[Dummies 01] • The Ancient Greeks For Dummies by Batchelor, Stephen -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

Title Contents Introduction

About This Book Conventions Used in This Book How This Book Is Organised Icons Used in This Book Where to Go from Here

Part I : Travelling Back in Time

Chapter 1: When, Where, What, Who? Meeting the Ancient Greeks

Understanding Why the Ancient Greeks Matter Meeting the People of Ancient Greece Locating Ancient Greece Clarifying When It All Happened Talking the Talk: Ancient Greek Language

Chapter 2: Encountering Prehistoric Civilisations: The Minoans and Mycenaeans

Starting at the Beginning: The Minoan Civilisation Meeting the New Kids on the Block: The Mycenaeans

Chapter 3: Shedding Light on Ancient Greece’s Dark Ages

Surviving the Dorian Invasion Travelling into a New (Dark) Age

Chapter 4: Governing by Kings, Tyrants, and (Eventually) Democrats

Shaping the New Societies Surviving the Cycle of Tyranny Enter Solon: A Man of the People Bouncing Back to Tyranny Getting to Know the Spartans Considering Kleisthenes: The Beginnings of Democracy

Chapter 5: Fighting and Warring: Greece Gets Heavy

Joining the Fight Living for Killing: The Spartans Sink or Swim: At War on the Waves

Chapter 6: East versus West: The Persian Wars

Powering Up the Persians Going the Distance: The Battle of Marathon Having Another Go: Greece versus Persia II Heralding the Real Winner: Athens

Part II : Athens to Alexander: The Rise and Fall of Empires

Chapter 7: Athens and Empire Building

Establishing the Delian League: Athens Comes Out on Top Expanding its Influence: The Delian League Goes into Action Navigating Athenian Democracy Examining the Athenian Legal System

Chapter 8: Dealing with the Neighbours from Hell: The Peloponnesian War

Engaging in the First Cold War Fighting the Main Event: The Second Peloponnesian War

Chapter 9: Losing Their Way: The End of Classical Greece

Weathering Tough Times: Athens Wrapping Up the Peloponnesian War Mounting Problems in the Persian Empire Waging the Corinthian War Celebrating the Hegemony of Thebes

Chapter 10: Rising Quickly to the Top: Macedonia

Meeting the Macedonians Taking Over: Philip’s Successes Enjoying Prosperity at Pella Taking Over the Family Business: The Rise of Alexander the Great Squelching the Theban revolt

Chapter 11: Crowning the Undefeated Champion of the World: Alexander the Great

Popping In on the Persian Empire Spin versus Reality: The Reasons for Invasion Taking a Surprising Turn: Alexander in Egypt Hunting Down Darius Returning to Babylon and Ruling the Empire

Chapter 12: What Happened Next?

Having a Bad Heir Day: Alexander’s Successors Raising Hell: The Hellenistic Kingdoms Fading Away: The End of Ancient Greece Living On: Rome and Beyond

Part III : Living a Greek Life

Chapter 13: Out in the Fields: Farming, Herding, and Travelling

Scratching a Living Growing Grapes and Making Wine Getting Around in Ancient Greece

Chapter 14: Home and Family

Appreciating the Household: The Oikos Spending Time with the Women of Ancient Greece Marrying and Divorcing Starting Out in Life: Children Examining Slavery Connecting with Alien Life: Metics

Chapter 15: Going About Daily Life in Ancient Greece

Biding Their Time: The Greek Calendar and Clock Managing Your Money Dining and Delighting Drinking It Up Pondering Sex and the Ancient Greeks Seeking Medical Assistance

Chapter 16: Plays and Pugilism: Enjoying Ancient Greek Entertainment

Making Art Onstage: Greek Theatre Getting Physical: Athletics and the Olympic Games

Chapter 17: Depicting Men, Women, and Gods in Art

Defining Greek Art Surveying Greek Sculpture: Men with No Noses Inviting the Gods to Dinner: Greek Vase Painting Finding Beauty Elsewhere: Other Arts and Crafts

Chapter 18: Building Beautiful Greek Architecture

Building for the Masses: Ancient Greek Temples Constructing Temples Building More than Temples

Part IV : Mythology, Religion, and Belief

Chapter 19: Going Back to the Beginning: Myths and Gods

Demystifying Myths Starting Out: Greek Creation Myths Putting the Gods in Their Place Meeting the Olympians: X-Rated Deities Transitioning from Greek to Roman

Chapter 20: Blending Myth and History: Troy, Homer, and Heroes

Separating Myth and History Passing On – and Pumping Up – the Story of Troy: Homer Meeting Other, Earlier Heroes

Chapter 21: Practising Everyday Religion: ‘A God Put It in My Heart to Say’

Dying – In Theory and Practice Worshipping the Gods Pondering and Predicting the Future Taking Oaths: ‘I Promise!’ Having Fun with the Gods: Festivals and Cults

Chapter 22: Trying to Figure Everything Out: Greek Philosophy

Making the Case for Philosophy Meeting the Early Greek Philosophers Creating the ‘New Philosophy’ with Socrates Leaving Philosophy to the Professionals: Plato Meeting the Man Who Knew Everything: Aristotle Moving On: Hellenistic Science and Beyond

Part V : The Part of Tens

Chapter 23: Ten Great Greek Inventions

Archimedes’s Inventions The Railway The Steam Engine Vending Machines Writing History Comedy Money Musical Notation Democracy

Chapter 24: Ten Things to Read Next

The Iliad: Homer The Odyssey: Homer Oedipus the King: Sophocles The Histories: Herodotus Parallel Lives: Plutarch Early Socratic Dialogues: Plato The Ethics: Aristotle Frogs: Aristophanes The Idylls: Theocritus The Romans For Dummies: Guy de la Bedoyere

Chapter 25: Ten Dodgy Ancient Greek Characters

Alcibiades (451–403 BC) Odysseus Pausanias (died circa 450 BC) Demetrius (336–283 BC) Theseus Olympias (circa 370–316 BC) Alexander the Great (356–323 BC) Diogenes the Cynic (circa 412–321 BC) Jason Kleon of Athens (died 422 BC)

Chapter 26: Ten Great Places to Visit

The British Museum, London The Acropolis, Athens Knossos, Crete Delphi Olympia A Greek Play Samos or Another Greek Island Google Images The National Gallery, London The Agora, Athens

: Further Reading

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