11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great book improved yet again, September 13, 2000
This review is from: The Greeks Overseas: The Early Colonies and Trade (Paperback)
I have read and owned every edition of "The Greeks Overseas" since the first little Pelican paperback. It is the single, first and last, indispensable book for students of Archaic Greece, whether studying primarily history or archaeology or art. I consider it prerequisite to his other books on Archaic art and on the diffusion of Greek civilization. Professor Boardman has given us more than any other scholar of his generation, all of it of enduring value. The latest edition of the basic "Greek Art" is also worthy of reading by everyone from adolescents to mature scholars. A new edition of a Boardman book is not merely a new cover and an up-dated bibliography (though that, of course, is provided).
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The standard work in English, very dated sadly..., November 3, 2009
This review is from: The Greeks Overseas: The Early Colonies and Trade (Paperback)
This is an archaeological survey of Greek colonization, it is very old, and quite dated but still invaluable since there is really no other book in English on the subject that is not very localized. There is a new Afterward (circa 1999) that briefly corrects some errors in the text, but this is about the extent of the updates.
It is by no means a pleasure to read, and comes from an antique school of classical archaeology that is Hellenophillic to say the least. There are moments in the text where one starts to appreciate modern Processual archaeology, something I thought I would never write. After reading this I actually pulled out Binford and Flannery and even Sahlins and felt apologetic. As another reviewer has pointed out, it is not bad as an art history book for Archaic Greek art, but when a work contains such marvelous passages as this:
"The result, with a further massive injection of Greek influence in the sixth century, was 'Etruscan Art'; the showy blend of Greek, oriental, and barbarian taste which can still inspire or impress those who cannot come to terms with the more controlled achievements of Greek art."
One starts to get irritated, even if I understand what the author means. This distaste for the Oriental, reaches full florescence in Boardman's disdain for Cypriot Greek art and culture, something belatedly and only partially retracted in the epilogue, and even the Egyptians do not escape his Philo-Hellenism. The ultimate though is his very traditional "old school" high opinion of the Scythians.
So why four stars? Because it is really the only book available on the subject to the English language audience, it is beautifully illustrated with excellent black and white illustrations, and aside from all the annoyances it is still by far the best book on the major Greek colonies from Syria and Egypt to Marseilles and the Black Sea. It is sad to say that if this is a subject you are interested in you have really no choice but to read this book. Other than in the Black Sea or Ionia there is no real competition, even in the form of Historically themed works that are easily available, except for the Classical and Roman authors themselves. So that even if you don't enjoy reading dated and not entirely convincing discussions of pottery, you will have to wade through this anyway. This is as good as it gets, so in parting I would like to say:
"Please sir may I have some more?"
Somebody please write a more modern synthesis!!!
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6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Somwhat Useful But Dull, May 11, 2002
By A Customer
This review is from: The Greeks Overseas: The Early Colonies and Trade (Paperback)
I bought this book hoping to learn about the history of the Greek colonies in the Mediterranean and Black Sea basins, and it seems that Boardman is the old acknowledged expert.
Boardman provides some info on where the colonies where, but beyond that the entire discussion is about (a) from what Greek city the colony was founded, and (b) what kind of coins and pottery were there, (c) where there Phoenicians around. Believe it or not, that's pretty much all there is.
He starts out by indicating he will leave out all the politics and military history of the colonies, as they have been covered by Herodotus and others! In other words, let's leave out the interesting part. It's kind of frustrating when the leading expert on a historical topic starts out by indicating he will only talk about coins and pots. The maps are generally good in indicating where all the old Greek colonies were, except for the Black Sea, where the maps are sketchy.
For better Black Sea maps and information, see Professor G. Tsetskhadlze, publisher Franz Steiner Verlag, Stuttgart, Germany, or look up The Phanagoria Project on the net, he seems to be the leading expert now, doing excavation there. And he writes in English.
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