The mighty slave army led by Spartacus has crushed all before it scattering the legions of Rome. Now invincible he marches towards the Alps & freedom. But storm clouds are growing on the horizon. Crassus the richest man in Rome has raised an army to rival Spartacus & there are murmurings of rebellion in Spartacus own army. Spartacus on the brink of glory must make a crucial decision
- to go forward over the Alps to freedom or back to face the might of Rome & try to break its power forever. Compulsive relentless.. .vividly recounted in muscular prose". (Daily Telegraph). "A brutal blood-spattered novel". (BBC History Magazine)."
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Historically very little is known about Spartacus. We know that he came from Thrace a land north of Greece that he once fought in the Roman legions & that during two fateful years he led a slave army which nearly brought Rome to its knees. In Ben Kanes brilliant novel we meet Spartacus as he returns to Thrace ready to settle down after a decade away. But a new king has usurped the throne. Treacherous & violent he immediately seizes Spartacus & sells him to a Roman slave trader looking for new gladiators. The odyssey has begun which will see Spartacus become one of the greatest legends of history the hero of revolutionaries from Karl Marx to Che Guevara immortalised on screen & now brought to life in Ben Kanes great bestseller
- a novel which takes the story to its halfway point & is continued in Spartacus: Rebellion"."
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Historically very little is known about Spartacus. We know that he came from Thrace a land north of Greece that he once fought in the Roman legions & that during two fateful years he led a slave army which nearly brought Rome to its knees. In Ben Kane's brilliant novel we meet Spartacus as he returns to Thrace ready to settle down after a decade away. But a new king has usurped the throne. Treacherous & violent he immediately seizes Spartacus & sells him to a Roman slave trader looking for new gladiators. The odyssey has begun which will see Spartacus become one of the greatest legends of history the hero of revolutionaries from Karl Marx to Che Guevara immortalised on screen & now brought to life in Ben Kane's great bestseller
- a novel which takes the story to its halfway point & is continued in Spartacus: Rebellion.
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Sparta was a city in the ancient Greek state of Lakedaimon the only state in Greece to have a full-time army. The institutions of the state & the system of education were organised with a view to creating superbly trained soldiers. Isocrates compared the Lakedaimonian political community to a military camp & Aristotyle criticised the Lakedaimonian constitution because it was organised entirely to promote military virtue. Nick Sekunda examines this ancient military machine describing the organisational system of the Spartan army the battles they fought & the society that produced them. ...

Clive Cussler introduces Sam & Remi Fargo in Spartan Gold. An ancient treasure stolen by Xerxes the Great... Discovered by Napoleon Bonaparte... The clues to its hidden location lost until now... Adventurers & treasure hunters Sam & Remi Fargo are on a wild-goose chase. Up to their waists in the Great Pocomoke Swamp in Maryland theyre hunting for lost gold. What they find instead is a small Second World War German U-boat. Inside the submarine they find a body
- & a puzzling incredibly rare bottle of wine. This bottle was one of twelve taken from Napoleons lost cellar. But it is also a clue to a fabulous ancient treasure. One that Hadeon Bondaruk
- a half-Russian half-Persian millionaire
- will do anything to get his hands on. For he claims descent from treasures one-time owner. It will be his no matter who stands in his way... Clive Cussler author of the celebrated Dirk Pitt" novels " Arctic Drift" & " Crescent Dawn" presents his newest series following the adventures of treasure hunters Sam & Remi Fargo
- beginning with Spartan Gold. Praise for Clive Cussler: " The guy I read". (Tom Clancy). The bestselling grandmaster of adventure Clive Cussler has thrilled millions of readers with this gripping fast-paced stories of treasure-hunting action & conspiracy. As well as the Fargo series there are also the "NUMA" & " Oregon Files" series the " Dirk Pitt stories (which started it all) & the " Isaac Bell" adventures series. " The Fargo Adventures" series continues with " Lost Empire" & " The Kingdom" which are both available from Penguin."



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For a period of some 200 years Sparta was acknowledged throughout the Greek world as the home of the finest soldiers. Xenophon called them the only true craftsmen in matters of war. Nic Fields explains the reasons for this superiority how their reputation for invincibility was earned (and deliberately manipulated) & how it was ultimately shattered. The Spartan Way examines how Spartan society through its rigid laws & brutal educational system was thoroughly militarized & devoted to producing warriors suited to the intense demands of hoplite warfare
- professional killers inculcated with the values of unwavering obedience & a willingness to fight & die for their city. The role of Spartan women as mothers & wives in shaping the warrior ethic is considered as are the role of uniform & rigorous training in enhancing the small-unit cohesion within the phalanx & the psychological intimidation of the enemy. The final chapters chart the course of Spartas successes through the period of the Persian & Peloponnesian Wars through the Corinthian & Theban wars of the fourth century BC which culminated with the shattering military defeats at Leuctra & 2nd Mantinea & the years of her decline with the Spartans as a source of mercenaries for the wars of other states.
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The Spartan legend has inspired & captivated subsequent generations with evidence of its legacy found in both the Roman & British Empires. The Spartans are our ancestors every bit as much as the Athenians. But while Athens promoted democracy individualism culture & society their great rivals Sparta embodied militarism totalitarianism segregation & brutal repression. As ruthless as they were self-sacrificing their devastatingly successful war rituals made the Spartans the ultimate fighting force epitomized by Thermopylae. While slave masters to the Helots for over three centuries Spartan women such as Helen of Troy were free to indulge in education dance & sport. Interspersed with the personal biographies of leading figures & based on 30 years research The Spartans tracks the people from 480 to 360 BC charting Spartas progression from the Great Power of the Aegean Greek world to its ultimate demise. Cartledges crystalline prose his vivacious storytelling & his lucid historical insights combine here to provide a first-rate history of the Spartans their significance to ancient Greece & their influence on our culture" Publishing News" ...

Witness the demise of Al Simmons & follow the chain of events that are set in motion in the wake of his death. Spawn: Endgame" features the return of award-winning Spawn creator Todd Mc Farlane to his flagship title. Joining him is the all-star team of artist Whilce Portacio (" Wet Works" & " Batman Confidential") & writer Brian Holguin (" Spawn: Godslayer") with guest artists Greg Capullo (" Spawn" & " The Creech") & Rob Liefeld (" Youngblood"). This volume collects the entire 12 issues (" Spawn" numbered 185-196) of the sold-out monumental " Spawn: Endgame" story arc." ...

Relive the excitement of one of the bestselling independent comics of all time & grow your Spawn: Origins" collection! In this volume the ghost of slain child killer Billy Kincaid returns to taunt Spawn! Possessing human souls Kincaid carries out his dirty work vicariously through innocents. Sam & Twitch find themselves knee deep in it when current police officers become victims to Kincaids torment. Can they help Spawn save the people without killing all of them too?" ...

Bringing together over 1 200 prayers both classic & contemporary The SPCK Book of Christian Prayer" is an inspiring & practical resource for Christians of all denominations. This prestigious collection encompasses a wide & varied range of Christian prayers making it an essential handbook for all who want to deepen & enhance their prayer life as well as for those involved in leading others in worship
- whether in church in school or in the home. The prayers are helpfully arranged under practical subject headings & there is a comprehensive index of subjects with cross references throughout."
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