Introducing the Ancient Greeks: From Bronze Age Seafarers to Navigators of the Western Mind

In this extraordinarily easy to read and fascinating introduction to the history of the Ancient Greeks, Hall takes the reader on an epic journey that would make Homer proud. Beginning with Mycenae and ending with the period of the Emperor Julian in the late fourth century CE, Hall explores the Ancient Greek identity, looking at ten specific characteristics.The period covered is quite long, about 1600 years or so, but Hall successfully keeps the reader engaged through her prose and through the subject matter itself. The Ancient Greeks were probably the most influential civilization that continues to shape the modern (Western) world. From Mycenae and the Minoans to Homer and the "Dark Ages" to the period of colonization of the Mediterranean and Black seas to the beginnings of Athenian Democracy. From the wars with Persia for the future of the freedom of the Ancient Greek cities to Athenian imperial overreach that led to the Peloponnesian War and continuing on through the epic achievements in varied fields such as astronomy, mathematics, political theory, and philosophy, Hall narrates a story that is at once familiar but that is also new as she interweaves new findings and discoveries about the Ancient Greeks.The book continues on into the conquests of Alexander when the Greek language and Greek ideas were spread throughout the Near East and the Hellenistic World arose as a result. This is probably one of my favorite periods in ancient Greek history and Hall does a superb job of providing clarity for a politically complex period that was at the same time filled with magnificent advances in art and the sciences. She next explores what the conquest of the Romans meant for the Greeks and for the Romans themselves. And finally she looks at the coming of Christianity and its effects on the Ancient Greek mind and the world that those minds had created.This is a superb introduction that is easy to read. Definitely recommended for anyone interested in the Ancient Greeks.

One of the best history books I've read. Enjoyable. It is not simple minded.The two 1-star reviewers miss the point - look if you want to memorioze dates, this is not the book for you and I would say, you probably aren't really interested in History at all. I think because, in a way, she stakes a viewpoint in the first page or two, which is very straight-forward by the way, it might freak out those who are uber sensitive to the pc stuff. I was pleasantly surprised and found it very refreshing she did not obfuscate any truth of the matter or push a political view-point. Also, it is FACT, the abrhamic religous folks of the day DID destroy the great library centers all over the greco-roman world and they murdered a bunch of intellectuals. Macedonian rulers who put themselves up as gods and the Roman tyrants who endorsed monotheistic religion, together, are the biggest factor that caused our descent into darkness for over a thousand years.What she does do very well is get you the important information with context. I mean, how do you teach almost 2000 years of history of the most important civilization that has ever existed? She's read the many hundreds of volumes of texts and critiques so I dont have to, nice job!For instance, the fact that she doesnt imply that the idea of Democracy was an "a ha!" moment but instead traces its origins through Greeek culture, their other concepts of life, etc. She doesn't ignore, like a high school history book does, the fact that all of these people in and around the med, the caucaus states, central asia and europe all intermingled. They traded, shared knowledge and learned from one another - of course the Greeks culture let them dominate intellectually for a long while.

a good overall surveyshe's strong on the poetry and literature of the greeks--not so much on the math and philosophyp.114 Pythagorean triple- the statement she makes is true that the Babylonians discovered this 1st, Plimpton 322; however i wanted more about how triples don't necessarily get you to the Pythagorean theorem (see Hidden Harmonies by Robert Kaplan p.9-29 for more)I wanted more on irrational numbers and how they threw the Pythagorean s for a loop until Eudoxus could clean things up with magnitudes.Also with Euclid and on how his way of organizing his definitions, axioms and theorems is what change mathematics it superseded almost all other mathematical treatises and set the standard on how you should do a proof.On the philosophy side, i wanted more on how Plato and Aristotle were so different and how Aristotle s focus on the senses as a basis for knowledge led us to what we now call the scientific method.And with Christian heresies, how the greek word homoousios and greek logic were at the root of so much conflict-- people were killing each other over this.I also would have liked a chapter on the legacy of the greeks-- the Arabs spent much time and money translating greek math and philosophy (but alas not the poetry and literature) which was the basis for many of their advancementsOr on how the translation of greek (and arab texts) in medieval Spain caused the Catholic church much angst when people started applying greek logic to everything.True this is a survey and you have to limit somehow; I just felt the math and philosophy could have been fleshed out more.

Esse livro foi tudo o que eu esperava e ainda mais. Recomendo fortemente para quem quiser iniciar-se em Antiguidade Grega.100/100.

Fácil de leer y muy informativa, da una buena idea de cómo era la vida de los griegos en la antigüedad y como fueron evolucionando su manera ee pensar y sus instituciones.

類書と異なる視点からの解説が面白い。しかし、予備知識をかなり必要とします。人名や地理、用語はもちろん、古典叢書を読んでいると楽しめると思います。わたしは機械翻訳を使って、いろいろな事典とインターネットで確認しながら読んでいるので、とっても時間がかかります。　古代ギリシアの特徴　海の民ミケーネ人　ギリシアの創世　池の周りのカエルとイルカ　好奇心が旺盛なイオニア人　アテナという開かれた社会　スパルタの不可解さ　競争心旺盛なマケドニア人　異教の神王と図書館　ギリシアの心とローマの力　異教徒のギリシア人とキリスト教徒

I bought this book for my granddaughter who is studying Greek at University.It came promptly and is in perfect condition and has been welcomed by her as a great addition to her studies.Thank you very much!

Of the several quotes on the back cover of the book, the one that comes closer to my own assessment of the book's narrative is by Ian Rickson: 'Her writing is so clear and accessible, yet full of complex reflections and revelations.'Reading the book you are impressed with the erudition of its author on ancient Greeks, the traits with which were endowed, their culture and historical evolution covering a huge time span from 1600 BC to 400 AD, her sharpness of mind and wit, the meticulous research she conducted for the specific book, its exemplary organization and structure, original conception,and master narration.The author argues convincingly that most ancient Greeks shared ten particular qualities most of the time which collectively underpinned the Greek miracle. These comprised seagoing, suspicious of authority, individualistic, inquiring, open to new ideas, witty, competitive, admired excellence, elaborately articulate, and addicted to pleasure including sensual pleasure.The author brilliantly organizes the book in ten chapters - ten periods of Greek history, each paired with a fundamental characteristic. In this way the reader obtains both an insight in Greek history and an elaboration of the ten traits.Analytically the ten chapters comprise: the Mycenaean world from 1600 to about 1200; the emergence of the Greek identity between the tenth and the eighth centuries; the era of colonization and tyrants in the seventh and sixth; the early scientists in Ionia and Italy in the sixth and fifth; democratic Athens in the fifth; Sparta in the early fourth; Macedonia in the late fourth (chapters six and seven); Hellenistic kingdoms in the third to the first centuries; Greeks under the Roman Empire; and the relationship between pagan Greeks and early Christians leading up to the triumph of the new monotheistic faith at the end of the fourth century AD.A gem of a book.