Ancient Myths and Legends Without Men

Rediscover legendary tales from Ancient Mythology, centred around the stories of women, perfect for fans of Mythos, Circe, Pandora and Clytemnestra in this beautifully-illustrated bold feminist retelling of ancient mythological stories, written by expert classicist Mara Gold.

Discover the goddesses, warriors, witches, and monsters who shaped and subverted womanhood from the very beginning ...

Homemaker. Virgin. Warrior. Witch. Madwoman. Monster.

The labels applied to mythological women echo throughout history. These archetypes, created in the Ancient World, still resonate today.

From the stories of the virgin goddesses Athena and Artemis, the contrasting depictions of wifely duty in Clytemnestra and Penelope, the ecstatic frenzies of the Maenads, Echidna―the so-called mother of all monsters―and the misunderstood Medusa, Ancient Myths and Legends Without Men reveals a world where powerful women were both worshipped and feared.

Accompanied with beautiful illustrations throughout, uncover the real stories behind the women of Ancient Mythology and find what they can teach us about being a woman today.

Review

About the Author

Mara Gold is currently completing a DPhil in Classical Languages and Literature at St. Hilda’s College, University of Oxford. Mara specialises in women’s classical reception and scholarship, in relation to modern concepts of gender, sexuality and feminism.

She also has postgraduate degrees in Modern History, Theatre and Archaeology. She is a freelance museum researcher and outreach professional, and has worked on gender, sexuality and disability projects at the V&A, Ashmolean and Pitt Rivers to name a few. As the researcher for the National Lottery Funded ‘Beyond the Binary’ project, she worked with museum objects to tell queer stories through mythology and folklore.