Explore the ancient world through books

Reading guide

Ancient Egypt: Where to Start

Discover ancient Egypt through its pyramids, gods, pharaohs, everyday lives, literature and archaeological discoveries, with thoughtful books to help you find your own reading path.

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Reading guide

Ancient Rome: Where to Start

Begin with the big picture of Roman history, then explore the Republic, the Empire and the ancient writers whose accounts help us understand how Rome changed over time.

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Reading guide

The Roman Republic: What to Read

Follow Rome from its early Republic to Mediterranean dominance, political unrest and civil war. Find a clear reading path through the institutions, ambitions and conflicts that shaped its history.

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Reading guide

The Peloponnesian War: Athens, Sparta and the Cost of Power

Explore the long struggle between Athens and Sparta, the decisions that prolonged it and the writers who recorded its cost. Start with the history, then turn to Thucydides.

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Reading guide

Alexander the Great: What to Read

Trace Alexander's rise from Macedonian king to conqueror of the Persian Empire, then explore why ancient accounts disagree about the man behind the legend and what happened after his death.

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Reading guide

Homer: Where to Start

Not sure whether to begin with the Iliad or the Odyssey? Discover what makes each poem distinctive and how to choose a translation you'll enjoy reading.

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Reading guide

Socrates: The Questions That Outlived Him

Meet Socrates through the writers who preserved his conversations and trial. Find a practical way into Plato's dialogues and the questions that made Socrates so influential.

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Resource

How to Read Ancient Primary Sources

Ancient texts tell us about the past, but never without perspective. Learn to approach ancient sources by asking who wrote them, for whom and why.

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