The Oxford History of the Classical World [Hardcover]

John Boardman (Editor), Jasper Griffin (Editor), Oswyn Murray (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 17, 1986 | ISBN-10: 0198721129 | ISBN-13: 978-0198721123 | Edition: First Edition

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.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com 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.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 882 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; First Edition edition (July 17, 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0198721129
• ISBN-13: 978-0198721123
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 7.8 x 2.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #961,675 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Single Volume Classical History Available, November 1, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Oxford History of the Classical World (Hardcover)

A fine book considered by many scholars to be the best single volume history of the classical world. The first twelve chapters provide a comprehensive overview of ancient Greece -- its history, literature, philosophy, religion, and art. The next nine chapters describe the Hellenistic Period and the emergence of the Roman Republic. The final eleven chapters concern the rise and fall of the Roman Empire. Each chapter concludes with a detailed list of suggested books for further reading. An essential book for anyone interested in classical history and culture.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Mediocre at best, February 22, 2004

By 

Jon Torodash (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Oxford History of the Classical World (Hardcover)

As a classics major in college, I have been regularly referred to the Roman section of this work to gain increased general knowledge over later classical antiquity. After thoroughly reading and rereading many sections, I can scarcely say I've gleaned anything close to that.

The "chapters" read more like non-peer reviewed articles that are virtually impossible to understand for the casual reader, and very difficult for classics students. They constantly diverge from their central theses, lack chronological sequence both within themselves and in relation to other chapters, use highly colloquial terms and accentuate seemingly arbitrary themes throughout history while ignoring others.

Cases in point: Marius' name is mentioned about 3 times, and never in regards to his own exploits. Cinna is missing entirely as far as I can tell. The Catilinarian conspiracy receives about half a paragraph (even though Sallust devoted a book to it and Cicero couldn't shut up about his own involvement), as do the Gracchi brothers, and Cato the Elder, but we receive heaps of names about obscure groups in the Italian peninsula during Rome's expansion, whose importance as individual tribes is obfuscated by varying levels of information which seem to lead nowhere, while their individual legacies are absent. The exact identities of "Roman", "Etruscan", "Latin", and "Italian" are anyone's guess. When the political division between the "populares" and "optimati" are introduced, the latter term is left undefined. Very, very shoddy.

I have not read the Greek section yet and refrain from commenting upon it.

The Roman section of this text, I think, is a disgrace to the Oxford University Press. If you want to learn about classical history, I suggest you read an array of entries from the Oxford Classical Dictionary, a thick but condensed reference work that cuts through much of the subjective interpretation of events to the meat of the matter, giving you the "who's who" and "what's what" in concise entries.

19 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars this is the best?, August 10, 1999

By 

L. Toth (Boston, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Oxford History of the Classical World (Hardcover)

While the appeal of the 'oxford' name and the attractive price/page ratio make this book seem like a good deal, I found it extremely difficult to get any useful information out of this book. The authors give their opinions on subjects, before (or in many cases, in place of) giving any coherent summary of it. Just for example, try to figure out who Draco was. If you don't already know, this book is not going to tell you. The writing style is not especially clear, either. If this is one of the best texts available, I can see why nobody learns classical history anymore.