These days they are scary, but for the ancients, ghosts could be quite useful.
Articles on Ancient Greece
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For over 2,800 years, audiences have grappled with the destructive powers of Helen of Troy – and the toxic legacy lives on.
There’s plenty of evidence to suggest that attempts to manipulate the outcome of the competitions are as old as the Games themselves.
In sports, what’s considered fair play has changed throughout history. At one point, even looking ‘too poor’ was grounds for exclusion.
The Athenian politician Cleon was one of the earliest demagogues. An effective, if vulgar speaker, he made extravagant promises and delivered extravagant accusations.
Dig into the details of the ancient Olympics and you find a lot of misinformation, but also a surprising amount in common with the modern games.
When fame and glory are at stake, human nature seems to dictate that some people will cheat.
In a time when war and sports are the primary means of competition, Olympic gold has never been so valuable – or expensive.
Cicero asked: ‘how to become famous?’ Nero sought to know the timing of his death. The Oracle at Delphi offered pronouncements on all manner of topics - yet as with Google today, the question posed was as important as the answer.
Many praise the internet as a democratizing force. But with online spaces replacing physical public squares as places for debate, what do we risk losing?
It’s lunacy to believe you own the moon, so why is cultural heritage any different? The Parthenon sculptures at least belong together.
What would Aristotle have thought of modern liberal democracy? It’s complicated.
American democracy is in thrall to an aggressive demagogue – and Adam Smith and friends saw it coming more than 200 years ago.
Many “modern” inventions actually have precedents dating back over 1000 years.
Think atomic theory was invented in the 19th century? Try 5th century BC.
We often hear that most people throughout history believed the world was flat. But that’s not entirely true.
The House of Commons’ remarkable debate over air strikes really was a spectacle of heroic proportions.
Berlin recently agreed to curb the number of migrants it welcomed after a backlash against Angela Merkel’s suspension of EU rules limiting numbers. It followed previous scenes of crowds welcoming new arrivals…
Classical epic can seem particularly alien in the instant gratification culture of Instagram and Twitter, yet there’s a surge of interest in them.
Our current turn towards ancient Greece touches on a fundamental nerve in modern society.
Top contributors
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Lecturer in Classics and Ancient History, The University of Western Australia
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Emeritus Professor of Classics, La Trobe University
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Professor of Classical Studies, Brandeis University
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Honorary Professor of Classics and Ancient History, School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry, The University of Queensland
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Professor, Department of Classics and Ancient History, University of Sydney
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Associate Professor of Greek History, The University of Queensland
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Paul Eliadis Chair of Classics and Ancient History, The University of Queensland
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Professor of Political Science, Macalester College
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Associate Professor in Ancient History, Macquarie University
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Professor in Philosophy, Australian Catholic University
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Professor of Law, Wayne State University
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Professeur d'histoire ancienne, Université de Lorraine
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Research Scholar, Classics and History and Philosophy of Science, Stanford University
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Senior lecturer, UNSW
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Associate Professor of Classics, University of Winnipeg