Lively, up-to-date, and balanced, Ancient Greece: A Political, Social, andCultural History introduces readers to the history and civilization of ancientGreece in all its complexity and variety, from its first beginnings in theBronze Age (c.3000 BC) through the Hellenistic Era (c.150 BC). Employing a trulybalanced approach to history--integrating political, military, social, andcultural aspects--the authors show how the early Greeks borrowed from theirneighbors but eventually developed a distinctive culture all their own; one thatwas marked by astonishing creativity, versatility, and resilience. The book goeson to trace the complex and surprising evolution of Greek civilization to itseventual dissolution as it merged with a variety of other cultures. Using thephysical evidence of archaeology, the written testimony of literary texts andinscriptions, and anthropological mdoels based on comparative studies, the fourrenowned authors provide a thoughtful, sophisticated account of the Greek worldwhich is accessible even to readers with little or no knowledge ofGreece.