This useful A-Z of classical civilisation has less scope than the Oxford Classical Dictionary , but is no less accurate and is far more affordable. There are specially extended entries for integral themes and individuals such as democracy, medicine, the Jews, Sophocles and Cicero while many entries include references from primary sources. The list of suggested further reading is extremely brief. This is an approachable and informative reference tool for the general reader although classicists will prefer its `parent volume', the Oxford Classical Dictionary .