Description
By Jacob Abbott. Enter the age of vast empires, legendary battles, and imperial ambition in this classic account of one of antiquity’s most powerful rulers.
In History of Xerxes the Great, renowned nineteenth-century historian Jacob Abbott recounts the dramatic life and reign of Xerxes I, the mighty Persian monarch who sought to bring the Greek world under the rule of the vast Achaemenid Empire. Combining biography, military history, and vivid storytelling, Abbott transports readers into one of the most famous conflicts of the ancient world.
The book traces Xerxes’s inheritance of the Persian throne from his father, Darius I, and follows his preparations for the enormous invasion of Greece that became legendary in both Eastern and Western history. Readers will encounter the grandeur of the Persian Empire, the immense armies and fleets assembled for war, and the dramatic campaigns that led to famous battles such as Battle of Thermopylae and Battle of Salamis. Abbott vividly portrays the clash between Persia and the fiercely independent Greek city-states, a struggle that helped shape the future of Western civilization.
Written in Abbott’s engaging and accessible style, History of Xerxes the Great offers more than a simple chronicle of war. It is a compelling portrait of power, ambition, leadership, and the immense challenges of ruling a world empire in the ancient age.
This carefully restored reprint revives a beloved historical classic for modern readers. Ideal for students, history enthusiasts, and admirers of ancient Persia and Greece, History of Xerxes the Great remains a fascinating introduction to one of history’s most dramatic imperial struggles.
About the author: Jacob Abbott (1803–1879) was a native of the state of Maine who was a professor of mathematics and natural philosophy, a minister, and founder of two schools (the Mount Vernon School for Young Ladies in Boston and the Mount Vernon School for Boys, in New York City). He wrote more than 180 books and became famous for his easy-to-read style of historical storytelling, stripped of the dry dustiness which characterized other texts.
CONTENTS
Chapter I: The Mother of Xerxes
Chapter II: Egypt and Greece
Chapter III: Debate on the Proposed Invasion of Greece
Chapter IV: Preparations for the Invasion of Greece
Chapter V: Crossing the Hellespont
Chapter VI: The Review of the Troops at Doriscus
Chapter VII: Preparations of the Greeks for Defense
Chapter VIII: The Advance of Xerxes into Greece
Chapter IX: The Battle of Thermopylæ
Chapter X: The Burning of Athens
Chapter XI: The Battle of Salamis
Chapter XII: The Return of Xerxes to Persia
