The Wisdom of the Ancients: Four Ideas that Changed the World

This book is about four cornerstones of modern thought that were put in place by people living in the ancient Mediterranean world. It covers approximately 2,000 years in time (from ca. 1000 BCE to 1000 CE) and spatially moves from the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in Mesopotamia (roughly, modern Iraq), through Greece and Rome, to the new Germanic states growing in what is now western Europe. The four ideas, as author H. A. Drake proposes, are monotheism, the idea that there is only one god, not many; individual rights, the idea that there is a limit to what the state can order us to do; naturalized citizenship, the idea that the full rights and privileges of citizenship can be extended to people who have no birthright to them; and creation of a standard by which to judge the performance of states. It is easy, now, to take these ideas for granted. For believers, it seems obvious that only a singular, omnipotent deity can account for the splendour of the universe. Similarly, the common notion that individuals can stand up for their rights, that citizenship can be freely given, or that governments ought to be held to a standard of justice for all, is often accompanied by the assumption that, at the time they were introduced, such ideas must have been immediately recognized as superior and gratefully accepted. The record is far more complicated, and that makes the story of their success far more interesting. By discussing these ideas in their historical context with clarity and wit, The Wisdom of the Ancients reminds readers how preposterous they were originally and how different our world would be if they had not taken hold.

Table of Contents:
Acknowledgements List of Illustrations List of Maps List of Boxes Introduction: Four Ideas that Changed the World Chapter One: The God Who Did Wrong Chapter Two: Where to Draw the Line Chapter Three: "Your Magnificent Citizenship" Chapter Four: The Idea of Rome Conclusion: Is There a Doctor in the House? Index

About the Author :
H. A. Drake is Research Professor of History at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and the author of A Century of Miracles: Christians, Pagans, Jews, and the Supernatural, 312-410 and Constantine and the Bishops: The Politics of Intolerance.

Review :
This is the story of big ideas Drake's The Wisdom of the Ancients offers a delightful, humorous, and fast-moving discussion of monotheism, individualism, universal citizenship, and the idea of Rome, four key contributions that the ancient Mediterranean made to the conceptions of the modern world. The book is a joy to read and helps us understand both why our world now works as it does and what intellectual debts we owe to antiquity. The Wisdom of the Ancients is an entertaining and deeply researched read that offers readers a fascinating insight into our own modern world through the context of ancient world that shaped it. This a charming book-ideal bedside fare for the general reader. It is full of information and challenging ideas, moves briskly and logically without any jargon in sight. Perhaps the author has four additional potent ideas in his sights. The Wisdom of the Ancients occupies a unique niche in recent publications. Suggested readings include links to freely available online texts and translations, a help to libraries whose collections do not include these works. Many readers are bound to appreciate Drake's wide lens and commitment to synthesis, along with his bright and inviting style. That style, and the ambition of this short book, leave the impression that H. A. Drake must be an engaging and enthusiastic teacher.