{"title":"T D Van Basten","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"ancient-greece-book-t-d-van-basten-9781537717241","title":"Ancient Greece","description":"Human civilization recognizes that there is a boundary between the past and the present, a boundary that delineates the time when society began to emerge out of the diaphanous clouds of mythology and recognize that people lived in a world in which nature and thought, and not the impulsive, retributive acts of the gods, determined the course of the world's direction. It's no surprise that this dividing line between tale and truth first emerged with the Greeks, those lovers of logic, experiment, and argument, as they first gained traction on the slippery slope of human curiosity. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Pythagoras, an Ionian Greek, is perhaps the first person to describe himself as a philosopher, a lover of wisdom or, as he defined it, one who attempts to know. Because of his influence on the philosopher Plato, Pythagoras is recognized as a crucial building block in the evolution of Western thought. His contributions to the fields of mathematics, philosophy, music and the sciences are acknowledged as influences which have endured long after his time of influence in the sixth century BCE. In the world of the intellect, the Greeks were heavy hitters and many names have traveled through the centuries, continuing to teach and enlighten us about the universe on a grand scale and our humble selves, on a much less grand, but no less significant, level. Philosophy taught human beings that the unexamined life was not worth living. His colleagues in philosophy turned self-examination into an art and a science, delving deep into human motivation, purpose, and existence. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e The Greeks ignited a fire of learning in the Ancient World. They were not the only civilization to bestow their intellect upon posterity, but it's a mark of their legacy that centuries after their time of glory, they are still regarded as a high water mark of human achievement. Why, exactly, they were so renowned as the brainiacs of the globe can be attributed to a variety of things, but what is certain is that even when mightier powers such as Rome conquered them, the Romans prized their learning, spreading it throughout their own mighty empire. The seeds of Greek learning were planted in fields far from Athens and eventually would spread across the Mediterranean Sea to become the foundation of Western culture as we know it.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49568548094225,"sku":"GOR013210362","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ NEW \/ INGRAM","offer_id":51040743653649,"sku":"NIN9781537717241","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":51717393023249,"sku":"CIN1537717243G","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1537717243.jpg?v=1750761368"},{"product_id":"ancient-greece-book-t-d-van-basten-9781533653130","title":"Ancient Greece","description":"The King of Sparta\u0026gt;\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Leonidas is one of the most well known and remembered of all Sparta's mighty military leaders. The leader of the famous Battle of 300, it was his bravery and cunning that would ultimately propel the Greeks to victory over the invading Persians. He would go down in history as a legendary leader and brave, valiant warrior for his strength in the face of opposition and his selfless willingness to lay down his life for his country. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e His rise to kingship was rather unorthodox, but he would go down as one of the most legendary. He showed a keen understanding of how to make the best of the tools one has at their disposal, and to use one's strategy, even in the face of insurmountable odds. He understood that much more than his own fate, that was at stake in the battles he would face. This courage was not only what led to his legendary status, it ultimately gave the Greeks the courage they needed to fend off foreign invaders and remain a sovereign collection of city-states. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e The brave, self-sacrificing efforts of Leonidas and his men would go down in history and lore. Throughout history, he has been propped up as the ultimate warrior, who fought with skill and cunning, and was willing to give up his life for the greater good of the country. He was able to inspire the same feelings of kinship and bravery in his fellow soldiers, which was a key part of their success as warriors. Since he was raised in the brotherhood of warriors, he was able to speak the language of the warrior, making him a huge benefit as king and leader during a tumultuous time in Spartan history.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49657829851409,"sku":"GOR013691380","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ NEW \/ INGRAM","offer_id":51035171291409,"sku":"NIN9781533653130","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"US \/ GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":51417212944657,"sku":"CIN1533653135G","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ VERY_GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":52817517216017,"sku":"CIN1533653135VG","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1533653135.jpg?v=1751022825"},{"product_id":"ancient-egypt-book-t-d-van-basten-9781523947683","title":"Ancient Egypt","description":"Ramses the Great \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e In all of Egypt's long and storied history, Ramses the Great stands out as one of the best known and successful of all. Ruling the country for some 67 years, Ramses II ruled over Egypt during a time of stability and prosperity. His rule was marked by economic prosperity, successful military campaigns, and impressive building projects. He wanted from the very beginnings of his long reign, to ensure that his legacy was sealed, literally in stone, and that reminders of his rule were so ubiquitous that he would not be forgotten. In this, like many other elements of his kingship, he was highly successful and he has gone down in history as a legendary ruler. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Ramses II came to power at a young age. As co-regent with his father, he learned the proverbial ropes of leading the nation and leading a military. When he ascended to the throne, it became very clear that he was an incredibly passionate warrior. He has a long-standing military tradition going back many generations in his family, so being an active, successful campaigner was a vital part of his kingship. Some of the battles were undertaken to subdue untenable populations, others were to gain more wealth and power for the nation. Perhaps the most famous of all his military campaigns were his various battles against Egypt's dreaded for, the Hittites. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e He was also incredibly passionate about women. One of his enduring legacies is his success with the women of his time. We know of many principal wives, concubines, and errant women. It is said that he fathered close to 200 children in his lifetime. Nefertari was his first principal wife and the best known. So favored was Nefertari, Ramses the Great had an intricate and beautiful temple erected in her honor next to his stunning construction at Abu Simbel. Nefertari may have been the favorite, but we know that he had close to ten other principal wives, with whom he fathered many children, as well as concubines and other various women he may have conquered in his time.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"US \/ GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":49788453060881,"sku":"CIN1523947683G","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ NEW \/ INGRAM","offer_id":51033644335377,"sku":"NIN9781523947683","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"US \/ VERY_GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":51423409701137,"sku":"CIN1523947683VG","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1523947683.jpg?v=1751373277"},{"product_id":"egypt-of-hatshepsut-book-t-d-van-basten-9781523478996","title":"The Egypt of Hatshepsut","description":"Hatshepsut was arguably the most powerful female to rule as pharaoh during its long and storied history in the wealthy Egypt of the New Kingdom. Her rule was highly unconventional, yet she had the support of the power brokers at the time. Somehow, during her long reign as pharaoh with her stepson, she managed to maintain positive relationships with the right constituency, as well as her co-ruler. It would seem likely that, if there was internal strife within the royal house as to the moves made by Hatshepsut, there would be some documentation or indication of this tension in the historical record. As of the time of this writing, no evidence of poor relations or civil strife has ever been found. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Growing up in a powerful royal family, she was, from birth, a woman of greater power than ordinary. As the only surviving daughter of the pharaoh Thutmose I, it was known early on that her destiny was to be Queen. This means that she had the benefits of education and training that most could not even dream of receiving. 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What we do know, however, is that she was the wife of one of the most controversial and radical of all of ancient Egypt's Pharaohs. \u003cbr\u003e Her husband, Akhenaten, often referred to as the Heretic King started a revolution for the proto-monotheistic cult of Aten, the sun disk. This revolution led to dramatic social and political changes during what was later called the Amarna Period. From a huge upheaval in the traditional power structure of the nation, the outlaw of traditional gods, and even the relocation of the capital of the nation, there were actually deliberate attempts from the rulers who came after to erase this period of Egyptian history from the historical record. And they nearly succeeded. \u003cbr\u003e What we do know about Nefertiti is that she was stunningly beautiful and incredibly powerful. She was, in fact, one of the most powerful queens in Egyptian history. 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He ruled during the New Kingdom, which is often seen as the star-studded dynasty in ancient Egyptian history because that's the dynasty where many of the big names come from. He had the benefit of a lengthy co-rule that allowed him to develop and hone his military skills which would serve him incredibly well during his time in power. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e His early life and rule were rather unusual, and he was a powerful person, even when he was just a mere infant. He was the son of Thutmose I and one of his lesser wives of common heritage. Thutmose I was married to the incredibly powerful Queen Hatshepsut, but the two were unable to produce a male heir which meant they had to look to Thutmose I's harem for a suitable successor. Thutmose I was the chosen successor. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Due to his tender age, he would (he was just an infant when his father died) need a co-regent, or a qualified person who could rule in his place until he came of age. 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