Explorers of the Ancient World

by Anthony Brierley

Explorers of the Ancient World tells of the Egyptian expedition to the mysterious land of Punt, the Phoenician Hanno who first sailed around the coast of Africa, and Pytheas the Greek who explored the shores of Britain and may even have reached the Arctic Circle. You will read about why these explorers set out, how they traveled, hazards they encountered on the way, and more. Clear maps and superb reconstructions bring these journeys vividly to life.

48 pages, Hardcover

First published January 15, 1990

Reviews

[Daniel Golden]

I bought this at a library book sale a couple of years ago for my daughter to eventually read and learn a little history of exploration. I decided to give it a quick read myself considering how short it is. All in all it doesn’t go super in depth on things, but it does a good job of painting a basic picture of the ancient Mediterranean world. Considering the audience is supposed to be youths, this is a very good introductory book for inquiring young minds seeking to learn a little history.

[Andrea M]

Explorers are usually studied beginning with Columbus or Leif Ericksson the Viking. This book is unique in that it talks about Pre-Roman Explorers and I learned a lot that I didn't know. This book is also useful in studying Ancient civilizations because it discusses what is known and how we know it. I really liked the pictures of the items in the trading boats based on a shipwreck found in the Mediterranean Sea. I had no idea the people traded so many different things. It made me wonder if they weren't more sophisticated than we give them credit for and if we make assumptions because we know so little. Great line-art pictures (not photos) of boats, ports, maps and artifacts!