Mercenaries were a significant factor in many of the wars of the Classical world being employed in large numbers by many states. By far the most famous were Xenophons Ten Thousand who had to cut their way out of the Persian Empire after the death of their employer & such Greek infantry were for long the most dominant type (even a Spartan king hiring himself out in one case) but there was a wide variety of mercenaries available. Some such as Celts & Thracians were hired largely for their love of fighting while others were valued for their specialist skills such as Cretan archers or slingers from Rhodes or the Balearic Islands. This will be the first full-length book on the subject since 1997. It will examine the role of the mercenaries & their influence on the wars of the period down to the death of Alexander the Great who employed them & why & will also look at the social & economic pressures that drove tens of thousands to make a living of fighting for the highest bidder despite the intense dangers of the ancient battlefield. ...

From historian David Priestland Merchant Soldier Sage" is a remarkable book that proposes a radical new approach to how we see our world & who runs it in the vein of Francis Fukuyamas " The End of History". We live in an age ruled by merchants. Competition flexibility & profit are still the common currency even at a time when Western countries have been driven off a cliff by these very values. But will it always be this way? David Priestland argues for the predominance in any society of one of three broad value systems
- that of the merchant (commercial & competitive); the soldier (aristocratic & militaristic); & the sage (bureaucratic or creative). These castes struggle alongside the worker (egalitarian & artisanal) for power & when they achieve supremacy they can have such a strong hold over us that it is almost impossible to imagine life outside their grip. & yet there does come a point of drastic change usually because one caste becomes too dominant. The result is economic crisis war or revolution & eventually a new caste takes over. Priestland argues we are now in the midst of a period with all the classic signs of imminent change. As the history of the last century shows there is good reason to be fearful of the forces that this failure may unleash. " Merchant Soldier Sage" is both a masterful dissection of our current predicament & a brilliant piece of history. The world will not look the same again. Reviews: " We have here a gripping argument-led history efforlessly moving between New York Tokyo & Berlin from the Reformation to the 2008 economic crisis.. .dazzling.. .here at last is a work that places the current crisis in a longer history of seismic shifts in the balance of social power". (Frank Trentman "BBC History Magazine"). " Concise but extremely ambitious.. .well worth pondering & reflecting on.. .among the many contributions to the dissection of our current predicament this is surely one of the most thought-provoking". (Sir Richard J Evans " Guardian"). " Stimulating... In illustrating these larger processes of caste conflict & caste collaboration the author offers crisp portraits of entrepreneurs economists & warriors... Sparkling prose &.. .arresting comparisons". (Ramachandra Guha " Financial Times"). About the author: David Priestland has studied Communism in all its forms for many years in both Oxford & Moscow State Universities. He is University Lecturer in Modern History at Oxford & a Fellow of St. Edmund Hall & the author of " Stalinism & the Politics of Mobilization". " The Red Flag" was shortlisted for the Longman/ History Today prize."
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Keep it simple & do it well. The Merchant & Mills Sewing Book contains fifteen step-by-step projects aimed at guiding you gently but firmly through the basics of sewing. Each project you make from this book will be stylish but above all useful. Part I of the book presents a fundamental overview on the art of sewing the tools & materials you will need & homegrown tips on essential good practice. In Part II seasoned dressmaker Carolyn Denham leads you step by step through fifteen achievable projects each building on the skills gained as you progress through the book. First equip your sewing room with practical items you never knew you needed such as a Tailor's Ham Sleeve Roll & an Ironing Board Cover (essential items for good pressing practice) a Hussif (the ever ready portable sewing kit) & a Maker's Apron (utilitarian chic for good workers). Then go on to use your new sewing skills to make cushions throws & bags before progressing on to garments with the Tailored Shawl & Fisherman's Top using the paper patterns provided in the back of the book. Make them all & you will be a very capable dressmaker with a raft of functional beautiful handmade goods. Word count: 50 000 ...

Bobby Pendragon is a seemingly normal teenager swept into an amazing quest & catapulted into the middle of an immense interdimensional conflict. His success or failure will decide the course of human existence! The first book of this internationally best-selling series each featuring a new & dangerous mission. ...

Take Note for Exam Success! York Notes offer an exciting approach to English literature. This market leading series fully reflects student needs. They are packed with summaries commentaries exam advice margin & textual features to offer a wider context to the text & encourage a critical analysis. York Notes The Ultimate Literature Guides. ...

A noble but impoverished Venetian asks a friend Antonio for a loan to impress an heiress. His friend agrees but is forced to borrow the sum from a cynical Jewish moneylender Shylock & signs a chilling contract to honour the debt with a pound of his own flesh. A complex & controversial comedy The Merchant of Venice explores prejudice & the true nature of justice. ...

In Venice the merchant Antonio borrows money so his friend can woo a beautiful lady. He agrees that if he doesnt repay Shylock the moneylender Shylock can take a pound of his flesh. When Antonios ships sink & he loses his fortune Shylock insists on the gruesome payment... With Notes on Shakespeare & the Globe Theatre & Love Hate & Mercy in The Merchant of Venice. ...

York Notes Advanced offer a fresh & accessible approach to English Literature. This market-leading series has been completely updated to meet the needs of todays A-level & undergraduate students. Written by established literature experts York Notes Advanced intorduce students to more sophisticated analysis a range of critical perspectives & wider contexts. ...

From the Royal Shakespeare Company -- a fresh new edition of Shakespeares bittersweet comedy of courtship & ethnic tension THIS EDITION
Includes:: * An introduction to The Merchant of Venice by award-winning scholar Jonathan Bate * The play -- with clear & authoritative explanatory notes on each page * A helpful scene-by-scene analysis & key facts about the play * An introduction to Shakespeares career & the Elizabethan theatre * A rich exploration of approaches to staging the play featuring photographs of key productions The most enjoyable way to understand a Shakespeare play is to see it or participate in it. This unique edition presents a historical overview of The Merchant of Venice in performance recommends film versions takes a detailed look at specific productions &

Includes:: interviews with two leading directors & two actors -- Darko Tresnjak David Thacker Anthony Sher & Henry Goodman
- so that we may get a sense of the extraordinary variety of interpretations that are possible a variety that gives Shakespeare his unique capacity to be reinvented & made our contemporary four centuries after his death.



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The Wordsworth Classics Shakespeare Series presents a newly-edited sequence of William Shakespeares works. The textual editing takes account of recent scholarship while giving the material a careful reappraisal. The Merchant of Venice is one of Shakespeares most popular comedies but it remains deeply controversial. The text may seem anti-Semitic; yet repeatedly in performance it has revealed a contrasting nature. Shylock though vanquished in the law-court often triumphs in the theatre. In his intensity he can dominate the play challenging abrasively its romantic & lyrical affirmations. What results is a bitter-sweet drama. Though The Merchant of Venice offers some of the traditional pleasures of romantic comedy it also exposes the operations of prejudice. Thus Shakespeare remains our contemporary. ...