The Horses of St. Mark's: A Story of Triumph in Byzantium, Paris, and Venice

By Charles Freeman

The Horses of St. Mark's in Venice are among art's finest creations-and certainly one with a story like no other. Celebrated historian Charles Freeman, author of the 2009 surprise hit A.D. 381, explores the mysterious origin of the statues and their turbulent movements through Europe over the centuries: in Constantinople, at both its founding and sacking in the Fourth Crusade; in Venice, at both the height of its greatness and fall in 1797; in the Paris of Napoleon, and the revolutions of 1848; and back in Venice, the most romantic city in the world. In this remarkable new book, Freeman shows how the horses came to stand at the heart of European history time and time again.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Penguin Group
• Release date: Aug 12, 2010
• ISBN: 9781468303025

Charles Freeman

Charles Freeman is a specialist on the ancient world and its legacy. He has worked on archaeological digs on the continents surrounding the Mediterranean and develops study tour programs in Italy, Greece, and Turkey. Freeman is Historical Consultant to the Blue Guides series and the author of numerous books, including the bestseller The Closing of the Western Mind, Holy Bones, Holy Dust and, most recently, The Awakening. He lives in the UK.