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Peter Connolly
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The Ancient City: Life in Classical Athens and Rome First Published Edition

4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 65 ratings
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In this superbly illustrated volume, Athens and Rome, the two greatest cities of antiquity, spring to life through the masterful pen of Peter Connolly. For the first time ever, all the evidence has been painstakingly pieced together to reconstruct the architectural wonders of these mighty civilizations. By re-creating their public buildings, their temples, shops, and houses, Connolly reveals every aspect of a person's life in glorious detail, including religion, food, drama, games, and the baths.
The first part of The Ancient City covers the development of Athens in the hundred years following the Persian Wars, which began in the 4th century B.C. These chapters encompass the Golden Years of Athens; the establishment of democracy; the building of the Parthenon, the Erechtheum, and the municipal buildings of the Agora; a typical Athenian workday; and the construction of the Long Walls.
Part II examines the development of Rome in the hundred years from Nero (emperor of Rome from A.D. 54 to 68) to Hadrian (emperor of Rome from A.D. 117 to 138)--the great building period of Rome. Visit Nero's Golden Palace and the buildings subsequently built over it, the Colosseum, the Flavian Palace, the Baths of Trajan, the Temple of Venus and Roma, as well as other buildings such as the Circus Maximus, the Theatre of Marcellus, and Trajan's Forum and Market.
In addition to reading about the great monuments and moments of classical Greece and Rome, readers learn about a typical day in the life of an Athenian and a Roman. They read about--and see--the houses people inhabited; attend 5-day festivals and go to the theatre; fight great battles and witness the birth of Rome's navy; visit temples and spend a day at the races. The fascinating artwork and vivid descriptions provide a window into the great history of these two extraordinary cities and civilizations.
The Ancient City is the crowning achievement of Peter Connolly's distinguished career. His illustrations and reconstructions have a unique authority, providing the starting point for a fascinating exploration of these cities and the lives of the people who inhabited them.
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  1. ISBN-10
    0199172420
  2. ISBN-13
    978-0199172429
  3. Edition
    First Published
  4. Publisher
    Oxford University Press
  5. Publication date
    May 21, 1998
  6. Language
    English
  7. Dimensions
    9 x 1 x 11.5 inches
  8. Print length
    256 pages
  9. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Peter Connolly's marvelous full-color drawings of the public and private structures of Athens and Rome are the perfect illustrative counterpart to his detailed description of city life (cowritten by Hazel Dodge) in the classical era. The Ancient City covers the Greece of the golden years of Athens (approximately the 4th to 3rd centuries B.C.), and the Roman Empire from the reign of Augustus to the reign of Septimius Severus (27 B.C. to A.D. 211). In addition to such monuments as the Parthenon and the Colosseum, adolescent readers--and adults just beginning to study the ancient world--can learn about the two era's different forms of government, contemporary fashions, home life, and entertainment.

Review

"Strewn with minutely detailed cityscapes, cutaway views, and interiors, this hefty urban study recaptures the architectural glories of two great cities in their heydays.... Equally suited to casual readers or serious study, this takes a giant step past the Eyewitness-filled cheap seats and even beyond David Macaulay territory."--Kirkus Reviews (pointer review)

"A fascinating, close-up picture of what daily life was like for the inhabitants of the two most celebrated cities of the Western Classical Age. Private houses, public spaces, city streets, shops, restaurants, Greek temples, Roman baths, clothing, hairdos, utensils, customs, beliefs, manners, and mores are among the many areas that Connolly covers... The text is lucid, succinct, easy-to-follow, and the hundreds of illustrations--photographs, maps, drawings, and diagrams--are attractive and very much to the point."--The Christian Science Monitor

"Connolly and Dodge have done a remarkable job resurrecting the golden years of classical Athens and ancient Rome.... The elaborate maps and lavish illustrations that grace every page most vividly communicate the tenor and the texture of classical antiquity.... A superior historical, sociological, and architectural survey."--Booklist

"For anyone assigned a report on the design, construction, and use of the Parthenon or the Roman Colosseum, it would be hard to find a better source than this one. The full-page color drawings are stunning and include a wealth of detail not often found in other sources."--School Library Journal

"Peter Connolly's eminent reputation as an archaelogical illustrator can only be enhanced by this superb book. Using remarkable simulations of city-scapes, modelled maps, imaginative and convincing reconstructions of objects, together with vase paintings, friezes and statues in clear photographs, he has made two great civilizations come alive on the page... If you want to know exactly what it looked like when Socrates attended the famous Symposium with Agathon and Aristophanes, or what Suetonius saw when he described Nero's Golden House, this is the book to tell you."--Times Educational Supplement

"Focuses on the development and growth of each city, with superb, colorful illustrations that help the reader visualize all aspects of life and building construction." -- Dig!

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Oxford University Press; First Published edition (May 21, 1998)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 256 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0199172420
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0199172429
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 11 years and up
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 3.05 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 9 x 1 x 11.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 65 ratings

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Peter Connolly

Peter Connolly

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Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
65 global ratings
A "must have" book for antique Greek fans.
5 Stars
A "must have" book for antique Greek fans.
Well, if you are a Greek culture nerd like me, you need this one.
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Top reviews from the United States

John
5.0 out of 5 stars A "must have" book for antique Greek fans.
Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2023
Verified Purchase
Well, if you are a Greek culture nerd like me, you need this one.
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John
5.0 out of 5 stars A "must have" book for antique Greek fans.
Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2023
Well, if you are a Greek culture nerd like me, you need this one.
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pbk63
5.0 out of 5 stars Hard to give this book enough stars!
Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2011
Verified Purchase
Having just visited Rome and Athens I wanted a book that explained some of what I had seen and also showed what are now ruins as they looked in antiquity. This book does that and a great deal more. From cutaway views to recreations and more important discussion of events and the history of each of these cities it is a valuable resource to which I have turned more than a few times. If you have been or are going to Athens and/or Rome this would be a wonderful book to study before you go, take with you (if room) and to enjoy on your return. If you are just interested in these cities in antiquity this book will not disappoint. If there were 6 stars I would give it to this book!
One person found this helpful
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Stephen Ryder
5.0 out of 5 stars Ancient Greece and Rome brought to life
Reviewed in the United States on January 15, 2015
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Peter Connolly's art work is good just in itself that I could buy a book on his illustrations and reconstructions alone this book will make Ancient Greece and Rome come to life far more exciting then just reading another book on this topic when reading the information and seeing the illustrations gives you a far better idea of what life was like back then. See what the temples, the city, the people, clothing worn looked like in antiquity I have read more than enough books On Greece and Rome and I can honestly say this is the best that covers the topic of the ancient cities of Athens and Rome So I highly recommended this book to anyone who has an interest in ancient history.
3 people found this helpful
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Casey Bair
4.0 out of 5 stars Well...
Reviewed in the United States on June 3, 2022
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The quality is a little on the poor side, in the context of the printing and binding, but the contents are enjoyable and informative. If you like a spot of history, give this a go.
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M. J. Curran
5.0 out of 5 stars Ancient Greece and Rome come alive.
Reviewed in the United States on August 3, 2005
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I teach Classical Studies from the junior school to the senior student and am always on the lookout for resource material which can make the subject more inherently interesting. This book has it all-a wealth .of information presented in a great format with brilliant illustrations. I have posters by the author hanging in my classroom but in this production he outdoes himself. I can now readily picture what the great Panathenaic procession might have looked like , what happened in bathing establishments and how the average citizen coped with the problems of everyday life.

If anyone ever thought the Classics were dull, I would encourage him or her to peruse this book. A new adventure awaits the reader.
5 people found this helpful
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Jenny Jenkins
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant Recreation of Life in the Great Classical Cities
Reviewed in the United States on October 28, 2012
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Peter Connolly's illustrations bring to life with artistic and historical precision the streets and buildings on Ancient Rome and Greece in a way that will entrance both knowledgeable scholars and young students. This book should find its way into every classroom and home library with any interest in the classical world, as Connolly breathes life into the kitchens, lavatories, temples and villas of this distant but very human world. Students will realize, yes, these cities actually were peopled by genuine humans! Publisher, waste no time in preparing an enhanced e-book version to bring Peter Connolly's illustrations into brighter, closer view!
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E. Karl
5.0 out of 5 stars Valuable reference
Reviewed in the United States on December 14, 2019
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One of the best books I've ever seen or read on ancient Greek culture. Very fascinating, and highest quality illustrations.
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Philip McDonnell
5.0 out of 5 stars Arrived in very good (but musty) condition
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 24, 2023
Verified Purchase
I got this book because I find myself doing more and more Hellenic-Roman illustrations and art.

The book arrived in very good condition as advertised if a bit musty from wherever it’s been stored. It also had 3 pages stuck together but they came apart without damaging the text so I’m very happy with the purchase.
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LESLEY
5.0 out of 5 stars A Tale of Two Empires
Reviewed in Canada on January 20, 2012
Verified Purchase
"The Ancient City" (Rome and Athens) is a superb compilation of facts, graphics, photographs, architectural exploration, city planning and civilization lifestyle. It is all here between the covers of this wonderful book. Almost every area of not only the city planning, but also the everyday lives of those inhabiting ancient Rome and Athens is covered enthusiastically.

The book is in two sections: Athens, and Rome. All areas of life are carefully described in a succinct way. To understand how and why each city evolved from small ancient settlements to the vast metropolitan centres of their day, we must be somewhat familiar with the people who created them. Each civilization blossomed by way of war, expansion, defeat, re-growth and the inevitable human need to dominate our environment, human or otherwise.

Temples, palaces, shopping malls (yes, they did have them!), apartment buildings, tombs etc., all are covered in an easy to read dialogue. Each page encludes either graphic depictions, reproductions, photographs or maps. There is no waste of either space nor superfluous information here. The reader will not be bored anywhere in this book! Pick it up and open it to any page. There will be something to pique your interest, whether it be Roman or Greek lifestyle, art, lives of women and children, politics, a palace that perhaps took up to one quarter of the city of Rome, art, theatre, musicians, gladiatorial types of armour and fighting etc. It is all here in a delightful, colourful book.

If you are looking for a concise book that covers most areas of the lives of Romans and Greeks, their capital cities and brief history of each civilization, this book will not fail to please. Choosing only one book?....go with this one! Nothing is explored in great depth, but it is covered as to give a great overview, allowing the reader a good comfort level of knowledge in this arena.

I have several books covering these general subjects and this is one of the very best! Buy it with conviction. Enjoy : )
One person found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful
Reviewed in Canada on November 13, 2019
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Written and illustrated with beauty and attention to detail.
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Iñigo
5.0 out of 5 stars El trato y la eficiencia.
Reviewed in Spain on June 18, 2020
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Pues sí. Más de lo que estaríamos acostumbrados a esperar.
Iñigo.
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Zombino
5.0 out of 5 stars Very good seller with very fast delivery.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 12, 2018
Verified Purchase
The book is superb.
Mind blowing page turner... makes you think about things you'd never thought about the history of Athens and Rome.
This read comes highly recommended.
Thank you.
One person found this helpful
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