40 of 49 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
The Condensed Version, October 31, 2003
I was really looking forward to reading this book, having read and learned much from Cantor's previous books on the Middle Ages. As for the present book, in Cantor's own (rather grandiose) words, "This book is an attempt to communicate to the educated reader and to students of history some basic knowledge about antiquity from 2.5 million years ago - the dawn of humanity - to the fall of the Roman Empire in the fifth century A.D. ... focusing on the Mediterranean and Western Europe... [Part I] lays out the fundamental knowledge about antiquity that every educated person should possess." (p. ix) Unfortunately, this book does not meet its stated goals, and its reach far exceeds its grasp.
The first 50 pages consist of very brief (6-7 pages each) essays about Egypt and the Middle East, Greece, Rome, classical philosophy, Christianity, and the decline and fall of Rome. The remaining 150 pages cover the same material, all over again. The most successful are Chapter 10, on ancient Judaism, and Chapter 14, on the Civil Law. Chapter 13, an imaginary dialogue featuring Saint Augustine of Hippo, is also of interest. The exposition is admirably clear throughout.
On the other hand, there is little continuity between chapters, and an amazing amount of error, muddle, and hyperbole along the way. Reviewer Jennifer Sposito has accurately identified many of these "Cantorisms;" here are just a few more.
1. "humans reached Europe... about 10,000 BC. Earlier [sic!], around 6000 BC,... civilization had emerged in the Near East." (p. 4) Humans reached Europe about 35,000 years ago. The Venus of Willendorf (Austria) dates to 30,000 BC. Chauvet painted cave dates to 18,000 BC. In the Middle East, Jerico (a walled city with perhaps 1,000 inhabitants) dates to 8000 BC.
2. "[Hebrew] monotheistic theology that resembled that of Pharaoh Akhenaton" (p. 7). Hebrews did not worship the Sun Disk. The Hebrew god was *invisible*.
3. "[Athens'] physical monuments... [on] the Acropolis - are now closed to tourists." (p. 10) The Acropolis remains accessible, in the midst of ongoing restoration.
4. "From the Egyptians, the Athenians learned literature, art, and religion." (p. 11) The Greeks learned literature from Homer, art and architecture from Crete, and religion from the Aryans (Indo-Europeans).
5. "There is really no evidence that [Alexander] initially set out to develop a new multiethnic, universal citizenship." (p. 14) Alexander took a Persian wife, required every man in his army to do the same, and set himself up as a universal monarch on the Persian model.
6. "[Alexander] was a great general; he was also very lucky." (p. 14) Alexander won because of superior technology (siege engines), military genius, and God-like (as all the ancient biographers attest) personal charisma.
7. "Tiberius and Gaius Gracchi" (page 166). Make that, "Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus."
8. "[Hagia Sophia] is today a somewhat musty and run-down museum." (page 211) Please go and see for yourself this glory of the ancient world. I promise that you will not be disappointed.
In summary, you might want to give Cantor's "Antiquity" a quick read-through for its chapters on Judaism, Civil Law, and Augustine; but the thing to really have from this author is his Medieval History (newly revised), a standard that ought to be on everybody's bookshelf.
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13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
don't waste your money, January 22, 2005
This review is from: Antiquity: From the Birth of Sumerian Civilization to the Fall of the Roman Empire (Paperback)
I purchased this book hoping to reestablish my foundation in ancient and classical civilizations. I wanted a quick survey from which to pursue other more specific topics of interest. After buying the book I read the negative reviews posted here but decided to read the book and judge for myself. I wish I hadn't wasted my money.
First the positives. I found the chapters on the Egyptians and Romans interesting. I am no historian but the gross inaccuracies detailed by others below are concerning. It is difficult to enjoy a read when I must wonder about the accuracy of any given sentence. There end my positive remarks.
These worthwhile chapters are distracting because he jumps back and forth between centuries and topics without any clear organization. You will be in the 4th century BC in one sentence and then find that he has moved to the 1st AD at the end of the next sentence. Very distracting.
One very prominent theme throughout the book is Cantor's disdain for Christians and Jews. The following sentence describing the covenant between the Jews and God is indicative of his tone throughout.
"The covenant idea is the polar opposite of democracy, multiculturalism and ethnic equality. It is intensely elitist."
"The first millennium of Jewish history, as presented in the Bible, has no empirical foundation whatsoever."
I am not Jewish and I am no apologist, but Cantor clearly has an agenda and spends a great deal of this book describing Christians and Jews in condescending terms and uses every opportunity to bash people of faith. His presentation is so biased that it is distracting because one cannot take anything he writes at face value.
Others have pointed out that Cantor is out of his element with this period. I have not read any of his other books, but if his personal agenda colors his other histories with such fervor then I am not interested.
In the chapter "Christian Thought," he changes his style to account a fictional conversation between St Augustine and a contemporary. This chapter is so ridiculous that I wasn't able to finish. He succeedes in creating a ridiculously weak straw man for Christianity in his Augustine character. His agenda could not be more blatant in this chapter. It is grossly out of place in this self-described "analysis."
Others found the chapter on civil law to be of some interest but it is difficult to sift the wheat from the chaff since the layperson cannot tell what is historically accurate and what is not.
There are much better, more accurate and less biased surveys available for the periods and civilizations Cantor attempts to cover in this title. Look elsewhere.
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13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An absorbing and immensely readable overview, November 27, 2003
By A Customer
Like all Norman Cantor's work, this book is extremely readable and it allows the mind to relax, and to put in order a wealth of information about immense subjects. My library and study are filled with books on details of ancient history, and how refreshing it is to pick up "Antiquity" and step back from the details and see through Cantor's eyes great patterns and great developments, to see relationships that have eluded me as I drown in specialized studies. The energy in Cantor's writing is always inviting. I don't agree with all Cantor's conclusions, but he teaches me things all the way through. And this book is particularly illuminating now when East and West are at war, and we are being compelled to learn about the East as never before, perhaps, in our lifetimes. We need scholars like Cantor who can and dare to make statements about the big picture. Anne Rice, New Orleans,La
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