What This Policy Covers

This page describes how the Ancient History Library website (ambki.com) uses cookies, local storage and similar technologies. It explains the types of storage we set, the purposes they serve, and the choices available to you. Our aim is to be transparent about the small data files that may be placed on your device when you browse our catalogue of historical texts, such as A day in old Rome — Inside the Classic or The historians' history of the world series.

Essential Storage

Certain cookies and local-storage items are necessary for the site to function. These may include session identifiers that keep you logged in (if you choose to create an account), security tokens that protect against fraudulent requests, and technical settings that remember your language or region preference during a visit. These essential items are set automatically and cannot be disabled through our cookie-control tools because the site would not operate reliably without them. For example, without a session cookie, you would be unable to maintain a consistent reading session across multiple pages.

Preference Storage

We store your choices about which categories to browse, how to sort titles, and whether to view text in a larger font. Where enabled, these preferences are saved in a cookie or local-storage record so that your selections persist across sessions. You may clear these at any time through your browser settings; doing so will reset the interface to its default state. This storage is particularly helpful when you are exploring a category like Greece and wish to keep your filter settings between visits.

Analytics Storage

Where enabled, we use first-party analytics cookies and local-storage entries to collect anonymous, aggregated data about how visitors interact with the catalogue. This information helps us understand which sections are most used, whether search results are helpful, and how the site performs on different devices. The data is not shared with third parties for their own purposes, and no attempt is made to identify individual readers. For instance, we may learn that many readers access A guide to the Egyptian collections in the British Museum — Background and Themes on mobile devices, which helps us optimise the reading experience.

Advertising-Related Storage

If you see advertisements on this site, those ads may be delivered by Google and its partners. Google may place its own cookies (such as those used for the DoubleClick platform) and use local storage to serve ads based on your visits to this and other websites. This practice is subject to Google’s own privacy and cookie policies. You can manage your ad-preferences through Google’s Ad Settings page or by visiting yourchoices.eu. When no ads are displayed, no advertising storage is set. We do not control the specific cookies placed by ad networks, and we encourage you to review their policies separately.

Types of Storage We Use

• Session cookies – temporary files that expire when you close your browser. These are used to maintain your session as you move from one page to another, such as when reading The greatest story in the world, period 2 (of 3) — Themes and Context.
• Persistent cookies – files that remain on your device for a set period or until you delete them manually. These remember your preferences across visits, such as your chosen text size or category filters.
• Local storage – data stored in your browser’s web storage area that does not automatically expire but can be cleared through browser settings. This may be used to store reading progress or interface customisations.

We do not set fixed durations for persistent storage beyond what is technically necessary; typical durations range from a few hours to a few months depending on the purpose. For example, a cookie remembering your cookie preference may last for one year, while a session cookie lasts only until you close the browser.

Third-Party Storage

Apart from Google advertising technologies (where ads are displayed), we do not engage third-party services that set cookies or local storage on our site. Any embedded content from external sources (such as videos or maps) may set their own storage, and we encourage you to review those providers’ policies. For instance, if we embed a map showing archaeological sites, the map provider may place cookies to remember your zoom level or location.

Your Consent and Choices

When you first visit the site, a banner or overlay will inform you about non-essential storage. You may accept all optional categories, decline all, or customise your preferences. Your choice is recorded in a persistent cookie so that you are not asked repeatedly. You may withdraw or change your consent at any time by clicking the “Cookie Preferences” link available in the site footer. This link will reopen the consent banner, allowing you to adjust your settings.

Most browsers allow you to view, block or delete cookies and local storage on a per-site basis. Please note that disabling essential storage may cause parts of the catalogue to behave unexpectedly, such as losing your place in a long text like The history of England, from the earliest times to the Norman Conquest — Context and Discussion, or requiring you to re-enter search filters. We recommend that you do not disable essential storage if you wish to use the site fully.

Updates

We may revise this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the technologies we use or in legal requirements. The current version will always be available on this page. We encourage you to review it periodically to stay informed about how we use storage technologies.

If you have any questions about how we use storage technologies, you may contact our senior editor at editor@ambki.com.