We hope that this work will not be a major mistake, neither in terms of writing nor publication. The word mistake comes from the verb to escape, which means to escape someone's attention. We have tried to ensure that at least the events we consider significant have not escaped us, in the sense that even small ones had some implications.

The focal point of our entire work is the Greek world, but we did not limit ourselves to it. We expanded, to the extent that is humanly possible, to the entire world, European and otherwise. Thus, within such a broader context, our position in the world can be better understood.

We are not the navel of the earth. However, as will be evident, we are a world with a significant contribution to human life. We do not overestimate or underestimate it. If we place more emphasis on our own history, it is because the knowledge of the world should begin with a deeper understanding of ourselves.

[Excerpt from the text of the preface]