Classical studies

Focusing exclusively on real people, this is a dictionary of ancient biography, covering Greek and Roman history and politics, literature, philosophy, science, and art. Shorter entries provide lucid factual accounts, while the longer entries are short essays covering major historical and cultural themes in antiquity, centred round individuals as varied as Herodotus, Socrates, Plato, Alexander the Great, and Augustus.

‘magnificent’, Boris Johnson, Daily Telegraph

‘scrupulously sourced intellectual meat of a texture that Socrates himself would savour’, Sunday Times

‘a delight for anyone with any curiosity about the roots of our Western culture … a browser’s paradise, and I would think a researcher’s quick rescuer’, Arthur Miller, London Review of Books

Over 6,700 entries

Unrivalled in scope for over sixty years, this established reference work has been thoroughly updated for this edition to reflect modern scholarship. Written by distinguished scholars from around the world, it covers all aspects of the classical world from literature and history to religion, science, and archaeology.

As well as providing factual information, the Dictionary contains many thematic entries on subjects relevant to the 21st century such as nationalism, race, gender, and ecology. Anthropology and reception have been added as new subject areas, covering topics such as creolization and kinship, as well as dance reception and translation.

The most authoritative and accessible dictionary of its kind, this is an essential reference for both scholars and non-specialists with an interest in the classical era.

Over 700 entries

For over 2,000 years the civilizations of ancient Greece and Rome have captivated our collective imagination and provided inspiration for so many aspects of our lives—from culture, literature, drama, cinema, and television to society, education, and politics. Many of the roots of the way life is lived in the West today can be traced to the ancient civilizations, not only in politics, law, technology, philosophy, and science, but also in social and family life, language, and art.

This work incorporates the updates and revisions made to the latest edition of the acclaimed Oxford Classical Dictionary, from which this abridged Companion derives. A revised chronology, bibliography, and thematic listing of entries supplement the A to Z entries. It also contains over 40 new or completely rewritten entries on Greek and Roman society and culture, including ancient perceptions of colour, gender, ghosts, masculinity, sacred laws, and theatricality, as well as new feature entries on topics such as emotions, madness, and ancient conceptions of the senses.

Beautiful illustrations, clear and authoritative entries, and the useful chronology and bibliography make this Companion the perfect guide for readers interested in learning more about the Graeco-Roman world.

Over 5,000 entries

The first comprehensive, multi-disciplinary reference work covering every aspect of history, culture, religion, and life in Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Near East (including the Persian Empire and Central Asia) between c. AD 250 to 750, the era now generally known as Late Antiquity. This period saw the re-establishment of the Roman Empire, its conversion to Christianity and its replacement in the West by Germanic kingdoms, the continuing Roman Empire in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Persian Sassanian Empire, and the rise of Islam.

Consisting of more than 1.5 million words, drawing on the latest scholarship, and written by more than 400 contributors, it bridges a significant period of history between those covered by the acclaimed Oxford Classical Dictionary and The Oxford Dictionary of the Middle Ages, and aims to establish itself as the essential reference companion to this period.

“I would recommend this book to any school library or those with a general interest in the Classics”, Journal of Classics Teaching

Spanning almost one thousand years, from the first Olympic Games in 776 BC to the death of Marcus Aurelius in AD 180, this accessible and wide-ranging reference work draws on the groundbreaking Oxford Classical Dictionary to present more than 2,500 entries on the civilizations of ancient Greece and Rome. The dictionary covers key aspects of ancient Greek and Roman life and literature, such as science, social structure, philosophy, and religion, and contains comprehensive articles on central figures, both real and mythological, from Achilles to Zeno.

The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Greece and Rome offers a comprehensive overview of the major cultures of the classical Mediterranean world—Greek, Hellenistic, and Roman—from the Bronze Age to the fifth century CE. It also covers the legacy of the classical world and its interpretation and influence in subsequent centuries. The Encyclopedia brings the work of the best classical scholars, archaeologists, and historians together in an easy-to-use format. The nearly eleven hundred articles, written by leading scholars in the field, seek to convey the significance of the people, places, and historical events of classical antiquity, together with its intellectual and material culture. Broad overviews of literature, history, archaeology, art, philosophy, science, and religion are complimented by articles on authors and their works, literary genres and periods, historical figures and events, archaeologists and archaeological sites, artists and artistic themes and materials, philosophers and philosophical schools, scientists and scientific areas, gods, heroes, and myths.