The Parthenon and Its Significance

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.