The Oxford Companion to Classical Civilization

How did the ancient Greeks and Romans differ in their attitude towards alcoholism?  What role did dance play in religious rituals?  What did the ancient Greeks eat? Why was emperor Nero popular with the ordinary people but less so with the upper classes?  How did ancient authors reason why Oedipus ('with swollen foot') was so called?

For over 2,000 years the civilizations of ancient Greece and Rome have captivated our collective imagination and provided inspiration for so many aspects of our lives, from culture, literature, drama, cinema, and television to society, education, and politics. Many of the roots to the way life is lived in the West today can be traced to the ancient civilizations, not only in politics, law, technology, philosophy, and science, but also in social and family life, language, and art.