Classical World: All That Matters

All That Matters

by Alastair Blanshard

Modern Western European culture would have been impossible without the civilizations of ancient Greece and Rome. The disciplines of philosophy, drama, history, and science all owe an immense debt to these two Mediterranean cultures. At the same time, there are aspects of this legacy that are less worthy of celebration. Slavery went hand in hand with democracy. The pursuit of beauty coexisted with breathtaking acts of brutality.

This book explores the world of the ancient Greeks and Romans and the distinctive cultures they produced. It charts the rise and fall of empires as well as examining the intricacies of domestic life. The opening sections of the book give a chronological overview of the ancient world. They orientate the reader to the key places, actors, and historical trends. The remaining chapters focus on some of the most important and influential aspects of Greco-Roman culture including ancient festivals, art, architecture, religion, and medicine.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

160 pages, Paperback

First published February 14, 2014

Reviews

[Rufus May · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.2/5 This book was a solid summation of the history and culture of both the Romans and the Greeks. The author however is way too general for my taste and it seemed that they would bring up some historical figure to make a point without even naming them?!?! For example the author talks about the famous story that after the Athenians defeated the Persians at marathon a Greek named Philippides was sent running back to Athens with the good news. The length of which is we’re we get our modern day marathons. Maybe this is a pedantic point but why not name him. Especially in what seems like an introductory book where some who are reading might not know about him. An anecdote is also told of an Athenian slave who earns his freedom, and his son goes on to become a statesmen for Athens. A great story of rags to riches BUT NEITHER THE FATHER OR SON ARE NAMED! I wish I were nitpicking but in my opinion the book is riddled with these instances and it makes it seem that these stories are just thrown into paragraphs to make an easy point without having to put in the work of stating who the people of interest in the stories even are. While it didn’t ruin the book for me it made me annoyed at times especially when I was interested in who the people discussed were as I hadn’t heard of some of them.

But if you look past that issue the material discussed isn’t anything groundbreaking. you would get a much better understanding of the events, philosophies, and lifestyles of the Greeks and Roman’s if you read larger and in depth books on them. Which is why I think this is a good book, because it makes the general history of these two peoples accessible. It’s also a very light read, easily finish able in a couple hours, and at the very list will give you a better look into the history of these nations.

[Aether · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting to read. It's a good overall intro book into Classical studies. Used it for first year University.