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(More customer reviews)The fall of the classical civilizations, particularly Rome, has engendered intense scholarly debate for centuries. In Pan's Travail, Hughes posits an answer that has seldom entered into the dialogue of historians: environmental degradation. Hughes' stance is unabashedly that of the environmentalist; readers will encounter the occasional diatribe against exploitation of natural resources and other social commentary. The book is intended for a general audience, and makes for a very interesting reading. Though the author depends too heavily on ancient texts for his evidence, he does make an excellent case for the general scope of Greco-Roman impact on their landscape. However, he fails to connect this impact with the actual collapse of those civilizations in a meaningful way. An interesting and informative read, but ultimately unconvincing.
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InPan's Travail, J. Donald Hughes examines the environmental history of the classical period and argues that the decline of ancient civilizations resulted in part from exploitation of the natural world. Focusing on Greece and Rome, as well as areas subject to their influences, Hughes offers a detailed look at the impact of humans and their technologies on the ecology of the Mediterranean basin. He also compares the ancient world's environmental problems to those of other eras and discusses attitudes toward nature expressed in Greek and Latin literature.
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