With a keen insight concerning the ancient city in which he lived for many years, Hasluck has emerged as a valued resource for historians. In this treatment of Mount Athos, perhaps the most famous of Greek monasteries, he takes the reader through an historical synopsis of the complex from the beginnings of Athos through the nineteenth century. A detailed and amply illustrated study, Hasluck begins with a description of the foundation of the monastic system on Athos and moves through the centuries and considers the administration of the monastery and its architecture in the light of early twentieth-century standards. A second part to the book includes a description of the twenty sovereign monasteries: Xeropotamou, St. Panteleemon’s, Xenophontos, Docheiariou, Kastamonitou, Zographou, Chilandari, Esphigmenou, Vatopedi, Pantokratoros, Stavroniketa, Iveron, Karyes (including the Church of Protaton), Koutloumousiou, Philotheou, Karakallou, Lavra, St. Paul’s Dionysiou, Gergoriou, and Simopetra. The history and architecture of each of these cenobitic marvels is presented with the expert antiquarian eye of the author. This book remains a valuable resource for those interested in a major role played in Greek history by the region of Mount Athos.

Frederick William Hasluck (1878-1920) was a British archaeologist and historian. Educated at King’s College, Cambridge, he served the British School at Athens as both Assistant Director and Librarian. He assisted with several archaeological excavations, including Laconi, Cyzicus, and Bithynia. Although he died prematurely of tuberculosis, Hasluck’s work is recognized as exceptional in his field.