Leander recalls that first night when he dared the
perilous waters of the Hellespont, and swam to meet his lover Hero.
byPublius Ovidius Naso (Ovid)43 BC - AD ?18
Classical History
The Night Vesuvius Blew
Pliny was only about nine when his uncle left to go and help
rescue the terrified townspeople of Pompeii and Herculaneum.
byPliny the Younger?62-?114
Classical History
A Surfeit of Lampreys
Augustus, the Roman Emperor, invited himself to dine at the luxury
Naples villa of Publius Vedius Pollio, but a broken goblet thoroughly spoilt the evening.
byLucius Cassius Dio Cocceianus155-235
Remembrance
The Grandest of All Sepulchres
On the annual Remembrance Day of ancient Athens, Pericles rose to remind the
people of the City that grief alone was not the best way to honour the fallen.
byThucydides?460-?404 BC
Greek History
The Liberty of Athens
The supreme arts and literature of ancient Athens
all sprang from the State’s refusal to interfere in the life of the citizen.
byThomas Babington Macaulay1800-1859
Greek History
The Glory of Athens
Classical Greece has been an inspiration to every generation because she stands
for the triumph of liberty and reason over prejudice and power.