Bronze Lie
Regular price
€19.99
Covering Sparta’s full classical history, The Bronze Lie examines the myth of Spartan warrior supremacy.
The last stand at Thermopylae made the Spartans legends in their own time, famous for their toughness, stoicism and martial prowess – but was this reputation earned?
The Spartan hoplite enjoys unquestioned currency as history’s greatest fighting man. Spartans were known for their refusal to surrender in the face of impossible odds, even when it meant certain death. But was this simply the success of a propaganda machine?
Covering Sparta’s full classical history from the foundation of the city-state through to its final overthrow by Rome in the 1st century BC, The Bronze Lie examines the myth of Spartan warrior supremacy and paints a very different picture of Spartan warfare – one punctuated by frequent and heavy losses.
Author Myke Cole looks at the major battles, with a special focus on previously under-publicized Spartan reverses that have been left largely unexamined. He reveals why Spartan society became dedicated to militarism, and examines the men who lived under its brutal rule. The result is a refreshingly honest and accurate account of Spartan warfare.
Myke Cole has had a colourful and varied career, with service in war and crisis response. He began as a security contractor to the CIA, and transitioned into a federal intelligence position first with DIA (Defense Intelligence Agency), and then with the ONI (Office of Naval Intelligence). He commanded the reserve at US Coast Guard Station New York, where he was responsible for maritime law enforcement and search-and-rescue operations around the island of Manhattan. He went on to work for the NYPD in cyber threat intelligence, and currently works as a security and intelligence consultant in the private sector. He lives in Brooklyn, NY.
He has published extensively in military history and security, including pieces in the journals of the American Association of Museums and the American Historical Association, and is also a popular fantasy and science fiction novelist with several major imprints, including Ace/Roc, Tor and Angry Robot. Myke also appeared on CBS' hit TV show Hunted, where he joined a team of elite investigators pursuing fugitives across the southeastern United States.