Greece: An Oxford Archaeological Guide (Oxford Archaeological Guides) - Softcover

Mee, Christopher; Spawforth, Tony

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0192880586 ISBN 13: 9780192880581

Publisher: Oxford University Press, 2001

Synopsis

Greece, with all its temples, cities, and sanctuaries created by Europe's most formative ancient civilization, is a must-see for the archaeological traveler. This valuable new addition to the acclaimed Oxford Archaeological Guides series provides coverage of all the main archaeological sites in Greece, ranging from prehistory to the sixth century A.D. . The individual sites are arranged by region, and include Philip's Tomb at Vergina, the Palace complex at Mycenae, the Temples of the Acropolis, the Hellenistic city of the Messene, and the Roman colony of Corinth. Also included in the book are 'partner factor' ratings that rank the most worthwhile sites for travelers to visit during their stay. An up-to-date introduction surveys Greece's landscape, history, and archaeology from the Neolithic period to the end of antiquity, and places the sites in their cultural context. Finally, there is a chronology for reference and a glossary of essential terms.

About this title

Review

In the mid-second century A.D., a widely traveled geographer named Pausanias made an exhaustive survey of the major cities, temples, and byways of Greece, writing one of the world's first travel books in the bargain. Two millennia later, British archaeologists Mee and Spawforth follow in Pausanias's footsteps, correcting and updating his observations and providing clear directions on how to reach such fabled places as Orchomenos, Thermopylae, and Eleusis.

Mee and Spawforth write from an on-the-ground point of view, orienting readers toward significant ruins and points of interest at more than a hundred sites. Some of them, such as the Acropolis of Athens, Sparta, and Pylos, are well known to archaeologically inclined travelers; only the most seasoned of them, however, will have attained the authors' knowledge, helpfully shared, of how to gain the best view of Mount Olympos or the Temple of Athena Nike or how to find the Sacred Spring at Corinth. Other sites, such as the Middle Helladic ruins of Tiryns and the Temple of Apollo at Bassai, are somewhat more obscure, but, in the authors' estimation, well worth a visit for their historical and scenic value alike. The book is well illustrated with maps, architectural plans, drawings, and photographs, and includes abundant sidebars that expand on historical and cultural points in the text.

Mee and Spawforth's book makes a first-rate companion for travelers to Greece, and a useful reference for the home library as well. --Gregory McNamee

About the Author

Tony Spawforth is Professor of Ancient History and Greek Archaeology at Newcastle University and Curator of the Shefton Museum of Greek Art there. He was co-editor of the Oxford Classical Dictionary and the Oxford Companion to Classical Civilization. Christopher Mee is Professor of Classical Archaeology at the University of Liverpool.

Edition details

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0192880586
• ISBN 13: 9780192880581
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 480