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Zusatztext "The author has read widely and shares her information with such gusto that one is easily swept up in her obvious enthusiasm." ---Philip Matyszak, UNRV Informationen zum Autor Adrienne Mayor is the author of Greek Fire, Poison Arrows, and Scorpion Bombs: Biological and Chemical Warfare in the Ancient World (Overlook) and The First Fossil Hunters: Paleontology in Greek and Roman Times (Princeton). She is a research scholar in classics and history of science at Stanford University. Klappentext "Mithradates should be a household name alongside his fellow rebels Hannibal, Cleopatra, Spartacus, and Attila. This detailed, juicy, entertaining, yet painstaking work of superb scholarship should finally give Mithradates the recognition he deserves." --Margaret George, author of Helen of Troy: A Novel "Meticulous in its research, exciting in its narration, ambitious in its conception, The Poison King re-creates an era when much of the Mediterranean world rebelled against Rome. At the center of it all is the fascinating and frightening king who rallied the resistance: Mithradates. Mayor has written a terrific book." --Barry Strauss, author of The Spartacus War "A fascination with the byways of ancient science, a wonderful eye for the telling detail, and a relish for floating theories that is almost buccaneering: these have always been the trademarks of Adrienne Mayor. Now, with this stirring biography of the toxicologist's favorite tyrant, she parades her gift for narrative as well. Thanks to Mayor, Mithradates has emerged from the shadows at last as one of Rome's most potent and remarkable enemies." --Tom Holland, author of Rubicon: The Last Years of the Roman Republic "'He died old'--so A. E. Housman refers to the subject of Adrienne Mayor's latest enthralling book, Mithradates VI, king of Pontus. Pursuing her interest in deadly chemical and biological substances, she focuses here on the life and times of the hammer of the mighty Romans in the last century of the Republic, the hellenized oriental ruler finally nailed by Pompey the Great. Ruthless, aggressive, charming, manipulative, callous--was Mithradates a textbook sociopath? Read this exhilarating and penetrating biography to find out." --Paul Cartledge, author of Alexander the Great "Adrienne Mayor's The Poison King is an intriguing and highly readable new biography of one of the most controversial figures of antiquity, Mithradates--ruthless Hellenistic king, genocidaire, terrorist, alchemist, implacable enemy of Rome. It is an important contribution to our understanding of the desperate measures some rulers were prepared to take to resist Rome's iron-fisted pursuit of empire." --R. Bruce Hitchner, Tufts University Zusammenfassung Claiming Alexander the Great and Darius of Persia as ancestors, Mithradates, the ruthless king and visionary rebel who challenged the power of Rome in the first century BC, inherited a wealthy Black Sea kingdom at age fourteen after his mother poisoned his father. This title tells the story of Mithradates. Inhaltsverzeichnis List of Illustrations xi Dramatis Personae xv Time Line xix Acknowledgments xxi Introduction 1 Chapter 1: Kill Them All! and Let the Gods Sort Them Out 13 Chapter 2: A Savior Is Born in a Castle by the Sea 27 Chapter 3: Education of a Young Hero 43 Chapter 4: The Lost Boys 73 Chapter 5: Return of the King 96 Chapter 6: Storm Clouds 123 Chapter 7: Victory 147 Chapter 8: Terror 169 Chapter 9: Battle for Greece 188 Chapter 10: Killers' Kiss 214 Chapter 11: Living Like a King 236 Chapter 12: Falling Star 262 Chapter 13: Renegade Kings 288 Chapter 14: End Game 315 Chapter 15: In the Tower 347 Appendix One 371 Appendix Two 377 Notes 381 Bibliography 421 Index 435 ...
