Ancient Biography

From the New York Times bestselling author Everything All at Once comes a beautiful poetry collection exploring motherhood, grief, the unending road to healing, and the redeeming power of love. The word radicle is defined as the root of a plant embryo, the first organ to appear when a seed...

Originally published in 1883 as part of the historian’s larger work Beacon Lights of History, Volume IV: Imperial Antiquity, this book covers the life, the times, and the philosophy of Marcus Aurelius (121-180). The 17th emperor of Rome preserved and protected the Empire, mainly by keeping the Parthians in the East and the Northern barbarians at bay. More sage than soldier, he ruled wisely and set a noble example in a wicked age.

In the first authoritative biography of Alexander the Great written for a general audience in a generation, classicist and historian John C Martin tells the remarkable life of the great conqueror. The celebrated Macedonian king has been one of the most enduring figures in history.

Toward the end of the Hundred Years War between France and England, as Merlin predicted, a great warrior emerged, uniting a beleaguered nation and leading it to improbable victories. It was said this warrior was a messenger of God. And it may have been, for a country was saved and a kingdom restored. This great leader of men, this messenger who united a nation, was a 17-year-old maiden named Joan.

Marcus Aurelius was an outstanding person and Emperor of Ancient Rome. He was far more concerned with ways of thinking than with warfare. Being a small boy he applied himself to task with education. Marcus preferred others over himself, putting his own welfare aside for the good of other people.

Julius Caesar was not just a general. He was not just a dictator. He was the rupture point between republic and empire, between mortal and myth. This is not a dry biography. This is a cinematic retelling of the man who allied with Cleopatra, defied the Senate, crossed the Rubicon, and built an empire. Through betrayal, ambition, war, and worship—Caesar shattered the systems that birthed him and became the blueprint for every ruler that followed. From the alleys of Rome to the halls of power, from the knives of the Ides to the comet that burned overhead, this book tells the real story.

This is a short biography of Alexander the Great, powered by AI. The book delves into the early life and rise to power of Alexander the Great, and also describes the death of this historical figure.

Do you know who was said to be the god of the ancient Egyptian underworld? What type of mask do you think an embalmer would wear while carrying out the mummification process on a body? And who was the most successful of all the pharaohs? In this fascinating guide, Hilary Beaton talks you through one of history's most interesting eras: Ancient Egypt. With over 100 amazing facts, this is the perfect audiobook for everyone from casual listeners to dedicated students of Egyptology.

Claudius. Often portrayed as an awkward, disfigured, and clumsy man, Claudius was the unlikely ruler of the Roman Empire from 41 CE to 54 CE. His reign would prove to be one of the longest of the time even though his rise to the throne did not come without opposition. Virtually no-one in Claudius’ family wanted to see him become emperor - only when he turned out to be the last surviving man of the Julio-Claudian dynasty did he ascend to the throne.

Alcibiades was brilliant beyond his time and ambitious beyond his own safety. Was he traitor or true patriot? Even his own historian was not sure.

In 30 BC, Queen Cleopatra took her own life in a mausoleum in Alexandria, thus ending the reign of the last independent pharaohs of Egypt. After her death, Egypt became one of the many provinces of the Roman Empire. Cleopatra's rule of more than two decades involved ruthless power struggles with her siblings and alliances and affairs with the likes of Julius Caesar and Mark Anthony.

Nefertiti, 1370 BC - 1330 BC, the great queen, is best known to us for her striking beauty. Her famous bust brought her to life ever since its discovery in 1912 by German Archeologist Ludwig Borchardt; her image has been the face of Egypt. Most people know her solely based on the bust, but she is much more than just a pretty face.

The Pharaoh Akhenaten was one of the most enigmatic people in ancient Egyptian history. Perhaps even in all of history. Often referred to as the heretic King, Akhenaten changed everything about Egypt, from the way religion was practiced to the art. Perhaps the most striking change was the art. He was often depicted with odd physical characteristics. These characteristics were not just relegated to his statuary, but to Akhenaten and his family as well.

Many historians in the past have seen Constantine as a secret pagan who used Christianity as a political device or a God-sent Emperor who converted a whole nation to Christianity. Since Constantine's personal beliefs allowed for both paganism and Christianity, he created an Empire of tolerance or a religiously neutral realm (as far as what you wanted to believe).

Many are the exploits of Rome's emperors, but few were as infamous as Caligula. His reign was short, just fewer than four years. During that time he wallowed in depravity and lunacy. He came to power with the full backing of the people, but little did they know he would inspire their hatred soon into his reign. Caligula is a fascinating character because he was so complex.

As the Roman Empire swept through Europe, it conquered almost all the lands it came across. It became the most hated empire the world had ever known. Despite their great success at subjecting the known world, they did not achieve these victories without a fight. Throughout their conquests, they met with fierce resistance. These various resistance movements culminated in numerous wars.

Perhaps there is no one in this world who hasn't heard of Alexander the Great. Considered to be one of the greatest kings in ancient history, Alexander united the Greek city states and led the Corinthian League. Later on, he went on to conquer Persia, Babylon, and Asia, creating Macedonian colonies in these areas. When he died in Babylon, he was considering conquering Carthage and Rome and he was only 32 years old.

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?

Pelopidas and Epaminondas' lives are inseperable in history. One's actions would not have been possible without the other by their side. Listen as Pelopidas reclaims his homeland and challenges one of the great Alexanders of history as he seeks his own kleos, or eternal glory.