Ancient History Lives

From an acclaimed classicist comes a witty, unusual, and fascinating "biography" of Homer's fictional Bronze Age hero, Odysseus. In this entertaining book, Charles Beye fills out the story of this extraordinary figure while at the same time portraying Odysseus' evolution through the course of a strange and adventuresome life, at times so remote, at times so immediate in the contemporary perspective.

On August 24 and 25 in the year 79 A.D., a Volcanic eruption from Mt. Vesuvius spewed fire, lava, smoke, and ash upon the city of Pompeii, burying it and many of its inhabitants. Before this catastrophe, the streets of Pompeii had been bustling with the activity of its people, busy with commerce supported by its shipping trade and its role as a link between interior Italy and the outside world. In Pompeii, based on the Time Life Books series Lost Civilizations, you'll visit this ancient, lost city as it was in its heyday and how it exists today, its ruins lying in the shadow of Mt. Vesuvius.

A little over 2000 years ago a man named Julius Caesar changed the world. Even if you have never heard of him, his lasting legacy has no doubt had an impact on your life. Even the very calendar that you use is based upon the system he created, with the month of July bearing his name. So who was this man that single-handedly changed the course of history? This audiobook follows the life and legacy of the man whose life stood between Republic and Empire.

By the dawn of the 17th century, Portuguese influence in Africa fell into decline, and the occasions of European contact with Ethiopia became very few and far between. It would be another three centuries before another European would venture into the holy precincts of Lalibela as part of a British military expedition mounted in 1867. Africa’s Origin Stories examines the various legends, how they formed, the evolution of African beliefs, and how they’ve affected countless cultures; you will learn about African mythology like never before.

Even after Greek power waned, the Romans borrowed Greek culture, so it should come as little surprise that various Greeks continued to be influential in antiquity. In fact, if people in the third century CE were asked which religious or philosophical figure from the first century CE was most likely to found or inspire a global religion that would attract millions of followers and last for centuries, they would not have answered Jesus of Nazareth.

Of the surviving work of Cornelius Nepos, Lives of the Eminent Commanders is the only piece that has come down to us intact, and it was actually only one of a much larger set of volumes on foreign and Roman kings, generals, lawyers, orators, poets, historians, and philosophers. What makes the writing of Nepos highly original was his intent to endow his biographies with a moral purpose and to display the strengths and weaknesses of each great man. Modern listeners will enjoy the work of Nepos and gain new insights into classical Greek leaders, among others.

From our democratic way of government to timeless elements of architectural design, the civilization of the ancient Greeks has influenced virtually every civilization on earth, past and present. The influence of the Greek culture, whether it be in philosophy or the tradition of the Olympic games, is buried so deeply in modern life that we're often unaware of it. This full cast audio production takes the listener back to the origins of Ancient Greece in its Golden Age to revisit elements of daily life and milestones of achievement. In this informative and entertaining journey, the listener will discover how that ancient culture reaches through time to touch our modern world.

Many ancient civilizations have influenced and inspired people in the 21st century. The Greeks and Romans continue to fascinate the West today. But of all the world’s civilizations, none have intrigued people more than the Mayans, whose culture, astronomy, language, and mysterious disappearance all continue to captivate people. In 2012 especially, there has been a renewed focus on the Mayans, whose calendar has led many to speculate the world will end on the same date the Mayan calendar ends. The focus on the “doomsday” scenario, however, has overshadowed the Mayans’ true contribution.

Herod is one of the more well-known characters of the Bible, as even those with a limited knowledge of the Bible will recognize the name and maybe have some idea of who Herod was. One of the most popular stories, known even to non-Christians, is Herod's slaying of the Innocents, a gruesome part of the Christmas story.

Alcibiades was brilliant beyond his time and ambitious beyond his own safety. Was he traitor or true patriot? Even his own historian was not sure.

Nicolaus of Damascus was a Hellenized Jewish scholar who lived contemporaneously with Octavius and lived to see him become Caesar Augustus. The work itself takes us through young Octavius’ life and shows how he was carefully brought up and eventually adopted by his uncle, Julius Caesar. But what is remarkable about this short biography is the care and detail with which Nicolaus goes about in describing the plot and assassination of Caesar. The aftermath of Caesar’s murder is explained quite clearly as Octavian steps up to claim his uncle’s inheritance.

This new, original translation of Cornelius Nepos's Lives of the Great Commanders is the first to appear in many generations. The Roman writer Cornelius Nepos (circa 110 BC to 25 BC) was one of the first biographers in the Western tradition. He composed memorable and entertaining sketches of some of the most famous statesmen of antiquity.

In The Life of Cicero, Plutarch details the priceless contributions Cicero made to Roman society. He translated the works of Greek philosophers into Latin, gained acclaim as an orator and lawyer, and was elected to office. Politics ultimately got the better of him, however, and his life ended in assassination while in exile. Cicero’s ideas live on through his body of work, but to learn about the man himself, Plutarch’s biography is an excellent starting point.

Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus is a hotly debated Roman politician and statesman. His controversial warfare tactics, as described by Plutarch, are among the many influences for worldwide guerrilla warfare that can be seen today. From his brutal army tactics to his dictatorship to his ultimate demise, Fabius Maximus led a politically full and interesting life.

Few images in history have managed to capture and hold the popular imagination quite like that of Hannibal, the fearless North African, perched on a monstrous elephant, leading his mercenaries over the Alps and then, against all odds, descending the ice-covered peaks to challenge Rome in her own backyard for mastery of the ancient world. It was a bold move, and it established Hannibal as one of history's greatest commanders. But this same brilliant tactician is also one of history's most tragic figures; fate condemned him to win his battles but not his war.

While he was one of the most influential men in the ancient world, research on Cyrus the Great is simultaneously fascinating and frustrating. Of course, this reality has deepened the mystique that surrounds Cyrus even to this day, and it has elevated his status from conqueror and king to enlightened humanist monarch and ideal ruler. Whatever the underlying issues, the incredible achievements of Cyrus distinguish him as one of the greatest kings in history, and his life, conquests, reforms, and rule continue to be of great interest over 2,500 years later.

Do you want to learn about Pythagoras but don’t have the time or patience to read a thick book? Then this short and concise book “Pythagoras of Samos: A Short Introduction to His Life and Teachings” is for you!! Pythagoras and his followers, the Pythagoreans, have been credited with many great accomplishments, including the following: Pythagoras’ most famous achievement, the Pythagorean Theorem, which states that in a right-angled triangle, the square of the length of the hypotenuse (the side opposite the right angle) is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides. As a ...

Would you like to learn about daily life in ancient Rome, but find conventional history books a bit boring? Would you like a more entertaining way to learn about Roman history, from the Republic to the Empire? We have a look at Roman sanitation, medicine, education, wine, sex, bathing, dining, public order, irrigation, roads, the fresh water system, and public health from an accessible, non-academic perspective in this book, as well as looking at some of the perils or downsides in these advances in civilization. We discuss the developments in these aspects of daily life.

The Romans hated Pompey’s greedy father, Strabo, with a vengeance. Yet when Pompey rose in prominence, Plutarch notes that he developed the opposite character, and the Romans loved him for it. Pompey had many great accomplishments in his military and political life, but his legacy lies in forming the First Triumvirate with Crassus and Caesar. When the alliance eventually dissolved, and Pompey fled from Caesar to his death, the Roman world would never be the same.

El día a día del faraón y sus súbditos a orillas del Nilo. El campesino que cultivaba en las orillas del Nilo recibía la visita regular del recaudador de impuestos, quien necesitaba del escriba para que nada se le escapara y todos pagaran lo que debían, de lo cual rendía cuentas al visir. Éste era el responsable de hacerse cargo de todo en nombre de su señor, el soberano de la Dos Tierras, el faraón, a quien informaba en profundidad y a diario de lo que sucedía en el país....