Greek City States

When people think of ancient Greece, images of philosophers such as Plato or Socrates often come to mind, as do great warriors like Pericles and Alexander the Great. But hundreds of years before Athens became a city, a Greek culture flourished and spread its tentacles throughout the Western Mediterranean region via trade and warfare. Scholars have termed this pre-Classical Greek culture the Mycenaean culture, which existed from about 2000 to 1200 BCE, when Greece, along with much of the Eastern Mediterranean, was thrust into a centuries-long Dark Ages.

Bloomsbury presents Greek To Us: The Fascinating Ancient Greek That Shapes Our World, written and read by John Davie Ancient Greek lives on in our culture in surprising ways. Sometimes funny - the word for an actor, hupokrites, gives us ‘hypocrite’; sometimes beautiful - an astronaut is...

Very few of the ancient empires and nations were able to challenge the Romans, who were famous for their military might. Even fewer were able to make them shiver just by mentioning their name. In fact, only one enemy of Rome managed to engrave such fear into their bones. That was Carthage, sometimes called the Carthaginian Empire. It was a formidable state that stretched across northern Africa, from Algeria and Tunisia to the shores of Morocco and southern Spain.

Modern perceptions of Classical Greece are almost invariably based on Athens and Sparta, but Corinth was also a key city-state in antiquity. When St. Paul visited in 51 CE, the Corinth he saw was actually a relatively new city, having been built a little over 100 years previously, but he found a city five times larger than Athens at that time and one which was the capital of a prosperous province.

The Greco-Persian Wars are often portrayed as a battle between good and evil. This is simultaneously an exaggeration and an oversimplification, but there is no doubt that this war, or series of wars, fought between some of the most powerful civilizations of the ancient era helped to plot the course of human history that we have been following up until this very day.

Slavery was a universal and totally accepted feature of ancient Greek society, so much so that while the conditions under which slaves lived and worked varied considerably, many ordinary citizens kept at least one slave, often working alongside their owners, while larger commercial enterprises involved huge numbers, many of whom could rise to positions of authority and wealth. It was possible for some slaves to buy their freedom, while others lived and died in conditions of appalling brutality.

If you want to discover the captivating history of the Peloponnesian War, then pay attention. The Peloponnesian War enveloped the entire Greek world, from Syracuse on the island of Sicily to the shores of western Turkey. It ravaged the Greek population and produced great hardships, and it led to the eventual downfall of the Athenian Empire and the rise of the Spartan Empire. 

The reasons for so little being known about Thebes and its contributions to ancient Greek civilization are complex, but the fact that it was totally destroyed by Alexander the Great is certainly one. Unlike Athens and Sparta, there are no magnificent structures still extant - indeed, the scale of the destruction meted out to Thebes was so great, that very few artifacts of any kind have been discovered that enable a full picture of life in the city. With the very notable exception of Pindar, Thebes did not produce significant numbers of philosophers or playwrights.

Learn the stories behind iconic ancient Greek coins and discover their profound impact on civilization in this vividly rendered, utterly captivating book by renowned historian and numismatist Gareth Harney, perfect for history buffs and coin collectors alike. It was the Greeks who invented money...

Experience the sweeping drama of ancient history and medieval warfare as city-states evolve into a Christian empire. Perfect for your daily commute or deep-focus learning, this immersive narrative transforms two thousand years of politics, philosophy, and conquest into one continuous...

Experience epic military history where fragmented underdog factions unite to defy the ancient world's mightiest empire. Whether you are commuting or settling in for a focused learning session, this dramatic narrative transports you straight to the battlefields of antiquity. Feel the rising...

Explore the epic ancient history of rival city-states and brutal warfare that birthed Western civilization's core ideas. Perfect for your daily commute or a focused learning session, this immersive journey transports you directly to the rugged Mediterranean. Experience the dramatic clash of...

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Perfect for your commute, this epic ancient history chronicles the dramatic rise, fall, and rebirth of democracy. From rocky Aegean settlements to a bustling modern metropolis, witness three millennia of political evolution. Whether traveling to Greece or satisfying a curiosity for antiquity...

Experience the epic clash of ancient empires and the birth of democracy in a sweeping narrative of triumph and ruin. Perfect for your daily commute or a focused deep dive, this immersive journey transforms a jumble of dates into a continuous, unforgettable story. Walk the rugged Mediterranean...

Witness the epic clash of ancient history and political drama, evolving from mythic gods to the birthplace of democracy. Perfect for your daily commute or a rapid learning session, this fast-paced narrative condenses millennia of triumphs, betrayals, and philosophical breakthroughs into an...

Explore ancient history's most feared warrior society and the devastating human cost of absolute military supremacy. Perfect for an educational commute or focused learning session, this immersive audio experience shatters Hollywood myths to reveal a fiercely disciplined civilization struggling...

Witness the epic clash of ancient empires and discover the dramatic birth of democracy in this immersive history journey. Transform your daily commute into a time-traveling adventure across the rugged Aegean landscape. Stand on the frontlines of hoplite warfare and listen to the fierce debates...

Dive into the gripping military history of ancient Greece’s most feared warrior society and its inevitable collapse. Perfect for an engaging commute or a focused educational deep dive, this intense narrative brings the brutal reality of legendary hoplite soldiers to life. Discover the...