In 1872 Burckhardt, one of the preeminent historians of classical and Renaissance culture, presented this revolutionary work, which portrays ancient Greek culture as an aristocratic world and tyrannical state with minimal personal freedoms. This landmark culmination of 30 years of scholarship offers a rich cultural history of a fascinating society.
**** A reprint, without changes, of the Knopf edition, 1961 (which is cited in BCL3). Like the original (undoubtedly), this, too, is printed on acidic paper. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR
For many centuries it was accepted that civilization began with the Greeks and Romans. During the last two hundred years, however, archaeological discoveries in Egypt, Mesopotamia, Crete, Syria, Anatolia, Iran, and the Indus Valley have revealed that rich cultures existed in these regions some two thousand years before the Greco-Roman era. In this fascinating work, H.W.F Saggs presents a wide-ranging survey of the more notable achievements of these societies, showing how much the ancient peoples of the Near and Middle East have influenced the patterns of our daily lives. Saggs discussesthe the invention of writing, tracing it from the earliest pictograms (designed for account-keeping) to the Phoenician alphabet, the source of the Greek and all European alphabets. He investigates teh curricula, teaching methods, and values of the schools from which scribes graduated. Analyzing the provisions of some of the law codes, he illustrates the operation of international law and the international trade that it made possible. Saggs highlights the creative ways that these ancient peoples used their natural resources, describing the vast works in stone created by the Egyptians, the development of technology in bronze and iron, and the introduction of useful plants into regions outside their natural habitat. In chapters on mathematics, astronomy, and medicine, he offers interesting explanations about how modern calculations of time derive from the ancient world, how the Egyptians practiced scientific surgery, and how the Babylonians used algebra. The book concludes with a discussion of ancient religion, showing its evolution from the most primitive forms toward monotheism.
The third edition of Ancient Greek Civilization is a concise, engaging introduction to the history and culture of ancient Greece from the Minoan civilization to the age of the Roman Empire. Explores the evolution and development of Greek art, literature, politics, and thought across history, as well as the ways in which these were affected by Greek interaction with other cultures Now includes additional illustrations and maps, updated notes and references throughout, and an expanded discussion of the Hellenistic period Weaves the latest scholarship and archeological excavations into the narrative at an appropriate level for undergraduates
Writing with wit and erudition, Thornton discusses in fascinating detail those areas of Greek life--sexuality and sexual roles; slavery and war; philosophy and politics--that some modern critics have made into Rcontested sites.S He also reclaims the importance of those core ideas the Greeks invented, ideas about human fate and purpose that have shaped the modern world.
Monumental survey explores regional variations, virtues, and faults of city-states, discusses the fine arts, examines poesy and music, and presents perceptive accounts of enduring Greek achievements in philosophy, science, and oratory. 80 photographs, 25 black-and-white illustrations.
Contrary to a prevalent belief of the Western world, that democracy, agriculture, theater and the arts were the attainments of Classical Greek civilization, these were actually a Bronze Age fusion of earlier European concepts and Hellenic ingenuity. This work considers both the multicultural wellspring from which these ideas flowed and their ready assimilation by the Greeks, who embraced these hallmarks of civilization, and refined them to the level of sophistication that defines classical antiquity.
Students learn about the rich legacy of the ancient Greeks in this beautifully illustrated book about Greek mythology and civilization and how these are intertwined. Greek gods and heroes emerge from the stories told in this book, as well as the many landmarks and artifacts that were made to honor these ancient figures. Various traditions about the Greek religion, culture, and people are revealed. Readers learn about the structure of Greek city-states and about different traditions and inventions, including those of clothing and jewelry, entertainment, warfare, science and education, agriculture, trade, and transportation.
This broadly-based history offers a new look at the origins of western civilization and highlights the changes that transpired in Greece between 1200 BC and the ascendancy of Rome. Interspersed throughout the text are translated primary sources and brief accounts of what was occurring in the rest of the eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East during the classical period.
