The product of a NEH Public Scholars Fellowship, the work is presented in a straightforward manner for a general audience. Romm covers necessary background for the era as well as details of major players. The most striking features are the illustrations made of the remains found at the burial site of the last members of the Band ... Through digital manipulation, the text provides a comprehensive view of all the bodies together as they would have been discovered. Romm also provides an extensive reading list and a link to his website for foreign language materials for those interested in more detail on this fascinating unit.
A vivid portrait of ancient Thebes ... Romm weaves into a brisk narrative of military strategies, expedient alliances, supernatural interventions, and political rivalries an examination of the idea of the male eros ... As in ancient Greece, Uranians were heartened to discover the connection of male eros to heroism and valor. A spirited, informative classical history from an expert on the subject.
A brisk account of the city-state of Thebes focused on the Sacred Band, an elite fighting force made up of 150 'male couples, stationed in pairs such that each man fought beside his beloved.' ... Though short on specifics about the Sacred Band itself, Romm lucidly describes the era’s complex power struggles ... This is an eye-opening and immersive portrait of a little-known aspect of ancient history.
