The Oxford History of the Classical World - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0198721129 ISBN 13: 9780198721123

Publisher: Oxford University Press, 1986

The history, achievements, and enduring legacies of Greek and Roman antiquity come to life in the pages of this comprehensive and beautifully illustrated volume.

Following a format similar to that of The Oxford Illustrated History of Britain, the book brings together the work of thirty outstanding authorities and organizes their contributions into three main sections. The first section covers Greece from the eighth to the fourth centuries B.C., a period unparalleled in history for its brilliance in literature, philosophy, and the visual arts. The second section deals with the Hellinization of the Middle East by the monarchies established in the areas conquered by Alexander the Great, the growth of Rome, and the impact of the two cultures on one another. The third section covers the foundation of the Roman Empire by Augustus and its consolidation in the first two centuries A.D. A short concluding essay discusses certain aspects of the later Empire and its influence on Western civilization, notably through the adoption of Christianity.

Within each section, chapters dealing with political and social history alternate with chapters on literature, philosophy, and the arts. Maps and chronological charts--not to mention more than 250 illustrations, including sixteen in color--enrich the basic text, along with bibliographies and a full index.

About the Editors:

John Boardman is Lincoln Professor of Classical Archaeology at the University of Oxford. Jasper Griffin and Oswyn Murray are both Fellows Balliol College, Oxford.

Review:

This overview of ancient European history is divided into three roughly equal parts on Greece, Greece and Rome, and Rome, an organizational scheme that underscores the historical progression by which the Greek city-states forged empires that the Romans would later inherit. Within this broad outline, authors Oswyn Murray, John Boardman, and Jasper Griffin, all distinguished Oxford University scholars, outline patterns of trade and colonization, look at the rise of philosophical schools and religions, and examine key works of literature. Oxford History of the Classical World, heavily illustrated with photographs and maps, is a fine reference, complete with compact chronologies.

From Library Journal:

Thirty-two chapters (with select bibliographies) by different authors, plus an introduction and conclusion, survey antiquity from the time of Homer to the fall of the Roman Empire. Part 1 covers Greece, part 2, the Hellenistic age and the evolution of the Roman republic,and part 3, Imperial Rome. The range is wide, embracing history, myth, literary genres, major authors, philosophy, life, society, art, and architecture. All contributors are not equally successful in their attempt to condense, interpret, and inspire, but generally the results are of high quality, and the book is handsomely produced. Recommended for those desiring a one-volume introduction to the classical world.Robert J. Lenardon, Professor Emeritus of Classics, Ohio State Univ., Columbus
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication date: 1986
• ISBN 10: 0198721129
• ISBN 13: 9780198721123
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 882
• Editor: Boardman John, Griffin Jasper, Murray Oswyn