Contents 1 East and West 2 Livius.org 3 Livius Onderwijs 4 Published works 5 References 6 External links

Jona Lendering (born October 29, 1964, Beneden-Leeuwen) is a Dutch historian and the author of books on antiquity, Dutch history and modern management. He studied history at Leiden University and Mediterranean culture at the Amsterdam Free University,^[1] taught history at the Free University, and worked as an archivist employed by the Dutch government,^[2] before becoming one of the founders of the history school Livius Onderwijs.^[1]

[edit] East and West

As a historian, Lendering tries to give more attention to the cultures of the ancient Near East. In his 2004 biography of Alexander the Great (Alexander de Grote), Lendering attempted to make greater use than earlier scholars of Persian and Babylonian sources. For example, he argued from a Babylonian astronomical diary that Darius III of Persia was deserted by his troops when he faced Alexander at the Battle of Gaugamela, rather than personally leading the retreat as reported by Greek sources.^[3]

In a passage cited by one commentator as characteristic of recent unsympathetic interpretations of Alexander,^[4] Lendering argued that Alexander's respectful treatment of Darius' family was not just an act of chivalry but also a claim to be the "new king". Quality Non-Fiction from Holland called Alexander de Grote "fascinating" and highlighted Lendering's attention to non-Western evidence.^[5] However, ancient historian Jan P. Stronk thought it clear from Lendering's book that these sources could at best illuminate specific details of Alexander's life.^[3]

Lendering's interest in balancing western sources with eastern sources can also be discerned in his book on ancient Rome (Stad in marmer), in which he quoted hitherto neglected Talmudic sources, and especially in his book on the legacy of Babylon and the world of Islam to Medieval Europe, Vergeten erfenis.

[edit] Livius.org

Since 1996, Lendering has maintained Livius, a website containing numerous articles on ancient history. The site is divided into sections on specific regions – Anatolia, Persia, Greece, etc. – and an individual selection of topics is treated for each of these.^[6] The Mesopotamian section contains the recently discovered Babylonian Chronicles of the Hellenistic Period and is regularly consulted by Assyriologists and ancient historians, Lendering's online edition being the only publication to date.^[7][8]

[edit] Livius Onderwijs

Livius Onderwijs is an association of teachers interested in ancient Mediterranean societies. ("Onderwijs" is Dutch for "education".) The association is based in Amsterdam and among other services offers a series of lectures there and elsewhere.^[9] It was founded in 2005 by Lendering and Marco Prins.^[10]

[edit] Published works

• Vergeten erfenis. Oosterse wortels van de westerse cultuur (2009; "Lost Legacy. Eastern Roots of Western Civilization");
• Oorlogsmist. Veldslagen en propaganda in de Oudheid (2006; "Fog of War. Ancient Battles and Battle Narratives");
• Polderdenken. De wortels van de Nederlandse overlegcultuur (2005; "The Roots of the Dutch Consensus Culture");
• Alexander de Grote. De ondergang van het Perzische rijk, (2004, "Alexander the Great. The Demise of the Persian Empire");
• Stad in marmer. Gids voor het antieke Rome aan de hand van tijdgenoten (2002; "The Marble City. Literary Travel Guide of Ancient Rome");
• Archeologie van de futurologie (2000; "A History of Futurology");
• De randen van de aarde. De Romeinen tussen Schelde en Eems (2000; "The Edges of the Earth. The Romans in the Low Countries");
• Een interim-manager in het Romeinse Rijk. Plinius in Bithynië (1999; "An Interim-Manager in the Roman Empire. Pliny in Bithynia")

Lendering is a regular contributor to Ancient Warfare; his books have been translated into Turkish.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Livius, his website
• Works by or about Jona Lendering in libraries (WorldCat catalog)