Modern receptions of Graeco-Roman Antiquity are important ideological markers of the ways we envisage our own twenty-first-century societies. An urgent topic of study is: what kinds of narratives – sometimes controversial – about Antiquity do people create for themselves at this moment in time, and for what reasons? This volume aims to showcase a number of illustrative examples, and thus to provide a deeper understanding of twenty-first-century reception of Antiquity.

After a general intr...

An Introduction to the Ancient World offers a thorough survey of the history of the ancient Near East, Greece and Rome. Covering the social, political, economic and cultural processes that have influenced later western and Near Eastern civilisations, this volume considers subjects such as the administrative structures, economies and religions of the ancient Near East, Athenian democracy, the development of classical Greek literature, the interaction of cultures in the Hellenistic world, the p...

The Code of Hammurabi is a well-preserved Babylonian law code of ancient Mesopotamia, dating back to about 1754 BC. It is one of the oldest deciphered writings of significant length in the world. The sixth Babylonian king, Hammurabi, enacted the code, and partial copies exist on a man-sized stone stele and various clay tablets.

The Code consists of 282 laws, with scaled punishments, adjusting "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth" (lex talionis) as graded depending on social status, of slav...

"Statesman" is a dialogue written by Plato in which a group of men discuss the nature of political leadership and the qualities required to be a successful statesman. The conversation is guided by an unnamed Stranger, who leads the group through a series of questions and hypothetical scenarios. Through this dialogue, Plato explores the complex relationship between the ruler and the ruled, and argues that the ideal statesman must possess both practical wisdom and knowledge of the Forms.

In "La...

"Timaeus" and "Critias" are two dialogues written by Plato in the 4th century BC. They are part of his tetralogy of works on the nature of reality, which also includes the "Republic" and the "Sophist."

In "Timaeus," Socrates and his friends discuss the nature of the universe and the role of the gods in its creation. The dialogue centers around the speech of Timaeus, a Pythagorean philosopher, who presents a cosmology based on mathematical principles. According to Timaeus, the universe is a li...

"Ion" and "Phaedo" are two dialogues written by the ancient Greek philosopher Plato.

Ion is a short dialogue that explores the nature of poetic inspiration. The main character, Ion, is a rhapsode who performs Homer's epic poems. Socrates questions Ion about the source of his inspiration and argues that it comes not from knowledge or skill, but from divine possession. Socrates also argues that Ion's expertise is limited to reciting Homer and that he has no real knowledge of other subjects.

Pha...

"An Account of Egypt" is a historical work written by Herodotus of Halicarnassus, a Greek historian who lived in the 5th century BCE. The book provides a detailed description of ancient Egypt, its history, geography, culture, religion, and customs.

The book begins with an overview of the Nile River, the lifeline of ancient Egypt, and its seasonal flooding which made the land fertile for agriculture. Herodotus then describes the history of Egypt, from the earliest Pharaohs to the Persian conqu...

"Symposium" is a philosophical dialogue written by Plato around 385–370 BC. The dialogue is set at a dinner party, where a group of Athenians, including the philosopher Socrates, gather to discuss the nature of love, or eros. Each guest takes turns delivering a speech on the subject, with their own unique perspective and interpretation. The speeches range from comedic to serious, and cover a variety of topics, including the nature of beauty, the relationship between love and the divine, and...

"The Republic" is a philosophical work written by Plato, one of the most important and influential thinkers in Western philosophy. The book is a dialogue between Socrates and several other Athenians, in which they discuss the nature of justice, the ideal society, and the human soul.

In the book, Socrates argues that justice is not only desirable for its own sake but is also necessary for a well-functioning society. He proposes that the ideal society would be one in which individuals are assig...