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A review by skylarkochava
Delphi: A History of the Center of the Ancient World by Michael Scott
3.0
My theory: this book is a doctoral thesis. The topic is interesting, the facts are detailed and fascinating, but the text presupposes a high level of knowledge and is written in pretty dense prose. It's a slog, but I found the details and ideas presented interesting enough to keep chipping away at it. Despite having 422 pages, the text is actually 290 pages. That's how extensive the notes and index are, plus a brief textual "guided tour" of the site. But it felt like reading a book of 422 pages.
The biggest problem is that the text assumes a great deal of knowledge from the reader in Greek (Roman, etc) history and archaeology. Many Greek and Latin terms are given without translation, and major historical figures (to someone familiar with the era) are given no introduction or context. Even technical terms like the archaic and classical periods for Delphi are thrown around without any explanation as to when those periods are or why there is a distinction between them.
Other major beef: pictures and portrayals are not dated or contextualized. I also wish the pictures had been more big-picture. There are some watercolors of what it might have looked like, but they're hard to imagine. Also, some major topics of discussion have no portrayal at all, such as a view from the Athena temple that is the "popular tourist vision" of Delphi. But I have no idea what that picture is.
My guess is that the central thesis of this project is looking at the dedications (statues, inscriptions, etc) placed around Delphi's religious structures and how those dedications show an attempt to re-cast history by the person/group who dedicated it. The discussions of how groups used statues to effectively re-write history is fascinating, but it's also incredibly detail-oriented about who purchased what, where the materials came from, inscription text, etc. That's the main slog. Similarly, I found the historical context to be very shallow, only enough to justify the author's theory about a particular dedication. I would have liked a more reader-friendly general view of Delphi. This is a textbook supplement, not something you're going to curl up with at the fireplace. However, hardcore nerds and history buffs can probably get through the minutiae, especially if you have some background in Greek history.
I hope the author attempts this subject again with a more "pop culture" version because occasionally, the author's personality comes through with really great turns of phrase and a really nuanced perspective. But his voice is usually buried underneath wordy, convoluted academic-speak. Main exception: the chapter about the modern re-discovery of Delphi, which I found really enjoyable.
The biggest problem is that the text assumes a great deal of knowledge from the reader in Greek (Roman, etc) history and archaeology. Many Greek and Latin terms are given without translation, and major historical figures (to someone familiar with the era) are given no introduction or context. Even technical terms like the archaic and classical periods for Delphi are thrown around without any explanation as to when those periods are or why there is a distinction between them.
Other major beef: pictures and portrayals are not dated or contextualized. I also wish the pictures had been more big-picture. There are some watercolors of what it might have looked like, but they're hard to imagine. Also, some major topics of discussion have no portrayal at all, such as a view from the Athena temple that is the "popular tourist vision" of Delphi. But I have no idea what that picture is.
My guess is that the central thesis of this project is looking at the dedications (statues, inscriptions, etc) placed around Delphi's religious structures and how those dedications show an attempt to re-cast history by the person/group who dedicated it. The discussions of how groups used statues to effectively re-write history is fascinating, but it's also incredibly detail-oriented about who purchased what, where the materials came from, inscription text, etc. That's the main slog. Similarly, I found the historical context to be very shallow, only enough to justify the author's theory about a particular dedication. I would have liked a more reader-friendly general view of Delphi. This is a textbook supplement, not something you're going to curl up with at the fireplace. However, hardcore nerds and history buffs can probably get through the minutiae, especially if you have some background in Greek history.
I hope the author attempts this subject again with a more "pop culture" version because occasionally, the author's personality comes through with really great turns of phrase and a really nuanced perspective. But his voice is usually buried underneath wordy, convoluted academic-speak. Main exception: the chapter about the modern re-discovery of Delphi, which I found really enjoyable.