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Over 470 colour photographs
Over 30 artworks

• An astonishing visual record of the magnificent classical architecture, art and social history of ancient Greece from Minoan Greece to the reign of Cleopatra



• All the styles and building techniques of Greek architecture clearly explained, with a wealth of information on sculpture, vase painting, frescoes and mosaics



• Discover the pantheon of Olympian gods, from Aphrodite and Apollo to Poseidon and Zeus, and the many colourful myths and legends that shaped Greek culture



• Over 500 glorious colour photographs, illustrations, maps and reconstruction drawings reveal the glory that was Greece and bring to life the ancient civilisations of Athens and Sparta



• Focuses on the political importance of the Greeks, and the formulative philosophies, from democracy to tyranny, from anarchy to monarchy, that shaped the modern world



• Contains an accessible biographical history including great philosophers such as Homer, Socrates and Plato, and great playwrights, such as Aristophanes, Sophocles and Euripides

The social history of ancient Greece and its architecture and art have shaped the Western world. In this absorbing history, an expert accessible text and carefully selected pictures describe the birth of the world's first great classical civilization, from the time of Minoan Crete to the reign of Cleopatra.

Split into two parts, the book first traces the origin of the magnificent artistic achievements of Greece, describing the rise of Greek architecture with the Minoans and Mycenaeans, the Doric, Ionian and Corinthian styles that developed, and the cities and religious sites such as Athens, Olympia and Delphi that this architectural expression was used to create.

It then goes on to discuss and beautifully illustrate the sculptures, vase paintings and mosaics that adorned the great Greek houses and public buildings, including Timotheus, the first master of the female form, Lysippus, the most prolific of the 4th century BC sculptors and the glories of the Hellenistic Golden Era.

The second section delves deep into Greek society and looks at how its belief system and philosophy underpinned its great achievements. Religion and mythology; the theatre; literature; philosophy, science and technology; athletics and sport; and work and leisure are all comprehensively discussed, detailing the many wonders of Greece - the first Olympic games, the great drama festivals where plays by Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides were performed, and the schools and academies where pupils studied with such great philosophers as Socrates and Plato, and many more.

Over 500 fine-art illustrations and photographs of temples, archaeological sites, sculptures, paintings and vases make this an indispensable source for anyone wanting to discover the rise and fall of ancient Greece for themselves.

About the Authors

Nigel Rodgers - Author

Nigel Rodgers, who has a degree in History and History of Art from Cambridge University, has written widely on history, philosophy and art. He has a lifelong interest in classical studies and is the author of The Rise and Fall of Ancient Rome and The Roman World (both published by Lorenz Books). His recent books also include biographies of Hitler and Churchill (Hodder and Stoughton) and, with Mel Thompson, Philosophers Behaving Badly (Peter Owen).