Inhalt: | "Why, in the 21st century, should we still care about the ancient world? This book provides an answer by revealing the myriad and often surprising ways in which society today has been fundamentally shaped by the ancient Greeks and Romans. Often the phrase 'That's just ancient history' is used to dismiss something as being irrelevant. This book challenges this assumption by vividly demonstrating how much ancient Greece and Rome have influenced and shaped our world today in ways both large and small. This revised, expanded edition includes timely new material on environmental challenges, celebrity culture, tensions between globalism and nationalism, and political propaganda"-- Knowing yourself -- The bare necessities: food and shelter -- From the cradle to the grave: the family and the journey of life -- Living the good life: entertainments and leisure activities -- Power to the people: systems of government -- Understanding and shaping the material world: architecture and science -- Understanding and shaping the spiritual world: superstition and religion -- Words, ideas, and stories: language, law, philosophy, and literature -- You can't escape the past: popular culture and antiquity -- Ancient and modern parallels: environmental problems, celebrities and fashion, and globalization and cultural assimilation. |
