---
product_id: 1706089
title: "Persian Fire: The First World Empire and the Battle for the West"
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---

# Persian Fire: The First World Empire and the Battle for the West

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Persian Fire: The First World Empire and the Battle for the West [Holland, Tom] on desertcart.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Persian Fire: The First World Empire and the Battle for the West

Review: History made fun - Once again, Holland produces another exciting and readable history of the ancient world. This book covers the period of the early 400s BC, although it provides useful background on the Persian empire, Sparta, and Athens. While Holland rightly claims the battle was crucial in preserving Western civilization, he does try to allow the reader into the Persian mind. His introduction highlights the Persian empire's multi-ethnic nature and superpower status, making it somewhat analogous to America (as opposed to the chauvinistic, petty Greeks). One of the things Holland does well is use modern terms to describe ancient politics, making them more accessible to the modern reader. For example, in the introduction he describes the Greeks, from the Persian point of view, as terrorist states. He also accepts that the protagonists on both sides held certain religious/philosophical beliefs that cannot be left out of the narrative. For example, he incorporates the Gods into his story when it is clear Greek soldiers viewed the Gods as a source of woe or fortune. A cautionary note: if you tend to be bored by history, this book is not for you. Some of the other reviewers complained about the abundance of names and dates. However, this is necessary as Holland has a complicated story to tell spanning decades. On the other hand, if you are curious about history but bored by standard history textbooks or more academic pieces, this is a good, readable synthesis of the history. I should also caution that I am only a casual student of history, so I cannot verify that all of the facts in the book are true. Holland probably could not either since records of history during this time are so sketchy anyway. There is legitimate debate over other historical facts. Even if one or two tiny details are historically debatable (and so far as I can tell they are not), this book will hopefully educate more readers about the ancient world and an important war that shaped Western civilization.
Review: Holland back and at his finest - Tom Holland scored some major points with Rubicon, a terrific, narrative account of the fall of the Roman Republic. His clear prose, entertaining characterization and solid research and diverse use of sources can be apppreciated by all levels of readers. Holland may not have improved between his two books, but he certainly hasn't lost a step either. In Persian Fire, he recounts the rise of the Persian Empire and the revolutionary changes in Greek life, focusing on the late Archaic age in Sparta and Athens. I'm sure the point has been made before, but I like Holland's insistence that Marathon proved to be the first real test of the democracy of Athens. Holland traces their subsequent rise in prestige and the spread of democracy to this great victory over the hegemonic superpower of Persia. Holland's narrative is sleek, the various Athenian factions are (thankfully) clarified and the representation of the Persians is quite good. He tends to over-do his comparisons to the contemporary world, but overall, Holland treats my favorite historical event with his unique touch and has written a wonderfully accessible account of a stodgy, academic conflict. Well done, Tom.

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #45,576 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #10 in Iran History #12 in Ancient Greek History (Books) #44 in History of Civilization & Culture |
| Customer Reviews | 4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars (1,996) |
| Dimensions  | 8.1 x 5.2 x 0.9 inches |
| Edition  | Reprint |
| ISBN-10  | 0307279480 |
| ISBN-13  | 978-0307279484 |
| Item Weight  | 15.2 ounces |
| Language  | English |
| Print length  | 464 pages |
| Publication date  | June 12, 2007 |
| Publisher  | Anchor |

## Images

![Persian Fire: The First World Empire and the Battle for the West - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71pLQb1GGSL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ History made fun
*by A***D on February 3, 2009*

Once again, Holland produces another exciting and readable history of the ancient world. This book covers the period of the early 400s BC, although it provides useful background on the Persian empire, Sparta, and Athens. While Holland rightly claims the battle was crucial in preserving Western civilization, he does try to allow the reader into the Persian mind. His introduction highlights the Persian empire's multi-ethnic nature and superpower status, making it somewhat analogous to America (as opposed to the chauvinistic, petty Greeks). One of the things Holland does well is use modern terms to describe ancient politics, making them more accessible to the modern reader. For example, in the introduction he describes the Greeks, from the Persian point of view, as terrorist states. He also accepts that the protagonists on both sides held certain religious/philosophical beliefs that cannot be left out of the narrative. For example, he incorporates the Gods into his story when it is clear Greek soldiers viewed the Gods as a source of woe or fortune. A cautionary note: if you tend to be bored by history, this book is not for you. Some of the other reviewers complained about the abundance of names and dates. However, this is necessary as Holland has a complicated story to tell spanning decades. On the other hand, if you are curious about history but bored by standard history textbooks or more academic pieces, this is a good, readable synthesis of the history. I should also caution that I am only a casual student of history, so I cannot verify that all of the facts in the book are true. Holland probably could not either since records of history during this time are so sketchy anyway. There is legitimate debate over other historical facts. Even if one or two tiny details are historically debatable (and so far as I can tell they are not), this book will hopefully educate more readers about the ancient world and an important war that shaped Western civilization.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Holland back and at his finest
*by R***T on July 10, 2007*

Tom Holland scored some major points with Rubicon, a terrific, narrative account of the fall of the Roman Republic. His clear prose, entertaining characterization and solid research and diverse use of sources can be apppreciated by all levels of readers. Holland may not have improved between his two books, but he certainly hasn't lost a step either. In Persian Fire, he recounts the rise of the Persian Empire and the revolutionary changes in Greek life, focusing on the late Archaic age in Sparta and Athens. I'm sure the point has been made before, but I like Holland's insistence that Marathon proved to be the first real test of the democracy of Athens. Holland traces their subsequent rise in prestige and the spread of democracy to this great victory over the hegemonic superpower of Persia. Holland's narrative is sleek, the various Athenian factions are (thankfully) clarified and the representation of the Persians is quite good. He tends to over-do his comparisons to the contemporary world, but overall, Holland treats my favorite historical event with his unique touch and has written a wonderfully accessible account of a stodgy, academic conflict. Well done, Tom.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Though a poor example of popular history, it covers the subject
*by S***O on July 31, 2013*

A word of warning to readers of fiction who want to try popular history: This is not a good sample. Even as an experienced reader of history, I had to occasionally slow down and repeat a sentence to comprehend it. Why? PERSIAN FIRE has an overabundance of long awkwardly constructed sentences. And it is verbose. I understand that ancient history presents a problem. Because source materials are scant, how can an author fill up enough pages to make a publishable book? Still, I prefer a short book that is to the point, over a long one with decorative words that clutter the mind. Unfortunately I cannot recommend something that is easier to read and equally informative of the subject. But if you can sift through Tom Holland's ostentatious prose, you will take home some shiny baubles. The three main characters are not persons, they are states: Persia, Sparta, and Athens, chronicled from birth to maturity. From the white horses and Great King Xerxes of Persia, to the polished shields and King Leonides of Sparta, to Themistocles and the democratic people of Athens--this is a variegated, fleshed-out epic. You have probably already heard at least a little about two of this story's legendary fields of play: Marathon and Thermopylae. Now Mr. Holland can invigorate you with the details. For extras, he provides an ample selection of photos, plenty of footnotes, and a long bibliography. His maps are tight with the text, though for quick reference you may want to paperclip the page with the "List of Maps." This can be a rewarding book for the determined reader. But unless you are specifically interested in the Greco-Persian wars, popular history is better exemplified by other works. I mean works that are easier to read. You could try something by David McCullough, Robert K. Massie, or Barbara W. Tuchman. Less reputable but even easier to read are works by John Toland, Stephen E. Ambrose, and Diana Preston. PERSIAN FIRE proves that a good subject is not enough for five stars, which I would have awarded if the style had been simpler and more humble.

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*Product available on Desertcart Senegal*
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*Last updated: 2026-02-11*