The Gates of Athens: Book One in the Athenian series

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It does, however, mean there are constraints on how much time the author can spend on the battle scenes. Equally, the attempt to bring in all the big names, from Darius to Xerxes to Leonidas, means there is an inevitable limitation to how well we can know them. But if you want to have first person accounts of all the significant events, that's the only way you can do it. Both the time and geographical period of the Greco-Persian Wars are too spread out, with changing players. The Battle of Marathon in 490 BCE was part of the first invasion led by Darius, with Thermypolae and the naval Battle of Artemisium in 480 BCE as the openers of the second invasion under Xerxes. Those coming into the book expecting a long time spent at Thermopylae may be disappointed. It was certainly given less time than I expected but nevertheless it remained impactful. How could it not, when we are all so familiar with various fictional retellings of that legendary battle. And perhaps that's why Iggulden left it largely alone. What he focuses on instead is the sea. For me, it was a welcome and effective decision, feeling fresh and pretty damn thrilling. I can't wait to see what he does with Salamis. And near irresistible to historical fiction writers. But if anyone is looking for non-stop bloodshed, they won't find it here. What Iggulden does in The Lion Shield/The Gates of Athens is weave the fighting into the wider politics of the period, focused primarily through the city-state of Athens. Xanthippus and Themistocles provide the main two POVs, their conflict and/or comradeship the means though which Athenian 'democracy' and its limitations is explored. This choice allows the reader to see more than just men at war, giving flashes of life in the home, agora, and assembly. The port city of Piraeus, also surrounded with walls by Themistocles and connected to the city with the Long Walls, built under Conon and Pericles. Ten years later, Xanthippus watches helplessly as Athens succumbs to the bitter politics of factionalism. Traitors and exiles abound. Trust is at a low ebb when the Persians cross the Hellespont in ever greater numbers in their second attempt to raze Athens to the ground.

The Athenian heroes of Marathon did not remain brothers in arms after the battle. There was the diplomat, Aristides the Just; the self-made man, the ambitious Themistocles, the leader and military strategist, Miltiades, and Xanthippus, father of the later infamous Pericles. This is a period of history that I have always been interested in and fascinated by. It is a tale that has heroic acts, almost inconceivable victories and a story that allows for the exploration Hellenic culture. The Gates of Athens delivers on all accounts, stripping away the romanticism of battle, whilst still sharing the bravery and courage of individuals and showing how an idea or concept of something larger than yourself can motivate people to incredible acts. En este libro el autor nos relata las célebres batallas de Maratón (490 a.C.) y las Termópilas (480 a.C.), al inicio y al final del libro; pero no se crea como otros en los mínimos detalles de las luchas encarnizadas, sino que las narra desde los personajes que participan en ellas. En medio de éstas encontramos capítulos donde vivimos la época del esplendor ateniense, su democracia, cómo la vivía su pueblo… por supuesto como luchaban algunos por alzarse en el poder… cualquier parecido a nuestra realidad de hoy en día… mejor no sigo por ahí. Pericles – an Athenian general, politician and orator – distinguished himself above the other personalities of the era, men who excelled in politics, philosophy, architecture, sculpture, history and literature. He fostered arts and literature and gave to Athens a splendor which would never return throughout its history. He executed a large number of public works projects and improved the life of the citizens. Hence, this period is often referred to as "Age of Pericles." [9] Silver mined in Laurium in southeastern Attica contributed greatly to the prosperity of this Athenian Golden Age. Through the perspectives of different characters, primarily Themistocles and Xanthippus, Mr Iggulden takes us into the battles. The battle at Plataea captured and held my attention: we alternate between Aristides and Mardonius, from one side to the other, as the advantage shifts between the opposing armies. And after the battle? Mr Iggulden takes us further.Under Darius the Great, King of Kings, the mighty Persian army—swollen by 10,000 warriors known as The Immortals—have come to subjugate the Greeks. In their path, vastly outnumbered, stands an army of freeborn Athenians. Among them is a clever, fearsome, and cunning soldier-statesman, Xanthippus. Against all odds, theAthenians emerge victorious. We skip on some time, the story follows Xanthippus POV & his interactions with those around him, mostly Themistocles, it’s all rather banal to be sure, can’t say I really like the character at all, petulant, jealous, prideful, dull as….. all there as his trademark characteristics…… not very endearing at all & he has the political savvy of a mouse which for his station (leading family in Athens) seems jus wrong….. we also don’t really learn much about his wife, family, nor closest friend through his interactions as he’s very self-centred….. It’s a very piecemeal style compared to other works by this author that ive read.

That’s about it for the moment. If you’d like to get in touch with me leave a comment in the forum or you can tweet me @Conn_Iggulden. I’ll leave it there for the moment. If you’ve read my books, you know an awful lot about the way I think already. There’s no point overdoing it. Panathenaic Stadium, south of the Ilissos, in the district Agrai, where the athletic portion of the Panathenaic Games were held.

Conn Iggulden

I go into this in the full knowledge that this first book of the series will cover history that ive read in another series – Long War by Christian Cameron – which covers the Greco-Persian war in much more detail (6 books) ….. my real interest is reading a series about the later Peloponnesian wars (Sparta & Athens) which is where this series by Conn Iggulden winds up or so the “book sell” stuff tells us….. Further information: League of Corinth, Alexander the Great, Antipatrid dynasty, and Antigonid dynasty The Gates of Athens tells the story of ancient Athens from Marathon to Thermopylae through four of the city’s most influential political and military figures. Its democracy is threatened not just by the military might of the Persian empire, but by the machinations of its own citizens.

After Marathon, the four men return to Athens to a hero’s welcome but they are soon divided by ambition and conflicting interests in ways that resonate today. Through Xanthippus’s eyes we see how corruption, charisma and factionalism all challenge the institutions that are supposed to protect their democracy. This absolutely fascinating book is the 1st volume of a new series called "Athenian", from the acclaimed author, Conn Iggulden, and it describes in a very spectacular fashion the atmosphere and people of the ancient world of Athens, and Greece as a whole. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher to provide me with a copy of this book in return for my honest opinion. At the beginning of the book you'll find a well drawn map of the Battle of Salamis in 480 BC, and a list of Military terms, Locations, Characters, Additional words and the Ten Tribes of Athens.The tale told here is massive in scope – you’re looking at armies numbering in hundreds of thousands! That’s quite a difference to many historical novels, especially my own which usually have warbands of a few hundred or even just a dozen. I think the author has made a choice in writing this book to make the whole thing feel BIG – there’s very little dialogue and we flit between characters without ever really seeing them as normal people. We’re TOLD about them, but there’s not many scenes of basic human interaction like men sitting drinking together, sharing jokes and songs, couples being intimate or the like. I can’t be sure, obviously, but I think Iggulden must have decided to avoid scenes like that – avoided making the people too minutely detailed – because he wanted to focus on the greater overall picture. These events were momentous and we do get a vivid sense of how incredibly powerful these nations were. Sparta’s incredible fighting prowess, Persia’s sheer numbers and ambition, and Greek cunning and resilience.