Ancient Biographies

“Agricola is a tribute to his father-in-law and it’s really nice to have this family connection. A lot of ancient literature can oftentimes seem so distant and cold that it’s hard to see the human connection, but it’s strong in this book. In the introduction and especially in the conclusion you can feel the real bond that Tacitus must have felt with this person.” Read more...

The best books on Leadership: Lessons from the Ancients

Jeffrey Beneker, Classicist

“Atticus is called Atticus because Attica is the region around Athens and he went to Athens to study. He has that philosophical background that allows him to see what’s really important.” Read more...

The best books on Leadership: Lessons from the Ancients

Jeffrey Beneker, Classicist

“Plutarch would argue that what you’re doing in your private life will predict what’s going to happen if we put you in charge of public life. If you can’t run the small economy of your household in a competent way, why would we put you in charge of the city’s economy? It’s that way of thinking.” Read more...

The best books on Leadership: Lessons from the Ancients

Jeffrey Beneker, Classicist

“Thucydides really sees Pericles as the foremost citizen of the time. He even gives his name to this era: today we call it ‘the Periclean era.’ Azoulay gives a slightly different interpretation. He’s interested in the ways in which Pericles was constrained by the political circumstances, and was guided or constrained in his policies by the people.” Read more...

The best books on Thucydides

Johanna Hanink, Classicist

“Socrates felt that the written word was a bad thing for philosophy (and life) because although it looked intelligent, every time you asked a question it always gave the same response, whoever asked the question.” Read more...

The Best Philosophy Books of 2019

Nigel Warburton, Philosopher

“The scholarship is impressive, but he also has this dramatic narrative style – leaving you in suspense at the end of each chapter.” Read more...

The best books on Enemies of Ancient Rome

Adrienne Mayor, Classicist

“Diogenes is very keen on making this a personal story. He’s both interested in telling us all sorts of odd and fantastical stories about the individual philosophers, but he’s also very interested in showing how each of these individual philosophers was influenced directly and personally by other predecessors. I think of it as a family tree of philosophies with Epicurus as the final branch of one of those trees.” Read more...

The best books on The Epicureans

James Warren, Philosopher