Their names still echo down the ages: the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. The Colossus at Rhodes. The Lighthouse of Alexandria. The statue of Zeus at Olympia. The temple of Artemis. The mausoleum of Halicarnassus. The Seven Wonders of the World were staggeringly audacious impositions on our planet. But no monument could prove a match for the might of mother earth. In 1303 CE an earthquake shook the glittering, limestone casing stones loose from the Great Pyramid at Giza and brought the remains of the towering Pharos lighthouse crashing to the ground. Now only the pyramid remains. Yet the scale and majesty of these seven wonders still enthral us today. In a thrilling, colourful narrative enriched with the latest archaeological discoveries, bestselling historian Bettany Hughes tells the story of the ancient world through its legendary achievements in engineering technology, sophisticated planning and religious devotion. Each wonder is an adventures of the mind, a test case of the reaches of human imagination during antiquity and a demonstration of our awesome compulsion to make and modify the world in our image. Taking readers on a journey through landscapes of both ancient and modern, Hughes discovers why we wonder, why we create, and why we choose to remember the wonder of others.

Vorwort
A revelatory new history of the ancient world told through its seven greatest monuments, by bestselling author and TV historian Bettany Hughes

Autorentext
Bettany Hughes is an award-winning historian, author and broadcaster. Her previous books include Venus and Aphrodite (shortlisted for the Runciman Award), Istanbul (a Sunday Times bestseller and shortlisted for the Runciman Award), The Hemlock Cup (a New York Times bestseller and shortlisted for the Writers Guild award) and Helen Of Troy. All her books have been translated into multiple languages. She has made many documentaries for the BBC, Channel 4, PBS, National Geographic, ABC and the Discovery and History channels. Bettany has been a Professor at the New College of Humanities and Research Fellow at King's College London. She has been honoured with numerous awards including the Medlicott Medal for services to history, Europe's Cultural Heritage Prize and an OBE for services to history.

Klappentext

Their names still echo down the ages: The Great Pyramid at Giza. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon. The Temple of Artemis. The statue of Zeus at Olympia. The mausoleum of Halikarnassos. The Colossus at Rhodes. The Lighthouse of Alexandria. The Seven Wonders of the World were staggeringly audacious impositions on our planet. They were also brilliant adventures of the mind, test cases of the reaches of human imagination. Now only the pyramid remains, yet the scale and majesty of these seven wonders still enthral us today.

In a thrilling, colourful narrative enriched with the latest archaeological discoveries, bestselling historian Bettany Hughes walks through the landscapes of both ancient and modern time; on a journey whose purpose is to ask why we wonder, why we create, why we choose to remember the wonder of others. She explores traces of the Wonders themselves, and the traces they have left in history. A majestic work of historical storytelling, The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World reinforces the exciting, and nourishing, notion that humans can make the impossible happen.

Zusammenfassung

From SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING author Bettany Hughes

'A wondrous wonderful achievement' Stephen Fry 'Fascinating' Observer 'Thrilling' Guardian

Their names still echo down the ages: The Great Pyramid at Giza. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon. The Temple of Artemis. The statue of Zeus at Olympia. The mausoleum of Halikarnassos. The Colossus at Rhodes. The Lighthouse of Alexandria. The Seven Wonders of the World were staggeringly audacious impositions on our planet. They were also brilliant adventures of the mind, test cases for the reaches of human imagination. Now only the great pyramid remains fully standing, yet the scale and majesty of these seven wonders still enthral us today.

In a thrilling, colourful narrative enriched with the latest archaeological discoveries, bestselling historian Bettany Hughes walks through the landscapes of both ancient and modern time. This is a journey whose purpose is to ask why we wonder, why we create, why we choose to remember the wonder of others. She explores traces of the Wonders themselves, and the traces they have left in history. A magisterial work of historical storytelling, The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World reinforces the exciting and nourishing notion that humans can make the impossible happen.