The Ancient Greeks For Dummies

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.

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

Stephen Batchelor is a lecturer in Ancient History and Classical Studies. He writes reviews for History Today and Current Archaeology. Get to grips with ancient Greek mythology and philosophy.

Uncover the cornerstone of western civilisation.

If ancient history is all Greek to you, then this is the lively and straight-talking guide you've been waiting for. From academics and athletes, wars and warriors, to Athens and epic empire building, Ancient Greeks For Dummies introduces you to the fascinating history and culture of ancient Greece. You'll discover who the ancient Greeks were, where they came from, how they lived, and how their influence can still be felt around the world today.

Discover :

• How the ancient Greeks created civilisation as we know it
• Greek gods and heroic mythology
• What made Alexander so great
• The lasting legacy of ancient Greek philosophy and science
• Great Greek inventions

• Explanations in plain English
• 'Get in, get out' information
• Icons and other navigational aids
• Tear-out cheat sheet
• Top ten lists
• A dash of humour and fun

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