War. Empire. Philosophy. The world of the ancient Greeks was fascinating, brutal and beautiful in equal measure. All About History transports you to the age of the city-states: meet the Athenians jostling for power at the Pnyx, before visiting a Spartan martial camp, then watching the Cretans play sport. You'll learn what it meant to be Greek, thousands of years ago. Peel open the pages and discover the rise and fall of the Western world's first civilisation.
ALL ABOUT HISTORY Book Of ANCIENT GREECE
Map of Ancient Greece • A small land that gave the world so much, Ancient Greece continues to influence and inspire over 2,000 years on
The beginnings of Ancient Greece • From the dark beginnings of human civilisation, Greece has been a fascinating country on the forefront of human development in the West
Trojan War myth
The Greek cityscape
8000 BCE - 479 BCE
479 BCE - 1896
LIFE & SOCIETY
The Greek city-states • Several contributing factors led to the rise of the city-state, or polis, in Ancient Greece, shaping the history of the Western world
The Olympic Games
The olive tree
Greek city-states • The most powerful and influential territories in Greece’s classical era
Everyday life in Ancient Greece • From the wealthiest citizens to the poorest slaves, discover what day-to-day life was like in the city-states
How was society structured?
The peril of ostracism • Fed up with another citizen? Send them into exile!
What was domestic life like?
Pillow talk • Jump in bed with the Ancient Greeks to discover the truth behind prostitution and pederasty
How were children taught?
This is Sparta • How did Greece’s militaristic city-state train a new generation of warriors?
What jobs did Greeks do?
Slavery to success • Not all slaves were condemned to a life of drudgery – these men escaped the shackles and made their life a success
How democracy was born • The city-state of Athens brought the foundations and the functioning of democracy to the world in the 5th century BCE
The Laws Of Draco
Through ostracism
ART & CULTURE
The greatest minds of Ancient Greece • Ancient Greece was home to some of the most important thinkers and philosophers who ever lived
Plato’s Allegory of the Cave
The trial and death of Socrates
The philosophy of Ancient Greece • In the beginning there were myths. The earliest societies told themselves outlandish stories in order to make sense of the world. Then came the philosophers
Plato’s Republic
Platonic idealism
The Ancient Olympics • Explore the origins of the Olympics, from the festival, athletes and events to the mythology
The sanctuary of Olympia in the 2nd century • Bristling with statues of victorious athletes, Olympia was dominated by the marble-roofed Temple of Zeus. Beyond Pelops’ grave-mound, the original wooden columns of the Temple of Hera (700 BCE) were gradually replaced in stone, while to the northeast the stadium was separated from the sanctuary by an artificial rise
Timeline
The arts in Ancient Greece • From inventing drama to revolutionising sculpture, the Greeks produced many great works of art that continue to inspire us today
How the stage was set
The Elgin Marbles
Ancient Greek theatres • We discover how these massive amphitheatres were built and used
The role of masks
The art of architecture • The Greeks didn’t just build some of the world’s most iconic buildings; they inspired future generations to build even more
The Greek wonders of the world • Awe-inspiring architecture, from striking statues to impressive...
