Top 10 Worst Things About Ancient Greece

Readers discover the many struggles ancient Egyptians had to face on a daily basis including poor nutrition and backbreaking labor. The weirdest and wackiest historical facts about Egypt are found in this book, including disgusting diseases and mummies of every kind. Creative cartoon illustrations accompany these facts, making this book a trip through history that readers are sure to remember.

Presents general facts about the culture of ancient Greece, and a list of ten of the most unpleasant parts of living there.

Presents general facts about the culture of ancient Rome, and a list of ten of the most unpleasant parts of living there.

Top Ten Worst Things About Ancient Greece unearths some of the most horrible aspects of Ancient Greek life, from the incredibly dangerous Olympic games to the tough military service of a Spartan soldier. Find out about the grim punishments for slaves, how restricted life was for women and much, much more in this countdown of all things terrible in Ancient Greece.

In recent years, scholars have taken a closer look at the women of the ancient world and found poets, landowners, athletes, and more—not just wives. However, for most women, their household was their domain and their husband their master. Readers learn about both perspectives in an engaging format of fun facts, as well as about famous women in power, important goddesses, and many other interesting details of the time period. Historical images of women in ancient Greece and Rome and full-color photographs of the places they lived enhance curriculum-supporting content and graphic organizers that further explore important concepts.

First published in 1954, this is the Second Edition of the single-volume amalgamation of husband-and-wife team Marjorie and Charles Quinnells’ three-volume anthology on Greek antiquity, originally between 1929-1932: Everyday Things in Homeric Greece, Everyday Things in Archaic Greece, and Everyday Things in Classical Greece. Part I tells of the Trojan War and of the heroes who sustained the Greeks in their early struggles, with Homer cited as the main source. Part II deals with the Archaic period (about 560 to 480 B.C.) ending with the great struggle between Greeks and Persians which culminated in the victory of the Greeks at Salamis, as related in the History of Herodotus. Part III begins with the story of how the Greeks went to work after Salamis and built on the well-laid foundations a civilization which ever since has been regarded as Classical and closes with the account in the History of Thucydides of the struggle between Athens and Sparta and the failure of the Athenian Expedition to Sicily. A comprehensive study of Ancient Greek History, revised in this edition by Greek authority Kathleen Freeman. “In this book we have attempted to show some of the beautiful products of these artists, and their use in everyday life. It is our hope that the boys and girls who read it will discover that the Greeks were not a people extremely foreign and remote, who spoke a difficult language, but folk much like themselves, who lived and worked and played in the surroundings and among the objects we have depicted and described.”—Preface

While the ancient Romans continue to be regarded as highly civilized, there are aspects of ancient Roman life, including the foods that they ate (dormice were a delicacy) and their leisure activities (such as the notorious gladiatorial fights to the death), that seem strange and repellent to us today. This high-interest history book makes use of kids’ fascination with the disgusting to appeal to young readers who might not be as interested in a more straightforward history title. In its own unorthodox manner, the volume covers Roman culture, food, hygiene, medicine, religion, and military might, offering readers a comprehensive—if sometimes stomach-turning—view of ancient Roman life.

What would it be like if you were transported back to Athens 420 BCE? This time-traveler’s guide is a fascinating way to find out . . . Imagine you were transported back in time to Ancient Greece and you had to start a new life there. What would you see? How would the people around you think and believe? How would you fit in? Where would you live? What would you eat? What work would be available, and what help could you get if you got sick? All these questions, and many more, are answered in this engaging blend of self-help and survival guide that plunges you into this historical environment—and explains the many problems and strange new experiences you would face if you were there.