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Funny ancient history books

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Most of the discussions and reviews on UNRV deal with serious and/or scholarly topics. After posting the list of July book releases yesterday, I thought I'd post an alternative list of titles focusing on more humorous aspects of ancient and Roman history. These are not necessarily recent releases but a more general compilation (also, some of the titles may have already been reviewed). Enjoy and feel free to share further suggestions below! 

 

Laughter in Ancient Rome: On Joking, Tickling, and Cracking Up  by Mary Beard

 

Dangerous Days in the Roman Empire: Terrors and Torments, Diseases and Deaths by Terry Deary

 

The Bloody Funny History of Rome  by Brett A. Clark

 

Stupid Ancient History by Leland Gregory

 

The Classical Compendium: A Miscellany of Scandalous Gossip, Bawdy Jokes, Peculiar Facts, and Bad Behavior from the Ancient Greeks and Romans by Philip Matyszak

 

Rome, Inc.: The Rise and Fall of the First Multinational Corporation (Enterprise) by Stanley Bing

 

The Joy of Sexus: Lust, Love, and Longing in the Ancient World by Vicki León

 

Working IX to V: Orgy Planners, Funeral Clowns, and Other Prized Professions of the Ancient World by Vicki León

 

How to Mellify A Corpse: And Other Human Stories of Ancient Science & Superstition by Vicki León

 

Uppity Women of Ancient Times by Vicki León

 

The Naked Olympics: The True Story of the Ancient Games by Tony Perrottet

 

Pagan Holiday: On the Trail of Ancient Roman Tourists by Tony Perrottet

 

The World's Oldest Joke Book: Hundreds of Hilariously Terrible Ancient Jokes by Dan Crompton

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I've got a little addition to the list already. This one is an online version of a compilation of jokes dating back to the fourth century C.E. Brilliant!

 

Philogelos - The Laugh Addict

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Pagan Holiday: On the Trail of Ancient Roman Tourists received a rather scathing review on Amazon. Apparently most of it isn't really historically accurate, and the material that is, consists of things that most Roman history buffs already know.

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Pagan Holiday: On the Trail of Ancient Roman Tourists received a rather scathing review on Amazon. Apparently most of it isn't really historically accurate, and the material that is, consists of things that most Roman history buffs already know.

 

Hmm, the customer reviews on Amazon.com seem to be mostly positive. But I wouldn't be surprised if the book turned out to be mostly a rehash of well-known facts...

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