The Hemlock Cup
by Bettany Hughes
The Hemlock Cup by Bettany Hughes is a book that tries to recreate life in 5th century Athens using not only texts but also archaeological findings. It’s about Socrates and the world he lived in, rather than his philosophy. If you’re visiting Athens, it’s an essential book to have with you.
Recommendations from our site
“In this book, Bettany Hughes does hardest job of all: recreating 5th century Athens. What was the life of women, the life of slaves likes? When Socrates leaves his house to go and lecture people in the agora, how far is his journey? What would he go past, what would he have for breakfast? The book just allows you to understand the context really nicely.” Read more...
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Olly Murphy, Teacher
“Although it was sold under the guise of a democracy, using up lots of resources and gathering lots of wealth from different places wasn’t actually making Athenians any happier.” Read more...
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