Ancient Greece: A Very Short Introduction - Softcover

Cartledge, Paul

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0199601348 ISBN 13: 9780199601349

Publisher: Oxford University Press, 2011

Synopsis

This highly original introduction to ancient Greece uses the history of eleven major Greek cities to illuminate the most important and informative aspects of Greek culture. Cartledge highlights the role of such renowned cities as Athens (birthplace of democracy) and Sparta, but he also examines Argos, Thebes, Syracuse in Sicily, and Alexandria in Egypt, as well as lesser known locales such as Miletus (home of the West's first intellectual, Thales) and Massalia (Marseilles today), where the Greeks introduced the wine grape to the French. The author uses these cities to illuminate major themes, from economics, religion, and social relations, to gender and sexuality, slavery and freedom, and politics.

About this title

About the Author:

Paul Cartledge is the inaugural A.G. Leventis Professor of Greek Culture at the University of Cambridge.

Review:

Review from previous edition: "Paul Cartledge, Cambridge don and doyen of Classicists, once again shows why he is the surest and most engaging guide to the ancient world. Ancient Greece: A history in Eleven Cities is a tremendously readable tour d'horizon that goes far beyond Athens and Sparta
to explore the roots of Greek civilisation."

--Justin Marozzi, Evening Standard 21.11.09

"Paul Cartledge has here pulled off a remarkably clever feat of compression and organization, and will once again place very many readers in his debt. Brilliantly carried through."

--Simon Hornblower, co-editor of The Oxford Companion to Classical Civilization

"A wonderfully concise - and witty - introduction to an ever-popular subject."

--Sir John Boardman, co-editor of The Oxford History of Greece and the Hellenistic World

"A rare work, a compelling historical narrative that is also a useful guidebook"

--Peter Stothard, Wall Street Journal 8/5/2010

"Cartledge's success lies in his ability to negotiate a path between similarity and difference; with proper scholarly detachment, he stresses how different the Greeks were; with an eye to broader historical trajectories, he reflects on the grounds for their continuing fascination."

--Tim Rood, Times Literary Supplement 11/06/2010

"A rare work, a compelling historical narrative."

--Peter Stothard, Wall Street Journal 08/05/2010

"Thoroughly stimulating book."

--Tom Holland, BBC History 01.12.2009

"Cartledge is master of his subject."

--Peter Jones, Literary Review 01/12/2009

"Paul Cartledge... once again shows why he is the surest and most engaging guide to the ancient world."

--Justin Marozzi, Evening Standard 29/11/2009

"A tremendously readable tour d'horizon that goes far beyond Athens and Sparta to explore the roots of Greek civilization."

--Justin Marozzi, Evening Standard 19.11.09

About this edition

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 0199601348
• ISBN 13: 9780199601349
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 184