Since the Anabasis has been in continuous use as one of the main books for the introduction into classical Greek, it is surprising that there are virtually no historical and/or archaeological commentaries to the text. Much of the training of students of the ancient world is focused on Greece and Rome and other 'Hochkulturen'. In Books VI.iii-vi and VII of the Anabasis the classical tradi-tion illuminates one of the 'Randkulturen', that of the Thracians. This part of the Anabasis forms a 'time-exposure' of an important part of Thrace in 400-399. Impor-tant developments, both for Thrace and for the Greek world, took place in this period and were described by an eyewitness. The commentary is preceded by two introductory chapters, one on the army of the 'Ten Thousand' and one on Thrace. These have been inserted because neither armies nor Thrace normally feature in the classical student's curriculum.

Euripides' "Medea" is one of the greatest and most influential Greek tragedies. This book outlines the development of the Medea myth before Euripides and explores his uniquely powerful version from various angles. There are chapters on the play's relationship to the gender politics of fifth-century Athens, Medea's status as a barbarian, and the complex moral and emotional impact of her revenge. Particular attention is paid to the tragic effect of Medea's great monologue and the significance of her role as a divine avenger. The book ends by considering the varied and fascinating reception of Euripides' play from antiquity to the present day.

This classic portrait of the ancient Persian king is “still the best book on leadership” (Peter F. Drucker). Cyrus, a great Persian leader, was so widely and memorably respected that a hundred years later, Xenophon of Athens wrote this admiring book about the greatest leader of his era. Among his many achievements, this great leader of wisdom and virtue founded and extended the Persian Empire; conquered Babylon; freed 40,000 Jews from captivity; wrote mankind’s first human rights charter; and ruled over those he had conquered with respect and benevolence. According to historian Will Durant, Cyrus the Great’s military enemies knew that he was lenient, and they did not fight him with that desperate courage which men show when their only choice is “to kill or die.” As a result the Iranians regarded him as “The Father,” the Babylonians as “The Liberator,” the Greeks as the “Law-Giver,” and the Jews as the “Anointed of the Lord.” By freshening the leader’s voice, style, and diction, Larry Hedrick has created a more contemporary Cyrus, and also contributes an introduction describing him and his times. A new generation of readers, including business executives and managers, military officers, and government officials, can now learn about and benefit from Cyrus the Great’s extraordinary achievements, which exceeded all other leaders’ throughout antiquity.

This is the fourth volume in the series Studies in Ancient Greek Narrative. The book deals with the narratological concepts of character and characterization and explores the textual devices used for purposes of characterization by ancient Greek authors from Homer to Heliodorus.