This book examines the deep and often overlooked influence of Greco-Roman culture on the legendary world Tolkien created.

This study explores the legacy of Greco-Roman antiquity in Tolkien’s work. Trained as a classicist, the author of the Lord of the Rings subtly draws on ancient motifs, forms, and myths. As the first overview on this topic, the book shows how these influences add unique depth to Middle-earth and offer a striking example of antiquity’s cultural afterlife in modern fantasy literature.