The Rise and Fall of Classical Greece The Rise and Fall of Classical Greece
Book 1 - The Princeton History of the Ancient World

The Rise and Fall of Classical Greece

    • 4.5 • 2 Ratings
    • $13.99
    • $13.99

Publisher Description

A major new history of classical Greece—how it rose, how it fell, and what we can learn from it

Lord Byron described Greece as great, fallen, and immortal, a characterization more apt than he knew. Through most of its long history, Greece was poor. But in the classical era, Greece was densely populated and highly urbanized. Many surprisingly healthy Greeks lived in remarkably big houses and worked for high wages at specialized occupations. Middle-class spending drove sustained economic growth and classical wealth produced a stunning cultural efflorescence lasting hundreds of years.

Why did Greece reach such heights in the classical period—and why only then? And how, after "the Greek miracle" had endured for centuries, did the Macedonians defeat the Greeks, seemingly bringing an end to their glory? Drawing on a massive body of newly available data and employing novel approaches to evidence, Josiah Ober offers a major new history of classical Greece and an unprecedented account of its rise and fall.

Ober argues that Greece's rise was no miracle but rather the result of political breakthroughs and economic development. The extraordinary emergence of citizen-centered city-states transformed Greece into a society that defeated the mighty Persian Empire. Yet Philip and Alexander of Macedon were able to beat the Greeks in the Battle of Chaeronea in 338 BCE, a victory made possible by the Macedonians' appropriation of Greek innovations. After Alexander's death, battle-hardened warlords fought ruthlessly over the remnants of his empire. But Greek cities remained populous and wealthy, their economy and culture surviving to be passed on to the Romans—and to us.

A compelling narrative filled with uncanny modern parallels, this is a book for anyone interested in how great civilizations are born and die.

This book is based on evidence available on a new interactive website. To learn more, please visit: http://polis.stanford.edu/.

GENRE
History
RELEASED
2015
May 4
LANGUAGE
EN
English
LENGTH
448
Pages
PUBLISHER
Princeton University Press
SELLER
Princeton University Press
SIZE
24.7
MB
Escape from Rome Escape from Rome
2019
The Lessons of History The Lessons of History
2012
Foragers, Farmers, and Fossil Fuels Foragers, Farmers, and Fossil Fuels
2015
Against the Grain Against the Grain
2017
The Great Leveler The Great Leveler
2018
Why the West Rules—for Now Why the West Rules—for Now
2010
The Threshold of Democracy The Threshold of Democracy
2022
Primates and Philosophers Primates and Philosophers
2009
Demopolis Demopolis
2017
The Civic Bargain The Civic Bargain
2023
The Greeks and the Rational The Greeks and the Rational
2022
Democracy and Knowledge Democracy and Knowledge
2008
The Fate of Rome The Fate of Rome
2017
1177 B.C. 1177 B.C.
2021
SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome
2015
The Dawn of Everything The Dawn of Everything
2021
2034 2034
2021
The Art of War The Art of War
2010