What are your favorite books on ancient History?

I am a huge history nerd and love diving deep into history to broaden my view on the world and get some context. I have a hard time reading dry history books. Podcasts are great for getting real information, but I think I want to dive deeper and get more perspectives by reading. So I was wondering what books are the best ones on history. I don't have a specific time period in mind, but the more ancient, the more interesting I guess. I also have a lot of trouble reading dry history books, especially if they are academic in nature. So if you have any books in mind, please let me know :) <br><br>An example of a great history book is SPQR by Mary Beard. I found it really engaging and it felt like I was reading a novel, but it was really informative. So please let me know your favorite history books :) <br><br>The only one I read really about ancient history is SPQR, so the more the better :)