Bøker av Philip Matyszak

Hercules the superman, the monsterslaying machine, the myth - who was the man beneath the lionskin headdress, and does he really live up to his legend? This unique biography tells the story of the first superhero from his traumatic birth to his dramatic death.Hercules was more than just his twelve famous labours. He was a father, a lover, a leader of armies and a fine strategist. He was also a cattlethief, a murderer and a rapist. Using ancient sources from early Greece to the Late Roman Empire, this detailed biography fleshes out the character of one of the most complex and flawed heroes of Greek mythology.Philip Matyszak has a doctorate in Roman history from St John's College, Oxford University and is the author of many books on Ancient History including the best-selling The Greek and Roman Myths: A Guide to the Classical Stories, Ancient Rome of Five Denarii a Day and Legionary: The Roman Soldier's (Unofficial) Manual. He teaches e-learning courses in ancient History for the Institute of Continuing Education at Cambridge University. For more information visit: www.matyszakbooks.com

A guide to the Greek and Roman Myths. It features a blend of stories, facts and quotations from ancient authors, and places ancient myths in a modern context, discussing the afterlives of the myths and the relevance of their messages. It includes factfiles on heroes and heroines and family trees of the gods.

An in-depth exploration of the myths and legends of early Rome, highlighting the enigmatic origins of the Romans and how the first seeds of this vast empire were sown.

A fascinating tour of cities that have been lost to history--from the Neolithic period to the late Roman Empire--that offers a fresh perspective on the roots of urban life.

Julius Caesar in Egypt is a true story of double-cross, assassination and intrigue accompanied by lively battles, daring escapes, disastrous fires (the Great Library of Alexandria was largely destroyed in one fracas) and, if not a love story, at least a tale of sex and power as Caesar and Cleopatra's relationship shaped these world-changing events.

One hundred vivid portraits of real-life characters bring to life the highs and lows of Rome's dramatic history.

Had the Cimbri overwhelmed Rome, as at one time it seemed inevitable that they would, then European history would have been very different.

The essential illustrated guide to the gods and goddesses of ancient Greece and Rome, vividly retelling their stories and exploring their origins. Who were the gods and goddesses of ancient Greece and Rome? What did they mean to the people who worshipped them? Although their time of widespread worship has long passed, the Greek and Roman gods have fascinated and inspired writers and artists for millennia. From Aphrodite to Apollo, Poseidon to Zeus, these are some of the most recognizable characters in Western culture, yet there is a much richer past behind famous paintings of the birth of Aphrodite or the bold iconography of Zeus and his thunderbolts. The Greek and Roman gods are enthralling characters in the enduringly powerful Iliad, Odyssey and Metamorphoses. They are immortal and powerful yet also vain, vindictive and vulnerable. Moreover, as manifestations of death, fertility, love and war, the gods are also our key to understanding how the Greeks and Romans saw their world. Philip Matyszak presents this pantheon in all their complexity, guiding us from Mount Olympus to the depths of Hades. Each chapter focuses on an individual god or goddess, beginning with their 'biography' as understood by the Greeks and Romans and exploring the origins of the legends. Matyszak mixes history with vivid retellings of the myths in which the gods have a starring role, from stories of cosmic creation and universal war to disastrous weddings and freak discus accidents. This sumptuously illustrated guide to the gods of Greece and Rome is a must-have for anyone interested in mythology and classical civilization.

Classic tale of the defiant underdog as the rebel Sertorius defies the might of Rome.

Features a story of one of the most colourful dynasties in history, from Caesars rise to power in the first century BC to Neros death in AD 68. This book reviews the long history of the Julian and Claudian families in the Republic and the social and political background of Rome.

This is high drama played out on a stage that spanned from Greece and Egypt to India, full of plots, poisoning, treachery, incest, murder, rebellion and conquest.

Charts the decline of Spartan power from the Peloponnesian War (arguing that victory in this war actually contained the seeds of their downfall) down to the Roman conquest of Greece and Sparta's absorption into the Achaean League in 146 BC.

Like the other volumes in this series, this book gives a clear narrative of the course of these wars

In The Greeks, Philip Matyszak illuminates the Greek soldiers, statesmen, scientists and philosophers who, though they seldom - if ever - set foot on the Greek mainland, nevertheless laid the foundations of what we call 'Greek culture' today.

A guide to ancient Rome, it describes the best places to stay and shop, what to do, and what to avoid. It is intended for tourists, armchair travellers and history buffs.

Mithridates the Great was one of the dominant figures of the first century BC and the Romans' most persistent enemy, going to war with them three times.

No other political entity has shaped the modern world like the Roman Empire. Encompassing close to a quarter of the worlds population and 3 million km2 of land, it represented a diverse and dynamic collection of nations, states and tribes, all bound to Rome and the ideal of a Roman identity. In the lively and engaging style that hes known for, Philip Matyszak traces the history of the Roman Empire from the fall of the Assyrians and the rise of the Roman Republic through to the ages of expansion, crisis and eventual split. Breathing new life into these extraordinary events, Matyszak explains how the empire operated, deploying its incredibly military machine to conquer vast territory then naturalizing its subject peoples as citizens of Rome. It was a method of rule so sophisticated that loyalty to Rome remained strong even afters its collapse creating an expansive legacy that continues to this day.