There's a problem loading this menu right now. We donât share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we donât sell your information to others. The Poison King describes a life brimming with spectacle and excitement. There is a certain amount of repetition, and many references to myths, oracles and omens which surrounded Mithradates and of which he made use in the self-image he promoted. European royalty sought out his secret elixir against poison. The Poison King The Life and Legend of Mithradates Audiobook Part 1. There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. Biography & Autobiography History Nonfiction It is difficult to weave personal anecdotes (the lifeblood of good biography) with the technical tidbits of science, but Mayor carries it off brilliantly, as evidenced by sections describing Mithridates' youth and early scientific education in Sinope, and his extraordinary chemical knowledge at the peark of his reign. The Poison King was a finalist for the 2009 National Book Awards and was published by Princeton University Press (448 pages, hardback). The Poison King; The Life and Legend of Mithradates, Rome’s Deadliest Enemy; By: Adrienne Mayor; Narrated by: Paul Hecht; Length: 15 hrs and 51 mins The king’s favorite BookPage Behind the Book by Elizabeth Fremantle April 02, 2019 Elizabeth Fremantle’s historical thriller The Poison Bed fictionalizes the story of King James’s favorite, Robert Carr, and the poisoning scandal in which he became embroiled. 2A Jiangtai Road, Chaoyang District A compelling biography of the legendary king, rebel, and poisoner who defied the Roman EmpireMachiavelli praised his military genius. --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. Danger, hope, fear, and love and lust are never absent. After massacring eighty thousand Roman citizens in 88 BC, he seized Greece and modern-day Turkey. Unit 2702, NUO Centre Princeton University Press (March 27, 2011). Fighting some of the most spectacular battles in ancient history, he dragged Rome into a long round of wars and threatened to invade Italy itself. Reviewed in the United States on November 7, 2020. Top subscription boxes â right to your door, © 1996-2021, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. It is widely available and listed for $29.95 in the United States. European royalty sought out his secret elixir against poison. Mithradates was not the type to do anything small. Mayor's approach to the material blurs the line between history and historical fiction; one can easily imagine the narrative being turned into a television or movie script. ---Lee Scott, Florida Times-Union "Mayor is without doubt a masterful narrator with an ability to create vivid descriptions of past events and to bring historical characters alive." I heard this book referenced and recommended on Dan Carlin's Hardcore History podcast. The Poison King is a gripping account of one of Rome's most relentless but least understood foes. His life inspired Mozart’s first opera, while for centuries poets and playwrights recited bloody, romantic tales of his victories, defeats, intrigues, concubines, and mysterious death. --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. His life inspired Mozart's first opera, while for centuries poets and playwrights recited bloody, romantic tales of his victories, defeats, intrigues, concubines, and mysterious death. Good maps at key points in the narrative are very helpful, and the text is well written and organized chronologically. Mithridates is believed to have been born sometime around 130 BC, and was about 13 years old when his father, Mithridates V Euergetes was assassinated. 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." Reviewed in the United States on July 26, 2018. Bruce Hitchner, Tufts University. "—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. Most of the information we have about him comes from Roman sources on which Adrienne Mayor of course draws heavily; and there is comparatively little from the Kingâs side, from which her book is written. "I can say without reservation that it's a wonderful reading experience, as bracing as a tonic, the perfect holiday gift for adventure-loving men and women. . The book therefore should find a wide audience and serve as an attractive introduction to its subject. Poison (2003) is a young adult English-language fantasy novel written by Chris Wooding, published in 2003. "—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. The Poison King describes a life brimming with spectacle and excitement. Directions. "—Lee Scott, Florida Times-Union, "Mayor has solid research credentials, and her command of the ancient and modern sources is extensive and impressive. Unfortunately, she allows herself some wild flights of fancy better suited for a historical novel and neglects any serious analysis of the reign of Mithradates VI of Pontus, the last serious foe of Roman … "Mithradates should be a household name alongside his fellow rebels Hannibal, Cleopatra, Spartacus, and Attila. Please try again. In the process she writes an almost comical account of this historic figure. . Reviewed in the United States on June 12, 2019. Although Mithridates inherited his father’s throne, he was still a minor at the time, and the kingdom was ruled by a regent, Laodice VI, a Seleucid princess who was the mother of the boy king. [H]is splendidly produced book is a cavalcade of intrigue, action, and slaughter. vendors: Many of our ebooks are available through library electronic The Poison King: The Life and Legend of Mithradates, Rome's Deadliest Enemy Adrienne Mayor Paperback Price: $18.95 / £15.99 ISBN: Published: 03/26/2011 Copyright: 2009 … . Read this exhilarating and penetrating biography to find out. "—ForeWord Reviews, "Mayor has specialized in writing well-researched, readable scholarship in the history of ancient science and technology, including the pre-eminent work on ancient chemical and biological warfare. [W]e must regard this work as representing an important step in encouraging interest in the history of this Pontic king. . This book is the first full-scale history of Carthage in decades. The Poison King: The Life and Legend of Mithradates, Rome’s Deadliest Enemy by Adrienne Mayor, Princeton University Press, 2009, $29.95 This is an enjoyable but strange book. Oh well, he saved his harem from a fate worse than death. ―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. For more sober-if less compelling-accounts, they will turn to the recent studies listed in the very good, up-to-date bibliography included in The Poison King. The Poison King describes a life brimming with spectacle and excitement. I highly recommend this book to anyone. Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video! Rightly so, The Poison King was a finalist for the prestigious National Book Award and is an effort worthy of any student of history." Please try again. "—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. What I love about this book is that it gives an objective portrayal of one of the greatest enemies of the Roman Republic. Phone: +1 609 258 4900 "—Laurence Totelin, Isis, "The prose is brilliant. This is a marvellous book!Not only is it excellently researched history but uses deep and sensitive imagination in the very best sense of the word,to convey the character of Mithridates and those around him. However, methinks that The Poison King will move to the top of the list. Claiming Alexander the Great and Darius of Persia as ancestors, Mithradates inherited a wealthy Black Sea kingdom at age fourteen after his mother poisoned his father. "—Carolyn See, Washington Post, "Mayor gives us a more nuanced view of the so-called Poison King, placing him in his proper context as a Greco-Persian ruler following in the footsteps of his purported ancestor Alexander the Great. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. This is a well-researched book about a fascinating character. Something went wrong. Ruthless, aggressive, charming, manipulative, callous--was Mithradates a textbook sociopath? Claiming Alexander the Great and Darius of Persia as ancestors, Mithradates … The Poison King. . Rightly so, "Mithradates should be a household name alongside his fellow rebels Hannibal, Cleopatra, Spartacus, and Attila. The Poison King was one of five nonfiction finalists in the National Book Awards, 2009, and has been translated into Italian, German, Russian, Turkish, and Spanish. Now, with this stirring biography of the toxicologist's favorite tyrant, she parades her gift for narrative as well. My people had turned against me. After 7 days of silence, I was led & shipwrecked on Siren Island. . Thanks to Mayor, Mithradates has emerged from the shadows at last as one of Rome's most potent and remarkable enemies. Rightly so, The Poison King was a finalist for the prestigious National Book Award and is an effort worthy of any student of history. . His uncanny ability to elude capture and surge back after devastating losses unnerved the Romans, while his mastery of poisons allowed him to foil assassination attempts and eliminate rivals.The Poison King is a gripping account of one of Rome's most relentless but least understood foes. Yet, and as Mayor expertly explores, there is so much more that fascinates the modern reader about the life of this great king that is often left out in historical school rooms or discourses or even other historical texts, which often gloss over Mithridates as just another eastern ruler conquered by Rome. Claiming Alexander the Great and Darius of Persia as ancestors, Mithradates … . He sends an eunuch to murder his harem before the Romans get their hands on them. A compelling biography of the legendary king, rebel, and poisoner who defied the Roman EmpireMachiavelli praised his military genius. "—Arthur Keaveney, Bryn Mawr Classical Review, "Newcomers to the field will fall in love with Mayor's Mithradates. --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. You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition. 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. It was refreshing to learn about this time-period from a non-Roman point of view. An engaging introduction to a remarkable historical figure, the second-greatest adversary Rome ever had to face. Wow, from all my history books including Caligula, Hannibal, Julius, Napoleon, this is one of my most favourite. After massacring eighty thousand Roman citizens in 88 BC, he seized Greece and modern-day Turkey. Phone: +44 1993 814500 Mithridates was a larger than life character who practically serves as an archetype of the people he came from. The only thing I dislike about it is that it wasn't longer. Enter your mobile number or email address below and we'll send you a link to download the free Kindle App. Princeton Asia (Beijing) Consulting Co., Ltd. Finalist for the 2009 National Book Award, Nonfiction, Winner of the 2010 Gold Medal in Biography, Independent Publisher Book Awards, One of The Washington Post critics' Holiday Guide's "Best Books of 2009", Honorable Mention for the 2010 PROSE Award in Biography & Autobiography, Association of American Publishers. This detailed, juicy, entertaining, yet painstaking work of superb scholarship should finally give Mithradates the recognition he deserves. Oh well, those Romans were really hated because they were greedy imperialistic pigs! In King of Poisons, John Parascandola examines the surprising history of this deadly element.From Gustave Flaubert to Dorothy Sayers, arsenic has long held a place … Prime members enjoy FREE Delivery and exclusive access to music, movies, TV shows, original audio series, and Kindle books. Unable to add item to List. It is fitting, therefore, that her first major biography tackles the life of Mithridates VI of Pontus, known for his knowledge of poisons. Laodicea is said to have been a suspect in her husband’s murder, and, fearing for … Romeâs most notorious but least understood opponent, Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 1, 2019. In this richly illustrated book—the first biography of Mithradates in fifty years—Adrienne Mayor combines a storyteller's gifts with the most recent archaeological and scientific discoveries to tell the tale of Mithradates as it has never been told before. "—Philip Matyszak, UNRV, "Mithradates should be a household name alongside his fellow rebels Hannibal, Cleopatra, Spartacus, and Attila. Claiming Alexander the Great and Darius of Persia as ancestors, Mithradates … Many of our ebooks are available for purchase from these online 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. . resources including these platforms: A compelling biography of the legendary king, rebel, and poisoner who defied the Roman Empire. In this richly illustrated book—the first biography of Mithradates in fifty years—Adrienne Mayor combines a storyteller's gifts with the most recent archaeological and scientific discoveries to tell the tale of Mithradates as it has never been told before.