Ancient Biography

Although the city had been destroyed, the legacy of the Persians survived, even as they mostly remain an enigma to the West and are not nearly as well understood as the Greeks, Romans, or Egyptians. When considering this empire’s rulers, the two most often referenced are Xerxes, the leader of the Persian invasion of Greece which caused the heroic sacrifice of the Spartans and their allies at Thermopylae, or Cyrus the Great, the man who created the Persian Empire.

Alexander of Macedon was only 33 years old when he died, leaving behind him a sprawling empire of impressive size, which encompassed dozens of different people groups, religions, cultures, customs, and - of course - problems. Naturally, Alexander is well-known as a figure, but how well do we really know him? How much of his fascinating story is true, and how much is mere legend?

The work of a spy-woman is very different from that of a man. First, on the one hand it is easier, because you are less likely to be suspected of intelligence activities. On the other hand, it was harder for female spies, because they were required to gain the trust of high-ranking officials or people of power, by using their beauty, skills of seduction, and by attempting to make the person fall in love with them, so that they revealed their secrets. It could destroy destinies, but it was extremely useful for states and governments.

King Xerxes I: The Life and Legacy of the Achaemenid Persian Empire’s Most Notorious Ruler looks at the life of the Persian leader and the major conflicts he led. You will learn about Xerxes like never before.

Suetonius’ account of the life of Nero does not shy away from the emperor’s alleged barbarism. In this biography from The Twelve Caesars, the Roman historian recounts numerous examples of Nero’s narcissism, perversion, and cruelty. It is from this account that we get the legend that Nero “fiddled as Rome burned.” When the heirless emperor ended his own life, it marked he fall of the Julio-Claudian empire and led to rejoicing in the streets.

Over 2,300 years after their deaths, Plato and Aristotle remain the most influential ancient Greek philosophers and arguably the greatest icons of ancient thought. Their legacies expanded rapidly and extensively across the ancient world, helped in part by the fact Aristotle tutored Alexander the Great. Both philosophers were recognized as celebrated intellectual forces during all of antiquity and the Middle Ages.

How did the ancient people of the small, rocky land of Greece have so much influence on the way we think today? The Greeks set us on the path of questioning nature, truth, and humanity. What made the Greeks such a questioning people? We still benefit from this unsolved mystery, and like the Greeks, we're still asking why.

All over the world, people love to watch the athletes of the Olympics compete. But just why are there Olympic Games? Why are they so important? The truth is, the modern Olympics are a return to a mysterious, ancient festival. The ancient Olympics were more than just fun and games; they helped shape Greek culture and its contributions to us.

This is the true story of how Kush (parts of modern Sudan and Ethiopia) founded a dynasty of black Pharaohs. This astonishing civilization south of Egypt developed its own distinctive pyramid and culture and overcame both Egypt and Rome. Ancient propaganda claimed victory over the barbarians of Kush, but the truth cannot be hidden forever!

This mysterious Pharaoh's ideas caused a religious revolution in ancient Egypt, and future kings would try to erase all records of him. Akhenaton's story has only recently been reconstructed. Strange in his art, his beliefs, and even his body, the king who was made to disappear has been found again.

Caligula’s father was a beloved military leader, so the Romans were initially glad to see his son take the throne, but Suetonius recounts the less flattering aspects of Caligula’s life and rule that followed his ascension. The narcissistic Caligula believed he was a god, and often replaced the busts of deities with his own. A devoted fan of gladiator fights, he also often had people assassinated, covered up the deed, and then claimed the deceased had committed suicide. Suetonius concludes this biography by detailing the omens that foreshadowed Caligula’s eventual assassination.

Hatshepsut lived a very interesting life. She led ancient Egypt as the second confirmed pharaoh in history. How she ascended to the throne was even more interesting as she married her own half-brother. Ancient history can sometimes be as shocking as it is educational. What interesting fact from this audiobook remains in your memory?

Constantine the Great was one of the most pivotal figures in the history of the Roman Empire and the widespread expansion of the Christian religion. This is in no way an understatement; Constantine was not only one of the last truly powerful Roman emperors, but he also successfully reconstituted the whole empire according to his vision of Rome’s future. He played the most significant role in transforming the Empire from a Greco-Roman pagan dominion into a bulwark of the Christian faith, granting for the first time real temporal power for the early Christian church.

The author tells of Alexander's violent suppression of the Theban rebellion, his defeat of Persia, and campaigns through Egypt and Babylon - establishing new cities and destroying others in his path. While Alexander emerges as a charismatic leader, the author succeeds brilliantly in creating an objective portrait of a man of boundless ambition who was exposed to the temptations of power.

It’s interesting to know that despite the absence of great technological feats and volumes of information, the Aztecs were able to create a highly progressive government and society. How did they do it? Let’s take a peek at history and find out. History will tell you a lot about the evolution of thoughts and ideas. Grab a copy today!

Nero’s extravagance has become nothing short of legendary. In its day, it was incredibly destructive to his people, particularly after the Great Fire of Rome - a fire that he may have even started. Instead of assisting the ten districts that had been damaged by the fire, Nero took advantage of the extra space to build himself a golden palace. He murdered, among others, his own mother, his ex-wife, and his stepbrother. He was additionally a rapist, a child molester, and a brutal abuser.

The life of Augustus is historically important because his leadership marked out a new era in the story of the Roman world - an era that would see the expansion of the Roman Empire across the Mediterranean and beyond. However, the influence of the Roman Empire extended much farther than its territory and had a profound effect on the development of Western culture.

He appears once in the New Testament, mentioned only in passing in the Acts of the Apostles; only a few verses in the canon, but for the primitive Church, there is a whole corpus about Simon Magus, its most formidable antagonist, an enemy of such colossal proportions that he deserved to be called "the father of all heresies." His only mention in the Bible occurs at the beginning of the second volume of Luke the Evangelist where he had a minor confrontation with Saint Peter which nonetheless had a happy ending.

Julius Caesar is quite an enigmatic figure to contemplate. He is often viewed as an upholder of liberty, the hero of the Roman Republic, but in truth he died a dictator. In another strange turn of events his assassins were those that he had granted full pardons to in his famous acts of clemency. Caesar was a man who was often found to be a polarizing figure. He was loved by the general public but hated by his peers in the Senate.

Long before historians added "the Great" to his name, Alexander stated, "I would rather live a short life of glory than a long one of obscurity." He certainly lived up to this ambition, conquering most of the known world in just 13 years before his death at age 33. Though undefeated in his lifetime, Alexander died unsatisfied - he always wanted more. His ambitious personality comes as no surprise considering his upbringing: born to powerful parents, he studied under Aristotle and grew up believing himself a descendant of the Greek heroes Achilles and Heracles.