Best Selling Ancient History Book on Apple Books

Chart of the top 50 most popular and best selling ancient history ebooks at the Apple Books.

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History Ebook Best Sellers

Top Ancient History eBooks

1

The Crusades - Thomas Asbridge Cover Art

The Crusades

The Crusades The Authoritative History of the War for the Holy Land by Thomas Asbridge

From a renowned historian who writes with "maximum vividness" ( The New Yorker ) comes the most authoritative, readable single-volume military history of the brutal struggle for the Holy Land. Nine hundred years ago, a vast Christian army, summoned to holy war by the Pope, rampaged through the Muslim world of the eastern Mediterranean, seizing possession of Jerusalem, a city revered by both faiths. Over the two hundred years that followed, Islam and Christianity—both firm in the belief that they were at God's work—fought for dominion of the Holy Land, clashing in a succession of chillingly brutal wars. For the first time, this book tells the story of that epic struggle from the perspective of both Christians and Muslims. A vivid and fast-paced narrative history of the Crusades, it exposes the full horror, passion, and barbaric grandeur of the Crusading era, leading us into a world of legendary champions—such as Richard the Lionheart and Saladin—shadowy Assassins, poet-warriors, and pious visionaries; across the desert sands of Egypt to the verdant forests of Lebanon; and through the ancient cities of Constantinople, Cairo, and Damascus. Drawing on painstaking original research and an intimate knowledge of the history of the Near East, Thomas Asbridge uncovers what drove Muslims and Christians alike to embrace the ideals of jihad and crusade, revealing how these holy wars of medieval history reshaped the world and why they continue to influence events today. This essential work of scholarship reveals: Dual Perspective History: For the first time, the story is told from both Christian and Muslim viewpoints, exploring the ideals of Crusade and Jihad side-by-side. Iconic Historical Figures: Journey with legendary champions like Richard the Lionheart and Saladin through the ancient and contested landscapes of the Holy Land. The Fight for Jerusalem: Delve into the two-century struggle for a city revered by two faiths, a chillingly brutal conflict that reshaped the medieval world. Lasting Historical Impact: Discover not only how these holy wars defined the era, but why their legacy continues to influence global events today.

2

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.

3

The Ghosts of Cannae - Robert L. O'Connell Cover Art

The Ghosts of Cannae

The Ghosts of Cannae Hannibal and the Darkest Hour of the Roman Republic by Robert L. O'Connell

NATIONAL BESTSELLER For millennia, Carthage’s triumph over Rome at Cannae in 216 B.C. has inspired reverence and awe. No general since has matched Hannibal’s most unexpected, innovative, and brutal military victory. Now Robert L. O’Connell, one of the most admired names in military history, tells the whole story of Cannae for the first time, giving us a stirring account of this apocalyptic battle, its causes and consequences. O’Connell brilliantly conveys how Rome amassed a giant army to punish Carthage’s masterful commander, how Hannibal outwitted enemies that outnumbered him, and how this disastrous pivot point in Rome’s history ultimately led to the republic’s resurgence and the creation of its empire. Piecing together decayed shreds of ancient reportage, the author paints powerful portraits of the leading players, from Hannibal—resolutely sane and uncannily strategic—to Scipio Africanus, the self-promoting Roman military tribune. Finally, O’Connell reveals how Cannae’s legend has inspired and haunted military leaders ever since, and the lessons it teaches for our own wars.

4

Goddesses, Whores, Wives, and Slaves - Sarah Pomeroy Cover Art

Goddesses, Whores, Wives, and Slaves

Goddesses, Whores, Wives, and Slaves Women in Classical Antiquity by Sarah Pomeroy

"The first general treatment of women in the ancient world to reflect the critical insights of modern feminism. Though much debated, its position as the basic textbook on women's history in Greece and Rome has hardly been challenged."--Mary Beard, Times Literary Supplement. Illustrations.

5

The Seven Military Classics Of Ancient China - Ralph D. Sawyer Cover Art

The Seven Military Classics Of Ancient China

The Seven Military Classics Of Ancient China by Ralph D. Sawyer

The Seven Military Classics is one of the most profound studies of warfare ever written, a stanchion in sinological and military history. It presents an Eastern tradition of strategic thought that emphasizes outwitting one's opponent through speed, stealth, flexibility, and a minimum of force -- an approach very different from that stressed in the West. Safeguarded for centuries by the ruling elite of imperial China, even in modern times these writings have been known only to a handful of Western specialists. This volume contains seven separate essays, written between 500 BCE and 700 CE, that preserve the essential tenets of strategy distilled from the experience of the most brilliant warriors of ancient China.

6

Rome, Blood & Politics - Gareth C. Sampson Cover Art

Rome, Blood & Politics

Rome, Blood & Politics Reform, Murder and Popular Politics in the Late Republic, 133–70 BC by Gareth C. Sampson

This in-depth chronicle examines the series of political upheavals that led to division, violence, and civil war in the ancient Roman Republic. The last century of the Roman Republic saw the consensus of the ruling elite shattered by a series of high-profile politicians who proposed political or social reform programs, many of which culminated in acts of bloodshed on the streets of Rome itself. This began in 133 BC with the military recruitment reforms of Tiberius Gracchus, which saw him and his supporters lynched by a mob of angry Senators. Gracchus's grim example was followed by a series of radical politicians, each with their own agenda that challenged the status quo of the Senatorial elite. Each met a violent response from elements of the ruling order, leading to murder and even battles on the streets of Rome. These bloody political clashes paralyzed the Roman state, eventually leading to its collapse. Covering the period 133–70 BC, this volume analyzes each of the key reformers, what they were trying to achieve and how they met their end, narrating the long decline of the Roman Republic into anarchy and civil war.

7

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 An Independent Press Bestseller 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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The Darkening Age - Catherine Nixey Cover Art

The Darkening Age

The Darkening Age The Christian Destruction of the Classical World by Catherine Nixey

A New York Times Notable Book, winner of the Jerwood Award from the Royal Society of Literature, a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice, and named a Book of the Year by the Telegraph, Spectator, Observer, and BBC History Magazine, this bold new history of the rise of Christianity shows how its radical followers helped to annihilate Greek and Roman civilizations. The Darkening Age is the largely unknown story of how a militant religion deliberately attacked and suppressed the teachings of the Classical world, ushering in centuries of unquestioning adherence to "one true faith." Despite the long-held notion that the early Christians were meek and mild, going to their martyrs' deaths singing hymns of love and praise, the truth, as Catherine Nixey reveals, is very different. Far from being meek and mild, they were violent, ruthless, and fundamentally intolerant. Unlike the polytheistic world, in which the addition of one new religion made no fundamental difference to the old ones, this new ideology stated not only that it was the way, the truth, and the light but that, by extension, every single other way was wrong and had to be destroyed. From the first century to the sixth, those who didn't fall into step with its beliefs were pursued in every possible way: social, legal, financial, and physical. Their altars were upturned and their temples demolished, their statues hacked to pieces, and their priests killed. It was an annihilation. Authoritative, vividly written, and utterly compelling, this is a remarkable debut from a brilliant young historian.

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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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Mythology (75th Anniversary Illustrated Edition) - Edith Hamilton & Jim Tierney Cover Art

Mythology (75th Anniversary Illustrated Edition)

Mythology (75th Anniversary Illustrated Edition) Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes by Edith Hamilton & Jim Tierney

This deluxe edition of the world's most beloved, bestselling classic on Greek, Roman, and Norse mythology is stunningly illustrated with specially commissioned full-color plates and a beautiful gold-bordered pages. Since its original publication in 1942, Edith Hamilton's Mythology has sold millions of copies throughout the world and established itself as a perennial bestseller. For nearly 80 years, readers have chosen Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes above all other books to discover the enchanting world of Greek, Roman, and Norse mythology—from Odysseus's adventure-filled journey to Odin's effort to postpone the final day of doom. This deluxe, hardcover edition is illustrated throughout with specially commissioned, original artwork and beautifully illustrated lineages, making it a true collector's item.

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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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Between Two Rivers - Moudhy Al-Rashid Cover Art

Between Two Rivers

Between Two Rivers Ancient Mesopotamia and the Birth of History by Moudhy Al-Rashid

One of Library Journal's Best Books of 2025 “Breathes life into the dry clay of philology.” —Dominic Green, Wall Street Journal Humanity’s earliest efforts at recording and drawing meaning from history reveal how lives millennia ago were not so different from our own. Thousands of years ago, in a part of the world we now call ancient Mesopotamia, people began writing things down for the very first time. What they left behind, in a vast region between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, preserves leaps in human ingenuity, like the earliest depiction of a wheel and the first approximation of pi. But they also capture breathtakingly intimate, raw, and relatable moments, like a dog’s paw prints as it accidentally stepped into fresh clay, or the imprint of a child’s teeth. In Between Two Rivers, historian Dr. Moudhy Al-Rashid reveals what these ancient people chose to record about their lives, allowing us to brush hands with them millennia later. We find a lullaby to soothe a baby, instructions for exorcising a ghost, countless receipts for beer, and the messy writing of preschoolers. We meet an enslaved person negotiating their freedom, an astronomer tracing the movement of the planets, a princess who may have created the world’s first museum, and a working mother struggling with “the juggle” in 1900 BCE. Millennia ago, Mesopotamians saw the world’s first cities, the first writing system, early seeds of agriculture, and groundbreaking developments in medicine and astronomy. With breathtaking intimacy and grace, Al-Rashid brings their lives—with all their anxieties, aspirations, and intimacies—vividly close to our own.

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Ancient Egypt - Light Of The World, Volume 1 - Gerald Massey Cover Art

Ancient Egypt - Light Of The World, Volume 1

Ancient Egypt - Light Of The World, Volume 1 by Gerald Massey

No one ever understood the mythology and Ritual of Ancient Egypt so well as Gerald Massey since the time of the Ancient Philosophers of Egypt. This book is one of the best when it comes down to Egyptian mythology, occultism and interpretation. It's a standard work no one wants to miss. Contents: Sign-Language And Mythology As Primitive Modes Of Representation. Totemism, Tattoo And Fetishism As Forms Of Sign-Language Elemental And Ancestral Spirits, Or The Gods And The Glorified. Egyptian Book Of The Dead And The Mysteries Of Amenta The Sign-Language Of Astronomical Mythology Egyptian Wisdom. The Drowning Of The Dragon The Sign-Language Of Astronomical Mythology (Part II) Horus Of The Double Horizon. The Making Of Amenta The Irish Amenta The Upper Mount Of Glory. Egyptian Wisdom And The Hebrew Genesis The Egyptian Wisdom In Other Jewish Writings

14

Dinner with King Tut - Sam Kean Cover Art

Dinner with King Tut

Dinner with King Tut How Rogue Archaeologists Are Re-creating the Sights, Sounds, Smells, and Tastes of Lost Civilizations by Sam Kean

Finalist for the 2026 PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award |  LOS ANGELES TIMES BESTSELLER | INDIE BESTSELLER |  The New Yorker 's Best Books of 2025 From “one of America’s smartest and most charming writers” (NPR), an archaeological romp through the entire history of humankind—and through all five senses—from tropical Polynesian islands to forbidding arctic ice floes, and everywhere in between. Whether it’s the mighty pyramids of Egypt or the majestic temples of Mexico, we have a good idea of what the past looked like. But what about our other senses: The tang of Roman fish sauce and the springy crust of Egyptian sourdough? The boom of medieval cannons and the clash of Viking swords? The frenzied plays of an Aztec ballgame...and the chilling reality that the losers might also lose their lives?   History often neglects the tastes, textures, sounds, and smells that were an intimate part of our ancestors’ lives, but a new generation of researchers is resurrecting those hidden details, pioneering an exciting new discipline called experimental archaeology. These are scientists gone rogue: They make human mummies. They investigate the unsolved murders of ancient bog bodies. They carve primitive spears and go hunting, then knap their own obsidian blades to skin the game. They build perilous boats and plunge out onto the open sea—all in the name of experiencing history as it was, with all its dangers, disappointments, and unexpected delights.   Beloved author Sam Kean joins these experimental archaeologists on their adventures across the globe, from the Andes to the South Seas. He fires medieval catapults, tries his hand at ancient surgery and tattooing, builds Roman-style roads—and, in novelistic interludes, spins gripping tales about the lives of our ancestors with vivid imagination and his signature meticulous research.   Lively, offbeat, and filled with stunning revelations about our past,  Dinner with King Tut  sheds light on days long gone and the intrepid experts resurrecting them today, with startling, lifelike detail and more than a few laughs along the way. Smithsonian's Top 10 Science Books of the Year | The History Channel's Best New History Books of 2025 |  Washington Independent Review of Books 's 51 Favorite Books of 2025 | Amazon's Best Books of the Year Winner of the Non-Obvious Book Award's Most Original Book of the Year

15

Soldier of Rome: The Last Campaign - James Mace Cover Art

Soldier of Rome: The Last Campaign

Soldier of Rome: The Last Campaign by James Mace

**The Final Conquest** Following the assassination of Emperor Gaius Caligula in 41 A.D., his uncle, Claudius, assumed the imperial throne. After establishing his legitimacy and stabilizing his position with the Roman Senate and people, he looks to legitimize himself militarily. His eyes turn towards Britannia; the elusive isle that even Julius Caesar failed to conquer. Far from being unknown to the rest of the world, various Britannic peoples have maintained trade relations with the continent, and a few of the tribal kingdoms have even formed alliances with Rome that extend back decades. Constant warfare, however, has left the isle in a state of perpetual instability. When several allies call upon Rome for assistance in their volatile struggles, Claudius seizes the opportunity to finish what the Divine Julius started almost a hundred years before. In Ostia, Centurion Artorius spends his days as a police commissioner, while only holding an honorary posting with the legions. Soon after Claudius' ascension, however, he is recalled to active service with his former legion, the Twentieth Valeria, where his peers proclaim him as the new master centurion. It has been generations since the empire expanded its borders via conquest, and Artorius readies his men to spearhead a massive invasion force in what he knows will be his last campaign.

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Caesar's Legion - Stephen Dando-Collins Cover Art

Caesar's Legion

Caesar's Legion The Epic Saga of Julius Caesar's Elite Tenth Legion and the Armies of Rome by Stephen Dando-Collins

"A unique and splendidly researched story, following the trials and triumphs of Julius Caesar's Legio X-arguably the most famous legion of its day-from its activation to the slogging battle of Munda and from Thapsus, Caesar's tactical masterpiece, to the grim siege of the Jewish fortress of Masada. More than a mere unit account, it incorporates the history of Rome and the Roman army at the height of their power and gory glory. Many military historians consider Caesar's legions the world's most efficient infantry before the arrival of gunpowder. This book shows why. Written in readable, popular style, Caesar's Legion is a must for military buffs and anyone interested in Roman history at a critical point in European civilization." —T. R. Fehrenbach, author of This Kind of War, Lone Star, and Comanches Stephen Dando-Collins paints a vivid and definitive portrait of daily life in the Tenth Legion as he follows Caesar and his men along the blood-soaked fringes of the Empire. This unprecedented regimental history reveals countless previously unknown details about Roman military practices, Caesar's conduct as a commander and his relationships with officers and legionaries, and the daily routine and discipline of the Legion. From penetrating insights into the mind of history's greatest general to a grunt's-eye view of the gruesome realities of war in the Classical Age, this unique and riveting true account sets a new standard of exellence and detail to which all authors of ancient military history will now aspire.

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The Romans - Edward J. Watts Cover Art

The Romans

The Romans A 2,000-Year History by Edward J. Watts

An acclaimed scholar tells the full, breathtaking history of Rome, from its emergence in the Iron Age to the capture of Constantinople in the thirteenth century “A sweeping historical survey that spans two millennia…Those intrigued by the ebb and flow of political power…will find in this book a cornucopia."— Wall Street Journal When we think of “ancient Romans” today, many picture the toga-clad figures of Cicero and Caesar, presiding over a republic, and then an empire, before seeing their world collapse at the hands of barbarians in the fifth century AD.    The Romans does away with this narrow vision by offering the first comprehensive account of ancient Rome over the course of two millennia. Prize-winning historian Edward J. Watts recounts the full sweep of Rome’s epic past: the Punic Wars, the fall of the republic, the coming of Christianity, Alaric’s sack of Rome, the rise of Islam, the Battle of Manzikert, and the onslaught of the Crusaders who would bring about the empire’s end. Watts shows that the source of Rome’s enduring strength was the diverse range of people who all called themselves Romans. This is the Rome of Augustus, Marcus Aurelius, and Constantine, but also Charlemagne, Justinian, and Manuel Comnenus—and countless other men and women who together made it the most resilient state the world has ever seen.     An expansive, eye-opening portrait, The Romans is the definitive history of Rome and its citizens.

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Meditations (Illustrated Edition) - Marcus Aurelius Cover Art

Meditations (Illustrated Edition)

Meditations (Illustrated Edition) by Marcus Aurelius

Marcus Aurelius ruled as Roman emperor from 161 to 180 A.D.  He was preceded as emperor by Antonius Pius.  Pius succeeded Hadrian, who adopted Pius as his heir on the condition that Lucius Verus and Marcus Aurelius would rule after Pius. After Pius’ death, Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus ruled jointly from 161 – 169 A.D. , until Verus’ death. Marcus Aurelius was known as a “philosopher king”, and Meditations is a collection of twelve books on philosophy originally written by him in Greek. This edition includes illustrations and a Table of Contents.

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Mexico - Michael D. Coe, Javier Urcid & Rex Koontz Cover Art

Mexico

Mexico From the Olmecs to the Aztecs by Michael D. Coe, Javier Urcid & Rex Koontz

An extensive update to the authoritative introduction to Mexico's ancient civilizations. Mexico arrives in its eighth edition with a new look and the most recent discoveries. This is the story of the pre-Spanish people of Mexico, who, with their neighbors the Maya, formed some of the most complex societies north of the Andes. Revised and expanded, the book is updated with the latest developments and findings in the field and current terminology. The new edition includes expanded coverage of Oaxaca, particularly Monte Alba´n, one of the earliest cities in Mesoamerica and the center of the Zapotec civilization. Recent research on the Olmecs and the legacy of the Maya offer a wider and more cohesive narrative of Mexico’s history. And a fully revised epilogue discusses the survival of indigenous populations in Mexico from the arrival of the Spanish through to the present day. Mexico has long been recognized as the most readable and authoritative introduction to the region’s ancient civilizations. Featuring up-to-date research and, for the first time, full-color illustrations throughout, this book brings to life the vibrant ancient art and architecture of Mesoamerica.

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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 Cambridge History of India: Volume 1, Ancient India - E.J. Rapson Cover Art

The Cambridge History of India: Volume 1, Ancient India

The Cambridge History of India: Volume 1, Ancient India by E.J. Rapson

The Cambridge History of India, Ancient India is an authoritative history of India from the beginning of history until the time after Alexander the Great’s conquest.  26 chapters and over 500 full-length pages discuss topics such as the geography of India, the ethnic origins of its people, the history of the Aryans and the Jains, and India’s interactions with Greece, Persia, Scythia, and Parthia.  

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Love, War, and Diplomacy - Eric H. Cline Cover Art

Love, War, and Diplomacy

Love, War, and Diplomacy The Discovery of the Amarna Letters and the Bronze Age World They Revealed by Eric H. Cline

From the acclaimed author of 1177 B.C. , a spellbinding account of the archaeological find that opened a window onto the vibrant diplomatic world of the ancient Near East In 1887, an Egyptian woman made an astonishing discovery among the ruins of the heretic king Akhenaten’s capital city, a site now known as Amarna. She found a cache of cuneiform tablets, nearly four hundred in all, that included correspondence between the pharaohs and the mightiest powers of the day, such as the Hittites, Babylonians, and Assyrians. Love, War, and Diplomacy tells the story of the Amarna Letters and the dramatic world of the Bronze Age they revealed. Blending scholarly expertise with painstaking detective work, Eric Cline describes the spectacular discovery, the fierce competition among dealers and museums to acquire the tablets, and the race by British and German scholars to translate them. Dating to the middle of the fourteenth century BCE and the time of Tutankhamun’s immediate predecessors, Amenhotep III and his son Akhenaten, the Amarna Letters are the only royal archive from New Kingdom Egypt known to exist. In them, we learn of royal marriages, diplomatic negotiations, gift-giving, intrigue, and declarations of brotherly love between powerful rulers as well as demands made by the petty kings in Canaan who owed allegiance to Egypt’s pharaohs. A monumental achievement, Love, War, and Diplomacy transports readers to the glorious age of the Amarna Letters and the colonial era that brought them to light and reveals how the politics, posturing, and international intrigues of the ancient Near East are not so unlike today’s.

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Naked Statues, Fat Gladiators, and War Elephants - Garrett Ryan Cover Art

Naked Statues, Fat Gladiators, and War Elephants

Naked Statues, Fat Gladiators, and War Elephants Frequently Asked Questions about the Ancient Greeks and Romans by Garrett Ryan

Why didn't the ancient Greeks or Romans wear pants? How did they shave? How likely were they to drink fine wine, use birth control, or survive surgery? In a series of short and humorous essays, Naked Statues, Fat Gladiators, and War Elephants explores some of the questions about the Greeks and Romans that ancient historian Garrett Ryan has answered in the classroom and online. Unlike most books on the classical world, the focus is not on famous figures or events, but on the fascinating details of daily life. Learn the answers to: How tall were the ancient Greeks and Romans? How long did they live? What kind of pets did they have? How dangerous were their cities? Did they believe their myths? Did they believe in ghosts, monsters, and/or aliens? Did they jog or lift weights? How did they capture animals for the Colosseum? Were there secret police, spies, or assassins? What happened to the city of Rome after the Empire collapsed? Can any families trace their ancestry back to the Greeks or Romans?

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The Study of Early Christian Sources - Paul Meyer Cover Art

The Study of Early Christian Sources

The Study of Early Christian Sources by Paul Meyer

The study of early Christian sources encompasses a rich and complex array of texts, traditions, and archaeological discoveries that illuminate the origins and development of Christianity. From the canonical writings of the New Testament to the works of the Apostolic Fathers, Gnostic texts, and early creeds, these sources provide invaluable insights into the theological, social, and cultural dimensions of the early church. This comprehensive analysis explores the formation and transmission of these texts, the influence of the Roman Empire and Jewish tradition, and the roles of individuals and communities in shaping Christian identity. The emergence of Christianity within the matrix of Second Temple Judaism highlights its deep roots in Jewish eschatology, scripture, and practice, even as it developed distinct theological frameworks. The writings of Paul and the Gospels articulated a vision of salvation rooted in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, while early creeds codified these beliefs in response to doctrinal controversies. The contributions of women, the significance of martyrdom, and the impact of Roman culture further illustrate the diversity and adaptability of early Christian communities. Textual criticism and manuscript studies reveal the dedication of early Christians to preserving their sacred texts amidst the challenges of persecution and the complexities of manual transmission. Archaeological discoveries, such as the Nag Hammadi Library, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the Dura-Europos house church, provide material evidence of early Christian life and thought, bridging the gap between textual traditions and lived experience. This work underscores the enduring legacy of early Christian sources, which continue to inspire theological reflection, cultural dialogue, and spiritual growth. By engaging deeply with these texts and their historical contexts, we gain a nuanced understanding of the formative centuries of Christianity and the profound ways in which this faith tradition has shaped and been shaped by the world around it.

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The Ancient Egyptian Pyramid Texts - Ben Van Kerkwyk Cover Art

The Ancient Egyptian Pyramid Texts

The Ancient Egyptian Pyramid Texts by Ben Van Kerkwyk

The Ancient Egyptian Pyramid Texts is the definitive introduction to the world's oldest known religious writings, inscribed on the walls of the pyramids of Egypt's Fifth and Sixth Dynasty kings. First discovered in the burial chambers of Unas at Saqqara in the nineteenth century, these texts reveal a profound vision of the afterlife, in which the pharaoh ascends to the stars, joins the gods, and reigns eternally beyond death. Since the first edition of this work in 2008, the study of the Pyramid Texts has been transformed by new discoveries, cutting-edge imaging technology, and advances in philology. The fifth Edition (2026) incorporates more than a decade of fresh research: newly unearthed inscriptions from Saqqara, refined translations of obscure passages, and expanded commentary that situates the Pyramid Texts within the broader traditions of Egyptian afterlife literature, including the Coffin Texts and the Book of the Dead. Both accessible and authoritative, this updated edition takes readers on a journey through discovery, translation, and interpretation. It explores the interplay of kingship, ritual, and cosmology, while offering a clear chapter-by-chapter guide to the inscriptions themselves. Written for scholars, students, and general readers fascinated by Egypt's mysteries, The Ancient Egyptian Pyramid Texts illuminates not only the religious imagination of the Old Kingdom but also the enduring human search for immortality written in stone more than four thousand years ago.

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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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Parallel Lives - Complete - Plutarch Cover Art

Parallel Lives - Complete

Parallel Lives - Complete by Plutarch

Plutarch, also known as Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus (46-120 A.D.) was a Greek historian and biographer best known for his parallel lives comparisons of famous Greeks and Romans. Plutarch also wrote biographies on many famous people of his day.

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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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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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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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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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Band on the Run - Robert L. O'Connell Cover Art

Band on the Run

Band on the Run Xenophon and the First Great Mercenary Army's Epic Escape from Persia by Robert L. O'Connell

A riveting retelling of one of the great adventure stories of antiquity — when Greek philosopher-warrior Xenophon led a stranded band of the “Ten Thousand” mercenary soldiers on a treacherous escape from the Persians. 400 BC. The Persian prince Cyrus the Younger hires an army of Greek soldiers to oust his brother from the Persian throne. But when Cyrus dies in battle during the army’s trek through the middle east, the army is stranded deep in enemy territory. Led by Xenophon, a young Athenian philosopher turned solider, the Ten Thousand fought their way home through deserts and mountains, snowstorms, starvation, and relentless attacks, evolving into one of the most fearsome forces of the ancient world. Their journey, chronicled in Xenophon’s Anabasis , is one of history’s greatest military stories. In Band on the Run , Robert O’Connell not only gives us an exciting and witty retelling of this story, but he has done so with a wise contemporary spin. For in his estimation, this was the battle that established the use of powerful mercenary forces. The attempted conquest of the Ten Thousand begins a historical line through Western history of the use of mercenary armies that has lasted up to our present day. And, as O’Connell shows, much misery and tragedy in human history has been due to this trajectory. This is a brilliant revisionist history with important lessons for our time.

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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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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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Lost Worlds - Patrick Wyman Cover Art

Lost Worlds

Lost Worlds How Humans Tried, Failed, Succeeded, and Built Our World by Patrick Wyman

" Lost Worlds convinces us of the value of slowing down to recognize the tremendous diversity of the human past. But he presses hard against the conclusion that there was any direction or pattern behind its complexity." —The Wall Street Journal “A spellbinding tour de force!” —Walter Scheidel, author of What Is Ancient History? “This is non-fiction storytelling at its finest.” —Eric H. Cline, author of 1177 B.C. The creator of the hit podcast Tides of History offers a new look at humanity’s deep past, showing us how our world was built not by inevitability, but by trial and error on a global scale. There’s a familiar story about us humans: we went from hunting and gathering to farming, wandering bands to villages and cities, clans and chieftains to states and kings. But Lost Worlds offers a new narrative of humanity’s deep history. Here beloved podcast host Patrick Wyman focuses on the 10,000-year span between the end of the Ice Age and the decline of the Bronze Age—the period when civilization as we understand it emerged, introducing social hierarchies, urbanism, complex political organizations, and the written word. In this nuanced retelling, human progress is no longer a straight march from caves to cities: Farming didn’t always replace foraging, villages didn’t automatically spark agriculture, and cities didn’t necessitate rigid hierarchies. For thousands of years, humans merely improvised. By the end of the Bronze Age, the world had become unrecognizable: mammoths and giant sloths replaced by cattle and sheep, scattered nomadic bands replaced by millions living in cities, and farming on nearly every continent. Wyman argues that the rise of states and steady food production wasn’t inevitable, but rather, the outcome of countless choices that reshaped the planet and made us who we are today. Combining cutting-edge science with gripping storytelling, Lost Worlds explores: A Sweeping New History of the Ancient World: Discover how early societies rose, adapted, and collapsed across thousands of years of human history. The Archaeology Revolution: Ancient DNA, climate science, and new excavation methods are revealing how prehistoric people lived, migrated, and fought. From Ice Age Hunters to Early Civilizations: Follow the dramatic transformation that led from nomadic foragers to farming, cities, and powerful states. Why Societies Rise—and Fall: Learn how climate change, migration, population growth, and conflict shaped the fate of early civilizations.

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The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World - Bettany Hughes Cover Art

The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World by Bettany Hughes

SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER • From the award-winning historian and broadcaster comes an immersive, awe-inspiring tour of the ancient sites that kindle our imagination and afford us a glimpse into our shared history “This fascinating book is brimming with stories of people and places, all told with Bettany’s natural sense of wonder and adventure.” —Simon Sebag Montefiore, New York Times bestselling author of The World For millennia, the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World have been known for their aesthetic sublimity, ingenious engineering, and sheer, audacious magnitude: The Great Pyramids of Giza, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Temple of Artemis, the Statue of Zeus, the Mausoleum of Halikarnassos, the Colossus of Rhodes, and the Lighthouse at Alexandria. Echoing down time, each of these persists in our imagination as an emblem of the glory of antiquity, but beneath the familiar images is a surprising, revelatory history. Guiding us through it is historian Bettany Hughes, who has traveled to each of the sites to uncover the latest archaeological discoveries and bring these monuments and the distinct cultures that built them back to breathtaking life. Spellbinding, richly illustrated, and full of insight, The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World is a journey into the indomitable ambition and creativity of the human spirit. "Learned and insightful. . . . Vivid. . . . Hughes is particularly adept at conjuring atmosphere from the scantiest ruin." — The Wall Street Journal

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The Histories - Herodotus, Tom Holland & Paul Cartledge Cover Art

The Histories

The Histories by Herodotus, Tom Holland & Paul Cartledge

“Unquestionably the best English translation of Herodotus to have appeared in the past half-century.” — The Times Literary Supplement In Tom Holland’s vibrant translation, one of the great masterpieces of Western history springs to life. Herodotus of Halicarnassus—hailed by Cicero as the “Father of History”—composed his histories around 440 BC. The earliest surviving work of nonfiction, The Histories works its way from the Trojan War through an epic account of the war between the Persian empire and the Greek city-states in the fifth century BC, recording landmark events that ensured the development of Western culture and still capture our modern imagination. Beautifully packaged in a Penguin Classics Deluxe edition with a comprehensive array of tools to guide first-time readers and experts alike, this accessible translation makes Herodotus fresh and irresistible once more. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

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Soldier of Rome: Crisis on the Danube - James Mace Cover Art

Soldier of Rome: Crisis on the Danube

Soldier of Rome: Crisis on the Danube by James Mace

Since the reign of Emperor Tiberius, an uneasy peace has existed along the Danube frontier between the various Sarmatian tribal kingdoms to the north and the Roman Empire to the south. Now, a new threat has emerged in Dacia, as the aged King Duras seeks to unite his people; a feat not witnessed since the legendary King Burebista more than a century before. With great audacity, Duras sends his heir, Prince Decebalus—whose name means strength of ten men—into Roman Moesia. Pursuing more than glory and spoils, Duras hopes to win back some of the disputed territories south of the Danube and halt the increasing encroachment of the Roman Empire. Early Dacian victories, coupled with the death of the imperial governor, find Rome engaged in an unexpected war it was ill-prepared for. Unlike most 'barbarian' peoples the Empire has faced over the centuries, the Dacians are better equipped, organised, and like the Romans, possess a professional army. With great duress, Emperor Domitian orders vast numbers of reinforcements to the Danube. Thousands of miles away, across the seas in Britannia, Gaius Artorius Armiger's tenure as prefect of the legendary cavalry regiment, Indus' Horse, is coming to an end. Now in his early forties, with his children coming of age, Gaius is eager to relinquish command and either take up a civilian posting or, perhaps, retire to his family's manor in Londinium. His hopes are dashed following a despatch from the emperor, extending his command, while ordering Indus' Horse to make for Moesia with all possible speed. Thousands of imperial soldiers from across the Empire converge along the Danube with Indus' Horse but one element of the British contingent. Gaius bids an emotional farewell to his wife and children before taking to his horse, in what he hopes will be his final campaign as a soldier of Rome.

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The Writing of the Gods - Edward Dolnick Cover Art

The Writing of the Gods

The Writing of the Gods The Race to Decode the Rosetta Stone by Edward Dolnick

The fast-paced and “engrossing account” ( The New York Times Book Review ) of “one of the greatest breakthroughs in archaeological history” ( The Christian Science Monitor ): two rival geniuses in a race to decode the writing on one of the world’s most famous documents—the Rosetta Stone. The Rosetta Stone is one of the most famous objects in the world, attracting millions of visitors to the British museum every year, and yet most people don’t really know what it is. Discovered in a pile of rubble in 1799, this slab of stone proved to be the key to unlocking a lost language that baffled scholars for centuries. Carved in ancient Egypt, the Rosetta Stone carried the same message in different languages—in Greek using Greek letters, and in Egyptian using picture-writing called hieroglyphs. Until its discovery, no one in the world knew how to read the hieroglyphs that covered every temple and text and statue in Egypt. Dominating the world for thirty centuries, ancient Egypt was the mightiest empire the world had ever known, yet everything about it—the pyramids, mummies, the Sphinx—was shrouded in mystery. Whoever was able to decipher the Rosetta Stone would solve that mystery and fling open a door that had been locked for two thousand years. Two brilliant rivals set out to win that prize. One was English, the other French, at a time when England and France were enemies and the world’s two great superpowers. Written “like a thriller” ( Star Tribune , Minneapolis), The Writing of the Gods chronicles this high-stakes intellectual race in which the winner would win glory for both himself and his nation. A riveting portrait of empires both ancient and modern, this is an unparalleled look at the culture and history of ancient Egypt, “and also a lesson…in what the human mind does when faced with a puzzle” ( The New Yorker ).

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Delphi Complete Works of Josephus - Josephus Cover Art

Delphi Complete Works of Josephus

Delphi Complete Works of Josephus by Josephus

Born in Jerusalem, Josephus was a man of high descent, who became learned in Jewish law and Greek literature. After defecting to Rome, he was granted citizenship and became an advisor to the Emperor Titus, serving as translator during the Siege of Jerusalem. Josephus’ works provide valuable insight into first century Judaism and the background of Early Christianity. Delphi’s Ancient Classics series provides eReaders with the wisdom of the Classical world, with both English translations and the original Greek texts. This comprehensive eBook presents Josephus’ complete works, with beautiful illustrations, informative introductions and the usual Delphi bonus material. (Version 1) * Beautifully illustrated with images relating to Josephus’ life and works * Features the complete extant works of Josephus, in both English translation and the original Greek * Concise introductions to the historical books and other works * Includes William Whiston’s celebrated translations * Excellent formatting of the texts * Easily locate the works and sections you want to read with individual contents tables * Provides a special dual English and Greek text, allowing readers to compare the sections paragraph by paragraph – ideal for students * Features a bonus biography – discover Josephus’ 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 WAR OF THE JEWS ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS AGAINST APIO LIFE OF FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS DISCOURSE TO THE GREEKS CONCERNING HADES The Greek Texts LIST OF GREEK TEXTS The Dual Texts DUAL GREEK AND ENGLISH TEXTS The Biography JOSEPHUS by Norman Bentwich Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to browse through our range of exciting titles

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Soldier of Rome: The Legionary - James Mace Cover Art

Soldier of Rome: The Legionary

Soldier of Rome: The Legionary by James Mace

In the year 9 A.D. three Roman legions under Quintilius Varus are betrayed by the Germanic war chief, Arminius, and destroyed in the forest known as Teutoburger Wald. Six years later, Rome is ready to unleash her vengeance. Emperor Tiberius sends his adopted son, Germanicus Caesar, across the Rhine with an army of forty-thousand imperial soldiers. They come not on a mission of conquest, but of annihilation. Within the ranks is a young legionary named Artorius, for whom the war offers a chance to avenge his slain brother. Deep within the forests of Germania, Arminius and his allies prepare to face the legions. Defeating the Romans will require all of his cunning, tactical savvy, and plenty of well-placed brute force. The Roman Empire holds its breath as Germanicus and Arminius face each other in the most savage conflict the world has seen in a generation; a conflict that will end in a holocaust of fire and blood.

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The First Ghosts - Irving Finkel Cover Art

The First Ghosts

The First Ghosts A rich history of ancient ghosts and ghost stories from the British Museum curator by Irving Finkel

The must-read exploration of the earliest human ghost stories from leading expert Irvine Finkel, author of The Ark Before Noah 'It's enthralling stuff, mixing the scholarly with the accessible and placing storytelling right at the heart of the human experience.' - History Revealed There are few things more in common across cultures than the belief in ghosts. Ghosts inhabit something of the very essence of what it is to be human. Whether we personally 'believe' or not, we are all aware of ghosts and the rich mythologies and rituals surrounding them. They have inspired, fascinated and frightened us for centuries - yet most of us are only familiar with the vengeful apparitions of Shakespeare, or the ghastly spectres haunting the pages of 19th century gothic literature. But their origins are much, much older... The First Ghosts: Most Ancient of Legacies takes us back to the very beginning. A world-renowned authority on cuneiform, the form of writing on clay tablets which dates back to 3400BC, Irving Finkel has embarked upon an ancient ghost hunt, scouring these tablets to unlock the secrets of the Sumerians, Babylonians and Assyrians to breathe new life into the first ghost stories ever written. In The First Ghosts , he uncovers an extraordinarily rich seam of ancient spirit wisdom which has remained hidden for nearly 4000 years, covering practical details of how to live with ghosts, how to get rid of them and bring them back, and how to avoid becoming one, as well as exploring more philosophical questions: what are ghosts, why does the idea of them remain so powerful despite the lack of concrete evidence, and what do they tell us about being human?

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Persian Empire - George Rawlinson Cover Art

Persian Empire

Persian Empire Illustrated Edition: Conquests in Mesopotamia and Egypt, Wars Against Ancient Greece, The Great Emperors: Cyrus the Great, Darius I and Xerxes I by George Rawlinson

The First Persian Empire was a country of the Achaemenid dynasty, based in Western Asia, founded by Cyrus the Great. Ranging at its greatest extent from the Balkans and Eastern Europe proper in the west to the Indus Valley in the east, it was larger than any previous empire in history. This book describes conquests of the greatest Persian emperors, Cyrus the Great, Darius I and Xerxes I and the expansion of their country. Contents: Extent of the Empire. Climate and Productions. Character, Manners and Customs. Language and Writing. Architecture and Other Arts. Religion. Chronology and History.

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Alexander to Actium - Peter Green Cover Art

Alexander to Actium

Alexander to Actium The Historical Evolution of the Hellenistic Age by Peter Green

The Hellenistic Age, the three extraordinary centuries from the death of Alexander in 323 B. C. to Octavian's final defeat of Antony and Cleopatra at the Battle of Actium, has offered a rich and variegated field of exploration for historians, philosophers, economists, and literary critics. Yet few scholars have attempted the daunting task of seeing the period whole, of refracting its achievements and reception through the lens of a single critical mind. Alexander to Actium was conceived and written to fill that gap. In this monumental work, Peter Green—noted scholar, writer, and critic—breaks with the traditional practice of dividing the Hellenistic world into discrete, repetitious studies of Seleucids, Ptolemies, Antigonids, and Attalids. He instead treats these successor kingdoms as a single, evolving, interrelated continuum. The result clarifies the political picture as never before. With the help of over 200 illustrations, Green surveys every significant aspect of Hellenistic cultural development, from mathematics to medicine, from philosophy to religion, from literature to the visual arts. Green offers a particularly trenchant analysis of what has been seen as the conscious dissemination in the East of Hellenistic culture, and finds it largely a myth fueled by Victorian scholars seeking justification for a no longer morally respectable imperialism. His work leaves us with a final impression of the Hellenistic Age as a world with haunting and disturbing resemblances to our own. This lively, personal survey of a period as colorful as it is complex will fascinate the general reader no less than students and scholars.

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The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (all 6 volumes) - Edward Gibbon Cover Art

The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (all 6 volumes)

The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (all 6 volumes) All six volumes in a single file by Edward Gibbon

The complete 6-volume work, which covers from the reign of Marcus Aurelius to the fall of Constantinople in 1453. According to Wikipedia: "Edward Gibbon (1737 - 1794) was an English historian and Member of Parliament. His most important work, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, was published in six volumes between 1776 and 1788. The History is known principally for the quality and irony of its prose..." 

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A History of Sicily - A.H. Allcroft Cover Art

A History of Sicily

A History of Sicily by A.H. Allcroft

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 Ancient Near East - James B. Pritchard Cover Art

The Ancient Near East

The Ancient Near East An Anthology of Texts and Pictures by James B. Pritchard

Two classic illustrated anthologies, now combined in one convenient volume James Pritchard's classic anthologies of the ancient Near East have introduced generations of readers to texts essential for understanding the peoples and cultures of this important region. Now these two enduring works have been combined and integrated into one convenient and richly illustrated volume, with a new foreword that puts the translations in context. With more than 130 reading selections and 300 photographs of ancient art, architecture, and artifacts, this volume provides a stimulating introduction to some of the most significant and widely studied texts of the ancient Near East, including the Epic of Gilgamesh, the Creation Epic (Enuma elish), the Code of Hammurabi, and the Baal Cycle. For students of history, religion, the Bible, archaeology, and anthropology, this anthology provides a wealth of material for understanding the ancient Near East. Represents the diverse cultures and languages of the ancient Near East—Sumerian, Akkadian, Egyptian, Hittite, Ugaritic, Canaanite, and Aramaic—in a wide range of genres:Historical textsLegal texts and treatiesInscriptionsHymnsDidactic and wisdom literatureOracles and propheciesLove poetry and other literary textsLettersNew foreword puts the classic translations in contextMore than 300 photographs document ancient art, architecture, and artifacts related to the textsFully indexed

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Civil War - Lucan Cover Art

Civil War

Civil War by Lucan

The great Roman poet Lucan (39–65 AD) is considered one of the most important Latin Poets of all time. His masterful epic "Pharsalia," or "Civil War" chronicles the dynamic battle between Julius Caesar and Pompey the Great. The Great Civil War led to the downfall of the Roman Republic and the establishment of the Roman Empire. "Civil War" is divided into ten books, tracking Caesar's march to Rome, through Spain, and finally to Egpyt. The cast of characters is wide: Brutus, Cicero, and Cleopatra all have parts, creating a singular epic. The poem is rooted in history though Lucan uses his poetic gift to create a work of literature that is as symbolic and moving as it is informative. Lucan's clear and energetic verse brings one of the most important wars in history to life. The cruel and exacting Caesar is witnessed here like nowhere else in literature. Civil War brilliantly comments on violence, politics, and sacrifice. For the student of Roman history, Lucan's "Civil War" is an invaluable resource.

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Plutarch's Lives - Plutarch Cover Art

Plutarch's Lives

Plutarch's Lives by Plutarch

The complete multi-volume Lives, in a single file.The Clough translation. According to Wikipedia: "Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus (c. AD 46 - 120 — commonly known in English as Plutarch — was a Roman historian (of Greek ethnicity), biographer, essayist, and Middle Platonist. Plutarch was born to a prominent family in Chaeronea, Boeotia, a town about twenty miles east of Delphi. His known works consist of the Parallel Lives and the Moralia."

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Walking Among Pharaohs - Peter Der Manuelian Cover Art

Walking Among Pharaohs

Walking Among Pharaohs George Reisner and the Dawn of Modern Egyptology by Peter Der Manuelian

In this expansive new biography of George Reisner, Egyptologist Peter Der Manuelian examines the life and work of America's greatest archaeologist. Manuelian presents Reisner's undeniable impact and considers his life within the context of Western colonialism, racism, and nationalism. Pyramids with hidden burial chambers. Colossal royal statues and minuscule gold jewelry. Decorated tomb chapels, temples, settlements, fortresses, ceramics, furniture, stone vessels, and hieroglyphic inscriptions everywhere. This is the legacy of forty-three years of breathtakingly successful excavations at twenty-three different archaeological sites in Egypt and Sudan (ancient Nubia). George Reisner (1867-1942) discovered all this and more during a remarkable career that revolutionized archaeological method in both the Old World and the New. Leading the Harvard University-Boston Museum of Fine Arts Expedition, Reisner put American Egyptology on the world stage. His uniquely American success story unfolded despite British control of Egyptian politics, French control of Egyptian antiquities, and an Egypt yearning for independence, all while his Egyptian teams achieved the fieldwork results and mastered the arts of recording and documentation. Reisner's lifespan covers the birth of modern archaeology. It also intersects powerfully with aspects of colonialism, racism, and nationalism, as Western powers imposed their influence on Egypt especially during the two World Wars. The wholesale export of dynastic Egypt's treasures to European and American museums also raised issues of repatriation and cultural patrimony long before they became the hot topics they are today. Walking Among Pharaohs, by distinguished Egyptologist Peter Der Manuelian, gathers unpublished documents from all over the world to present a fascinating and intimate biography of one of the founding fathers of modern Egyptology and one of America's greatest archaeologists.