Rating: 
Summary: A great resource
Review: I'm a big fan of all the Oxford reference books, and the Classical Dictionary does not disappoint. The entries are well-written, concise, and often provide leads for additional research. I can't imagine reading Greek or Roman history without this book -- it got me through Livy, Thucydides, and countless other primary sources. It's also an excellent resource for art historians.
Rating:
Summary: The Magnus Opus of classical references
Review: If you want to get really serious about classical studies, consider buying the latest edition of the Oxford Classical Dictionary. This a monster of a reference that leaves no stone in antiquity overturned. There are no pictures, no diagrams. Just 1640 pages of articles written by the very best experts from around the world. The reader will find hundreds of entries in alphabetical order. Topics are taken from the major areas of the classical world: Politics and History, Military, Economy and Society, Religion and Mythology, Geography, Science, Law and Government, Philosophy and the Arts.
The dictionary obviously focuses on ancient Greece and Rome, but other cultures receive attention as they pertain to Greco-Roman society. There is mention of ancient Egypt and the Near East, as well as the Romanized Celtic world.
The third and latest edition takes into account the ever-burgeoning research that has occurred in classical studies since the 1970's. The reader will now find articles covering once forbidden topics, like gender and sexuality. The editors have also attempted to correct the lack of attention paid to Near Eastern and Semitic contributions to classical history.
The editors claim that the OCD is unrivaled in any language, and I have seen nothing to counter that claim. This well organized tome of information should impress even a graduate student with its remarkable erudition.
The are four downsides.
1) The book is large and heavy. This is not something you can simply curl up with under a tree on a lazy afternoon.
2) No illustrations, photographs or anything else in the way of visual aid. This is simply a vast literary reference.
3) A lot of terms are given in the original Greek or Latin. Those without an elementary exposure to classical languages might find this annoying.
4) Cost. A new copy can ask for more than $100 US Dollars.
I would consider all these points minor except the last one, and not significantly detracting from the obvious worth of such an exhaustive source of information. As for the cost, I suggest looking in the used books sections of your chosen vender. I found a copy on Amazon.com for under $25, the only defect was a black publisher's mark on some of the pages. If you can find this book in good condition for under $50, consider it a steal.
Rating:
Summary: One-volume Encyclopedia
Review: My own copy has a printing error: a good thirty pages under the letter C are misplaced (though still within the letter C). I don't know if this happens to other copies as well. If so, the publisher should be ashamed of itself. (Besides, we're talking about the OUP here!)The OCD is of course the most authoritative one-volume reference book on Greece and Rome (but not the whole ancient Mediterranean). It is not for amateurs except those who need very specific questions answered ("slavery" for example, or maybe "sexuality"). How many of us can own the entire set of Cambridge Ancient History? This is a useful substitute. This book calls itself a "dictionary" although it really is an encyclopedia arranged alphabetically. Hence the lack of an index, which is too bad. Even many one-volume encyclopedias nowadays have an index at the back to cross reference every conceivable item. Think how many times "Alexander III ('the Great,'of Macedon)" would appear in this book - certainly not just in the one single entry devoted to him. This is my main humble criticism. Because it is not really a dictionary its "definitions" are not intended to be the ultimate authority on anything - just useful introductions written by professionals. There are very few illustrations and no maps. This book is actually cheap on a per page basis (even cheaper on a per word basis) and a very good buy.
Rating:
Summary: One-volume Encyclopedia
Review: My own copy has a printing error: a good thirty pages under the letter C are misplaced (though still within the letter C). I don't know if this happens to other copies as well. If so, the publisher should be ashamed of itself. (Besides, we're talking about the OUP here!) The OCD is of course the most authoritative one-volume reference book on Greece and Rome (but not the whole ancient Mediterranean). It is not for amateurs except those who need very specific questions answered ("slavery" for example, or maybe "sexuality"). How many of us can own the entire set of Cambridge Ancient History? This is a useful substitute. This book calls itself a "dictionary" although it really is an encyclopedia arranged alphabetically. Hence the lack of an index, which is too bad. Even many one-volume encyclopedias nowadays have an index at the back to cross reference every conceivable item. Think how many times "Alexander III ('the Great,'of Macedon)" would appear in this book - certainly not just in the one single entry devoted to him. This is my main humble criticism. Because it is not really a dictionary its "definitions" are not intended to be the ultimate authority on anything - just useful introductions written by professionals. There are very few illustrations and no maps. This book is actually cheap on a per page basis (even cheaper on a per word basis) and a very good buy.
Rating: 
Summary: the new 3rd edition classical dictionary
Review: The "Oxford Classical Dictionary" is a gem of a reference book, which far surpasses any other edition available in its class. With over six thousand entries, covering any topic imaginable in the sphere of the Greco-Roman world, this dictionary will come as a relief and a reward to the aspiring student and the accomplished scholar. This seventeen hundred-page dictionary is well worth its weight and should be on the shelves of anyone interested in the multifaceted occurrences of the classical world. This authoritative volume has no equal--nothing may be compared with it--and it is highly recommended. For a more convenient sized edition of the OCD, which treats the lives of influential men throughout antiquity, see Simon Hornblower's "Who's Who in the Classical World" (Oxford Paperback Reference).
Rating:
Summary: "A Gem of a Reference Book"
Review: The "Oxford Classical Dictionary" is a gem of a reference book, which far surpasses any other edition available in its class. With over six thousand entries, covering any topic imaginable in the sphere of the Greco-Roman world, this dictionary will come as a relief and a reward to the aspiring student and the accomplished scholar. This seventeen hundred-page dictionary is well worth its weight and should be on the shelves of anyone interested in the multifaceted occurrences of the classical world. This authoritative volume has no equal--nothing may be compared with it--and it is highly recommended. For a more convenient sized edition of the OCD, which treats the lives of influential men throughout antiquity, see Simon Hornblower's "Who's Who in the Classical World" (Oxford Paperback Reference).
Rating:
Summary: Must-have reference!
Review: The book is even better than I had expected (and I am quite picky). The content is vast, the entries are detailed and well-written, and the range of information is amazing -- strongly concentrating on Greek and Roman lore/culture/history but not limited to only that. One could curl up by the fireside and have a great read anytime with this weighty tome. I should note that the binding quality is superior--- a _sewn_ binding, not one merely pasted together with glue--- so you don't have to worry about splitting the spine by opening the book too wide! This publication is a great value, especially in today's economy, and I highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: The Most Exhaustive Reference Guide to Antiquity
Review: The Oxford Classical Dictionary is the most reputed if not exhaustive reference guide to every conceivable subject involving antiquity. Whether one seeks information on Julius Casear or birth-control, this book has it all. Each topic is organized alphabetically and has a detailed section with bibliographical references to contemporary works as well as classical sources. There's simply no comparable book available other than perhaps Adkins & Adkins, A Handbook To Life In Ancient Rome and A Handbook To Life In Ancient Greece: even so, although those books are great reference guides in their own right, they are obviously more limited in what subjects/civilizations they cover. In comparison, The Oxford Classical Dictionary covers Greco-Roman civilization ad nauseam; it even has brief summaries about other classical civilizations such as the Persians, Parthians, Phoenicians, Scythians, etc. Although I wouldn't recommend this as a first book for the casual novice, this book is indispensible for all serious classical scholars and academicians. It is isn't cheap but the amount of information in this text makes it worth every penny. Owning one myself and having benefitted immensely from it in my own studies, I most strongly recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: I couldn't do without it!
Review: This badly-needed third edition of the OCD (the standard English-language reference to classical studies) is a fabulous work. It includes a great many new articles and adds the latest scholarship to the older pieces without replacing those that have withstood the test of time. Each article includes an excellent bibliography that points the reader to the better modern studies and the various editions of classical texts, and from there the reader can dive into a detailed study of any topic with confidence that he is being led to solid scholarly works. In addition, articles are keyed to the standard (and much larger) German reference, Pauly-Wissowa's "Real-Encyclopadie." This new edition of the OCD features contributions from an international team of scholars, and while debates will naturally arise from some of their interpretations, this remains an absolutely indispensible reference work for the scholar, student, and interested general reader. Ignore it (and the classical tradition generally) at your peril.
Rating: 
Summary: Let's Stick to the Source
Review: This book is a "must" for classical studies. The scant comparison I've done with its 1949 forerunner leaves me with the impression that both an old and a new version of the book are necessary for a personally satisfying education. Possibly this can be elucidated with the following comparison: Under the entry "Ancaeus" there's a wonderfully pithy aphorism attributed to his servant, spoken just prior to the mortal attack of a wild boar: In the 1949 edition it's given in Greek as "polla metaxy pelei kylikos kai kheileos akroy". In the current edition there is no Greek, just an English translation, "Many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip" (as close as I can recall). It's a relatively simple task for any first year student to translate the Greek; why lose the essence of the saying and its potential multiple interpretations to some distilled translation? -- especially one that uses a limiting idiom? If we keep going in this direction, where will the Greek Classics be in another 2000 years? It's one thing to use loose translations in prose, it's quite another to use them in reference books -- especially when it's as good and potentially valuable a reference book as this one. I say KEEP THE GREEK!
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