Includes a short chronology

This volume includes biographical entries on nearly 500 individuals of central importance from the civilizations of ancient Greece and Rome, including writers, thinkers, artists, scientists, statesmen, kings, queens, and other historical figures. Furthermore, these entries offer far more than simple biographical information: many are short essays covering major historical and cultural themes centered around individuals as varied as Herodotus, Socrates, Plato, Alexander the Great, and Augustus. Drawing on the latest edition of the Oxford Classical Dictionary, this book offers authoritative and accessible scholarship from over 190 world experts on their subjects.