The civilisation of the Ancient Greeks has been immensely influential on the language, politics, educational systems, philosophy, science and arts of Western culture. As well as instigating itself as the birthplace of the Olympics, Ancient Greece is famous for its literature, philosophy, mythology and the beautiful architecture- to which thousands of tourists flock every year.
This entertaining guide introduces readers to the amazing world of the Ancient Greeks. It offers a complete rundown of Greek history alongside fascinating insights into daily life in Ancient Greece and a captivating overview of Greek mythology. Readers will discover how this ancient culture came to be the cornerstone of Western civilisation and the enormous influence it has had on our language, politics, education, philosophy, science, arts and sport.
- The history of Ancient Greece remains a wide topic of interest, particularly renowned for its influential and diverse culture
- This basic guide will allow greater access to this vibrant area of study, and provide a distinct and light-hearted approach to this vast area history
- Covers dozens of topics, including; the early civilisations, war & fighting, home & family, day-to-day life and much, much more!
About the author
Steve Batchelor is a lecturer in Classics at Richmond College and has been teaching ancient history for 10 years. He has written reviews for various publications, including History Today, and he has also been involved in running guided historical tours of Greece.
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Introduction 1
Part I: Travelling Back in Time 7
Chapter 1: When, Where, What, Who? Meeting the Ancient Greeks 9
Chapter 2: Encountering Prehistoric Civilisations: The Minoans and Mycenaeans 21
Chapter 3: Shedding Light on Ancient Greece’s Dark Ages 33
Chapter 4: Governing by Kings, Tyrants, and (Eventually) Democrats 41
Chapter 5: Fighting and Warring: Greece Gets Heavy 55
Chapter 6: East versus West: The Persian Wars 67
Part II: Athens to Alexander: The Rise and Fall of Empires 81
Chapter 7: Athens and Empire Building 83
Chapter 8: Dealing with the Neighbours from Hell: The Peloponnesian War 97
Chapter 9: Losing Their Way: The End of Classical Greece 113
Chapter 10: Rising Quickly to the Top: Macedonia 127
Chapter 11: Crowning the Undefeated Champion of the World: Alexander the Great 139
Chapter 12: What Happened Next? 153
Part III: Living a Greek Life 163
Chapter 13: Out in the Fields: Farming, Herding, and Travelling 165
Chapter 14: Home and Family 177
Chapter 15: Going About Daily Life in Ancient Greece 191
Chapter 16: Plays and Pugilism: Enjoying Ancient Greek Entertainment 205
Chapter 17: Depicting Men, Women, and Gods in Art 221
Chapter 18: Building Beautiful Greek Architecture 237
Part IV: Mythology, Religion, and Belief 247
Chapter 19: Going Back to the Beginning: Myths and Gods 249
Chapter 20: Blending Myth and History: Troy, Homer, and Heroes 267
Chapter 21: Practising Everyday Religion: ‘A God Put It in My Heart to Say’ 281
Chapter 22: Trying to Figure Everything Out: Greek Philosophy 293
Part V: The Part of Tens 307
Chapter 23: Ten Great Greek Inventions 309
Chapter 24: Ten Things to Read Next 315
Chapter 25: Ten Dodgy Ancient Greek Characters 321
Chapter 26: Ten Great Places to Visit 327
Index 333
Over de auteur
Stephen Batchelor is a lecturer in Ancient History and Classical Studies. He writes reviews for
History Today and
Current Archaeology.
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