The World of the Ancient Greeks - Book Review

Science News, Nov 16, 2002

JOHN CAMP AND ELIZABETH FISHER

Tracing 3,500 years of ancient Greek culture from the Paleolithic era to the Ottoman Empire, this survey reveals the myriad ways in which these people made unparalleled contributions to the rise of Western civilization. This story is told as much by abundant maps, pictures of artifacts, and diagrams of dwellings as by the written word. Individual chapters examine gods and heroes, art and architecture, and the rise of Athens and the ways of its people. An overriding theme throughout the book is the struggle of the Greeks to interact peaceably with the Persians, Romans, and Minoans and their capacity to adapt through the centuries. Also evident is the Greeks' lasting impact on endeavors from modern politics to athletics. Thames Hudson, 2002, 224 p., color/b&w photos/illus., hardcover, $34.95.