Early Times: The Story of Ancient Greece

The Story of Ancient Greece traces the evolution of Greek civilization from the early Minoans in Crete through the Bronze Age to the Golden Age of the fifth century B.C., later covering Athens decline during and after the Peloponnesian War, the conquests of Alexander, and the Hellenistic Age. It describes and contrasts the cultures of Athens and Sparta through the centuries, and it explains how a democratic form of government evolved in early times and flourished in Athens during the fifth century. It highlights the literary and artistic achievements of the Golden Age, and it provides colorful glimpses into the daily lives of the people of this period, examining the roles of women as well as children, slaves, merchants, soldiers, and statesmen.A major section focuses upon myths and legends of the ancient Greeks. A detailed study of the origins of religious belief and the part the Olympians played in the lives of the early Greeks is enhanced by references to major well-known myths. Descriptions of the evolution of the Olympic Games, held to honor the god Zeus, provide another example of the omnipresence of the gods in Greek society. Students meet the bard Homer and learn about the major characters Achilles, Odysseus, Hector, and Penelope, for starters and, of course, the Olympians as well as a collection of sorceresses, monsters, and demons that populate his highly entertaining epics, The Iliad and The Odyssey. Later, they read about the search by nineteenth century archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann for the cities Troy and Mycenae that are described in the epics.The book includes analyses of the Persian and Peloponnesian Wars, with detailed references to the Greek historians who wrote about them. Students are encouraged to think about how these wars affected the evolution of ancient Greek society. The ideas of the great philosophers Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle are examined and compared. A final chapter examines the discoveries and achievements of the Greeks scientists before and during the Hellenistic Age.Each chapter in this comprehensive book concludes with review questions, ideas for discussion, and suggestions for projects relating to the text. Included are numerous maps, a timeline, a guide to pronunciation of Greek words, and charts of the Greek alphabet with English equivalents, Greek roots, prefixes, and suffixes, and words derived from Greek.