The history of ancient Greece and Rome follows the thread of Greco-Roman culture with an astonishing narrative that spans over six millennia, from the end of the Bronze Age to the 7th century AD, utilizing an impressive blend of archaeological, philological, and epigraphic sources. "The book you hold in your hands is a personal historical narrative. It aspires, in a limited number of pages, to transform a vast amount of historical information into an accessible chronicle that will help the reader understand not only the temporally distant ancient society that gave us Homer and so much more, but also the later centuries of antiquity, when a new and seemingly unstoppable force—the Romans—assimilated and perpetuated the cultural heritage of classical Greece. For centuries, even when Christianity had firmly established itself, the ancient Greeks, their way of life, and their cultural traditions found refuge behind the armed legionaries guarding the Roman Empire. Thanks to the Romans, many pieces of ancient Greek culture survived into the medieval years. Some have reached our time. This book narrates the story of a 'civilization.' To my eyes, as I see it now, two millennia later, the Greco-Roman civilization is actually the foundation for all sorts of wonders today. My story speaks of a civilization created by many hands and, like all stories, it has a beginning." From the author's preface "Thorough and highly enjoyable, it literally brings the past to life."  Peter Francopan "A wonderful history of the ancient world, an exceptionally insightful look."  Paul Cartledge