Philip Matyszak

Discover the lives of the ancient Romans, pieced together from inscriptions, discarded letters, biographies, and myth over two thousand years of history. The Roman empire witnessed a huge diversity of human experience over its history. At its pinnacle, it exerted its rule across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, from Britannia to the Black Sea. In this collection of 100...

An overview of the lost peoples and cultures who flourished and fought for survival alongside the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. Beyond the Greeks, Romans and Hebrews of the Classical and Biblical eras, a rich diversity of peoples helped lay the foundations of the modern world. Philip Matyszak brings to life these cultures and individuals that made up the busy, brawling...

A fascinating tour of cities that have been lost to history, from the Neolithic period up to the late Roman Empire, offering a fresh new perspective on the roots of urban life. The ruins of ancient Athens, Luxor, and Rome are familiar cornerstones of world history, visited by travelers from across the globe. But what about the cities that have...

Bestselling author Philip Matyszak explores how the Greeks and Romans used magic, who performed it - and why. Magic was everywhere in the ancient world. The supernatural abounded, turning flowers into fruit and caterpillars into butterflies. Magic packed a cloud of water vapour with energy enough to destroy a house with one well-aimed thunderbolt. It was everyday magic, but it...

The gripping stories of the most colourful and formidable characters to challenge the might of Rome. Until recently, it was assumed that Rome carried the torch of civilisation into the barbarian darkness, bringing law, architecture, and literature to conquered peoples. The alternative view now suggests that many of Rome's enemies - the Celts, Hebrews, and Phoenicians, for example - were...

Philip Matyszak skilfully navigates the myths and legends of early Rome, exploring the enigmatic origins of the Romans and how the first seeds of a great empire were sown. 'I sing of arms and the man,' wrote Virgil at the start of the Aeneid, one of Rome's most iconic origin stories exploring the tumultuous journey of Aeneas from Trojan prince...

The essential illustrated guide to the gods and goddesses of ancient Greece and Rome, vividly retelling their stories and exploring their origins. Who were the gods and goddesses of ancient Greece and Rome? What did they mean to the people who worshipped them? Although their time of widespread worship has long passed, the Greek and Roman gods have fascinated and...

This is ancient Greece - but not as we know it. Few people today appreciate that Greek civilisation was spread across the Middle East, and that there were Greek cities in the foothills of the Himalayas. This book tells the story of the Greeks outside Greece, such as Sappho, the poet from Lesbos; Archimedes, a native of Syracuse; and Herodotus,...

Who was Pandora and what was in her famous box? Why is a brand of sportswear named after the goddess Nike? How did Achilles get his Achilles heel? What exactly is a Titan? And why is one computer virus known as a Trojan horse? The myths of ancient Greece and Rome can seem bewilderingly complex, yet they are so much...

An overview of the lost peoples and cultures who flourished and fought for survival alongside the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. Who were the Philistines? What was a Pyrrhic victory? Were the Vandals really vandals? Why should you speak to a Samaritan? Beyond the Greeks, Romans, and Hebrews of the Classical and biblical eras, a rich diversity of peoples helped lay...

Here is an informative and entertaining guide to everything that any tourist needs for a journey back in time to ancient Rome in AD 200. You need only pack your imagination and a toothbrush – this guide provides the rest, describing all the best places to stay and shop, what to do, and what to avoid. Brought to life with...

At the heart of this history of the Julio-Claudian dynasty are the lives of six men - Julius Caesar, Augustus, Tiberius, Gaius Caligula, Claudius and Nero - men who mastered Rome and changed it from a democracy to a personal possession. It was no easy task: Caesar and Caligula were assassinated, Nero committed suicide and Claudius was poisoned. Only Augustus...