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Classical Reference Library

History & Culture

Explore the historical settings, societies, institutions, and cultural traditions that shaped the ancient world, from political life and warfare to religion, education, daily life, and the development of classical civilization.

Introduction to Ancient Greece

A concise guide to the geography, history, political life, and cultural development of ancient Greece, from the Bronze Age civilizations of Crete and Mycenae through the rise of the city-states, Classical Athens and Sparta, and the age of Alexander the Great.

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THE ODYSSEY

You Speak More Homer Than You Think

You may never have sailed past the Sirens or faced a Cyclops, but you probably speak Homer's language more often than you realize. From odyssey and mentor to siren song, lotus-eater, and between Scylla and Charybdis, discover how a 3,000-year-old poem still lives on in the words and expressions we use today.

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