del Cristianesimo, dall'austerità di Catone al magnetismo di Giulio Cesare fino agli eccessi di imperatori come Nerone o Eliogabalo, dallo stoicismo delle origini alla decadenza del tardo impero.
©2018 Rizzoli (P)2018 Rizzoli
Chichen Itza
Summary
Chichen Itza was inhabited for hundreds of years and was a very influential center in the later years of Maya civilization. At its height, Chichen Itza may have had over 30,000 inhabitants, and with a spectacular pyramid, enormous ball court, observatory and several temples, the builders of this city exceeded even those at Uxmal in developing the use of columns and exterior relief decoration. Of particular interest at Chichen Itza is the sacred cenote, a sinkhole was a focus for Maya rituals around water. Because adequate supplies of water, which rarely collected on the surface of the limestone based Yucatan, were essential for adequate agricultural production, the Maya here considered it of primary importance. Underwater archaeology carried out in the cenote at Chichen Itza revealed that offerings to the Maya rain deity Chaac (which may have included people) were tossed into the sinkhole. Although Chichen Itza was around for hundreds of years, it had a relatively short period of dominance in the region, lasting from about 800-950 A.D. Today, tourists are taken by guides to a building called the Nunnery for no good reason other than the small rooms reminded the Spaniards of a nunnery back home. Similarly the great pyramid at Chichen Itza is designated El Castillo ("The Castle"), which it almost certainly was not, while the observatory is called El Caracol ("The Snail") for its spiral staircase. Of course, the actual names for these places were lost as the great Maya cities began to lose their populations, one by one. Chichen Itza was partially abandoned in 948, and the culture of the Maya survived in a disorganized way until it was revived at Mayapán around 1200. Why Mayan cities were abandoned and left to be overgrown by the jungle is a puzzle that intrigues people around the world today, especially those who have a penchant for speculating on lost civilizations. Chichen Itza: The History and Mystery of the Mayan's Most Famous City comprehensively covers the history of the city, as well as the speculation surrounding the purpose of Chichen Itza and the debate over the buildings.
©2012 Charles River Editors (P)2015 Charles River Editors
Dialogues of Plato
Summary
The Dialogues of Plato (427-347 B.C.) rank with the writings of Aristotle as the most important and influential philosophical works in Western thought. In them Plato cast his teacher Socrates as the central disputant in colloquies that brilliantly probe a vast spectrum of philosophical ideas and issues. None are more exciting and revelatory than the four dialogues - Euthyphro, Apology, Crito and Phaedo - on themes evoked by the trial and death of Socrates, accused by his enemies and detractors of crimes against the state, among them impiety and corruption of the young. In Euthyphro, Socrates explores the concepts and aims of piety and religion; in Apology, he courageously defends the integrity of his teachings; in Crito, he demonstrates his respect for the law in his refusal to flee his death sentence; and in Phaedo embraces death and discusses the immortality of the soul.
(P)1995 by Blackstone Audiobooks
Thebes
Summary
The riveting, de?nitive account of the ancient Greek city of Thebes, by the acclaimed author of The Spartans. Among the extensive writing available about the history of ancient Greece, there is precious little about the city-state of Thebes. At one point the most powerful city in ancient Greece, Thebes has been long overshadowed by its better-known rivals, Athens and Sparta. In Thebes: The Forgotten City of Ancient Greece, acclaimed classicist and historian Paul Cartledge brings the city vividly to life and argues that it is central to our understanding of the ancient Greeks' achievements - whether politically or culturally - and thus to the wider politico-cultural traditions of western Europe, the Americas, and indeed the world. From its role as an ancient political power, to its destruction at the hands of Alexander the Great as punishment for a failed revolt, to its eventual restoration by Alexander's successor, Cartledge deftly chronicles the rise and fall of the ancient city. He recounts the history with deep clarity and mastery for the subject and makes clear both the di?erences and the interconnections between the Thebes of myth and the Thebes of history. Written in clear prose and illustrated with images, Thebes is a gripping listen for students of ancient history and those looking to experience the real city behind the myths of Cadmus, Hercules, and Oedipus.
©2020 Paul Cartledge (P)2020 Blackstone Publishing
Boudica: The Life and Legacy of the Celtic Queen Who Rebelled Against the Romans in Britain
Summary
The famous conqueror from the European continent came ashore with thousands of men, ready to set up a new kingdom in England. The Britons had resisted the amphibious invasion from the moment his forces landed, but he was able to push forward. In a large winter battle, the Britons’ large army attacked the invaders but was eventually routed, and the conqueror was able to set up a new kingdom. Over 1,100 years before William the Conqueror became the king of England after the Battle of Hastings, Julius Caesar came, saw, and conquered part of “Britannia”, setting up a Roman province with a puppet king in 54 BCE. In the new province, the Romans eventually constructed a military outpost overlooking a bridge across the River Thames. The new outpost was named Londinium, and it covered just over two dozen acres. Londinium had become the largest city in Britannia shortly before being burned down in a native revolt led by an infamous Celtic Iceni queen named Boudica. With a name meaning “Victory”, Boudica was a charismatic woman who commanded nearly 100,000 Celts and led them on a campaign to expel the Roman overlords from Britain around the year 61 CE. Often called the “Celtic Queen”, she wore a warrior’s necklace around her delicate neck and rode upon a sturdy steed. According to the ancient historian Cassius Dio, “In stature, she was very tall, in appearance most terrifying, in the glance of her eye most fierce, and her voice was harsh.” It is said she had a piercing glare that could shrink her people’s enemies, which in this case were the Roman legionnaires under the vengeful general Suetonius. Boudica was not only a woman of high intelligence but also a Druid priestess of great repute, which caused the Romans a unique kind of concern. The Celts have fascinated people for centuries, and the biggest fascination of all has been over the Druids, a religious class at the heart of Celtic society that wielded great power. Naturally, people have been interested in Druids for centuries mostly because they don’t understand much about the Druids or their practices. The word comes from the Romans, who labeled them "Druidae" in reference to the white robed order of Celtic priests living in Gaul, Britain, and Ireland. They were a well-organized, secretive group who kept no written records and performed their rituals - allegedly including human sacrifice - in oaken groves, all of which interested and horrified Roman writers.
©2019 Charles River Editors (P)2019 Charles River Editors
The Roman Empire
Summary
Discover the story of the greatest empire in history. Peter Wings travels back into the age of Caesar. Stories of war and power that changed forever the future of years to come. From the conquest of the Mediterranean to the destruction of the Roman Empire by barbarian invaders, we will cover every single aspect in the Roman history. Prepare for a time travel. Prepare to meet Pompey, Julius Caesar, Augustus, Nero, Constantine, and many personalities who changed the way we live.
©2019 Peter Wings (P)2020 Peter Wings
Les royaumes barbares en Occident en 1 heure
Summary
Une heure de promenade auditive chez nos ancêtres, en compagnie de Thibault de Montalembert, pour comprendre l'émergence des royaumes barbares en Occident. 01 Introduction - Les Barbares avant leur entrée dans l'Empire ; 02 Rome et ses voisins ; 03 Les formes de l'implantation ; 04 La culture barbare au Ve siècle - La construction des Etats barbares ; 05 En guise de conclusion. Les Barbares ont une drôle de réputation. Les penseurs de la Renaissance leur imputent le naufrage de la seule véritable civilisation : Rome. Les historiens du XIXe siècle leur octroient volontiers l'origine des nations européennes : les Angles n'ont-ils pas donné leur nom à l'Angleterre, les Francs à la France ? Si les chercheurs actuels ont bien abandonné ces présupposés, leur travail historique reste délicat : les populations vivant au nord du Rhin et du Danube ne maîtrisaient pas l'écrit pendant toute l'Antiquité et l'apport considérable de l'archéologie ne compense qu'en partie cette quasi-absence de textes. Une chose est sûre aujourd'hui : le modèle explicatif des "grandes migrations" n'est pas le bon. Il ne permet notamment pas d'appréhender le processus qui a abouti à la création de nouvelles identités ethniques métissées autour desquelles se sont forgés, lentement, de nouveaux peuples.
©2012 PUF (P)2010 PUF
Runes for Beginners
Summary
Everything you need to know to begin working with runes The human language gives us the power to create. It is possible because we can use a different combination of words to express unique meanings or ideas. Today, it is still debated how many words are in the English language, with some sources such as the Oxford English Dictionary assuming that the official number is close to 750,000. Runes are a set of alphabets, just like the alphabets that exist in the languages practiced today. They prominently feature vertical and often slanted lines. This arrangement of lines serve a purpose, and they are: Parchments were an expensive commodity back then, so writing on them was not a viable option. Ink wasn't cheap, and for that reason, using it was uncommon. Therefore, runes were carved into objects and surfaces instead. Since carving was used, using straight lines was much easier than curves. While using straight lines, runes avoided the inclusion of horizontal strokes, as those lines could look like the natural lines of surfaces like wood, thereby removing any trace of the line itself. No one can establish with absolute certainty when the runes originated. One of the most popular theories is that it was developed by the Goths, a race of East-Germanic people. Historians also believe that runes have taken inspiration from the Latin alphabet. While this does not narrow down its time of origin, it gives a rough estimate, placing it in the 1st century BC. In this book, you'll discover: History of runes The power of runes Runes of the elder Futhark The art of the runestave How to successfully runecasting for beginners Advanced runecasting techniques And much more! Get your copy now!
©2020 Vivienne Grant (P)2020 Vivienne Grant
Understanding the Human Factor: Life and Its Impact
Summary
The year is 8000 B.C. A man wanders across a field of prairie grasses in search of edible berries and roots and wild game to feed his family. As he walks, the tips of the grasses brush against him, releasing seeds. He collects a few of these seeds and brings them back to his camp. Later, he notices that when they fall on earth, they begin to sprout, and a new plant grows. In small moments like these, the path of Homo sapiens is changed forever. The process of domesticating plants and animals reflects the greatest transition in the history of humankind - one that served to make us the humans we are today. In this series of 24 thought-provoking lectures, an award-winning educator takes you on a journey through this fascinating story, surveying the remarkable innovations that transformed humankind into the sole agriculturists on our planet - an innovation the human race feels to this day. Drawing on the latest science from a wide variety of fields - including microbiology, genetics, archaeology, and sociology - Professor Sojka offers a seldom-seen, multidisciplinary perspective on human life. The result is a complex and remarkable synthesis of science and history that stretches from the ancient roots of human culture to some of the most significant issues facing the modern world. PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.
©2009 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2009 The Great Courses
The Vandals
Summary
If you want to discover the captivating history of the Vandals, then keep reading... In the modern world, when one imagines a vandal, it's often a youth with a covered face drawing graffiti on a wall of a public building. And the act of deliberate defacement, destruction, or damage to public or private property is known as vandalism. This idea became an integral part of world culture with most people using it without knowing that this word is linked to an ancient Germanic tribe called the Vandals. The small number of people that are aware of this link often envision these Vandals as outright barbarians who pillaged and burned, killed and destroyed. They were the antithesis of civilized and cultured life. That image has been engraved in our collective consciousness by centuries of historical propaganda. This was possible because the Vandals didn't leave us any histories written by themselves. Thus, most of the ancient sources on their past were written by their enemies and adversaries, who didn't look too kindly on them. This is especially true for later historians who idealized ancient Rome and blamed the Vandals for its fall. But the question is, how much of it is true? This audiobook is aimed to answer that question. Were the Vandals really so wild, and were they worse than any other tribe in Europe at that time? It will also present the society and culture of this tribe in an attempt to not only shed light on their reputation in history but to also give their side of the story as the stereotypical bad guys. In essence, this guide will try to give some voice to the voiceless Vandals. Hopefully by the end of it, you will leave with your own picture of who those barbarians were. In The Vandals: A Captivating Guide to the Barbarians That Conquered the Roman Empire During the Transitional Period from Late Antiquity to the Early Middle Ages, you will discover topics such as: Origins of the Vandals From the Danube to Africa Rise of the Vandal Kingdom Downfall of the Vandals Vandal Society Religion, Culture, and the Vandals And much, much more! So if you want to learn more about The Vandals, get this audiobook now!
©2019 Captivating History (P)2020 Captivating History
I Maya
Summary
Chi sono i Maya? Cosa realmente si sa della loro civiltà davvero unica che per molti aspetti è ancora avvolta nel mistero? Furono un popolo organizzato in classi sociali, combattivo, con conoscenze scientifiche avanzate dal punto di vista matematico e in particolare astronomico. Conoscevano l'arte divinatoria e con i loro famosi calendari di pietra erano in grado di prevedere eventi futuri. Gli avvenimenti predetti e documentati che poi sono realmente accaduti, sono numerosissimi. Si tratta di coincidenze inquietanti, o effettivamente il popolo dei Maya era in contatto con forze sovrannaturali per non dire aliene? La loro spiritualità legata a divinità buone ma anche terribili, da placare con sacrifici umani sanguinari, indica che i Maya - come d'altronde molte altre popolazioni a loro contemporanee - ritenevano di dover offrire tributi pesantissimi ai loro padroni celesti. Tutto questo era frutto di un culto primitivo basato sul timore divino, oppure c'era realmente uno scambio tra i Maya e le loro divinità? Alcuni importantissimi reperti, sembrerebbero confermalo. Molti misteri comunque non hanno ancora avuto una risposta, gli interrogativi sulla civiltà Maya sono numerosi, e forse è anche questo il motivo della curiosità e del fascino che questo popolo davvero singolare, ancora esercita. In questo audiobook, Riccardo Abati racconta la loro splendida e misteriosa storia.
©2014 Riccardo Abati (P)2014 GOODmood
Punic Wars
Summary
If you want to discover the captivating history of the Punic Wars, then pay attention... Some of the topics covered in part one of this book include: Never-before-told story of what the Punic Wars were all about, where it was fought, and the major events surrounding the historical war Full account of the epic battles fought during the three wars that spanned over 118 years The outcome of the many years of warfare between the two major powers: Carthage and Rome And much, much more! Some of the topics covered in part two of this book include: Rome Versus Carthage - the First Punic War Born into an Uncertain World The Element of Surprise - the Beginning of a Legend Panic in Rome and the Subsequent Raiding of Roman Territory The Rivalry Between Hannibal and Fabius Roman Devastation at Cannae More than a Decade as the Enemy Defeating Hannibal Using Politics to Improve Carthage and a Final Betrayal Cat and Mouse with Rome - Roles Reversed Speculation on Hannibal’s End and the End of Carthage in the Third Punic War The Legacy and the Legend And much, much more! So, if you want to learn more about the Punic Wars and Hannibal Barca, scroll up and click the "buy now" button!
©2020 Captivating History (P)2020 Captivating History
The Antonine Plague
Summary
“[A]s the reign of Marcus Aurelius forms a turning point in so many things, and above all in literature and art, I have no doubt that this crisis was brought about by that plague...The ancient world never recovered from the blow inflicted on it by the plague which visited it in the reign of Marcus Aurelius.” (Barthold Georg Niebuhr) “The Five Good Emperors”, a reference to the five emperors who ruled the Roman Empire between 96 and 180 CE (Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, and Marcus Aurelius), was a term first coined by Machiavelli and later adopted and popularized by historian Edward Gibbon, who said that under these men, the Roman Empire “was governed by absolute power under the guidance of wisdom and virtue”. Machiavelli explained, “From the study of this history we may also learn how a good government is to be established; for while all the emperors who succeeded to the throne by birth, except Titus, were bad, all were good who succeeded by adoption, as in the case of the five from Nerva to Marcus. But as soon as the empire fell once more to the heirs by birth, its ruin recommenced...Titus, Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus, and Marcus had no need of praetorian cohorts, or of countless legions to guard them, but were defended by their own good lives, the good-will of their subjects, and the attachment of the senate”. These 84 years also witnessed an impressive growth in the size of the Roman Empire. New acquisitions ranged from northern Britain to Arabia, Mesopotamia, and Dacia. Furthermore, existing possessions were consolidated, and the empire’s defenses improved when compared to what had come before. A range of countries that had been client states became fully integrated provinces, and even Italy saw administrative reforms which created further wealth. With all of that said, according to some academics, the success these rulers had in centralizing the empire's administration, while undoubtedly bringing huge benefits, also sowed the seeds for later problems. After all, as so many Roman emperors proved, from Caligula and Nero to Commodus, the empire’s approach to governance was predicated on the ruler's ability. When incompetent or insane emperors came to power, the whole edifice came tumbling down. Moreover, the success of the emperors ironically brought about the worst plague in Rome’s epic history. Due to constant warfare on the borders and attempts to defend positions against various groups, Roman soldiers came into contact with foreign diseases, and they unwittingly brought them home when campaigns ended. This culminated around 165 CE, when an unidentified disease brought the empire to its knees and afflicted an untold number of individuals, one of whom may have been Lucius Verus, the co-emperor of Rome alongside Marcus Aurelius. In addition to the enormous number of casualties, which has been estimated at upwards of 5 million people, the pandemic disrupted Roman trade to the east, affected societies culturally across Europe, and compelled physicians like Galen to study the symptoms in an effort to figure out not only what the disease was, but any potential cures. Of course, that was a tall task for ancient doctors with relatively primitive technology, and even today people continue to debate what the disease was and where it came from, with theories ranging from a smallpox outbreak in China, or possibly measles. The Antonine Plague: The History and Legacy of the Ancient Roman Empire’s Worst Pandemic examines the origins of the disease, theories regarding what it was, and the toll it took.
©2020 Charles River Editors (P)2020 Charles River Editors
I volti del potere - La democrazia di Pericle
Summary
I più sono ancora convinti che Atene democratica e Pericle siano sinonimi. Eppure il più grande storico di Atene, oltre che contemporaneo e ammiratore di Pericle, scrisse che il suo regime era stato in realtà una "democrazia solo a parole, di fatto un regime personale". Di fronte al caso Pericle, non si tratta solo di capire come funziona la circolarità tra élite e masse, o, come si esprimeva Tucidide, tra "guidare" ed "essere guidati". Si tratta anche di scoprire come e perché la tradizione ha riservato a Pericle un monumento e al suo vero erede, Alcibiade, la taccia di avventuriero. Come si forma, e alla fine vince, una tradizione storiografica benevola, nonostante sia stata insidiata per secoli da una documentazione ostile, se non demolitoria (e che annovera tra gli illustri detrattori persino Platone)? Sarà stata una ragione extra-politica, per esempio, un'imponente strategia di opere pubbliche e di coinvolgimento degli artisti - nel che Pericle fu maestro per i politici di ogni tempo - a salvaguardare il buon nome e la lunga durata di un leader che gli avversari non esitarono a bollare come tiranno? Cercare di capire i meccanismi del lungo predominio politico e culturale di Pericle, e il compromesso tra demagogia, potere personale e di clan che stava alla sua base, è un passaggio obbligato per intendere non soltanto l'età classica ma anche il nocciolo di ogni sistema politico.
©2019 Gius. Laterza & Figli S.p.a. (P)Emons 2019. Edizione su licenza di Gius. Laterza & Figli S.p.a.