However different and unique we believe we are, over and over again we can be seen to be living very much like people did 2,000 or more years ago. Whether political, social or cultural, there are endless parallels between the ancient and modern worlds. The political assassination of Thatcher echoes the murder of Julius Caesar, a family at war with itself is the central theme of both Aeschylus and EastEnders. And was Spartacus the last gladiator who terrified the authorities with his refusal to know his place? Tell that to Muhammed Ali. As Natalie Haynes argues in this humorous and intelligent book, each time we talk about a trial by jury, each time we argue about religious freedom, each time we think about equal rights, we?re continuing a conversation which began millennia ago. So why not go back to the beginning?