The Persians: Lost Civilizations Hardcover – December 20, 2016

by Geoffrey Parker (Author), Brenda Parker (Author)

4.1 20 ratings

Part of: Lost Civilizations (12 books)

Now in paperback, this is a history of an incomparable culture whose influence can still be seen, millennia later, in modern-day Iran and the wider Middle East.

During the first and second millennia BCE a swathe of nomadic peoples migrated outward from Central Asia into the Eurasian periphery. One group of these people would find themselves encamped in an unpromising, arid region just south of the Caspian Sea. From these modest and uncertain beginnings, they would go on to form one of the most powerful empires in history: the Persian Empire. In this book, Geoffrey and Brenda Parker tell the captivating story of this ancient civilization and its enduring legacy to the world.

The authors examine the unique features of Persian life and trace their influence throughout the centuries. They examine the environmental difficulties the early Persians encountered and how, in overcoming them, they were able to develop a unique culture that would culminate in the massive, first empire, the Achaemenid Empire. Extending their influence into the maritime west, they fought the Greeks for mastery of the eastern Mediterranean—one of the most significant geopolitical contests of the ancient world. And the authors paint vivid portraits of Persian cities and their spectacular achievements: intricate and far-reaching roadways, an astonishing irrigation system that created desert paradises, and, above all, an extraordinary reflection of the diverse peoples that inhabited them.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Anyone looking for a concise overview of Iranian history from pre-Islamic times to the present could do worse than consult this elegantly written volume, part of a series on the rise and fall of civilizations. The authors devote fully half of the book to ancient Iran, which they see as both the world’s first superpower and a model for the modern, postimperial world in its federalist tendencies. The book’s focus is on Iran, but the Parkers occasionally branch out into the wider ‘Persianate’ universe, such as in a nice chapter on Central Asia, while offering illuminating digressions on poetry and gardens. . . . Recommended.”
― Choice

"The second in the Lost Civilizations series, The Persians is also a compact, concise history of a whole civilization—from its nomadic origins in the first and second millennia BC to its new role as a tourist destination as modern-day Iran. . . . Tellingly, the book’s useful chronology ends in 2001 with the destruction of the Twin Towers. Today, Iran’s power and influence is far from waning." ― Minerva

About the Author

Geoffrey Parker is the Honorary Senior Research Fellow in Political Geography and Geopolitics at the University of Birmingham. His previous books include Geopolitics: Past, Present and Future; The Geopolitics of Domination from the Ottoman Empire to the Soviet Union; and The Logic of Unity.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Reaktion Books; Illustrated edition (December 20, 2016)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 224 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1780236506
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1780236506
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.25 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.9 x 8.5 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #2,442,669 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #935 in Iran History
- #4,844 in Archaeology (Books)
- #14,301 in Ancient Civilizations

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4.1 20 ratings

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J. C. Douglas

Good book.

Reviewed in the United States on January 18, 2023

Verified Purchase

The volume covers Persia from ancient to modern. It is well written and covers the main themes and periods. I was hoping for even more depth about the four early dynasties, but it is good overall.

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