Top Ancient History eBooks

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Rome and Persia - Adrian Goldsworthy Cover Art

Rome and Persia

Rome and Persia The Seven Hundred Year Rivalry by Adrian Goldsworthy

The extraordinary history of the epic rivalry between the ancient world’s two great superpowers. “Magnificent.” — Spectator The Roman Empire was like no other. Stretching from the north of Britain to the Sahara, and from the Atlantic coast to the Euphrates, it imposed peace and prosperity on an unprecedented scale.  Its only true rival lay in the east, where the Parthian and then Persian empires ruled over great cities and the trade routes to mysterious lands beyond. This was the region Alexander the Great had swept through, creating a dream of glory and conquest that tantalized Greeks and Romans alike.  Tracing seven centuries of conflict between Rome and Persia, historian Adrian Goldsworthy shows how these two great powers evolved together. Despite their endless clashes, trade between the empires enriched them both, and a mutual respect prevented both Rome and Persia from permanently destroying the other.   Epic in scope, Rome and Persia completely reshapes our understanding of one of the greatest rivalries of world history. 

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Pax - Tom Holland Cover Art

Pax

Pax War and Peace in Rome's Golden Age by Tom Holland

From an award-winning historian, the definitive account of the golden age of Rome—an ultimate superpower at the pinnacle of its greatness. “Rarely has the distant past seemed so vividly alive.” — Financial Times The Pax Romana has long been shorthand for the empire’s golden age. Stretching from Caledonia to Arabia, Rome ruled over a quarter of the world’s population. It was the wealthiest and most formidable state in the history of humankind. Pax is a captivating narrative history of Rome at the height of its power. From the gilded capital to realms beyond the frontier, historian Tom Holland shows ancient Rome in all its glory: Nero’s downfall, the destruction of Jerusalem and Pompeii, the building of the Colosseum and Hadrian’s Wall, the conquests of Trajan. Vividly sketching the lives of Romans both ordinary and spectacular, from slaves to emperors, Holland shows that Roman peace was the fruit of unprecedented military violence. A stunning portrait of Rome’s glory days, this is the epic history of the Pax Romana.

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The Maxims of Ptah-Hotep - Ptahhotep Cover Art

The Maxims of Ptah-Hotep

The Maxims of Ptah-Hotep by Ptahhotep

Ptahhotep , sometimes known as Ptahhotpe or Ptah-Hotep , was an ancient Egyptian official during the late 25th century BC and early 24th century BC. Ptahhotep was the city administrator and vizier (first minister) during the reign of Djedkare Isesi in the 5th Dynasty. He is credited with authoring The Instruction of Ptahhotep , an early piece of Egyptian "wisdom literature" meant to instruct young men in appropriate behavior.  There are authors who date the Maxims of Ptahhotep much earlier than the 25th century. For instance, Pulitzer Prize winning historian Will Durant dates these writings as early as 2880 BCE within The Story of Civilization: Our Oriental History . Durant claims that Ptahhotep could be considered the very first philosopher in virtue of having the earliest and surviving fragments of moral philosophy (i.e., "The Maxims of Ptah-Hotep"). Ptahhotep's grandson, Ptahhotep Tshefi, is traditionally credited with being the author of the collection of wise sayings known as The Maxims of Ptahhotep , whose opening lines attribute authorship to the vizier Ptahhotep: Instruction of the Mayor of the city, the Vizier Ptahhotep, under the Majesty of King Isesi . They take the form of advice and instructions from a father to his son and are said to have been assembled during the late Old Kingdom. However, their oldest surviving copies are written in Middle Egyptian dating to the late First Intermediate Period of the Middle Kingdom. The Maxims are conformist precepts extolling such civil virtues as truthfulness, self-control and kindness towards one's fellow beings. Some of the maxims refer to one's behaviour when in the presence of the great, how to choose the right master and how to serve him. Others teach the correct way to lead through openness and kindness.

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Fall of Civilizations - Paul Cooper Cover Art

Fall of Civilizations

Fall of Civilizations Stories of Greatness and Decline by Paul Cooper

"A treasure trove of myths and terror… Atmospheric as hell… Immersive."―The Times Based on the podcast with over one hundred million downloads, Fall of Civilizations brilliantly explores how a range of ancient societies rose to power and sophistication, and how they tipped over into collapse. Across the centuries, we journey from the great empires of Mesopotamia to those of Khmer and Vijayanagara in Asia and Songhai in West Africa; from Byzantium to the Maya, Inca and Aztecs of Central America; from Roman Britain to Rapa Nui. With meticulous research, breathtaking insight and dazzling, empathic storytelling, historian and novelist Paul Cooper evokes the majesty and jeopardy of these ancient civilizations, and asks what it might have felt like for a person alive at the time to witness the end of their world.

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SPQR - Mary Beard Cover Art

SPQR

SPQR A History of Ancient Rome by Mary Beard

New York Times Bestseller A New York Times Notable Book Named one of the Best Books of the Year by the Wall Street Journal, the Economist, Foreign Affairs, and Kirkus Reviews Finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award (Nonfiction) Shortlisted for the Cundill Prize in Historical Literature Finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize (History) A San Francisco Chronicle Holiday Gift Guide Selection A New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice Selection A sweeping, "magisterial" history of the Roman Empire from one of our foremost classicists shows why Rome remains "relevant to people many centuries later" (Atlantic). In SPQR, an instant classic, Mary Beard narrates the history of Rome "with passion and without technical jargon" and demonstrates how "a slightly shabby Iron Age village" rose to become the "undisputed hegemon of the Mediterranean" (Wall Street Journal). Hailed by critics as animating "the grand sweep and the intimate details that bring the distant past vividly to life" (Economist) in a way that makes "your hair stand on end" (Christian Science Monitor) and spanning nearly a thousand years of history, this "highly informative, highly readable" (Dallas Morning News) work examines not just how we think of ancient Rome but challenges the comfortable historical perspectives that have existed for centuries. With its nuanced attention to class, democratic struggles, and the lives of entire groups of people omitted from the historical narrative for centuries, SPQR will to shape our view of Roman history for decades to come.

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Roman Warfare - Adrian Goldsworthy Cover Art

Roman Warfare

Roman Warfare by Adrian Goldsworthy

From an award-winning historian of ancient Rome, a concise and comprehensive history of the fighting forces that created the Roman Empire.  “Goldsworthy is a superb historian and talented writer.” — Washington Times  In Roman Warfare , celebrated historian Adrian Goldsworthy leads readers through more than a thousand years of Roman military history, tracing both the Roman Empire’s dramatic rise and its eventual fall. Roman warfare was relentless in its pursuit of victory, creating an empire that eventually included much of Europe, the Near East, and North Africa. What distinguished the Roman army from its opponents was the uncompromising and total destruction of its enemies. Yet this ferocity was combined with a genius for absorbing conquered peoples, creating one of the most enduring empires ever known.  Concise yet comprehensive, Roman Warfare is the indispensable history of the most professional fighting force in ancient history, an army that forged an empire and changed the world.  

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Fingerprints of the Gods - Graham Hancock Cover Art

Fingerprints of the Gods

Fingerprints of the Gods The Evidence of Earth's Lost Civilization by Graham Hancock

Could the story of mankind be far older than we have previously believed? Using tools as varied as archaeo-astronomy, geology, and computer analysis of ancient myths, Graham Hancock presents a compelling case to suggest that it is. Graham Hancock is featured in Ancient Apocalypse, a Netflix original docuseries. “A fancy piece of historical sleuthing . . . intriguing and entertaining and sturdy enough to give a long pause for thought.”— Kirkus Reviews In Fingerprints of the Gods, Hancock embarks on a worldwide quest to put together all the pieces of the vast and fascinating jigsaw of mankind’s hidden past. In ancient monuments as far apart as Egypt’s Great Sphinx, the strange Andean ruins of Tihuanaco, and Mexico’s awe-inspiring Temples of the Sun and Moon, he reveals not only the clear fingerprints of an as-yet-unidentified civilization of remote antiquity, but also startling evidence of its vast sophistication, technological advancement, and evolved scientific knowledge.   A record-breaking number one bestseller in Britain, Fingerprints of the Gods contains the makings of an intellectual revolution, a dramatic and irreversible change in the way that we understand our past—and so our future.   And Fingerprints of God tells us something more. As we recover the truth about prehistory, and discover the real meaning of ancient myths and monuments, it becomes apparent that a warning has been handed down to us, a warning of terrible cataclysm that afflicts the Earth in great cycles at irregular intervals of time—a cataclysm that may be about to recur.   “Readers will hugely enjoy their quest in these pages of inspired storytelling.”— The Times (UK)

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The Twelve Caesars - Suetonius Cover Art

The Twelve Caesars

The Twelve Caesars by Suetonius

The Twelve Caesars - Suetonius . A translation into English by A. S. Kline . Published in entirety with in-depth name index. In the Twelve Caesars ( De Vita Caesarum ) Suetonius provides us with biographies of Julius Caesar and the eleven Roman Emperors who followed him. The work, probably written around 121AD in the reign of Hadrian, therefore covers the crucial and highly eventful period of Roman history from the end of the Republic to the reign of Domitian. Suetonius delved into the Imperial archives to research eyewitness accounts, obtain factual information, and compile related material to produce his summary, as well as gathering anecdotal and other evidence from writers and historians of the period. The work is dramatic, and packed with incident. It provides valuable information on the heritage, personal habits, physical appearance, lives and political careers of the protagonists, and mentions details that other sources do not. Suetonius is a major source of information on the life of Caligula, his uncle Claudius, and the heritage of Vespasian (the relevant sections of the Annals by Tacitus his contemporary being lost). Though often questioned regarding its ultimate reliability as history, the Twelve Caesars provides an unforgettable portrait of Rome under the early Emperors, and of the Emperors themselves This and other texts available from Poetry in Translation (www.poetryintranslation.com) .

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Sparta - Andrew Bayliss Cover Art

Sparta

Sparta The Rise and Fall of an Ancient Superpower by Andrew Bayliss

A major new history of ancient Greece’s most iconic city-state. For thousands of years, the ancient Greek city-state of Sparta has been famed as the ultimate warrior society. The flowing crimson capes and bronze shields of Spartan warriors remain the enduring image of masculine bravery, austerity, and toughness; King Leonidas’s 300 soldiers at Thermopylae the quintessential example of courageous self-sacrifice in battle. But who were the Spartans, really—and how did they rise from a humble village in the Peloponnese to become the dominant military power of ancient Greece? In this landmark new history, renowned Sparta expert Andrew Bayliss delivers a strikingly clarifying, relentlessly complex portrait of a culture and people long shrouded in myth. Sifting masterfully through historical records and modern archaeological evidence, Bayliss traces the shifting alliances and volatile conflicts Spartans faced during the city-state’s evolution from a minor hamlet in the Peloponnese to the foremost power of ancient Greece. In vivid detail, Bayliss brings to life the excruciating training, rigid dietary habits, and extreme discipline that molded the warriors of history’s most renowned military power. He also lays bare lesser-known aspects of Spartan society that complicate its egalitarian reputation, including complex gender dynamics, stark wealth inequality, and its brutal exploitation of slave labor. With incisive analysis, Bayliss illuminates how the Spartans’ ruthless might, unparalleled military ambition, and singular exclusivity fueled their seemingly unstoppable rise—and how those same factors became their undoing. Enthralling and informative in equal measure, Sparta will stand for decades as the definitive history of one of antiquity’s most legendary civilizations—from its meteoric rise to its surprising downfall.

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The Roman Revolution - Ronald Syme Cover Art

The Roman Revolution

The Roman Revolution by Ronald Syme

The Roman Revolution is a profound and unconventional treatment of a great theme - the fall of the Republic and the decline of freedom in Rome between 60 BC and AD 14, and the rise to power of the greatest of the Roman Emperors, Augustus. The transformation of state and society, the violent transference of power and property, and the establishment of Augustus' rule are presented in an unconventional narrative, which quotes from ancient evidence, refers seldomly to modern authorities, and states controversial opinions quite openly. The result is a book which is both fresh and compelling.

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Ancient Worlds - Michael Scott Cover Art

Ancient Worlds

Ancient Worlds A Global History of Antiquity by Michael Scott

"As panoramic as it is learned, this is ancient history for our globalized world." -- Tom Holland, author of Dynasty and Rubicon Twenty-five-hundred years ago, civilizations around the world entered a revolutionary new era that overturned old order and laid the foundation for our world today. In the face of massive social changes across three continents, radical new forms of government emerged; mighty wars were fought over trade, religion, and ideology; and new faiths were ruthlessly employed to unify vast empires. The histories of Rome and China, Greece and India-the stories of Constantine and Confucius, Qin Shi Huangdi and Hannibal-are here revealed to be interconnected incidents in the midst of a greater drama. In Ancient Worlds, historian Michael Scott presents a gripping narrative of this unique age in human civilization, showing how diverse societies responded to similar pressures and how they influenced one another: through conquest and conversion, through trade in people, goods, and ideas. An ambitious reinvention of our grandest histories, Ancient Worlds reveals new truths about our common human heritage. "A bold and imaginative page-turner that challenges ideas about the world of antiquity." Peter Frankopan, author of The Silk Roads

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History of the Peloponnesian War - Thucydides & Rex Warner Cover Art

History of the Peloponnesian War

History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides & Rex Warner

'With icy remorselessness, it puts paid to any notion that the horrors of modern history might be an aberration - for it tells of universal war, of terrorism, revolution and genocide' Tom Holland The long life-and-death struggle between Athens and Sparta plunged the ancient Greek world into decades of war. Thucydides was an Athenian and achieved the rank of general in the earlier stages of the war, and in this detailed, first-hand contemporary account he writes as both a soldier and a historian. He applies a passion for accuracy and a contempt for myth and romance in compiling a factual record of a ruinous conflict that would eventually destroy the Athenian empire. Translated by Rex Warner with an introduction and notes by M. I. Finley

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The Complete Collection of Plutarch’s Lives - Plutarch Cover Art

The Complete Collection of Plutarch’s Lives

The Complete Collection of Plutarch’s Lives by Plutarch

*Includes all 50 Lives, including the Parallel Lives Comparisons *Illustrated *Includes Table of Contents Plutarch , later named, on his becoming a Roman citizen, Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus, c. 46 – 120 AD, was a Greek historian, biographer, essayist, and Middle Platonist known primarily for his Parallel Lives and Moralia . Plutarch lived most of his life at Chaeronea, and his duties as the senior of the two priests of Apollo at the Oracle of Delphi (where he was responsible for interpreting the auguries of the Pythia) apparently occupied little of his time. He led an active social and civic life while producing an extensive body of writing, much of which survived. By his writings and lectures Plutarch became a celebrity in the Roman Empire. At his country estate, guests from all over the empire congregated for serious conversation, presided over by Plutarch in his marble chair. Many of these dialogues were recorded and published, and the 78 essays and other works which have survived are now known collectively as the Moralia . Plutarch's best-known work is the Parallel Lives , a series of biographies of famous Greeks and Romans, arranged in pairs to illuminate their common moral virtues and vices. The surviving Lives contain 23 pairs, each with one Greek Life and one Roman Life , as well as four unpaired single Lives . Some of the Lives , such as those of Heracles, Philip II of Macedon and Scipio Africanus, no longer exist; many of the remaining Lives are truncated, contain obvious lacunae or have been tampered with by later writers. Extant Lives include those on Aristides, Pericles, Pompey, Julius Caesar, Cicero, Cato the Younger, Mark Antony, and Marcus Junius Brutus, all of which are included here. Plutarch also wrote a series of biographies, including the biographies of Demetrius, Pyrrhus, Agis and Cleomenes, Aratus and Artaxerxes, Philopoemen, Camillus, Marcellus, Flamininus, Aemilius Paulus, Galba and Otho, included in this collection as well.  This edition of Plutarch’s Complete Collection of Lives is specially formatted with a Table of Contents and is illustrated with over a dozen illustrations.   

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The Complete Histories of Polybius - Polybius Cover Art

The Complete Histories of Polybius

The Complete Histories of Polybius by Polybius

Written in the 2nd century by the Greek historian Polybius, "The Histories" is a multi-volume work detailing many of the events, people, and ideas of the Hellenistic Period. While his focus is the space of time in which ancient Rome became a world power from 220 to 167 BC, Polybius also discusses his role as a 'pragmatic historian', a discourse on fate (called tyche), and the superiority of the mixed constitution. Though all forty volumes have not survived to the present day, the complete books extant today cover the affairs of all the important nations of the time, including Egypt, Greece, and Spain, as well as the first and second Punic Wars. Polybius speaks at length on the government of the Romans, citing it as the reason for Rome's success as a force of the world. Though it includes a couple of digressions concerning lesser issues of the time, "The Histories" has proven and continues to be a valuable text when studying the Hellenistic time period and manner of writing.

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Delphi Complete Works of Herodotus - Herodotus Cover Art

Delphi Complete Works of Herodotus

Delphi Complete Works of Herodotus (Illustrated) by Herodotus

The Father of History deserves a place in all digital libraries. Delphiís Ancient Classics series provides eReaders with the wisdom of the Classical world, with both English translations and the original Latin and Greek texts.  This comprehensive eBook presents the complete works of Herodotus, in both Greek and English, with beautiful illustrations, informative introductions and the usual Delphi bonus material. (Version 1) * Beautifully illustrated with images relating to Herodotusí life and works * Features the complete HISTORIES, in both English translation and the original Greek * Concise introduction to the text, with a detailed synoptic summary of each Book * Includes Godleyís celebrated translation, previously appearing in Loeb Classical Library editions of Herodotus * Images of famous paintings that have been inspired by Herodotusí works * Excellent formatting of the texts * Easily locate the sections you want to read with individual contents tables * Includes a special Dual Text feature, with paragraph by paragraph access to the Greek and English translation ñ ideal for students of Classical Greek * Features a bonus biography - discover Herodotusí ancient world * Scholarly ordering of texts into chronological order and literary genres Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to browse through our range of exciting titles CONTENTS: The Translations THE HISTORIES The Greek Text PRONOUNCING ANCIENT GREEK CONTENTS OF GREEK TEXT Dual Text DUAL GREEK AND ENGLISH TEXT The Biography HERODOTUS by T. W. Lumb Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to browse through our range of exciting titles

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The Discovery of Tutankhamun's Tomb - Howard Carter & Arthur Cruttenden Mace Cover Art

The Discovery of Tutankhamun's Tomb

The Discovery of Tutankhamun's Tomb Illustrated Edition by Howard Carter & Arthur Cruttenden Mace

This is the fascinating story of the greatest archeological discoveries ever, the discovery of the intact tomb of the 18th Dynasty Pharaoh, Tutankhamun (colloquially known as "King Tut" and "the boy king"), in November 1922. We experience the adventure, the painstaking work, the magic, the excitement and the awe through the eyes of the "tomb raider" himself, archaeologist Howard Carter.

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Courtesans and Fishcakes - James Davidson Cover Art

Courtesans and Fishcakes

Courtesans and Fishcakes The Consuming Passions of Classical Athens (Text Only) by James Davidson

A brilliantly entertaining and innovative history of the ancient Athenians’ consuming passions for food, wine and sex. Sex, shopping and fish-madness, Athenian style. This fascinating book reveals that the ancient Athenians were supreme hedonists. Their society was driven by an insatiable lust for culinary delights – especially fish – fine wine and pleasures of the flesh. Indeed, great fortunes were squandered and politicians’ careers ruined through ritual drinking at the symposium, or the wooing of highly-coveted, costly prostitutes. James Davidson brings an incisive eye and an urbane wit to this refreshingly accessible and different history of the people who invented Europe, democracy and art. Reviews ‘Davidson is the best thing to happen to ancient history writing for decades’ Andrew Roberts, Mail on Sunday ‘There are pleasures and authors who lie dormant for a century or more until a new kind of vividness, a super-freshness descends on them. James Davidson has that skill.’ Spectator ‘If little boys are still being made to learn dead languages, and expected to enjoy them, I hope their Greek master reads Davidson’s fascinating and witty book, and tells them the best stories from it. This certainly ought to wake them up at the back of the class.’ Sunday Times About the author James Davidson lectures in ancient history and the classical languages at the University of Warwick. He was previously a Fellow of Trinity College, Oxford.

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Rome's Age of Revolution - Tim Whitmarsh Cover Art

Rome's Age of Revolution

Rome's Age of Revolution Augustus, Empire, and the Making of Christianity by Tim Whitmarsh

A stimulating and expert analysis of the unique conditions that allowed Christianity to take shape and flourish across the Roman Empire during its first three centuries, from one of our leading historians of the ancient world The Western world has been shaped by its Christian heritage—years are still measured by their distance from the birth of Jesus Christ. But Christianity was built on Roman foundations: it was Julius Caesar and his adopted son Augustus who created the calendar we use today and reset time itself. They redesigned space, too, hewing through mountains, building roads, and bridging gullies to forge an interconnected Mediterranean world under Roman rule. The society into which Jesus was born was prepared for a change, for a new age, and already had—in the quasi-divine Augustus—a savior figure ready to deliver it.  The factors that made the classical world so ripe for revolution provide the subject of Tim Whitmarsh’s brilliant inquiry, which peers not only into the lives of the elite but into those of the wider, largely Greek-speaking population—all of whom lived amid what Whitmarsh terms “the swirl”: the flowing and counterflowing of physical movement, ideas, and languages that characterized the pre-Constantine era. From this swirling came a new religion that draws at once from Jewish scripture, from the Greek philosophical and cultural legacy, and from the language of Roman imperial practice.  In these pages we travel with Paul along the vast network of Roman roads, revisit pivotal clashes with the kingdom of Judah, and discover the reality behind common misconceptions like the exaggeration of Nero’s villainy and of Christian persecution. Rome’s Age of Revolution is a thoroughly engaging portrait of an era and a religion that continue to leave their mark.

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Shards of Illumination II - Ralph Ellis Cover Art

Shards of Illumination II

Shards of Illumination II by Ralph Ellis

The Shards series are a compilation of hundreds of posts and articles I have written during 2022 and 2023. Both volumes cover a large selection of topics, from alternative biblical exegesis, to energy policy criticism, to climate deception, and to covid idiocy. The disinformation and gaslighting continues unabated, and has even surpassed the peak of just two years ago. When will it end, I hear you ask? Only when we stand up to it, and call it out in public. Our new age is not the Anthropocene, it is actually the Deceptocene. Thus we see:
Clerics only telling their flocks half of the gospel story.
 Medics refusing to investigate alternative therapeutics.
 Climate scientists amending and cherry-picking data.
 The media not investigating alternate facts and data.
 Academics jumping on bandwagons for grant funding.
 Politicians using cherry-picked data to their advantage. These many deceptions can only be the result of intentional deceit, not mere incompetence. Although these deceits are invigorated by bandwagon-riders - those who seek personal advantage through turning a blind-eye to the corruption. It is time to stand up to the Woke cry-bullies, and break through the deception.

 Edition Volume 2, V1.9b   Mar 2024 Colour 2024
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Cannae - Adrian Goldsworthy Cover Art

Cannae

Cannae Hannibal's Greatest Victory by Adrian Goldsworthy

From an award-winning historian of ancient Rome, the definitive history of Rome’s most devastating defeat. “Goldsworthy is the preeminent military historian of Rome.” — History Today  In Cannae , celebrated historian Adrian Goldsworthy offers a concise and enthralling account of one of history’s bloodiest, and most famous, battles. On August 2, 216 BC, across a narrow plain near the Souther Italian town of Cannae, a massive Roman army met the heterogeneous forces of Hannibal, the Carthaginian general who had spectacularly crossed the Alps into Italy two years earlier. Despite outnumbering their opponents almost two to one, the Romans were crushed. The scale of the losses at Cannae—50,000 Roman men killed—was unrivaled until the industrialized slaughter of the First World War. Although the Romans eventually recovered and Carthage lost the war, the Battle of Cannae became Romans’ point of reference for all later military catastrophes. Ever since, military commanders confronting a superior force have attempted, and usually failed, to reproduce Hannibal’s tactics and their overwhelming success. A gripping read for historians, strategists, and anyone curious about warfare in antiquity and Rome’s rise to power, Cannae is the definitive history of Rome’s most devastating defeat. 

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The Complete Works of Flavius Josephus - Flavius Josephus Cover Art

The Complete Works of Flavius Josephus

The Complete Works of Flavius Josephus History of the Jewish War against the Romans, The Antiquities of the Jews, Against Apion, Discourse to the Greeks concerning Hades & Autobiography by Flavius Josephus

This meticulously edited collection has been formatted for your eReader with a functional and detailed table of contents: The War of the Jews The Antiquities of the Jews Against Apion Discourse to the Greeks concerning Hades The Life of Flavius Josephus: Autobiography Titus Flavius Josephus was a first-century Romano-Jewish scholar, historian and hagiographer, who was born in Jerusalem—then part of Roman Judea—to a father of priestly descent and a mother who claimed royal ancestry. He initially fought against the Romans during the First Jewish–Roman War as head of Jewish forces in Galilee, until surrendering in 67 CE to Roman forces led by Vespasian after the six-week siege of Jotapata. After Vespasian became Emperor in 69 CE, he granted Josephus his freedom, at which time Josephus assumed the emperor's family name of Flavius. He fully defected to the Roman side and was granted Roman citizenship. Josephus recorded Jewish history, with special emphasis on the first century CE and the First Jewish–Roman War, including the Siege of Masada. His most important works were The Jewish War (c. 75) and Antiquities of the Jews (c. 94).

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The Crecy War - Alfred H. Burne Cover Art

The Crecy War

The Crecy War A Military History of the Hundred Years War from 1337 to the Peace of Bretigny in 1360 by Alfred H. Burne

Crecy, the Black Princes most famous victory, was the first of two major victories during the first part of the Hundred Years War. This was followed ten years later by his second great success at the Battle of Poitiers. The subsequent Treaty of Bretigny established the rights of the King of England to hold his domains in France without paying homage to the King of France.In this hugely-acclaimed military history Colonel Burne re-establishes the reputation of Edward III as a grand master of strategy, whose personal hand lay behind the success of Crecy. He convincingly demonstrates that much of the credit for Crecy and Poitiers should be given to Edward and less to his son, the Black Prince, than is traditionally the case.With his vigorous and exciting style, Colonel Burne has chronicled for the general reader as well as for the military enthusiast, one of the most exceptional wars in which England has ever been engaged. This book firmly restores the Crecy campaign to its rightful place near the pinnacle of British military history.A most important book a work of original research, written by a master of his subject A model of how history should be written, packed with accurate information and common sense.Sir Arthur Bryant in The Sunday Times

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The Epic of Gilgamesh - Anonymous Cover Art

The Epic of Gilgamesh

The Epic of Gilgamesh by Anonymous

The Epic of Gilgamesh is the world’s oldest known epic, composed in ancient Mesopotamia and preserved on clay tablets in cuneiform script. The narrative follows Gilgamesh, the semi-divine king of Uruk, as he forges an unlikely friendship with the wild man Enkidu, defeats formidable foes like Humbaba and the Bull of Heaven, and mourns the death of his friend. Driven by grief and fear of mortality, Gilgamesh embarks on a perilous journey in search of the secret to eternal life, encountering Utnapishtim, the survivor of a great flood. This epic explores universal themes of friendship, heroism, loss, and the search for meaning—echoing across millennia as a profound testament to the human spirit.

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Leaky Aqueducts, Battle Pigeons, and Mystery Cults - Garrett Ryan Cover Art

Leaky Aqueducts, Battle Pigeons, and Mystery Cults

Leaky Aqueducts, Battle Pigeons, and Mystery Cults More Frequently Asked Questions About the Ancient Greeks and Romans by Garrett Ryan

Could a Roman bridge carry a modern freight train? How much would it cost to build the Colosseum today? What if the Romans had grown potatoes? In a series of fast-paced essays, Leaky Aqueducts, Battle Pigeons, and Mystery Cults answers questions that historian Garrett Ryan has been asked in the classroom and through his popular YouTube channel Toldinstone. Discover the answers to: • Were there pigeons on the streets of Rome? • Were spectators ever harmed in the Colosseum? • What did gladiators do after they retired? • How did the Romans forget hieroglyphs? • Did mosquitoes and rats cause the fall of Rome?

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Rubicon - Tom Holland Cover Art

Rubicon

Rubicon The Last Years of the Roman Republic by Tom Holland

A vivid historical account of the social world of Julius Caesar’s Rome as it moved from republic to empire, from the acclaimed author of Dynasty and co-host of the hit podcast The Rest Is History “A fascinating picture of Roman city life . . . In every aspect of this story, Holland expertly makes the Romans, so alien and yet so familiar, relevant to us.”— Los Angeles Times “Stunning . . . Holland keeps his narrative moving at chariot-race speed.”— Newsday In 49 B.C., the seven hundred fifth year since the founding of Rome, Julius Caesar crossed a small border river called the Rubicon and plunged Rome into cataclysmic civil war. Tom Holland’s enthralling account tells the story of Caesar’s generation, witness to the twilight of the Republic and its bloody transformation into an empire. From Cicero, Spartacus, and Brutus, to Cleopatra, Virgil, and Augustus, here are some of the most legendary figures in history brought thrillingly to life. Combining verve and freshness with scrupulous scholarship, Rubicon is not only an engrossing history of this pivotal era but a uniquely resonant portrait of a great civilization in all its extremes of self-sacrifice and rivalry, decadence and catastrophe, intrigue, war, and world-shaking ambition.

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Lost to the West - Lars Brownworth Cover Art

Lost to the West

Lost to the West The Forgotten Byzantine Empire That Rescued Western Civilization by Lars Brownworth

Filled with unforgettable stories of emperors, generals, and religious patriarchs, as well as fascinating glimpses into the life of the ordinary citizen, Lost to the West reveals how much we owe to the Byzantine Empire that was the equal of any in its achievements, appetites, and enduring legacy. For more than a millennium, Byzantium reigned as the glittering seat of Christian civilization. When Europe fell into the Dark Ages, Byzantium held fast against Muslim expansion, keeping Christianity alive.  Streams of wealth flowed into Constantinople, making possible unprecedented wonders of art and architecture. And the emperors who ruled Byzantium enacted a saga of political intrigue and conquest as astonishing as anything in recorded history. Lost to the West is replete with stories of assassination, mass mutilation and execution, sexual scheming, ruthless grasping for power, and clashing armies that soaked battlefields with the blood of slain warriors numbering in the tens of thousands.

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Talking Classics - Mary Beard Cover Art

Talking Classics

Talking Classics The Shock of the Old by Mary Beard

The incomparable Mary Beard is back, and she’s talking all things classics. Why the ongoing fascination with the ancient world? This witty, approachable book asks why—for better or (sometimes) worse—antiquity continues to exert such a powerful hold on the contemporary imagination. Recalling a formative childhood encounter with a four-thousand-year-old piece of bread in a museum, Beard introduces the idea of thauma , or wonder, that kick-started a lifetime engaging with classics. It was not the canonical “greats” of ancient literature and art that initially drew her in, she confesses, but rather the more intimate, messy, and humdrum evidence of daily life in the remote past. Confronting the uses and abuses of symbols of the ancient world, Beard reminds us that the traditions and “masterpieces” of Greece and Rome have certainly been politicized, but they belong to neither the left nor the right. Happily, no one owns the past. She warns us not to let a sense of reverence or overfamiliarity dampen the “shock of the old,” arguing that one of the most important things that classics teach us is how to grapple with complicated and controversial things. “The Greeks and Romans are long dead, they cannot answer back, and you can say what you like about them,” she reminds readers. “The simple fact that classics belong to none of us can offer a safe space to argue about the most difficult debates we face now.” Beard welcomes everyone into classics. “It is not compulsory to be excited by the ancient world,” she writes. “But it can be a shame not to be.” This charming, sharp, and readable book from one of the world’s most entertaining classicists offers something for both new and established fans of classics, bringing new wonder and curiosity to even the most ancient of ideas.  

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Those Who Are About to Die - Harry Sidebottom Cover Art

Those Who Are About to Die

Those Who Are About to Die A Day in the Life of a Roman Gladiator by Harry Sidebottom

ONE OF THE ECONOMIST 'S BEST BOOKS OF 2025 • See ancient Rome through the eyes of a gladiator—from the evening before the games at the Colosseum to the evening after "A grippingly original way of making the alien world of the Roman Amphitheatre both accessible and comprehensible." —Tom Holland, co-host of The Rest is History What did a gladiator feel when he stepped out onto the sand of the Colosseum, his life in the balance? What ran through the minds of the masses there to witness his likely execution? And how did this bloodthirsty ritual come to exist in the first place? In Those Who Are About to Die, Harry Sidebottom pulls us into the arena, and into the homes and forums of ancient Rome, taking the reader on an eye-opening, twenty-four-hour tour through Roman life at the height of the gladiatorial games, from the first century BC to the second century AD. We follow the gladiators through the schools ( ludi ) where they trained, watch in awe as the massive event unfolds—from the gambling at the pre-festival dinner, to the dawn rush to get a seat in the arena, to the resounding music, the elaborate stage sets, and, yes, the public executions that served as lunch-break entertainment—and we unlearn all the bogus movie tropes (gladiators did not have ripped bods; they were kept fleshy so they’d bleed more). Broken down by time of day— Vesper, Prima Vigilia, Secunda Vigilia, up through the following sunset ( Solis Occasus )— Those Who Are About to Die offers illuminating insights into every aspect of Roman life and thought: their social mores and hierarchies, their feelings about death and sex and violence, and the myths and dreams that fueled the spectacle of the Games.

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Caesar and Christ - Will Durant Cover Art

Caesar and Christ

Caesar and Christ The Story of Civilization, Volume III by Will Durant

The Story of Civilization, Volume III: A history of Roman civilization and of Christianity from their beginnings to A.D. 325. This is the third volume of the classic, Pulitzer Prize-winning series.

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Ancient Greece - Thomas R. Martin Cover Art

Ancient Greece

Ancient Greece by Thomas R. Martin

In this compact yet comprehensive history of ancient Greece, Thomas R. Martin brings alive Greek civilization from its Stone Age roots to the fourth century B.C. Focusing on the development of the Greek city-state and the society, culture, and architecture of Athens in its Golden Age, Martin integrates political, military, social, and cultural history in a book that will appeal to students and general readers alike. Now in its second edition, this classic work now features new maps and illustrations, a new introduction, and updates throughout. “A limpidly written, highly accessible, and comprehensive history of Greece and its civilizations from prehistory through the collapse of Alexander the Great’s empire. . . . A highly readable account of ancient Greece, particularly useful as an introductory or review text for the student or the general reader.”— Kirkus Reviews  “A polished and informative work that will be useful for general readers and students.”—Daniel Tompkins, Temple University

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Dynasty - Tom Holland Cover Art

Dynasty

Dynasty The Rise and Fall of the House of Caesar by Tom Holland

A “startlingly visceral” ( The New York Times ) portrait of Rome’s first imperial dynasty, from Augustus to Nero—by the acclaimed author of Rubicon and co-host of the hit podcast The Rest Is History “Holland is a master of narrative history. On the strength of Dynasty, he deserves a laurel wreath.” — The Washington Post In Dynasty , Tom Holland traces the astonishing century-long story of the rise and fall of the Julio-Claudians—Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, and Nero. Capturing both the brilliant allure of their rule and the blood-steeped shadows cast by their crimes, Dynasty travels from the great capital rebuilt in marble to the dank and barbarian forests of Germany. Populated by a spectacular cast—murderers, adulterers, Druids, scheming grandmothers, reluctant gladiators—it vividly recreates the world of Rome after Julius Caesar. A tale of rule and ruination, Dynasty is the story of a family that transformed and stupefied the western world and that continues to cast a mesmerizing spell across the millennia.

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The Rise and Fall of Ancient Egypt - Toby Wilkinson Cover Art

The Rise and Fall of Ancient Egypt

The Rise and Fall of Ancient Egypt by Toby Wilkinson

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “Magisterial . . . [A] rich portrait of ancient Egypt’s complex evolution over the course of three millenniums.”— Los Angeles Times   NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The Washington Post • Publishers Weekly   In this landmark volume, one of the world’s most renowned Egyptologists tells the epic story of this great civilization, from its birth as the first nation-state to its absorption into the Roman Empire. Drawing upon forty years of archaeological research, award-winning scholar Toby Wilkinson takes us inside a tribal society with a pre-monetary economy and decadent, divine kings who ruled with all-too-recognizable human emotions. Here are the legendary leaders: Akhenaten, the “heretic king,” who with his wife Nefertiti brought about a revolution with a bold new religion; Tutankhamun, whose dazzling tomb would remain hidden for three millennia; and eleven pharaohs called Ramesses, the last of whom presided over the militarism, lawlessness, and corruption that caused a political and societal decline. Filled with new information and unique interpretations, The Rise and Fall of Ancient Egypt is a riveting and revelatory work of wild drama, bold spectacle, unforgettable characters, and sweeping history.   “With a literary flair and a sense for a story well told, Mr. Wilkinson offers a highly readable, factually up-to-date account.”— The Wall Street Journal   “[Wilkinson] writes with considerable verve. . . . [He] is nimble at conveying the sumptuous pageantry and cultural sophistication of pharaonic Egypt.”— The New York Times

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Babylon - Paul Kriwaczek Cover Art

Babylon

Babylon Mesopotamia and the Birth of Civilization by Paul Kriwaczek

Civilization was born eight thousand years ago, between the floodplains of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, when migrants from the surrounding mountains and deserts began to create increasingly sophisticated urban societies. In the cities that they built, half of human history took place. In Babylon, Paul Kriwaczek tells the story of Mesopotamia from the earliest settlements seven thousand years ago to the eclipse of Babylon in the sixth century BCE. Bringing the people of this land to life in vibrant detail, the author chronicles the rise and fall of power during this period and explores the political and social systems, as well as the technical and cultural innovations, which made this land extraordinary. At the heart of this book is the story of Babylon, which rose to prominence under the Amorite king Hammurabi from about 1800 BCE. Even as Babylon's fortunes waxed and waned, it never lost its allure as the ancient world's greatest city. Engaging and compelling, Babylon reveals the splendor of the ancient world that laid the foundation for civilization itself.

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Stolen Legacy - George G. M. James Cover Art

Stolen Legacy

Stolen Legacy by George G. M. James

Stolen Legacy by George G. M. James Stolen Legacy written by legendary author George G.M. James is widely considered to be one of the top 100 greatest books of all time. This great classic will surely attract a whole new generation of readers. For many, Stolen Legacy is required reading for various courses and curriculums. And for others who simply enjoy reading timeless piees of classic literature, this gem by George G.M. James is highly recommended. Published by Classic House Books and beautifully produced, Stolen Legacy would make an ideal gift and it should be a part of everyone's personal library.

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Papyrus - Irene Vallejo & Charlotte Whittle Cover Art

Papyrus

Papyrus The Invention of Books in the Ancient World by Irene Vallejo & Charlotte Whittle

A "masterly" ( Economist ), prize-winning, internationally bestselling history of books in the ancient world "Exquisite. . . . Beautifully translated into English by Charlotte Whittle, who is able to convey both Vallejo’s passionate narrative presence and her synthesising intelligence.” — The Guardian Long before books were mass-produced, hand-copied scrolls made from Nile River reeds were the treasures of the ancient world. Emperors and pharaohs, determined to possess them, dispatched emissaries to the edges of the known world to bring them back. Exploring the deep and fascinating history of the written word, from the oral tradition to scrolls to codices, internationally bestselling author Irene Vallejo shows that books have always been a precious and precarious vehicle for civilization. Through fascinating stories from history, insightful readings of the classics, and poignant personal reflection, Vallejo traces the dramatic history of the book and the fight for its survival. At its heart a spirited love letter to language itself, Papyrus takes readers on a journey across the centuries to discover how a simple reed grown along the banks of the Nile would give birth to a rich and cherished culture.

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Cleopatra - Duane W. Roller Cover Art

Cleopatra

Cleopatra A Biography by Duane W. Roller

Few personalities from classical antiquity are more famous--yet more poorly understood--than Cleopatra VII, queen of Egypt. In this major biography, Duane Roller reveals that Cleopatra was in fact a learned and visionary leader whose overarching goal was always the preservation of her dynasty and kingdom. Roller's authoritative account is the first to be based solely on primary materials from the Greco-Roman period: literary sources, Egyptian documents (Cleopatra's own writings), and representations in art and coinage produced while she was alive. His compelling portrait of the queen illuminates her prowess as a royal administrator who managed a large and diverse kingdom extending from Asia Minor to the interior of Egypt, as a naval commander who led her own fleet in battle, and as a scholar and supporter of the arts. Even her love affairs with Julius Caesar and Marcus Antonius--the source of her reputation as a supreme seductress who drove men to their doom--were carefully crafted state policies: she chose these partners to insure the procreation of successors who would be worthy of her distinguished dynasty. That Cleopatra ultimately lost to her Roman opponents, Roller contends, in no way diminishes her abilities. "Roller tells his tale smoothly and accessibly....The resulting portrait is that of a complex, many-sided figure, a potent Hellenistic ruler who could move the tillers of power as skillfully as any man, and one far and nobly removed from the 'constructed icon' of popular imagination." --The New York Times Book Review "A rich account of late Ptolemaic culture." --The New Yorker "Offers a superb panorama of the society and culture of late Ptolemaic Egypt, with vivid sketches of the (remarkably vigorous) intellectual life of Cleopatra's Alexandria and the structural instabilities of the late Ptolemaic state." --Times Literary Supplement "Besides providing a compelling story and breathing fresh air into a heretofore two-dimensional caricature from history, Roller's 'Cleopatra' provides an interesting commentary on the attitudes still prevalent towards women who rule." --Christian Science Monitor "Compulsively readable." --Bookslut "A definitive account of a queen of remarkable strength." --Publishers Weekly

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Travelling Heroes - Robin Lane Fox Cover Art

Travelling Heroes

Travelling Heroes by Robin Lane Fox

The myths of the ancient Greeks have inspired us for thousands of years. Where did the famous stories of the battles of their gods develop and spread across the world? The celebrated classicist Robin Lane Fox draws on a lifetime’s knowledge of the ancient world, and on his own travels, answering this question by pursuing it through the age of Homer. His acclaimed history explores how the intrepid seafarers of eighth-century Greece sailed around the Mediterranean, encountering strange new sights—volcanic mountains, vaporous springs, huge prehistoric bones—and weaving them into the myths of gods, monsters and heroes that would become the cornerstone of Western civilization.

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Life of Constantine - Eusebius of Caesarea Cover Art

Life of Constantine

Life of Constantine by Eusebius of Caesarea

A biography of the life of the first Christian Roman Emperor.

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Rome's Great Eastern War - Gareth C. Sampson Cover Art

Rome's Great Eastern War

Rome's Great Eastern War Lucullus, Pompey and the Conquest of the East, 74–62 BC by Gareth C. Sampson

This military history of Ancient Rome analyses the empire's revitalized push against rising enemies to the East. In the century since Rome's defeat of the Seleucid Empire in the 180s BC, the East was dominated by the rise of new empires: Parthia, Armenia, and Pontus, each vying to recreate the glories of the Persian Empire. By the 80s BC, the Pontic Empire of Mithridates had grown so bold that it invaded and annexed the whole of Rome's eastern empire and occupied Greece itself. But as Rome emerged from the devastating effects of the First Civil War, a new breed of general emerged with it, eager to re-assert Roman military dominance and carve out a fresh empire in the east. In Rome's Great Eastern War , Gareth C. Sampson analyses the military campaigns and battles between a revitalized Rome and the various powers of the eastern Mediterranean hinterland. He demonstrates how this series of conflicts ultimately heralded a new phase in Roman imperial expansion and reshaped the ancient East.

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History of Mathematics - Blake Carson Cover Art

History of Mathematics

History of Mathematics by Blake Carson

How did numbers, equations, and patterns shape our understanding of the universe? The history of mathematics is a story of human curiosity and problem-solving. From ancient counting systems to modern-day algorithms, mathematics has driven scientific and technological advancements. The Egyptians and Babylonians developed early numerical methods, while Greek philosophers like Pythagoras and Euclid laid the foundations of geometry. The Islamic Golden Age introduced algebra, while calculus emerged during the Scientific Revolution thanks to Newton and Leibniz. Mathematics continues to revolutionize fields such as cryptography, AI, and space exploration. This book takes you through the key discoveries, great mathematicians, and the real-world applications of mathematical principles. If you want to explore the logic behind the world’s greatest discoveries, this book is for you.

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Persia from the Earliest Period to the Arab Conquest - W.S.W. Vaux Cover Art

Persia from the Earliest Period to the Arab Conquest

Persia from the Earliest Period to the Arab Conquest by W.S.W. Vaux

*Includes Table of Contents Persia from the Earliest Period to the Arab Conquest is a comprehensive history of Persia from  ancient times until the Middle Ages.

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A History of Persia Volume 1 - P.M. Sykes Cover Art

A History of Persia Volume 1

A History of Persia Volume 1 by P.M. Sykes

The Pergamum Collection publishes books history has long forgotten. We transcribe books by hand that are now hard to find and out of print.

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The Death of Caesar - Barry Strauss Cover Art

The Death of Caesar

The Death of Caesar The Story of History's Most Famous Assassination by Barry Strauss

In this story of the most famous assassination in history, “the last bloody day of the [Roman] Republic has never been painted so brilliantly” ( The Wall Street Journal ). Julius Caesar was stabbed to death in the Roman Senate on March 15, 44 BC—the Ides of March according to the Roman calendar. He was, says author Barry Strauss, the last casualty of one civil war and the first casualty of the next civil war, which would end the Roman Republic and inaugurate the Roman Empire. “ The Death of Caesar provides a fresh look at a well-trodden event, with superb storytelling sure to inspire awe” ( The Philadelphia Inquirer ). Why was Caesar killed? For political reasons, mainly. The conspirators wanted to return Rome to the days when the Senate ruled, but Caesar hoped to pass along his new powers to his family, especially Octavian. The principal plotters were Brutus, Cassius (both former allies of Pompey), and Decimus. The last was a leading general and close friend of Caesar’s who felt betrayed by the great man: He was the mole in Caesar’s camp. But after the assassination everything went wrong. The killers left the body in the Senate and Caesar’s allies held a public funeral. Mark Antony made a brilliant speech—not “Friends, Romans, Countrymen” as Shakespeare had it, but something inflammatory that caused a riot. The conspirators fled Rome. Brutus and Cassius raised an army in Greece but Antony and Octavian defeated them. An original, new perspective on an event that seems well known, The Death of Caesar is “one of the most riveting hour-by-hour accounts of Caesar’s final day I have read....An absolutely marvelous read” ( The Times , London).

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1177 B.C. - Eric H. Cline Cover Art

1177 B.C.

1177 B.C. The Year Civilization Collapsed: Revised and Updated by Eric H. Cline

A bold reassessment of what caused the Late Bronze Age collapse In 1177 B.C., marauding groups known only as the "Sea Peoples" invaded Egypt. The pharaoh's army and navy managed to defeat them, but the victory so weakened Egypt that it soon slid into decline, as did most of the surrounding civilizations. After centuries of brilliance, the civilized world of the Bronze Age came to an abrupt and cataclysmic end. Kingdoms fell like dominoes over the course of just a few decades. No more Minoans or Mycenaeans. No more Trojans, Hittites, or Babylonians. The thriving economy and cultures of the late second millennium B.C., which had stretched from Greece to Egypt and Mesopotamia, suddenly ceased to exist, along with writing systems, technology, and monumental architecture. But the Sea Peoples alone could not have caused such widespread breakdown. How did it happen? In this major new account of the causes of this "First Dark Ages," Eric Cline tells the gripping story of how the end was brought about by multiple interconnected failures, ranging from invasion and revolt to earthquakes, drought, and the cutting of international trade routes. Bringing to life the vibrant multicultural world of these great civilizations, he draws a sweeping panorama of the empires and globalized peoples of the Late Bronze Age and shows that it was their very interdependence that hastened their dramatic collapse and ushered in a dark age that lasted centuries. A compelling combination of narrative and the latest scholarship, 1177 B.C. sheds new light on the complex ties that gave rise to, and ultimately destroyed, the flourishing civilizations of the Late Bronze Age—and that set the stage for the emergence of classical Greece.

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Paul the Traveller - Ernle Bradford Cover Art

Paul the Traveller

Paul the Traveller Saint Paul and his World by Ernle Bradford

The life of the first-century man born Saul of Tarsus, who went on to become Paul the Apostle, by the acclaimed historian and author of Thermopylae . Paul, born into Asia Minor's Jewish aristocracy and a passionate student of scripture, was part of the crowd that killed Stephen, a deacon regarded as the first Christian martyr. But on the road to Damascus, Paul experienced a miracle that would change his life and in turn change history. His conversion left him convinced that his true master was the man who would come to be known as Jesus Christ. Drawing on his vast command of ancient history and blending it with superb storytelling skills, author Ernle Bradford weaves a tale that takes the reader from city to city as Paul spreads the teachings of Christ despite being beaten, stoned, and shipwrecked. It's a thrilling tale and stirring biography of a man whose devotion and rhetorical genius laid the groundwork for the religion that soon swept the civilized world. Written by a historian known for immersing himself in his subjects, which range from the ancient world to World War II, this is a fascinating look at the convert who helped shape Christianity as a worldwide force.

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The Bloodlines of The Elite and The History of The Illuminati - Archangel Metatron Cover Art

The Bloodlines of The Elite and The History of The Illuminati

The Bloodlines of The Elite and The History of The Illuminati by Archangel Metatron

The following is an understandable, detailed, and summarized timeline of events and people which have been proven scientifically, archaeologically, genetically and historically. It is time you all wake up and see the world for what it truly is. Please know this was not written    in order to attack any personal beliefs, but rather to let you know what is really going on. You have been lied to. We, The Anonymous Charity are no writers, merely researchers. You must open your mind and free yourself from the brainwashing control they have put you under, if you are to continue this. You must realize that what you know is simply not true and these broadcasts and the evidence brought forth here will challenge and discredit most, if not everything that you believe. It will hurt your feelings. You will want to be defensive and not try to listen to the content. It will make you angry. You will start to understand and your eyes will begin to open. It will make you act. You will know the truth and you will understand that freedom is only obtained when we speak the truth. Your life is about to change. Welcome to The Collective HQ. Let's begin with the very structure of the group of people we will discuss. The structure beings with DNA. The Blood.

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Athens and Sparta - Adrian Goldsworthy Cover Art

Athens and Sparta

Athens and Sparta The Rivalry That Shaped Ancient Greece by Adrian Goldsworthy

From an award-winning historian, the definitive history of classical Greece and the rivalry between its two greatest cities. “Packed with intrigue and the politics of empire, revolution, and war, this accessible history of a tangled relationship between nations might strike some readers, the author warns, as ‘uncomfortably relevant.’” — New York Times No period has more profoundly influenced the Western world than classical Greece, and at its center stood two cities: Athens and Sparta. Side by side, they beat the Persians, the only superpower of that age. Yet later, they spread conflict and destruction throughout the eastern Mediterranean, culminating in the horrors of the Peloponnesian War.  Athens and Sparta  tells the definitive history of the relationship between brutal, militaristic Sparta and brash, radically democratic Athens. Eminent historian Adrian Goldsworthy narrates their incredible rise to prominence and how they became allies, rivals, and enemies. Ultimately, Goldsworthy shows that Athens and Sparta were more than competitors vying for power. They were polar opposites in ideology and culture, both driven by the Greek longing to excel, who led radically different experiments in how to run a state.  A remarkable account of ancient Greece at its height, this is the tale of the two cities that helped build it—before almost tearing it apart. 

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The Fall of Carthage - Adrian Goldsworthy Cover Art

The Fall of Carthage

The Fall of Carthage The Punic Wars 265-146BC by Adrian Goldsworthy

The struggle between Rome and Carthage in the Punic Wars was arguably the greatest and most desperate conflict of antiquity. The forces involved and the casualties suffered by both sides were far greater than in any wars fought before the modern era, while the eventual outcome had far-reaching consequences for the history of the Western World, namely the ascendancy of Rome. An epic of war and battle, this is also the story of famous generals and leaders: Hannibal, Fabius Maximus, Scipio Africanus, and his grandson Scipio Aemilianus, who would finally bring down the walls of Carthage.

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Mortal Republic - Edward J. Watts Cover Art

Mortal Republic

Mortal Republic How Rome Fell into Tyranny by Edward J. Watts

The gripping, definitive account of how the Romans lost their Republic “An incisive history… The parallels to the present day are striking.” — New Yorker In Mortal Republic , prizewinning historian Edward J. Watts offers a new history of the fall of the Roman Republic that explains why Rome exchanged freedom for autocracy. For centuries, even as Rome grew into the Mediterranean’s premier military and political power, its governing institutions, parliamentary rules, and political customs successfully fostered negotiation and compromise. By the 130s BC, however, Rome’s leaders increasingly used these same tools to cynically pursue individual gain and obstruct their opponents. As the center decayed and dysfunction grew, arguments between politicians gave way to political violence in the streets. The stage was set for destructive civil wars—and ultimately the imperial reign of Augustus. The death of Rome’s Republic was not inevitable. In Mortal Republic , Watts shows it died because it was allowed to, from thousands of small wounds inflicted by Romans who assumed that it would last forever.

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Augustus - Anthony Everitt Cover Art

Augustus

Augustus The Life of Rome's First Emperor by Anthony Everitt

He found Rome made of clay and left it made of marble. As Rome’s first emperor, Augustus transformed the unruly Republic into the greatest empire the world had ever seen. His consolidation and expansion of Roman power two thousand years ago laid the foundations, for all of Western history to follow. Yet, despite Augustus’s accomplishments, very few biographers have concentrated on the man himself, instead choosing to chronicle the age in which he lived. Here, Anthony Everitt, the bestselling author of Cicero, gives a spellbinding and intimate account of his illustrious subject. Augustus began his career as an inexperienced teenager plucked from his studies to take center stage in the drama of Roman politics, assisted by two school friends, Agrippa and Maecenas. Augustus’s rise to power began with the assassination of his great-uncle and adoptive father, Julius Caesar, and culminated in the titanic duel with Mark Antony and Cleopatra. The world that made Augustus–and that he himself later remade–was driven by intrigue, sex, ceremony, violence, scandal, and naked ambition. Everitt has taken some of the household names of history–Caesar, Brutus, Cassius, Antony, Cleopatra–whom few know the full truth about, and turned them into flesh-and-blood human beings. At a time when many consider America an empire, this stunning portrait of the greatest emperor who ever lived makes for enlightening and engrossing reading. Everitt brings to life the world of a giant, rendered faithfully and sympathetically in human scale. A study of power and political genius, Augustus is a vivid, compelling biography of one of the most important rulers in history.