The history of ancient Greeks is one of the most remarkable stories of achievement on a global scale. A small nation, inhabiting a poor country and fragmented into hundreds of warring city-states, managed to create one of the most notable civilizations in the world.

Concise and balanced, the Concise History of Ancient Greece: Politics, Society, and Culture is a new, shorter version of the immensely successful book by the authors Ancient Greece: Political, Social, and Cultural History (OUP, 1998). Four leading experts in the classical world vividly and updated tell the story of Greece and its culture in all its complexity and variety, covering the period from the Bronze Age to the Hellenistic Period.

They incorporate the latest findings from archaeology, comparative anthropology, and the history of societies into the narrative. They show how the early Greeks utilized loans from their neighbors to ultimately develop their own unique culture, distinguished by its stunning creativity, adaptability, and flexibility.

The authors proceed to trace the complex and remarkable evolution of ancient Greek culture until its final dissolution and mingling with various other cultures. Using material evidence from archaeology, written evidence from literary texts and inscriptions, as well as anthropological models based on comparative studies, this comprehensive volume offers a presentation of the Greek world that is thorough and serious, yet still accessible and enjoyable for students and all kinds of readers with little or no prior knowledge of Greece.

[Excerpt from the text on the back cover of the edition]