Books by Steven Pressfield
“Steven Pressfield’s breakout novel was Gates of Fire, which was a close up look at the Battle of Thermopylae. In Tides of War, the canvas is much larger. We have the 27-year Peloponnesian War, and the life of Alcibiades—an Athenian general—and it is largely narrated by Alcibiades’ bodyguard, the man on death row who is believed to have assassinated him. So it’s a very visceral novel that doesn’t shy away from the more brutal aspects of ancient Greek society.” Read more...
Historical Novels Set During the Classical Era
Ferdia Lennon, Novelist
Gates of Fire: An Epic Novel of the Battle of Thermopylae
by Steven Pressfield
In the history of war and heroism, few events loom as large in our imagination as the epic defence of the Greeks at the Battle of Thermopylae. Defending a small spur of land between mountains and the sea, 300 Spartans were able to hold off the invading Persians long enough for the Greek navy to defeat the Persians at sea and save Greece. You can of course read about Thermopylae in Herodotus’s Histories, or….you can read about it in this well-researched historical novel, recommended by historian Andrew Bayliss of the University of Birmingham in his interview on the best books on ancient Sparta. It may be fiction, but it also doesn’t hide the darker side of the Spartans and their heroism.
Interviews where books by Steven Pressfield were recommended
Historical Fiction Recommended by Historians
When they’re done well, historical novels are a really exciting way to learn about history, because they combine the emotional involvement of fiction with the narrative of events that took place and details of how life was lived in the past. For that reason, we’re always excited when a historian chooses a work of historical fiction as one of their expert recommendations.
Historical Fiction, recommended by Historians on Five Books
Historical fiction is a wonderful way to learn about history and there has never been a shortage of books written by authors who are able to combine lively imagination, beautiful or pacey writing with a sound knowledge of the primary sources. Here you’ll find our list of all the historical novels recommended by historians on Five Books.
The best books on Sparta, recommended by Andrew Bayliss
Their reputation for self-discipline and self-denial made their way into the English language, but what the ancient Spartans were really like remains a source of debate among scholars, not least because they wrote little themselves. Andrew Bayliss, Senior Lecturer in Greek History at the University of Birmingham and author of an excellent, short book on The Spartans, talks us through what we know about the heroes of Thermopylae, including the darker sides of their culture and society.
Historical Novels Set During the Classical Era, recommended by Ferdia Lennon
Though culture, society, and technology were very different in the ancient world, human minds and relationships still functioned in very similar ways, argues Ferdia Lennon—author of Glorious Exploits, set during the Peloponnesian War. Here he recommends five novels set during the Classical era that serve, in their own ways, as mirrors of the present.
