[neverdem]

It could have used a proofreader.

[neverdem]

ping

[SES1066]

I'm just now finishing Hanson's "Soul of Battle", a study of how 3 democracies and 3 generals changed history; Thebes-Epaminondas, USA/Union-Sherman and USA/WW2-Patton. I find his writing style a bit difficult and I have some reservations about his ultra-high opinion the latter 2 generals. About Thebes and Epaminondas, I might have been vaguely placed in time and action and I would have been wrong.

If this new book is equal to this one, I will look forward to reading it, I agree with those classicists who define our civilization wellsprings as Judeo-Christian and Greco-Roman. It is good to read ancient history in that leached of most emotional baggage, you more clearly see the options and hazards and the similarities to modern problems that give guidelines to possible solutions.

[jb6]

For a wonderful half-century, the richest and happiest period in the recorded history of any single community, Politics and Morality, the deepest and strongest forces of national and of individual life, had moved forward hand in hand towards a complete ideal, the perfect citizen in the perfect state. All the high things in human life seemed to lie along that road: "Freedom, Law, and Progress"; Truth and Beauty; Knowledge and Virtue; Humanity and Religion. Now the gods had put them asunder.

Just don't tell that to the slaves on whom the economy of Athens was built or to the vassalized city state "allies" forced to pay for Athen's glory. Athens went as far as to steal the combined war treasury of her alliance, which then paid for the building of the Parthenon.

[SunkenCiv]

To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. Thanks.

Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on or off the
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[SunkenCiv]

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A War Like No Other: How the Athenians and Spartans Fought the Peloponnesian War by Victor Davis Hanson

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