YOU RECOMMEND

We asked our Twitter followers to recommend their favourite books on ancient history... @Fullard

There are so many to recommend, but my favourite history book of all time is Rubicon, by Tom Holland. For those who like this period of history [the Roman Republic], it’s also worth reading Robert Harris’s fiction trilogy about the life of Cicero (Imperium, Lustrum and Dictator).

@vamottram

Searching for the Lost

Tombs of Egypt by Chris Naunton (pictured) was one of the most exciting and tantalising ancient history books I’ve ever read. It made me realise there’s still so much to discover, even after two centuries of excavation.

@DiogoMorg

Thucydides’ History of the Peloponnesian War is a classic – and rightly so. For an excellent fictional take on the same conflict, I recommend Steven Pressfield’s Tides of War.

@RolandButter13

Foundations of Christianity by Karl Kautsky – an excellent analysis of how this world religion started. It examines the economic and political shifts that generated enormous change, creating new ideas and benefits.

@BookshHistorian

I’m currently reading SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome by Mary Beard. Balanced and relatively objective, it’s been fascinating to learn more about ancient Rome and the myths surrounding it.

@JonnyGough

For an entry-level series, try the Oxford Very Short Introductions – for example, the books about ancient Assyria, Babylonia and the ancient Near East. There’s also an excellent novel about ancient Assyria by Paul Cooper, called All Our Broken Idols.

@Calum59

Travel in the Ancient World by Lionel Casson. Superb, accessible and informative.