What do you think?
Rate this book
A Brief History of Ancient Greece: Traveling the Hellenistic World: An Odyssey Through Political Dynasties and Cultural Mosaics
Take a brief and introductory voyage to the dawn of Western civilization and explore the fascinating seaside country whose culture and politics shaped the foundations of our modern society.Theatre, sculpture, the Olympics, and Ancient Greece paved the way for modern civilization. Its stories–about Oedipus, Hercules, and the Odyssey–still thrill us today.
But what about the ancient Greek world makes it so pivotal? Why, thousands of years later, does it still captivate our imaginations, not to mention form the basis for streams of legal and political proceedings?
Maybe you’re curious about the origins of science and medicine or the true story behind myths like the Trojan War and legends like Alexander the Great–stories still alive and the subject of major motion pictures thousands of years later.
The cultural legacy of the Greeks was so significant that even Rome, who conquered Greece, assimilated much of their culture, adopting Greece’s political traditions as their own. Encompassing art, mythology, science, and history, Greek civilization laid the groundwork for many elements of contemporary life.
In this book, you’ll explore Ancient Greece's history, culture, and politics. In a concise, entertaining, and easy-to-read narrative, you’ll
How Greece’s unique geographical pockets influenced its growthWhat prehistoric and “Dark Age” civilizations contributed to later cultureWhere modern traditions like marathons and the Olympics came fromWhy the fifth century BCE is known as the “Golden Age” of AthensWhat caused the decades-long Peloponnesian war between Athens and SpartaWhy military leaders like Darius of Persia, Pericles, and Alexander the Great had so much influenceHow revolutions in thought, art, and politics were the crucible of Ancient Greece
And much more.
Whether you’re looking for an introduction to Ancient Greece or a new source of study or documentary, this book will give you a clear overview of the Hellenistic world and the significant figures, events, and ideas that influenced it.
From Troy to Athens and beyond, you’ll journey through early Greece, bask in the light of its Golden Age, and retrace the stories, military campaigns, and artistic and scientific developments that paved the way for Western culture.
Reading this book will help
Grasp the historical significance of ancient Greek eventsFamiliarize yourself with some of the world’s most famous philosophers Appreciate the long-lasting impact of ancient Greek art and culture Gain a solid understanding of the role Greece played on the world stage
Ready to meet the founders of philosophy, science, art, and politics? Want to visit the Parthenon and follow Alexander the Great across the Aegean Sea? Scroll up and click the “Add to Cart” button to begin your odyssey.
But what about the ancient Greek world makes it so pivotal? Why, thousands of years later, does it still captivate our imaginations, not to mention form the basis for streams of legal and political proceedings?
Maybe you’re curious about the origins of science and medicine or the true story behind myths like the Trojan War and legends like Alexander the Great–stories still alive and the subject of major motion pictures thousands of years later.
The cultural legacy of the Greeks was so significant that even Rome, who conquered Greece, assimilated much of their culture, adopting Greece’s political traditions as their own. Encompassing art, mythology, science, and history, Greek civilization laid the groundwork for many elements of contemporary life.
In this book, you’ll explore Ancient Greece's history, culture, and politics. In a concise, entertaining, and easy-to-read narrative, you’ll
How Greece’s unique geographical pockets influenced its growthWhat prehistoric and “Dark Age” civilizations contributed to later cultureWhere modern traditions like marathons and the Olympics came fromWhy the fifth century BCE is known as the “Golden Age” of AthensWhat caused the decades-long Peloponnesian war between Athens and SpartaWhy military leaders like Darius of Persia, Pericles, and Alexander the Great had so much influenceHow revolutions in thought, art, and politics were the crucible of Ancient Greece
And much more.
Whether you’re looking for an introduction to Ancient Greece or a new source of study or documentary, this book will give you a clear overview of the Hellenistic world and the significant figures, events, and ideas that influenced it.
From Troy to Athens and beyond, you’ll journey through early Greece, bask in the light of its Golden Age, and retrace the stories, military campaigns, and artistic and scientific developments that paved the way for Western culture.
Reading this book will help
Grasp the historical significance of ancient Greek eventsFamiliarize yourself with some of the world’s most famous philosophers Appreciate the long-lasting impact of ancient Greek art and culture Gain a solid understanding of the role Greece played on the world stage
Ready to meet the founders of philosophy, science, art, and politics? Want to visit the Parthenon and follow Alexander the Great across the Aegean Sea? Scroll up and click the “Add to Cart” button to begin your odyssey.
- GenresNonfictionHistoryTravel
162 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 28, 2023
131 people are currently reading
39 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 2, 2024
A Brief History of Ancient Greece: Traveling The Hellenistic World: An Odyssey Through Political Dynasties And Cultural Mosaics is a compact and intriguing exploration that revisits Greece's history, culture, society, politics, and personalities.
Greece is a country located on the eastern edge of the Mediterranean Sea with thousands of islands throughout the Aegean Sea. At the mention of this stunning state, our minds conjure up various things such as the intriguing stories of Greek Mythology, magnificent temples, rugged terrain and landscapes, mountainous regions, and warm sandy beaches to its rural economy dominated by sheep and goat farming. The Greek Civilization, complex, dynamic, and prosperous in its own right, is marked by unique achievements, forming an indelible heritage with unrivaled influence. It is from this extensive history that Dominic Haynes' unbridled treatise springs forth, providing an enthralling panorama, brief indeed, but broad nevertheless, of ancient Greece.
In its seven tightly packed chapters, A Brief History of Ancient Greece provides us with an excellent overview of Greek History, beginning with its first chapter, "Dawn to Dusk: From Prehistoric Greece to The Greek Dark Ages (10,000–c. 800 BCE)” and concluding with "An Empire of One Man: The Twilight of Ancient Greece (359–323 BCE)" which describes the ascension to power of Alexander the Great, a power-hungry Macedonian who rose to power after the death of his father, Phillip II. Alexander would continue his father's military advancement, broadening his empire across the world before his death at the tender age of thirty-two.
Across the information-filled pages, Author Haynes' fresh voice shines as he delves deeper into the intricacies of the Dark Ages that began with the end of the Mycenaean civilization to the beginning of the Archaic period, an era marked by artistic developments in Greece. He does not stop there but takes a broader look at the ancient city-states that made up Greece. Some of these city-states are Corinth, a prosperous maritime polis that concentrated on commerce; Sparta, a martial powerhouse that demonstrated military excellence; Athens, a democratic and intellectual city-state; and Thebes, a city-state imbued with legend and folklore. The text leaves no stone unturned as it describes the inter-city states' conflicts, the Persian Wars, and the Peloponnesian War.
Dominic Haynes does a remarkable job uncovering the pedestal of Greece's unique history steeped in resiliency, inventiveness, and heroism, whose significant contributions continue to impact generations across the world. He has effortlessly managed to build credibility with the reader through the rigorous research he so visibly employed before writing this book. The text's accessible academic analysis makes it a perfect candidate for those seeking to dabble in ancient Greek history and for History classroom lessons.
Quill says: Haynes accomplishes something beautiful and stellar with A Brief History of Ancient Greece. Start your time machine and travel back into a great period in the history of a thriving modern destination from the comfort of your armchair.
Greece is a country located on the eastern edge of the Mediterranean Sea with thousands of islands throughout the Aegean Sea. At the mention of this stunning state, our minds conjure up various things such as the intriguing stories of Greek Mythology, magnificent temples, rugged terrain and landscapes, mountainous regions, and warm sandy beaches to its rural economy dominated by sheep and goat farming. The Greek Civilization, complex, dynamic, and prosperous in its own right, is marked by unique achievements, forming an indelible heritage with unrivaled influence. It is from this extensive history that Dominic Haynes' unbridled treatise springs forth, providing an enthralling panorama, brief indeed, but broad nevertheless, of ancient Greece.
In its seven tightly packed chapters, A Brief History of Ancient Greece provides us with an excellent overview of Greek History, beginning with its first chapter, "Dawn to Dusk: From Prehistoric Greece to The Greek Dark Ages (10,000–c. 800 BCE)” and concluding with "An Empire of One Man: The Twilight of Ancient Greece (359–323 BCE)" which describes the ascension to power of Alexander the Great, a power-hungry Macedonian who rose to power after the death of his father, Phillip II. Alexander would continue his father's military advancement, broadening his empire across the world before his death at the tender age of thirty-two.
Across the information-filled pages, Author Haynes' fresh voice shines as he delves deeper into the intricacies of the Dark Ages that began with the end of the Mycenaean civilization to the beginning of the Archaic period, an era marked by artistic developments in Greece. He does not stop there but takes a broader look at the ancient city-states that made up Greece. Some of these city-states are Corinth, a prosperous maritime polis that concentrated on commerce; Sparta, a martial powerhouse that demonstrated military excellence; Athens, a democratic and intellectual city-state; and Thebes, a city-state imbued with legend and folklore. The text leaves no stone unturned as it describes the inter-city states' conflicts, the Persian Wars, and the Peloponnesian War.
Dominic Haynes does a remarkable job uncovering the pedestal of Greece's unique history steeped in resiliency, inventiveness, and heroism, whose significant contributions continue to impact generations across the world. He has effortlessly managed to build credibility with the reader through the rigorous research he so visibly employed before writing this book. The text's accessible academic analysis makes it a perfect candidate for those seeking to dabble in ancient Greek history and for History classroom lessons.
Quill says: Haynes accomplishes something beautiful and stellar with A Brief History of Ancient Greece. Start your time machine and travel back into a great period in the history of a thriving modern destination from the comfort of your armchair.
September 8, 2025
A great intro & overview of early Greek history. Written in layman’s terms that’s easy to understand, I was able to read this in just one flight! The only drawback is that the author groups people and their actions together (rather than strictly chronological), so sometimes it can be a bit confusing when people or events are repeated.
If you enjoy Greek history & culture, this is an excellent quick-read, especially if you’re planning to visit the country! It provides so much insight into the different peoples, architecture, and cultural variances BEYOND what is even written in the book!
I’m so glad I read this before visiting the country and taking the historical tours! I don’t think I would have gotten as deep an appreciation for the Ancient Greeks without this book. Well done!
If you enjoy Greek history & culture, this is an excellent quick-read, especially if you’re planning to visit the country! It provides so much insight into the different peoples, architecture, and cultural variances BEYOND what is even written in the book!
I’m so glad I read this before visiting the country and taking the historical tours! I don’t think I would have gotten as deep an appreciation for the Ancient Greeks without this book. Well done!
December 18, 2023
interesting read
I’m always fascinated with ancient history and this book keeps you reading through the book to learn about Greece and its history’s it doesn’t bore you and give you many things to think about.
I’m always fascinated with ancient history and this book keeps you reading through the book to learn about Greece and its history’s it doesn’t bore you and give you many things to think about.
November 20, 2024
Skimmed mostly. But what i did read i found very interesting for our upcoming trip.
January 27, 2025
It does the job.
May 24, 2025
Short, sweet, and very general. Perfect for gaining some background info in case you ever have to teach some middle schoolers Ancient History.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews