3 ms·

I can't tell you (yet) exactly what interests me. I'm definitely concerned about my poor mental model of human civilization, particularly pre-classical Greece.

by itp 10y ago

I can't tell you (yet) exactly what interests me. I'm definitely concerned about my poor mental model of human civilization, particularly pre-classical Greece. I'm looking to start with something of an overview and then figure out what rabbit holes make sense!

keeganjw 10y ago
Hmmm, maybe the book Guns, Germs, and Steel would be an interesting start. It's a beefy and detailed book, but interesting. Definitely a broad overview. Also, I think the made it into a movie. That might be more digestible. I've always like Dan Carlin's Hardcore History podcast. He covers a broad range of subjects but they're ways great! Ancient China is also really awesome to learn about. It's not studied so much in the west but they had some extraordinarily advanced civilizations and cities well before those in Europe. Japan, Egypt, the Middle East all have pretty mind-blowing histories.
- irrational 10y ago
  He says he's "particularly [interested in] pre-classical Greece" but you recommend Guns, Germs, and Steel. I'm wondering why since the later is much more relevant to modern history (by modern I mean post 600 AD) than pre-classical Greek history.
Florin_Andrei 10y ago
How far down the rabbit hole? Want to start at the proto-indo-europeans?
pjc50 10y ago
The isles of Greece, the Isles of Greece! Where burning Sappho loved and sung, Where grew the arts of war and peace, Where Delos rose, and Phoebus sprung! Eternal summer gilds them yet, But all, except their sun, is set. -- Byron Pre-classical Greece is about the earliest period of the "West" we have good documentation for, and is tremendously "romantic" to study. However beware of thinking of Greece as the wellspring of civilization; this will lead you to overlook the Arabic and Chinese civilizations.
- Amezarak 10y ago
  Do you have any recommendations for reading about Arabic civilizations? I was under the impression that Arabia was, until Mohammed, an unimportant, remote backwater, vastly overshadowed and sometimes controlled by nearby (sorta) empires - Egypt, Rome, Persia, Sumeria, Lydia, Akkad, Babylonia, Assyria, et cetera.
Steko 10y ago
Relevant Ask Historians books sidebar here: https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/wiki/books/europe#wiki_prehistory https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/wiki/books/europe#wik...

by itp 10y ago

keeganjw 10y ago

Hmmm, maybe the book Guns, Germs, and Steel would be an interesting start. It's a beefy and detailed book, but interesting. Definitely a broad overview. Also, I think the made it into a movie. That might be more digestible. I've always like Dan Carlin's Hardcore History podcast. He covers a broad range of subjects but they're ways great! Ancient China is also really awesome to learn about. It's not studied so much in the west but they had some extraordinarily advanced civilizations and cities well before those in Europe. Japan, Egypt, the Middle East all have pretty mind-blowing histories.

irrational 10y ago
He says he's "particularly [interested in] pre-classical Greece" but you recommend Guns, Germs, and Steel. I'm wondering why since the later is much more relevant to modern history (by modern I mean post 600 AD) than pre-classical Greek history.

Florin_Andrei 10y ago

How far down the rabbit hole? Want to start at the proto-indo-europeans?

pjc50 10y ago

The isles of Greece, the Isles of Greece! Where burning Sappho loved and sung, Where grew the arts of war and peace, Where Delos rose, and Phoebus sprung! Eternal summer gilds them yet, But all, except their sun, is set. -- Byron Pre-classical Greece is about the earliest period of the "West" we have good documentation for, and is tremendously "romantic" to study. However beware of thinking of Greece as the wellspring of civilization; this will lead you to overlook the Arabic and Chinese civilizations.

Amezarak 10y ago
Do you have any recommendations for reading about Arabic civilizations? I was under the impression that Arabia was, until Mohammed, an unimportant, remote backwater, vastly overshadowed and sometimes controlled by nearby (sorta) empires - Egypt, Rome, Persia, Sumeria, Lydia, Akkad, Babylonia, Assyria, et cetera.

Steko 10y ago

Relevant Ask Historians books sidebar here: https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/wiki/books/europe#wiki_prehistory https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/wiki/books/europe#wik...