Vox Populi: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about the Classical World but Were Afraid to Ask

by Peter V. Jones

In this compelling tour of the classical world, Peter Jones reveals how it is the power, scope and fascination of their ideas that makes the Ancient Greeks and Romans so important and influential today. For over 2,000 years these ideas have gripped Western imagination and been instrumental in the way we think about the world. Covering everything from philosophy, history and architecture to language and grammar, Jones uncovers their astonishing intellectual, political and literary achievements. First published 20 years ago, this fully updated and revised edition is a must-read for anyone who wishes to know more about the classics—and where they came from.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Philosophy, Ancient History

224 pages, Paperback

Published February 1, 2021

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Peter Jones (sometimes credited as Peter V. Jones) is a former lecturer in Classics at the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, a writer and journalist. Jones has regularly written on Classics for major newspapers, and was awarded the MBE in 1983. He is a Cambridge graduate.

Jones' popular work has been focused on introducing new generations to Ancient Rome and Greece, from newspaper columns to crossword collections, popular non-fiction, and charitable organisations devoted to helping keep Classics subjects in schools.

Reviews

[Kym Jackson · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fairly enjoyable and engagingly written tour, not really of the Classical World—the subtitle is misleading—but about Classical Studies. I enjoyed it, and it would make a great introduction to what Classical Studies is all about: how we know what we know about the ancients and why it’s worth knowing. Overall: recommended.

[Annika Unterberger · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great introduction into Classical Studies!!!

Peter Jones touches on everything from history and literature over excavations and societal norms to how Latin and Greek shaped our languages today.

The writing style is compelling and easy flowing, at times even funny. (Although sometimes it was a little exaggerated.)

For me personally, though, there was little new to learn. But that’s because I study exactly this thematic at University. So, for everyone else the reading experience will be completely different and much more engrossing.

—> 3,5 stars

[Daniele · Rating 3 out of 5]

Liked the book, but loved the shorter stories/anecdotes. Like this one:

To indicate just how irrelevant Rome had become, in 410 it was sacked by the Visigoths (from a Germanic region of the Empire, now south-western France) under their king Alaric. When the emperor Honorius heard the news, he exclaimed, 'But I've just fed it by hand!' Evidently he kept a large cockerel called Rome, and the historian Procopius continued 'when he was told that it was the city of Rome which had fallen at the hands of Alaric, the emperor with a sigh of relief replied, "But I thought that my bird Rome had perished."'

[Emmet Clarke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't imagine a better introduction to this daunting but fascinating world for someone completely ignorant of it.

[Allan Wellings · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book on the ancient classical world, blending history, culture, politics, language and philosophy. I especially enjoyed the chapter on the archaeological excavations at Ephesus and the section on settling legal disputes. I'm less keen on philosophy but that's just me. One final point - the hard back edition is beautifully printed with an excellent choice of fonts. It really made it a pleasure read.

[Anton Tokar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes a bit boring, but overall was a good recap of the history of studies of the classical world. As well as an explanation of why classics are important. Inspired me to learn more :). Not yet inspired to learn Latin / ancient Greek.

[Sally · Rating 2 out of 5]

(2.5 ⭐️) Definitely informative, but didn’t go as deep as I would have liked…

[Marlies · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75. Fascinating. A little rambling at times

[Helena Scutt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read for anyone wanting to learn or brush up on any classic Greek or Roman knowledge

[A. B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everything one wanted to know about the Classical World in one volume. What more could one want?

[Edward · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a great general insight in terms of ancient philosophy and religious though and how this along with some crazy speculation from Galen and Aristotle influenced the moderns scientific thought immensely. This book does well to give explanations to how Rome governed its provinces and always writes in an understandable manner. This book uses hundreds of example from the ancient authors it talks about, further immersion and validating the authors reasoning. One things to take away is that the experimental method is the key to science, and that if the ancient could have realized that then we would be speaking Greek and eating olives.