This definitive full-color guide traces the development of the Greeks, their impact on the ancient world, and their influence on our own attitudes and environment.

The cradle of Western civilisation, Ancient Greece was a land of contradictions and conflict. Intensely quarrelsome and competitive, the Greek city-states consistently proved unwilling and unable to unite. Yet, in spite of or even because of this internal discord, no ancient civilization proved so dynamic or productive. The Greeks not only colonized the Mediterranean and Black Sea areas but set standards of figurative art that endured for nearly 2500 years.

The authoritative narrative of Greece, this book charts topics as diverse as Minoan civilization, the Persian Wars, the Athenian Golden Age and the conquests of Alexander the Great. Illustrated with over sixty full-colour maps and over seventy plates, this is an indispensable handbook for students and history enthusiasts alike.