King of the World by Matt Waters
The Persian Empire was the world's first hyper-power, with territory stretching from Central Asia to Northeastern Africa and from Southeastern Europe to the Indus Valley. It was the dominant geo-political force from the later sixth century to its conquest by Alexander in the 330s BCE. Much of the empire's territory was conquered by its founder, Cyrus the Great, who reigned from 559-530 BCE. Cyrus became a legend in his own lifetime and within a generation or two after his death, his career inspired keen interest from Persia's feisty neighbors to the west, the ancient Greeks. The idealized portrait of Cyrus by the Greek Xenophon had a profound impact on ancient, Medieval, and Early Modern debates about rulership. More recently, it has even inspired a successful book for business executives. Unfortunately, reliable, modern accounts of Cyrus are hard to come by. King of the World provides an authoritative and accessible narrative of Cyrus the Great's life, career, and legacy. While Greek sources remain central to any narrative about Cyrus, a wealth of complementary evidence is found in the ancient Near East, including documentary, archaeological, art historical, and biblical material. Matt Waters draws from all of these rich sources, while consistently contextualizing them for a cohesive understanding of exactly who Cyrus the Great was. This overview addresses issues of interpretation and reconciles limited material. At the same time, the narrative will keep Cyrus the Great's compelling career at the forefront. Cyrus' legacy is enormous and not fully appreciated. King of the World takes readers on a journey that reveals his powerful impact and ensures that his story can be understood for future generations.
The book is a quick read and is a page turnerThe interdisciplinary approach of weaving together history, archaeology, and other fields is much appreciated as well.... An excellent book for anyone seeking to learn about Cyrus and the Persian Empire. * Bryn Mawr Classical Review *
[Waters] has put together a careful but readable account of what we know about that empire's charismatic founder. * Claremont Review of Books *
Matt Waters...is one of those rare scholars capable both of reading the Cyrus Cylinder in its original Standard Babylonian—he includes a new translation as an appendix to his book King of the World—and also of writing about it, and its putative author, in an engaging, approachable way. His study takes us deep inside the career and achievements of Cyrus, while sensibly declining to reconstruct the king's inner life....His portrait of Cyrus is attractive and his research authoritative. * New York Review of Books *
Matt Waters' King of the World is an impressive biographical study of one of the most important figures in ancient history. Waters not only situates Cyrus in the context of Near Eastern and world history, but also his reception in the longue durée. * Touraj Daryaee, Maseeh Chair in Persian Studies & Culture, and Director of the Dr. Samuel M. Jordan Center for Persian Studies and Culture, University of California, Irvine *
This study of Cyrus the Great is a tour-de-force and will be welcomed and used by teachers, scholars, students, and the interested public. Waters' command of ancient sources and vast knowledge of recent scholarship offers a comprehensive overview of Cyrus, contextualized within the human landscape of the ancient world. Magnificent! * Elspeth Dusinberre, Professor of Distinction, University of Colorado Boulder *
[Waters] has put together a careful but readable account of what we know about that empire's charismatic founder. * Claremont Review of Books *
Matt Waters...is one of those rare scholars capable both of reading the Cyrus Cylinder in its original Standard Babylonian—he includes a new translation as an appendix to his book King of the World—and also of writing about it, and its putative author, in an engaging, approachable way. His study takes us deep inside the career and achievements of Cyrus, while sensibly declining to reconstruct the king's inner life....His portrait of Cyrus is attractive and his research authoritative. * New York Review of Books *
Matt Waters' King of the World is an impressive biographical study of one of the most important figures in ancient history. Waters not only situates Cyrus in the context of Near Eastern and world history, but also his reception in the longue durée. * Touraj Daryaee, Maseeh Chair in Persian Studies & Culture, and Director of the Dr. Samuel M. Jordan Center for Persian Studies and Culture, University of California, Irvine *
This study of Cyrus the Great is a tour-de-force and will be welcomed and used by teachers, scholars, students, and the interested public. Waters' command of ancient sources and vast knowledge of recent scholarship offers a comprehensive overview of Cyrus, contextualized within the human landscape of the ancient world. Magnificent! * Elspeth Dusinberre, Professor of Distinction, University of Colorado Boulder *
Matt Waters is Professor of Classics and Ancient History at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. He is the author of Ctesias' Persica and Its Near Eastern Context and Ancient Persia: A Concise History of the Achaemenid Empire, 550-330 BCE, among other works.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9780190927172 |
| ISBN 10 | 0190927178 |
| Title | King of the World |
| Author | Matt Waters |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press Inc |
| Year published | 2022-09-22 |
| Number of pages | 272 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |