Travel in the Ancient World

by Lionel Casson

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The only book of its kind in any language, Travel in the Ancient World offers a lively, comprehensive history of ancient travel, from the first Egyptian voyages recorded in Old Kingdom inscriptions through Greek and Roman times to the Christian pilgrimages of the fourth and sixth centuries. Rich in anecdote and colorful detail, it now returns to print in paperback with a new preface by the author.

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5 reviews
An enlightening overview of the origins of travel in the ancient world. Most of the focus is on the classical period, both Greek and Roman, but with an emphasis on Roman due to the variety of source material available for the Imperial period before the fall of the Western Roman Empire. The level of detail and the use of primary sources is satisfying. I was slightly disappointed in the coverage of the non-Classical cultures but the author is a classicist and the book reflects his expertise. He is very strong on the Greek and Roman material and written evidence but less so on the Persian, Phoenician, Assyrian, Babylonian etc. Overall an excellent monograph on a niche subject but rather light on the non-classical cultures in the period.
If you like ancient history, this is a worthy addition to your collection. Casson relates all the information in a clear and logical fashion. Great little book, and covers ground that is usually neglected in other histories of the ancient world.
Excellent and one of the rare books to cover this subject. I also have the original edition.
Part 1 covers travel in Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Greece; Part 2 covers travel in the Roman Empire; and Part 3 covers tourism in the Roman Empire.
Viajes en el mundo antiguo ofrece un examen exhaustivo de viajes antiguos, desde los primeros viajes grabados al Imperio Antiguo Egipto a través de los tiempos griegos y romanos hasta los peregrinajes cristianos del siglo IV y posteriores.

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Author Information

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28+ Works 3,639 Members
Lionel Casson, professor emeritus of classics at New York University has written many books on ancient maritime history and ancient travel.

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Common Knowledge

Canonical title*
Reisen in der Alten Welt
Original title
Travel in the Ancient World
Original publication date
1974
Important places
Egypt (ancient)
Dedication
To Mimi Rae
First words
Men built the first clusters of cities in the lands between the Tigris and the Euphrates and put together the first unified nation along the banks of the Nile.
Last words
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)The world would have been spared much bloodshed.
*Some information comes from Common Knowledge in other languages. Click "Edit" for more information.

Classifications

Genres
Nonfiction, Travel, History, General Nonfiction
DDC/MDS
913.04History & geographyGeography & travelTravel to Specific Places
LCC
G88 .C34Geography, Anthropology and RecreationGeography (General)History of geography
BISAC

Statistics

Members
313
Popularity
102,497
Reviews
5
Rating
½ (4.30)
Languages
English, German, Greek, Polish
Media
Paper
ISBNs
6
ASINs
1