The Book of the Ancient Greeks

Dorothy Mills' The Book of the Ancient Greeks opens a vivid gateway into the ancient Mediterranean, the highway of early civilization, and traces Greek history from its earliest Aegean beginnings to the end of Greek independence. It blends myth, archaeology, politics, and daily life into a sweeping portrait of a people whose achievements in art, religion, literature, and public life shaped the Western world. The story begins in Crete, where legends of Zeus, Minos, the Minotaur, Daedalus, and the Labyrinth are brought into focus by the discoveries at Knossos, revealing the brilliant Minoan culture behind the fairy tale. From there, Mills follows Greece into the age of the Persian Wars and the rise of Athens, capturing the splendor of classical life under Pericles and the tensions that led to the Peloponnesian War. She brings the city to life through homes, dress, schools, theater, temples, trade, pottery, and the daily routines of citizens, merchants, and craftsmen. Rich, accessible, and evocative, this is both a history of ancient Greece and a study of its enduring spirit. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.