2020-06-07
Another good Very Short Introduction, this time covering the easily overlooked Hellenistic period. The second chapter provides an excellent overview of the political situation after the death of Alexander the Great, and the chapter on Ptolemaic Egypt is superb for even its brief coverage of Alexandrian scholarship.
Other chapters aren’t so engaging but to be fair do help to provide more of an overview, such as by showcasing distant colonies and settlements away from the heart of the Mediterranean. It would have been nice to see more of specific subjects, such as deeper coverage of Pergamum, but all these VSI’s have to make cuts somewhere.
Altogether a decent introduction to the period, if a little choppy, and has certainly instilled a wish to read more – which I figure is the purpose of these books.
Rating: 4/5