Lords of the Sea: The Epic Story of the Athenian Navy and the Birth of Democracy

by John R. Hale

Overview

The epic true story of Themistocles and the Battle of Salamis, and a rousing history of the world's first dominant navy and the towering empire it built

The Athenian Navy was one of the finest fighting forces in the history of the world. It engineered a civilization, empowered the world's first democracy, and led a band of ordinary citizens on a voyage of discovery that altered the course of history. With Lords of the Sea, renowned archaeologist John R. Hale presents, for the first time, the definitive history of the epic battles, the fearsome ships, and the men-from extraordinary leaders to seductive rogues-that established Athens's supremacy. With a scholar's insight and a storyteller's flair, Hale takes us on an unforgettable voyage with these heroes, their turbulent careers, and far-flung expeditions, bringing back to light a forgotten maritime empire and its majestic legacy.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780143117681
Publisher:	Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date:	04/27/2010
Pages:	432
Sales rank:	100,554
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.30(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

John R. Hale studied at Yale and Cambridge before embarking on an archaeological career that includes extensive underwater searches for ancient warships. He has written for Antiquity, Journal of Roman Archaeology, and Scientific American and has been profiled by NPR and The New York Times. He has also been featured in documentaries broadcast by The Discovery Channel and The History Channel. He is currently the director of liberal studies at the University of Louisville.

Table of Contents

List of Maps and Diagrams xv

Preface xvii

Introduction xxiii

Part 1 Freedom

1 One Man, One Vision [483 B.C.] 3

2 Building the Fleet [483–481 B.C.] 15

3 The Wooden Wall [481–480 B.C.] 29

4 Holding the Pass [Summer, 480 B.C.] 43

5 Salamis [End of Summer, 480 B.C.] 55

Part 2 Democracy

6 A League of Their Own [479–463 B.C.] 77

7 Boundless Ambition [462–446 B.C.] 95

8 Mariners of the Golden Age [Mid-fifth Century B.C.] 110

Part 3 Empire

9 The Imperial Navy [446–433 B.C.] 125

10 War and Pestilence [433–430 B.C.] 138

11 Fortune Favors the Brave [430–428 B.C.] 154

12 Masks of Comedy, Masks of Command [428–421 B.C.] 171

13 The Sicilian Expedition [415–413 B.C.] 185

Part 4 Catastrophe

14 The Rogue's Return [412–407 B.C.] 205

15 Of Heroes and Hemlock [407–406 B.C.] 221

16 Rowing to Hades [405–399 B.C.] 233

Part 5 Rebirth

17 Passing the Torch [397–371 B.C.] 249

18 Triremes of Atlantis [370–354 B.C.] 269

19 The Voice of the Navy [354–339 B.C.] 280

20 In the Shadow of Macedon [339–324 B.C.] 294

21 The Last Battle [324–322 B.C.] 311

Chronology 319

Glossary 333

Note on Sources 341

Acknowledgments 375

Index 579

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"This is [a] tour de force of historical imagination." —-Adam Nicolson, award-winning author of God's Secretaries: The Making of the King James Bible

Editorial Reviews

"You'd have to be half asleep already not to become hooked by the first few paragraphs of John Hale's Lords of the Sea - The Cleveland Plain Dealer "Hale's simple but vigorous sentences prick up your ears from the first page...one hopes to hear more from him."-Dwight Garner, The New York Times "With something for almost everyone, "Lords of the Sea" tells an important story and imparts to him who wants to learn important lessons. It's well worth the read." -Washington Times "Dr. Hale's sparkling creation, that rare history so brilliantly told that, like the Athenian democracy, it is truly for all people." - Louisville Courier-Journal "Historian and archeologist Hale brings both skill sets to bear in this account of an Athens whose golden age and democratic institutions depended on its navy." - Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher