Examines the myths and beliefs of the classical world of ancient Greece and Rome.

"This exciting book offers readers an examination of the world of medieval myth and its historical roots. It brings an ancient culture to life as never before. As a result, this is a world history like no other. It is filled with the strange stories, mystic rites, angry gods, vision quests, and magic symbols at the heart of all cultures but left out of most history books. Such myths are central to understanding how, since the dawn of time, people...

Written in a lively and contemporary style, Myths of the World presents the best of the great mythologies that have enthralled listeners and readers across the centuries. It is organised by region into 18 myth-making cultures - read about the quests of Gawain in the ancient forests of Britain and the legendary heroism of El Cid in Spain; learn how the Spider Women in North America used her gifts, and what the Mongolian shamans used the shoulder blades...