Ancient Roman Fiction

Cimon was forced into prison because of his father's debts, but rescued by his wife. From then, he sought great heights, battling the Persians on land and sea within the same day. His power grew so great he was kicked out of Sparta; would he manage to make a triumphant return?

Hamilcar was a Carthaginian so brilliant and so brutal that even a Roman like Cornelius Nepos - one of Carthage's sworn enemies - could not help but respect him and write of him. Hamilcar, much like Philip the Great, was a great father of an even greater son. Explore Spain and Carthage with him and Hannibal as he trains his son in the arts and wiles of war.

The biography of Titus Pomponius Atticus was one of Nepos' greatest writings during his life. Considered by many to be one of the most upstanding men in ancient history, and the friend of Julius Caesar and Marc Antony, he lived during one of the most turbulent and important periods of ancient Rome. Learn how a politican could actually manage to maintain honor and fulfill his duty without being swayed or tempted by personal interest and gain.

Cornelius Nepos greatly admired Timoleon, a man of wisdom and patience who knew evil when he saw it. He was ready and willing to do right by his homeland of Corinth, even when it meant betraying his own brother, the dictator. Timoleon stands through time as a model citizen and leader who, in his old age, became blind just like true justice.

"Aesop's Fables" is a collection of fables credited to Aesop, a slave and storyteller believed to have lived in ancient Greece around the fifth century BC. These fables are charming stories, each one leading towards a wise moral. They have been the inspiration for La Fontaine, one of the greatest French writers of all time, and are a perfect tool for educating young children as well as a delight for lovers of elegance and simplicity.

You will never see war the same way after reading this extraordinary retelling of an ancient Greek fable about a tragically unnecessary battle between mice and frogs. This miniature masterpiece ranks with Animal Farm as one of the greatest parables of human foibles. Originally published in 1962, The Battle of the Frogs and the Mice tells in words and pictures a classic tale of the foolhardiness of war. When Crum-snatcher, a Mouse, cautiously mounts the back of Puff-jaw, King of the Frogs, to explore the frogs pond, the Mouse meets with a disaster which soon brings the two nations into mortal conflict.

After finally winning the decade-long war against the Trojans, Odysseus, captain of the Greek army, only has to guide his men back home across the sea. Yet the journey will prove just as perilous as the battles they have just won, as they encounter the monstrous, man-eating cyclops, the irresistible song of the siren, and the wrath of an angry Poseidon, god of the sea. Are he and his men destined to die at sea? Or can Odysseus's cunning, strength, and courage bring them safely home?

Quando una nave arriverà da Delo, Socrate dovrà morire. Bisogna forse sottrarsi a questo destino, come vorrebbero gli amici? Ma così verrebbe negato tutto quanto Socrate ha costruito nella sua vita, tutto il patrimonio di coerenza e dirittura morale che lo ha sempre contraddistinto e guidato. No, si deve affrontare ciò che è stato deciso secondo la legge, quella legge che è ossatura e anima dell’amata città. A chi piacerebbe una città senza leggi?

More than 2,000 years ago, the Greeks told stories about their important god called Apollo. He was the god of poetry, the sun, laws, healing, and more. Apollo was also the god of music. He played a small harp-like stringed instrument called a lyre. Apollo gave a lyre to his son named Orpheus. Apollo was so surprised when Orpheus played perfectly! Nothing could resist the beautiful music of Orpheus. Trees, rocks, humans, and other animals were hypnotized by his melodies.

Hold onto your magic hats for another spellbinding adventure! All aboard for Rome! Maxat sets sail for the city of history, song, gods and goddesses, art...and delicious ice cream. There are a thousand sights to see...but the one sight Maxat could do without seeing is the figure staring back at him from a very old mirror. After a fierce and shocking fight, it becomes clear that a perilous piece of history is repeating itself here and now, threatening to tear apart a lifelong friendship. Usually the rescuer, Maxat now needs to be rescued.

Myths and legends form the foundation for all cultures. The Greek and Roman myths were early tales created to explain the world and are now inextricably woven throughout music, art, film, theater, literature, politics and daily life. Thousands of years old, these myths continue to inspire and intrigue. Myth: Dreams of The World, keeps these stories vibrant with new recordings by an intriguing array of artists including Iggy Pop, George Clinton, Lori Carson, Suzanne Vega, Lemmy, Jaron Lanier, and more.

Could a monster whose very look turns men to stone be a challenge too perilous even for the son of Zeus? King Polydectes has designs on Perseus' mother, Danaë. But first the king must get rid of young Perseus once and for all. So Polydectes hatches a plan to trick the young hero into performing an impossible task - slay the snake-haired Gorgon monster Medusa, whose very look turns men to stone. Yet, as the son of Zeus, king of the gods, Perseus has many powerful allies. Will Perseus' strength and courage - and the favor of the gods - allow him to do the impossible?

Nepos explores the life of Chabrias, a man as mercenary as he was brave. He would develop new methods of fighting that caused enemies to flee before him and be brought on by foreign kings to fight their wars. Eventually, he would lose his life as he lived it, choosing to die rather than flee in battle.

Iphicrates was one of the first truly respect military tacticians in the ancient world. His skillful planning for battle was respected even by enemies, and he is one of the few Greek generals who managed to live a good life. Brought not too high or low by fate or fortune, his life is an interesting dive into how skill and dedication can pay off in any time.

Athens was in the throes of tyranny as a troop of murderous madmen stalked the streets. Who would break the city free from the horrid results of war? Listen as Thrasybulus puts everything on the line to save the city he loves.

Epaminondas was known better for his way with words than his way with a sword. He used his wits on the battlefield to lead armies and took the honor of himself and his men most seriously. Nepos here admires the Theban orator who could out-speak any Athenian.

Timotheus was a great general but was known more for his statecraft. Like an honorable man taken from an ancient version of Game of Thrones, see how he maneuvers through the courts of ancient Greece. Finally, in his old age, politics catch up to him, but his son works to carry on his honor.

Dive into the unique and powerful kingships in Sparta, where not one man ruled, but two. Learn the ways and lives of the men who rose above the rest to be elected leader of the most feared and respected city-state of ancient Greece. Who managed to embody the fullness of Spartan values, and who fell to the side, enticed by the finer things kingship could bring?

A woman's envy is very much alive, even in the olden times! Case and point, you have the story of Minerva and Arachne.