Ancient History & Archaeology

The historical account of the end of the Roman Empire Ammianus Marcellinus was the last great Roman historian, and his writings rank alongside those of Livy and Tacitus. The Later...

Caesar's own account of his struggle with Pompey over leadership of Republican Rome A military leader of legendary genius, Caesar was also a great writer, recording the events of his...

A fascinating historical account of Greece at a point of crisis Xenophon's History recounts nearly fifty turbulent years of warfare in Greece between 411 and 362 BC. Continuing the story...

Written four hundred years before the birth of Christ, this detailed contemporary account of the long life-and-death struggle between Athens and Sparta stands an excellent chance of fulfilling its author's...

Edith Hall unpacks the mysterious and successful ancient Greek people through ten uniquely ancient Greek personality traits. They gave us democracy, philosophy, poetry, rational science, the joke. They built the...

READ THE STORY BEHIND THE NEW BBC/NETFLIX EPIC SERIES, TROY- FALL OF A CITY A stunning new translation of Homer's great war epic, the legendary tale of honour, love, loss...

Discover the rise and fall of the world's greatest empire in the stunning second novel in THE GOLDEN AGE series, from the nation's finest historical novelist Pericles returns to Athens...

Two and a half thousand years ago, the Greeks and the Persians fought an epic battle to decide the future of our world. This is their story. 490 B.C. Two...

Based on one of history's most epic stories of adventure, Conn Iggulden's latest bestseller pits Persians against Spartans in a legendary battle In the Ancient World, one army was feared...

The first popular biography of the great warlord, Attila the Hun. The name Attila the Hun has become a byword for barbarism, savagery and violence. His is a truly household...

The story of a lost child, an extraordinary hunter, and a mystery with many answers . . . Tracker is known far and wide for his skills as a hunter...

Why has Aristotle had such an astounding influence on the world? What are his key ideas? What can he still teach us today? There is in Athens a rather plain...

A remarkable retelling of Hindu mythology, from one of Europe's greatest literary figures In Ka, Roberto Calasso delves into the corpus of classical Sanskrit literature recreating and re-imagining the enchanting...

New to Penguin Classics, the international bestseller by one of Europe's pre-eminent literary figures The Marriage of Cadmus and Harmony is a masterful retelling of the ancient myths and fables...

The first short narrative history of the continent, from the author of the bestselling A Short History of England Europe has for two millennia been a remarkably successful continent. In...

An extraordinary tale of transformation from the renowned Italian writer, thinker and publisher 'When hunting began, it was not a man who chased an animal. It was a being that...

Authoritative new edition of Plato's Republic by acclaimed translator Christopher Rowe 'We set about founding the best city we could, because we could be confident that if it was good...

Bringing together the masterpieces of classical tragedy in one volume, this is the ideal single-volume introduction for theatre goers, actors, general readers, and students of Classics, English Literature, and Drama....

A selection of Cicero's philosophical writings on 'the good life', in a lively new translation by Thomas Habinek In the first century BC, Marcus Tullius Cicero, orator, statesman, and defender...

A new collection of some of Cicero's greatest and most stirring speeches, translated by Siobhan McElduff Cicero (106-43BC) was the most brilliant orator in Classical history. Even one of the...

Plato's riveting account of the trial and death of Socrates, in a new translation by Christopher Rowe 'Consider just this, and give your minds to this alone- whether or not...

One of the most important philosophical works of all time, in a lively new translation by Adam Beresford 'Right and wrong is a human thing' What does it mean to...

This edition contains a revision of the existing translation, revision of chronology and genealogy, and a new introduction of 4-6000 words, new notes and a new selection of further reading...

Timaeus and Critias has a central place in Western thought and is best known to many for the story of Atlantis Timaeus and Critias is a Socratic dialogue in two...

New translation of One of Plato's major dialogues, popular because of its subject-matter- love Phaedrus is widely recognized as one of Plato's most profound and beautiful works. It takes the...

Sallust (86-c. 35 bc) is the earliest Roman historian of whom complete works survive, a senator of the Roman Republic and younger contemporary of Cicero, Pompey and Julius Caesar. His...

New translation for Penguin Classics Epictetus, a Greek stoic and freed slave, ran a thriving philosophy school in Nicropolis in the early second century AD. His animated discussions were celebrated...

A vivid and richly anecdotal portrait of Spartan society. Plutarch's vivid and engaging portraits of the Spartans and their customs are a major source of our knowledge about the rise...

This revised edition features a new introduction by Robin Seager, putting the lives in the context of Plutarch's biography and literary career, discussing and comparing the individual lives, and analysing...

In the course of a lively drinking party, a group of Athenian intellectuals exchange views on eros, or desire. From their conversation emerge a series of subtle reflections on gender...

A key anthology of early Western thought The works collected in this volume form the true foundation of Western philosophy - the base upon which Plato and Aristotle and their...

First time in Penguin Classics for Scandinavia's best known work of literature and the principal source for knowledge about Norse mythology The Prose Edda is the most renowned of all...

A selection of dialogues and letters of one of the most eloquent - and influential - masters of Latin prose. A major writer and a leading figure in the public...

Recently updated and expanded volume of the landmarks of ancient literary criticism The works collected in this volume have profoundly shaped the history of criticism in the Western world- they...

Penguin Classics relaunch A penetrating account of Greek tragedy, it demonstrates how the elements of plot, character and spectacle combine to produce 'pity and fear' - and why we derive...

Penguin Classics relaunch Between 58 and 50BC Caesar conquered most of the area now covered by France, Belgium and Switzerland, and twice invaded Britain. This is the record of his...

A compelling narrative of the life of the greatest conqueror of all time- Alexander the Great. Alexander the Great (356-323 BC), who led the Macedonian army to victory in Egypt,...

Penguin Classics relaunch. Although written over four hundred years after Alexander's death, Arrian's account of the man and his achievements is the most reliable we have. Arrian's own experience as...

An intriguing document giving insight into the founders of the Roman republic These nine biographies illuminate the careers, personalities and military campaigns of some of Rome's greatest statesmen, whose lives...

Pliny's letters provide a series of fascinating views on imperial Rome A prominent lawyer and administrator, Pliny (c. AD 61-113) was also a prolific letter-writer, who numbered among his correspondents...

Tacitus' Annals of Imperial Rome recount the major historical events from the years shortly before the death of Augustus up to the death of Nero in AD 68. With clarity...

The final instalment in the Magnus Chase series! Winner of the Goodreads Choice Award 2017 for Best Middle Grade & Children's! Loki the trickster god is free from his chains....

The second book in the sensational Magnus Chase series from Percy Jackson creator Rick Riordan. Thor's hammer is missing again. The thunder god has a disturbing habit of misplacing his...

A new verse translation of one of the foundational ancient Greek works by the award-winning poet Alicia Stallings The ancient Greeks revered Hesiod, believing he had beaten Homer in a...

One of the greatest works of philosophy, political theory, and literature ever produced, Plato's Republic has shaped Western thought for thousands of years, and remains as relevant today as when...

A new translation by David Raeburn, with introduction and notes by Pat Easterling Sophocles' innovative plays transformed Greek myths into dramas featuring complex human characters, through which he explored profound...

Aristotole's examination of the nature of happiness In the Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle sets out to examine the nature of happiness. He argues that happiness consists in 'activity of the soul...

A new translation of Marcus Aurelius's pithy and inspirational philosophical notebooks. Written in Greek by an intellectual Roman emperor without any intention of publication, the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius (AD...