Fustel de Coulanges (1830–1889)

I found the most valuable insight at the very beginning of the book - history writes itself into the culture. If you observe the culture you can infer some of it. And culture, barring extraordinary upheavals will change at the pace of a glacier. The rest of the book is also enthralling but somewhat less spectacular than this initial confident outburst.

An interesting read, which helped me to understand not just ancient Greece and Rome, but also ancient concepts still discernible in our own culture. Willard Small's translation was eminently readable for this layperson, although there were still bits of Greek I didn't understand. I can figure out the Latin, more or less, but deciphering the Greek alphabet is still above my skills. Recommended for those interested in antiquity and also for modern Pagans who might like the insights into their show more religious heritage. show less

Thesis is that ancient religion was ancestor worship with primogeniture. Christianity eventually overturned that.

Un classique sur la société antique, son droit, sa politique et sa religion.