Series: Classic Civilisations

The ancient Greeks gave us our alphabet and much of our scientific, medical, and cultural language. They invented democracy, atomic theory, and the rules of logic and geometry; laid the foundations of philosophy, history, tragedy, and comedy; and debated everything from the good life and the role of women, to making sense of foreigners and the best form of government,...

In this revealing and entertaining guide to how the Romans confronted their own mortality, Peter Jones shows us that all the problems associated with old age and death that so transfix us today were already dealt with by our ancient ancestors two thousand years ago. Romans inhabited a world where man, knowing nothing about hygiene let alone disease, had no...

The Romans left a long-lasting legacy and their influence can still be seen all around us—from our calendar and coins, to our language and laws—but how much do we really know about them? Help is at hand in the form of Veni, Vidi, Vici, which tells the remarkable, and often surprising, story of the Romans and the most enduring empire...

In this original and highly accessible book, Peter Jones takes the reader on a fascinating journey along the highways and byways of Roman life and culture, telling the amazing stories behind the original Latin meanings and uses of hundreds of our everyday words. Taking in every aspect of the ancient world, including science, religion, military matters, politics, and literature, Jones...