by Numa Denis Fustel de Coulanges
First published 2006
Numa Denis Fustel de Coulanges transforms our understanding of ancient urban civilization by turning directly to physical evidence and original documents from antiquity. Rather than relying on later historical accounts, he builds his analysis from Greek and Roman sources, along with ancient Indian and Hebrew texts. His study reveals how religious beliefs shaped daily existence in Periclean Athens and Cicero's Rome. Fustel de Coulanges demonstrates that family worship and ancestor veneration formed the foundation of Hellenic and Latin city culture. He traces how kinship bonds and household religious practices organized ancient society, then follows their gradual transformation as Christianity spread through the Mediterranean world. This sociological examination shows readers how religion, family structure, and civic organization intertwined in the ancient world, offering fresh insights into Greek and Roman urban life through careful interpretation of primary sources.
Genres: history, archaeology, anthropology, ancient-history, academic, cultural-studies
Vibes: academic, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: academic, historical
Setting: Athens, Rome, Mediterranean
Period: Periclean, Cicero's
416 pages · Paperback · Dover Publications