Showing titles in Ancient

WHEN GODS TURN VENGEFUL, ONLY THE BRAVE CAN DEFY FATE AND FIND THEIR WAY HOME Discover Stephen Fry's epic re-telling of the Odyssey for the 21st century After the fall of Troy, wily Odysseus, King of Ithaca, sails for home and his steadfast queen Penelope. However, the angry gods curse him to...

*A GUARDIAN, NEW STATESMAN, PROSPECT AND WATERSTONES BEST BOOK OF 2025* 'The fascinating story of ancient words … new revelations await' The Guardian 'A magisterial feat' New Scientist ________________________________ One ancient language transformed our world. This is its story. Star. Stjarna...

One of the most significant books ever written by a head of state, the Meditations are a collection of philosophical thoughts by the Emperor Marcus Aurelius (121-180 ce). Covering issues such as duty, forgiveness, brotherhood, strength in adversity and the best way to approach life and death, the Meditations have inspired thinkers, poets and politicians since their first publication more than 500 years ago. Today, the book stands as one of the great guides and companions—a cornerstone of Western thought.

AN EPIC BATTLE THAT LASTED TEN YEARS. A LEGENDARY STORY THAT HAS SURVIVED THOUSANDS. 'Troy. The most marvellous kingdom in all the world. The Jewel of the Aegean. Glittering Ilion, the city that rose and fell not once but twice . . .' When Helen, the beautiful Greek queen, is kidnapped by the...

This Penguin Classic is performed by Richard Armitage, star of Peter Jackson'sThe Hobbit trilogy and also known for his roles in Ocean's 8 and Spooks. This definitive recording includes an Introduction by Diskin Clay. Originally written only for his personal consumption, Marcus Aurelius's...

THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 'Holland, who co-hosts the podcast The Rest Is History, is at his best when having fun with Rome's bloody history' The Times 'A book for lovers of traditional, grand sweep narrative history' Sunday Times The definitive history of Rome's golden age -...

'The bloodstained drama of the last decades of the Roman republic... is told afresh with tremendous wit, narrative verve and insight' 'I owe a debt of gratitude to Tom Holland not just for reminding me of the great figures who bestrode the Roman world - Pompey and Crassus, Cato, Cicero and...

** THE #1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER ** Readers love The Greatest Story Ever Told 'Outstanding. A page-turner with a life-changing message.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review 'This book is incredible. It will speak to believers and non-believers alike.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review 'Wow what a book...

Lemuria: an annual event when householders in Ancient Rome drive the spirits of the dead from their homes by shouting 'Ghosts of our fathers and ancestors be gone!' and clanging metal pots with sticks and utensils. Flavia Albia and her husband Tiberius Manlius have lived in their house for less...

Bloomsbury presents The Rest is History Returns: An A-Z of Historical Curiosities, written by Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook with Goalhanger Podcasts, read by Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook. THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER The second bestselling book from 'the most joyous and...

Ancient Egyptian civilization is so grand our minds sometimes have difficulty adjusting to it. It lasted 3,000 years, longer than any other on the planet. Its Great Pyramid of Cheops was the tallest building in the world until well into the 19th century and remains the only Ancient Wonder still standing. And it was the most technologically advanced of the ancient civilizations, with the medical knowledge that made Egyptian physicians the most famous in the world.

Ancient Rome matters. Its history of empire, conquest, cruelty and excess is something against which we still judge ourselves. Its myths and stories - from Romulus and Remus to the Rape of Lucretia - still strike a chord with us. And its debates about citizenship, security and the rights of the individual still influence our own debates on civil liberty today. SPQR is a new look at Roman history from one of the world's foremost classicists.

The story of one of the most brilliant, flamboyant and historically important men who ever lived. From the very beginning, Caesar's story makes dazzling reading. In his late teens he narrowly avoided execution for opposing the military dictator Sulla. He was decorated for valour in battle...

The Roman Empire looms large in the history of the Western world. Despite its collapse in the 5th century CE, its legacy continues to influence everything from architecture and politics to literature and religion. Much of this impact was shaped by the rulers who transformed the Roman Republic into one of the most powerful empires the world has ever seen. In the 10 lectures of The Best and Worst of the Roman Emperors, you will meet 10 of the most notable—and notorious—rulers of Rome and assess their legacies.

Tom Holland gives a dazzling portrait of Rome's first imperial dynasty. Dynasty traces the full astonishing story of its rule of the world: both the brilliance of its allure, and the blood-steeped shadows cast by its crimes. Ranging from the great capital rebuilt in marble by Augustus to the dank and barbarian-haunted forests of Germany, it is populated by a spectacular cast: murderers and metrosexuals, adulterers and druids, scheming grandmothers and reluctant gladiators.

Funerary rituals show us what people thought about mortality; how they felt about loss; what they believed came next. From Roman cremations and graveside feasts, to deviant burials with heads rearranged, from richly furnished Anglo Saxon graves to the first Christian burial grounds in Wales...

Murder’s never in season. Especially in Rome. When a senator’s son is found dead at a prestigious Imperial fashion symposium—impaled on a decorative gladius while modelling ceremonial undergarments—the Empire erupts in scandal. To keep the affair quiet, the investigation is handed to a...

Look beyond the abstract dates and figures, kings and queens, and battles and wars that make up so many historical accounts. Over the course of 48 richly detailed lectures, Professor Garland covers the breadth and depth of human history from the perspective of the so-called ordinary people, from its earliest beginnings through the Middle Ages.

The ancient Greeks, more than any other early culture, have given us the template for Western civilization, as seen in their superlative achievements in the fields of architecture, political theory, philosophy, science, and art - not the least of which are their inventions of democracy and drama. In these 24 compelling lectures, Professor Garland guides you in a richly illuminating exploration of what the ancient Greeks have given us, and why they’re still important to us today.

From the bestselling author of The Templars, Dan Jones's epic new history tells nothing less than the story of how the world we know today came to be built. Across 16 chapters, blending Dan Jones' trademark gripping narrative style with authoritative analysis, Powers and Thrones shows how, at...