Osprey\'s The Mycenaeans

[Mithras]

I have read on an Amazon review that this book takes liberties with the sources and almost invents unit organisations and so forth. Is this true? Is Mycenaeans a sound book with tentative reconstructions, or fabricated out of nothing?

Hope someone can help!

[Ioannis]

Paul, I haven't read it yet but a fellow archaeologst and Bronze Age reenactor told me that it's not good. When I read it I'll let you know what I think.

[hoplite14gr]

Pylos tablets reveal a very well trained combined arms force.
But the book seems to be written hastily and rely on "uncle Angus" art work to sell.
Kind regards

[Mithras]

Ioannis, I was planning a visit to Crete in the summer, but I read on your blog that Heraklion Museum will be closed for TWO years! I might have to postpone the visit, it would be so frustrating for me to see the palaces, but none of the artefacts.

Paul, I haven't read it yet but a fellow archaeologst and Bronze Age reenactor told me that it's not good. When I read it I'll let you know what I think.

[Ioannis]

Ioannis, I was planning a visit to Crete in the summer, but I read on your blog that Heraklion Museum will be closed for TWO years! I might have to postpone the visit, it would be so frustrating for me to see the palaces, but none of the artefacts.

Yes Paul it's quite unfortunate that the museum will stay closed for so long. However, those renovations were more than necessary! The museum was not only looking old but it was old-fashioned too.

[Matthew Amt]

Yeah, I'm afraid the Osprey Mycenaeans book isn't very good. There are some discussions on the Bronze Age Center:

http://s8.invisionfree.com/Bronze_Age_C ... owtopic=33

(Might not be any "meat" until page 3 or 4!)

http://z8.invisionfree.com/Bronze_Age_C ... wtopic=337

While it does have some neat tidbits about military organization (from Linear B tablets, etc.), I really think it drags way too many solid conclusions from them. The text and reconstructions both hypothesize whole units of naked guys with just short swords, saying how they have so much advantage over the heavy infantry with their "cumbersome" shields and pikes. Say what?

And I know McBride is popular, but I'd have to say that this just isn't his strong era--he doesn't even make his bronze shine like bronze.

Oh, well!

Matthew

[Robert Vermaat]

And I know McBride is popular, but I'd have to say that this just isn't his strong era

By that I take it you mean his era is past?
Well, I think so anyway. Too bad, he was a god some time ago...

[Virilis]

Too bad, he was a god some time ago...

Yes, that was along time ago before his soldiers began all look like Gimli :evil: !