The Story of Greece and Rome
Tony Spawforth
In simple language, this book tells a story of how the Greeks developed a long-lasting civilisation which the Romans in due course took over by force, developed further and eventually used legionaries to defend against outside threats, before finally transmitting a classical legacy to the Middle Ages and so to us. Along the way the book will explore ancient and modern ideas and ideals about the civilised life and the invention of its antithesis, barbarism. It will also show how far classical civilisation at each stage of its evolution absorbed flavours and surprises from interactions with other peoples. The result was a culture of fusion between West and East. At a time of keen interest in what western civilisation stands for and how and where it originated, this book offers a new account between one set of covers of the two ancient millennia comprising one of its most formative phases, the phase bequeathing us both Classics and Christianity.
Book Details:
- Author: Tony Spawforth
- Published Year: 2018
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Rights Sold
- UK: Yale University Press
- China: Shanghai Dook Publishing Co.
- Spain: Critica
- Greece: Patakis
- Italy: Salani
- Portugal: Alma Dos Livros.
- Romania: Grup Media Litera
Tony Spawforth
Tony Spawforth trained as an ancient historian and archaeologist. He is a former Assistant Director of the British School of Archaeology at Athens and Member of the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton. Since 2000 he has been Professor of Ancient History at Newcastle-upon-Tyne University.He is author and editor of a number of academic and reference books, including (co-edited with Simon Hornblower) the third edition of The Oxford Classical Dictionary (1996; 2003). His popular books include (with Chris Mee) Oxford Archaeological Guides: Greece (2001) and The Complete Greek Temples (Thames...
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Book Reviews
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"sensitively and elegantly written, interweaving the text with well-chosen quotations and the author’s personal experiences…lively route in to the subject which manages to be authoritative without being intimidating…an interesting and rewarding read."
BBC History Magazine -
"There are several good introductions to ancient Greece and to ancient Rome, but far fewer to both combined, which is what S. offers here in this very readable and engaging new book….S. writes in an attractive, conversational style, with many vivid examples and anecdotes drawn from his personal experience as an archaeologist, teacher, television presenter and tour guide. There is also a wealth of apt, translated quotations from ancient authors and inscriptions to give context and colour to the narrative…The work as a whole will make an excellent introduction to the classical world both for general readers with little prior knowledge and for students seeking to expand their knowledge and challenge some of their received ideas."
classicsforall.org.uk -
"Spawforth's book stands out on a crowded field of histories of Greece and Rome for its liveliness and wit. Although aimed at readers 'who have little or no background' in the subject, there is much to stimulate the experienced classicist as well."
Literary Review -
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From time to time, people ask me, “What’s a good history of Greece and Rome I can read?” From now on, I think I’ll recommend this one, a readable tour for all readers. In The Story of Greece and Rome, onetime professor of ancient history Tony Spawforth has given us a sweeping, beautifully written story covering eight and a half millennia, from the first traces of Neolithic life in what we now call Greece to the fadeaway of Rome in the late 400s A.D."
Philadelphia Inquirer