Greek History: The Basics The Basics

Greek History: The Basics is a concise introduction to the study of Ancient Greece from the end of the Bronze Age (c. 1200BC) to the Hellenistic era. With a chapter on each key period of Greece's ancient history, the book covers all of the central topics, approaches and issues including: The invention of politics and the rise of democracy The central role played by the Greek city The insights gleaned from cultural, political, demographic and economic history The possibilities and problems of working with different types of sources Featuring maps, timelines, annotated guides to further reading and chapter summaries, this book is an ideal introduction for all students of Greek history.

Greek History: The Basics is a concise and compelling introduction to the study of Ancient Greece from the end of the Bronze Age to rule by Rome. With a chapter on each crucial period of Greece’s ancient history, the book covers the key topics, approaches and issues at the heart of Greek History, including: • The invention of politics and the rise of democracy • The central role played by the Greek city • The insights from cultural, political, demographic and economic history • The benefits and pitfalls of working with different types of sources. Featuring maps, illustrations, a timeline and annotated guides to further reading, this book is an engaging and authoritative introduction for students of Ancient Greek History.

Introduction 1. Familiar but exotic: why Greece needs history 2. Inventing the Greek polis 3. How many Greeks were there and how did any of them survive? 4. Law, tyranny and the invention of politics 5. Making enemies 6. The city of freedom and expression 7. The unity and diversity of the Greek city 8. The time of Alexander the Great 9. The Hellenistic Era

Robin Osborneis Professor of Ancient History at the University of Cambridge and a Fellow of King’s College, Cambridge and of the British Academy.