The Long Shadow of Antiquity What Have the Greeks and Romans Done for Us?

Democracy? Mathematics? The Calendar? Hospitals? This book is an enlightening look at the myriad ways that the civilizations of ancient Greece and Rome have fundamentally influenced and shaped our modern world. Familiar institutions, rituals, and aspects of everyday modern life are examined to reveal their often surprising classical roots, while the authors explore a selection of the innovations of ancient Greek and Roman civilization to trace how these have developed through history and still affect the world of the twenty-first century. The style is fast-paced and, while drawing on authoritative and current scholarship, the factual information is enlivened with anecdotal details. This book will open the reader's eyes to a new understanding of the world that we live in today.

Introduction - Knowing Yourself / 1. The Bare Necessities - Food and Shelter / 2. From the Cradle to the Grave - The Family and the Journey of Life / 3. Living the Good Life - Entertainments and Leisure Activities / 4. Power to the People - Systems of Government / 5. Understanding and Shaping the Material World - Architecture and Science / 6. Understanding and Shaping the Spiritual World - Superstition and Religion / 7. Words, Ideas and Stories - Language, Law, Philosophy and Literature / Conclusion - You Can't Escape the Past: Popular Culture and Antiquity / Bibliography / Index.