The Best Ancient History Books 2024

1. Egypt Egyptian Hieroglyphics: How to Read and Write Them, (Paperback)

Clear, easy-to-follow text tells absolute beginners how to transcribe hieroglyphs by presenting and explaining 134 phonetic elements. Included are an explanatory introduction, section on word analysis, newly enlarged pronunciation guide, tables of phonetic and figurative (or determinative) signs, and much more. Unusually large, clear illustrations.

Egypt Egyptian Hieroglyphics: How to Read and Write Them, (Paperback) Author: Dover Publications ISBN: 9780486260136 Format: Paperback Publication Date: 1989-06-01 Page Count: 96

2. Earth Chronicles Genesis Revisited, (Paperback)

Modern Technology . . . or Knowledge of the Ancients? Space travel . . . Genetic engineering . . . Computer science . . . Astounding achievements as new as tomorrow. But stunning recent evidence proves that as these ultramodern advances were known to our forfathers millions of yrsterdays ago . . . as early as 3,000 years before the birth of Christ! In this remarkable companion volume to his landmark EARTH CHRONICLES series, author Zecharia Sitchin reexamines the teachings of the ancients in the light of mankind's latest scientific discoveries -- and uncovers breathtaking, never-before-revealed facts that challenge long-held, conventional beliefs about our planet and our species.

Earth Chronicles Genesis Revisited, (Paperback) Author: William Morrow & Company ISBN: 9780380761593 Format: Paperback Publication Date: 1990-10-01 Page Count: 352

3. The Archaeology of Greece (Paperback)

William R. Biers wrote The Archaeology of Greece to introduce students, teachers, and lay readers to the delights of exploring the world of ancient Greece. The great popularity of the first edition testifies to his success. In his preface to the second edition, Biers points out that, while the field of Greek archaeology may seem conservative and slow-moving, it has undergone major changes, especially in regard to work on the Bronze Age. The second edition brings information on all areas up to date, reflecting the most recent research, and it includes cross references to Perseus II, the interactive electronic data base on Archaic and Classical Greece. This edition includes new illustrations, some of recent finds, some of improved plans, and others added to enhance an explanation or to illustrate a point.

The Archaeology of Greece (Paperback)

4. The Greek Way (Paperback)

The aim of this work is not a history of events but an account of the achievement and spirit of Greece. A perennial favorite in many different editions, Edith Hamilton's best-selling The Greek Way captures the spirit and achievements of Greece in the fifth century B.C. A retired headmistress when she began her writing career in the 1930s, Hamilton immediately demonstrated a remarkable ability to bring the world of ancient Greece to life, introducing that world to the twentieth century. The New York Times called The Greek Way a "book of both cultural and critical importance."

The Greek Way (Paperback)

5. Daily Life in Ancient Rome

This book, now available in paperback, concerns the everyday private and public lives of the citizens of ancient Rome. Drawing on a broad selection of contemporary sources, the author examines the institutions, actions and rituals of day to day life.

Daily Life in Ancient Rome (Paperback)

6. A History of Ancient Egypt, (Paperback)

This is an account of the rise and fall of the civilization in the Nile Valley, covering the first human settlement (c 120,000 BC) to its conquest by Alexander the Great in 333 BC. This is the first history of ancient Egypt for 25 years Brings together the very latest textual and archaeological evidence The index, bibliography and appendices make this an invaluable reference tool New guide to further reading in English especially commissioned for the paperback edition

A History of Ancient Egypt, (Paperback) Author: Wiley-Blackwell ISBN: 9780631193968 Format: Paperback Publication Date: 1994-07-19 Page Count: 528

7. Fall of the Athenian Empire (Paperback)

"The fourth volume in Kagan's history of ancient Athens, which has been called one of the major achievements of modern historical scholarship, begins with the ill-fated Sicilian expedition of 413 B.C. and ends with the surrender of Athens to Sparta in 404 B.C. Richly documented, precise in detail, it is also extremely well-written, linking it to a tradition of historical narrative that has become rare in our time." ― Virginia Quarterly Review In the fourth and final volume of his magisterial history of the Peloponnesian War, Donald Kagan examines the period from the destruction of Athens' Sicilian expedition in September of 413 B.C. to the Athenian surrender to Sparta in the spring of 404 B.C. Through his study of this last decade of the war, Kagan evaluates the performance of the Athenian democracy as it faced its most serious challenge. At the same time, Kagan assesses Thucydides' interpretation of the reasons for Athens' defeat and the destruction of the Athenian Empire.

Fall of the Athenian Empire (Paperback)

8. Greek and Roman Historians: Information and Misinformation, (Paperback)

It is today widely accepted that we do not get the whole truth from any historian. Greek and Roman Historians considers the work of ancient historians such as Herotudus, Tacitus and Thucydides in the the light of this attitude. In an enlightening new study, Michael Grant argues that misinformation, even deliberate disinformation, is abundant in their writings. Grant, one of the world's greatest writers of ancient history, suggests new ways of reading and interpreting the ancient historians which maximise their usefulness as source material. He demonstrates how the evidence they provide can be augmented by the use of other, literary and non-literary, sources. Greek and Roman Historians shows us how we can use written history to learn about the ancient world, even if our conclusions are not those its historians intended. The author argues that their work remains our most important source of information, once we have learned to question and incorporate their imperfect regard for the truth. Grant's account is an indispensible guide to the sources and their interpretation for all students of ancient history.

Greek and Roman Historians: Information and Misinformation, (Paperback) Author: Routledge ISBN: 9780415117708 Format: Paperback Publication Date: 1995-04-13 Page Count: 188

9. The Penguin Encyclopedia of Ancient Civilizations (Paperback) by Arthur Cotterell

9780140114348. Trade paperback. Language: English. Pages: 367. Trade paperback (US). Sewn binding. 367 p. Contains: Illustrations. The ancient civilizations of the world, the first social structures in which culture and religion were born, are the subject of this comprehensive, wide-ranging encyclopedia. The work of over thirty international experts, including Colin Renfrew, O.R. Gurney, Richard Leakey and many other leading academics in the field of ancient history, "The Penguin Encyclopedia of Ancient Civilizations" provides a fascinating overview of the prehistoric world and a detailed analysis of separate ancient civilizations. The art, architecture, language, mythology and chronology of early societies as diverse as ancient Egypt, Troy, India, West Asia, South America and Europe are fully discussed, and there is a special section of references for further reading. Structured to enable the reader to draw together contemporary events and to locate geographically connected civilizations, like those that flourished in Mesopotamia, the encyclopedia contains over 300 illustrations and twenty-eight maps.

9780140114348. : Trade paperback. Language: English. Pages: 367. Trade paperback (US). Sewn binding. 367 p. Contains: Illustrations. The ancient civilizations of the world, the first social structures in which culture and religion were born, are the subject of this comprehensive, wide-ranging encyclopedia. The work of over thirty international experts, including Colin Renfrew, O.R. Gurney, Richard Leakey and many other leading academics in the field of ancient history, "The Penguin Encyclopedia of Ancient Civilizations" provides a fascinating overview of the prehistoric world and a detailed analysis of separate ancient civilizations. The art, architecture, language, mythology and chronology of early societies as diverse as ancient Egypt, Troy, India, West Asia, South America and Europe are fully discussed, and there is a special section of references for further reading. Structured to enable the reader to draw together contemporary events and to locate geographically connected civilizations, like those that flourished in Mesopotamia, the encyclopedia contains over 300 illustrations and twenty-eight maps.

10. Perpetua's Passion: The Death and Memory of a Young Roman Woman, (Paperback)

Perpetua's Passion studies the third-century martyrdom of a young woman and places it in the intellectual and social context of her age. Conflicting ideas of religion, family and gender are explored as Salisbury follows Perpetua from her youth in a wealthy Roman household to her imprisonment and death in the arena.

Perpetua's Passion: The Death and Memory of a Young Roman Woman, (Paperback) Author: Routledge ISBN: 9780415918374 Format: Paperback Publication Date: 1997-10-07 Page Count: 240