“This excellent survey . . . spans the rise and fall of the Greco-Roman world. This conversational yet erudite history is a treat.” (Publishers Weekly, starred review)

The magnificent civilization created by the ancient Greeks and Romans is the greatest legacy of the classical world. However, narratives about the “civilized” Greek and Roman empires resisting the barbarians at the gate are far from accurate. Tony Spawforth, an esteemed scholar, author, and BBC presenter, follows the thread of civilization through more than six millennia of history. His story reveals that Greek and Roman civilization, to varying degrees, was surprisingly receptive to external influences, particularly from the East.

From the rise of the Mycenaean world of the sixteenth century B.C., Spawforth traces a path through the ancient Aegean to the zenith of the Hellenic state and the rise of the Roman Empire, the coming of Christianity, and the consequences of the first caliphate. Deeply informed, provocative, and entirely fresh, this is the first and only accessible work that tells the extraordinary story of the classical world in its entirety.

“A welcome survey of the two greatest powers in the ancient Mediterranean world and their bound destinies.” —Kirkus Reviews

“A sweeping, beautifully written story. . . . With Spawforth as our guide, we grasp a world less of myths and superheroes than of people who really lived.”

—John Timpane, The Philadelphia Inquirer

“With great agility, Spawforth mixes literary, inscriptional, and archaeological material and offers a nuanced understanding of how civilisations evolve.” —Professor Michael Scott, author of Ancient Worlds

“Informed, informative and thoroughly enjoyable. . . . A book that brings the past back to life.” —Peter Frankopan, author of The Silk Roads