Did the ancient Greeks and Romans have conspiracy theories? Did they come close to an industrial revolution? Did they drink beer?
In a series of fast-paced essays, Insane Emperors, Sunken Cities, and Earthquake Machines answers 40 questions that ancient historian Garrett Ryan has been asked in the classroom and through his popular YouTube channel ToldinStone. As in Dr. Ryan's previous book - Naked Statues, Fat Gladiators, and War Elephants - the emphasis is on the fascinating details of daily life in the classical world.
Discover the answers to:
Did the ancient Greeks and Romans have tattoos?
Did they practice Buddhism?
Did they know when the Pyramids were built?
Did a tsunami inspire the Story of Atlantis?
How deadly was the eruption that destroyed Pompeii?
What was it like to live through the fall of the Roman Empire?
Why are ancient cities buried?
What happened to the treasures of the Roman emperors?
How much was lost when the Library of Alexandria burned?
Why didn't the ancient Greeks or Romans wear pants? How did they shave? How likely were they to drink fine wine, use birth control, or survive surgery?
In a series of short and humorous essays, Naked Statues, Fat Gladiators, and War Elephants explores some of the questions about the Greeks and Romans that ancient historian Garrett Ryan has answered in the classroom and online. Unlike most books on the classical world, the focus is not on famous figures or events, but on the fascinating details of daily life.
Learn the answers to questions such as: how tall were the ancient Greeks and Romans?; how long did they live?; what kind of pets did they have?; how dangerous were their cities?; did they believe their myths?; did they believe in ghosts, monsters, and/or aliens?; did they jog or lift weights?; how did they capture animals for the Colosseum?; were there secret police, spies, or assassins?; what happened to the city of Rome after the Empire collapsed?; and can any families trace their ancestry back to the Greeks or Romans?
