The book by the distinguished researcher of classical Greece, Edith Hall, offers a synthesis of the entire ancient Greek experience, from the rise of the Mycenaean kingdoms in the 16th century BC to the final predominance of Christianity over paganism in AD 391.

Each of the ten chapters of the book visits a different Greek community at a different moment within the twenty centuries of ancient Greek history. Through this process, the book articulates and supports a strong, original argument: A set of unique characteristics made the Greeks so special, and also made them the right people at the right time to take up the mantle of human progress.

According to Herodotus, the father of history, what made the Greeks so recognizably and uniquely distinctive was their common descent from the same heroes, the way they sacrificed to their gods, the rules they had regarding a dignified way of life, and their beautiful language. However, Edith Hall argues that their temperament was equally important as their achievements, which today continue to inspire awe.

They were revolutionary, admired perfection, handled language exquisitely, and passionately loved pleasures. But most importantly, their enduring identity as seafarers— the fact that maritime travel was a way of life for them—was paramount. With her meticulous research and well-crafted articulation, the book "Ancient Greeks" represents a very useful contribution to our efforts to understand them.