Packed with inscriptions dating from third-millennium BC Mesopotamia to the Roman era, this book offers an exciting introduction to the ancient world through the words of its people, inscribed in stone, plaster and metal. The lives and words of the great and good – emperors, pharaohs, kings and philosophers – are recorded, as well as those of ordinary people. Each inscription is accompanied by a translation and background context, giving the reader an insight into the laws, lives, customs and concerns of people who lived many thousands of years ago.

We are proud to present our new series of three large-format nature encyclopedias, covering Animals, Birds and Dinosaurs. Each features photographs, maps, and thousands of colour artworks showing individual species in colour and from every angle. Animals and Birds each include more than 400 species, while Dinosaurs covers more than 300 species from the fossil record. Including full details of diet, habitat, range and size, these encyclopedias provide comprehensive and accessible reference guides to these popular subjects.