'A classic in every sense of the word' John Julius Norwich Revised and updated to include the story of the New Acropolis Museum, the controversies that have surrounded it, and whether it makes a difference to the 'Elgin Marble debate'. As so often with the Parthenon, there are all kinds of surprises.

The ruined silhouette of the Parthenon on its hill above Athens is one of the world's most famous images. Its 'looted' Elgin Marbles are a global cause celebre. But what actually are they? In a revised and updated edition, Mary Beard, award winning writer, reviewer and leading Cambridge classicist, tells the history and explains the significance of the Parthenon, the temple of the virgin goddess Athena, the divine patroness of ancient Athens.

"Sophisticated, engaging ... she unravels the intricacies with the light and deft touch which characterises the whole book ... something for classicists and laymen alike" - Independent on Sunday

"The classical world still rouses fierce passions, and books like this help to make the study of ancient Greece urgent and relevant" - New Statesman