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The Classical World

An Epic History of Greece and Rome

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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

Robin Lane Fox's The Classical World: An Epic History of Greece and Rome is a comprehensive and enthralling introduction to Ancient civilization.

The classical civilizations of Greece and Rome dominated the world for centuries and continue to intrigue and enlighten us with their inventions, whether philosophy, politics, theatre, athletics, celebrity, science or the pleasures of horse racing. Robin Lane Fox's spellbinding history, spans almost a thousand years of change from the foundation of the world's first democracy in Athens to the Roman Republic and the Empire under Hadrian.

Bringing great figures such as Homer, Socrates, Cicero, Alexander, Antony and Cleopatra, Julius Caesar, Augustus and the first Christian martyrs to life, exploring freedom, justice and luxury, this wonderfully exciting tour brings the turbulent histories of Greece and Rome together in a masterly study.

'Epic in the true sense' The Times Books of the Year

'He writes supremely well ... a keen eye for the telling detail and powerful example ... the humanity of the exercise shines through ... compulsory, and compulsive, reading' Peter Jones, Sunday Telegraph

© Robin Lane Fox 2005 (P) Penguin Audio 2021

 Ancient Civilization Europe Greece Rome World Funny Ancient Greece Ancient History Greek Mythology Mythology

Critic reviews

The Classical World is a more epic epic than any toga-clad celluloid epic to date... Mr Lane Fox's brilliant book, where soldiers, poets and orators fight for attention in a story that is never cluttered and always stimulating.
witty, ferociously learned, enormously well read
an ambitious and exhilarating volume...The Classical World is so replete with insight and anecdote that I would love to see it in every school library.
we are in the hands of an author who knows that an epic can only be driven by big characters such as Pericles, Demosthenes, Philip, Cicero, Pompey, Caesar and Cleopatra...Here lies the author's mastery, matching a lifelong familiarity with his subject to the basic needs of a newly arrived apprentice
All stars
Most relevant
well explained and interesting. This a great addition for history buffs. Definitely worth a listen.
Enjoy

sweeping history of the classical world

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Worthy of 5 stars on every count. The narration was as excellent as the content.

Classical life - described & explained

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is excellent for anyone wishing for a clear reading of Robin lane fox’s book. He is as ever a learned and wise guide to the marvels and mysteries of the ancient world. He has all the qualities of a Greek hero, of persistence, courage and compassion for the unlearned listener/reader. Highly recommended.

The voice

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Not great. Whilst the performance was good, the writing by contrast was very biased (this from a classical scholar) and haphazard in its structure, not for me. There are better books out there that cover the period.

Swing and a miss

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Seems bias and very selective with which sources used. The author makes a point, normally about how awful the morals of this time were, then picks a historical source who backs it up. It is like this continuously. Not contrasting or showing opposing views.
The narration is tedious, with constant iteration on certain points which they clearly don't agree with.
If you are interested in the history, give it a miss, however, if you are interested in moral complaints about how bad people were in this time frame, then this is your book.

Very long and quiet dull

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