The Greeks: A Global History

More than two thousand years ago, the Greek city-states, led by Athens and Sparta, laid the foundation for much of modern science, the arts, politics, and law. But the influence of the Greeks did not end with the rise and fall of this classical civilization. In The Greeks, historian Roderick Beaton reveals how over three millennia, Greek speakers have produced a series of remarkable civilizations whose impact has been felt across the globe. In every era, Beaton reveals, Greeks have reinvented themselves, fighting different enemies, trading with different partners, worshipping different gods, and even calling themselves by different names. The Bronze Age Mycenaeans built powerful fortresses at home and strong trade routes abroad. During the Hellenistic period, the competing city-states of the classical world were united under the control of the powerful, Greek-speaking Alexander the Great, whose dramatic Eurasian conquests transformed Greek into a world language. It was in Greek that the foundational texts of the Christian religion were first written. Later, the pious Greeks of the Byzantine Empire built a far-reaching, monotheistic civilization that for nearly a thousand years was the envy of the West. Today the Greek diaspora flourishes on five continents, and the rich cultural heritage of classical Greece thrives around the world. The product of decades of research, this is the sweeping and enthralling story of the Greeks told as never before. Basic Books, Hardcover, 1st Edition, 1st Printing, 2021 THIS IS A BRAND NEW BOOK.…