An innovative and intriguing look at the foundations of Western civilization from two leading historians; the first volume in the Penguin History of Europe The influence of ancient Greece and Rome can be seen in every aspect of our lives. From calendars to democracy to the very languages we speak, Western civilization owes a debt to these classical societies. Yet the Greeks and Romans did not emerge fully formed; their culture grew from an active engagement with a deeper past, drawing on ancient myths and figures to shape vibrant civilizations. In The Birth of Classical Europe, the latest entry in the much-acclaimed Penguin History of Europe, historians Simon Price and Peter Thonemann present a fresh perspective on classical culture in a book full of revelations about civilizations we thought we knew. In this impeccably researched and immensely readable history we see the ancient world unfold before us, with its grand cast of characters stretching from the great Greeks of myth to the world-shaping Caesars. A landmark achievement, The Birth of Classical Europe provides insight into an epoch that is both incredibly foreign and surprisingly familiar.

本書の白眉は、ギリシャ・ローマ文明を静止した遺物としてではなく、彼ら自身が過去の神話をどう再解釈し、自らのアイデンティティを築き上げたかという動的な記憶の歴史として描いた点にあります。著者の二人は、神話と歴史が交錯する瞬間の熱量を見事に捉えており、読者を息を呑むような知的な冒険へと誘います。 西欧文明の根源に触れるこの壮大な試みは、遠い過去を語りながらも、現代を生きる私たちの思考の枠組みを根底から揺さぶります。異質で未知なる古代の世界が、ページをめくるごとに驚くほど身近に、そして鮮烈に立ち上がってくるその語り口は、歴史書の枠を超えた一級の叙事詩のような深みと輝きを放っています。