A History of Ancient Greece in Fifty Lives

**The first book to tell the Greek story through the interconnecting lives of the men and women who shaped its politics and literature, its science and philosophy, its art and sport** The political leaders, writers, artists, and philosophers of ancient Greece turned a small group of city states into a pan-Mediterranean civilization, whose legacy can be found everywhere today. But who were these people, what do we know of their lives, and how did they interact with one another? In this original new approach to telling the Greek story, David Stuttard weaves together the lives of the movers and shakers of the Greek world into a continuous narrative, from the early tyrant rulers Peisistratus and Polycrates, through the stirrings of democracy under Cleisthenes to the rise of Macedon under Philip II and Alexander the Great and the eventual decline of the Greek world as Rome rose. Moving from Sicily to Afghanistan, and from Macedonia to Alexandria; delving into the worlds of mathematics and geography, rhetoric and historiography, painting and sculpture; exploring the accounts of historians and mystics, poets and dramatists, political commentators and philosophers, this book creates a vivid picture of life in all arenas of the ancient Greek world. As well as the most famous politicians and writers, in these pages the reader will meet less well-known figures such as Milo, the Olympic wrestler who led his home town in a time of crisis; Aspasia, the brilliant female intellectual, who taught rhetoric to Socrates; and Epaminondas, the Theban who taught tactics to Philip of Macedon and so destroyed his own city. 80 illustrations, 60 in color The Political Leaders, Writers, Artists And Philosophers Of Ancient Greece Turned A Small Group Of City States Into A Pan-mediterranean Civilization, Whose Legacy Can Be Found Everywhere Today. But Who Were These People, What Do We Know Of Their Lives And How Did They Interact With One Another? In This New History Of Greece, David Stuttard Takes An Original Approach, Weaving Together The Lives Of The Movers And Shakers Of The Greek World Into A Continuous Narrative, From The Early Tyrant Rulers Peisistratus And Polycrates, Through The Stirrings Of Democracy Under Cleisthenes To The Emergence Of Macedon Under Philip Ii And Alexander The Great And The Eventual Decline Of The Greek World With The Rise Of Rome. History And Identity In The Ancient Greek World -- 1. Of Gods And Heroes : Hesiod And Homer: The Birth Of The Gods And The Ages Of Man ; Homer And The Beginnings Of Biography ; The Logographoi And The Stirrings Of Historiography -- 2. The Age Of Tyrants : Peisistratus (?c. 605-528) Tyrannos Of Athens ; Polycrates (?-522) Tyrannos Of Samos ; Sappho (post 630-c. 570) Lyric Poet ; Pythagoras (c. 570-c. 485) Philosopher, Mystic And Mathematician ; Milo (c. 555-?) Wrestler And General ; Hippias (?-490) Tyrannos Of Athens ; Cleisthenes (570-?507) Democratic Reformer ; Histiaeus (?-?494) Tyranos Of Miletus ; Miliades (c. 554-489) Tyrannnos And General -- 3. Greece In Peril : Cimon (c. 510-450) Politician And General ; Themistocles (524-459) Politician And General ; Leonidas (c. 540-480) Spartan King ; Gelon (?-478) Tyrannos Of Syracuse ; Hieron (?-467) Tyrannos Of Syracuse ; Pindar (c. 522-c. 442) Lyric Poet ; Aeschylus (525/4-456/5) Tragic Playwright -- 4. The Age Of Pericles : Pericles (495-429) Statesman And General ; Herodotus (c. 484-?420s) Historian ; Sophocles (497/6-405) Tragic Playwright And Politician ; Empedocles (c. 495-?) Philosopher And Mystic ; Protagoras (490-420) Philosopher ; Pheidias (c. 480-c. 430) Sculptor ; Aspasia (c. 470-c. 400) Intellectual -- 5. World War : Alcibiades (450-404) Politician And General ; Cleon (?-422) Politician And General ; Thucydides (c. 455-c. 395) General And Historian ; Aristophanes (c. 446-c. 386) Comic Playwright ; Euripides (c. 485-406) Tragic Playwright ; Zeuxis (?460-?) Artist ; Gorgias (485-380) Philosopher And Rhetorician ; Socrates (?469-399) Philosopher --6. Fallout : Xenophon (c. 430-c. 354) General, Historian, Lierary Innovator ; Lysander (?-395) Spartan General ; Epaminondas (c. 418-362) Theban General ; Lysias (445-380) Orator And Speech-writer ; Demosthenes (384-322) Orator And Politician ; Plato (c. 427-348/7) Philosopher ; Aristotle (385/4-322) Philosopher -- 7. The Age Of The Dynasts : Alexander Iii (356-323) King And Conqueror ; Ptolemy I (367-283) General And Dynast ; Demetrius Of Phalerum (c. 347-c. 283) Governor Of Athens And Scholar ; Menander (342-291) Comic Playwright ; Apelles (pre 360-?c. 295) Artist ; Epicurus (341-270) Philosopher -- 8. In The Shadow Of Rome : Pyrrhus Of Epirus (319-272) King And General ; Apollonius Of Rhodes (pre 270-?232) Poet And Scholar ; Archimedes (c. 287-212) Mathematician And Inventor ; Attalus I (269-197) King And General ; Philopoemen (253-183) Statesman And General ; Polybius (200-118) Politician And Historian -- 9. Lives In A Mirror -- Maps -- Glossary -- Timeline -- Who's Who -- Further Reading. David Stuttard. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. History and identity in the ancient Greek world 1. Of gods and heroes : Hesiod and Homer: the birth of the gods and the ages of man ; Homer and the beginnings of biography ; The Logographoi and the stirrings of historiography 2. The age of tyrants : Peisistratus (?c. 605-528) tyrannos of Athens ; Polycrates (?-522) tyrannos of Samos ; Sappho (post 630-c. 570) lyric poet ; Pythagoras (c. 570-c. 485) philosopher, mystic and mathematician ; Milo (c. 555-?) wrestler and general ; Hippias (?-490) tyrannos of Athens ; Cleisthenes (570-?507) democratic reformer ; Histiaeus (?-?494) tyranos of Miletus ; Miliades (c. 554-489) tyrannnos and general 3. Greece in peril : Cimon (c. 510-450) politician and general ; Themistocles (524-459) politician and general ; Leonidas (c. 540-480) Spartan king ; Gelon (?-478) tyrannos of Syracuse ; Hieron (?-467) tyrannos of Syracuse ; Pindar (c. 522-c. 442) lyric poet ; Aeschylus (525/4-456/5) tragic playwright 4. The age of Pericles : Pericles (495-429) statesman and general ; Herodotus (c. 484-?420s) historian ; Sophocles (497/6-405) tragic playwright and politician ; Empedocles (c. 495-?) philosopher and mystic ; Protagoras (490-420) philosopher ; Pheidias (c. 480-c. 430) sculptor ; Aspasia (c. 470-c. 400) intellectual. 5. World war : Alcibiades (450-404) politician and general ; Cleon (?-422) politician and general ; Thucydides (c. 455-c. 395) general and historian ; Aristophanes (c. 446-c. 386) comic playwright ; Euripides (c. 485-406) tragic playwright ; Zeuxis (?460-?) artist ; Gorgias (485-380) philosopher and rhetorician ; Socrates (?469-399) philosopher 6. Fallout : Xenophon (c. 430-c. 354) general, historian, literary innovator ; Lysander (?-395) Spartan general ; Epaminondas (c. 418-362) Theban general ; Lysias (445-380) orator and speech-writer ; Demosthenes (384-322) orator and politician ; Plato (c. 427-348/7) philosopher ; Aristotle (385/4-322) philosopher 7. The age of the dynasts : Alexander III (356-323) king and conqueror ; Ptolemy I (367-283) general and dynast ; Demetrius of Phalerum (c. 347-c. 283) governor of Athens and scholar ; Menander (342-291) comic playwright ; Apelles (pre 360-?c. 295) artist ; Epicurus (341-270) philosopher 8. In the shadow of Rome : Pyrrhus of Epirus (319-272) king and general ; Apollonius of Rhodes (pre 270-?235) poet and scholar ; Archimedes (c. 287-212) mathematician and inventor ; Attalus I (269-197) king and general ; Philopoemen (253-183) statesman and general ; Polybius (200-118) politician and historian 9. Lives in a mirror Maps Glossary Timeline Who's who Further reading. The Political Leaders, Writers, Artists And Philosophers Of Ancient Greece Turned A Few City States Into A Pan-mediterranean Civilization. But Who Were These People, What Do We Know Of Their Lives And How Did They Interact With One Another? This Highly Readable, Original New Approach To Telling The History Of Greece Weaves Together The Lives Of The Movers And Shakers Of The Greek World Into A Continuous Narrative Up Until The Rise Of Rome. From Mathematics To Politics, From Painting And Sculpture To Sport, The Reader Will Meet Both The Famous And Less Well-known Figures Such As Milo, The Olympic Wrestler; Aspasia, The Brilliant Female Intellectual; Zeuxis, The Painter Who Invented Trompe L'oeil; And Epaminondas, Who Taught Tactics To Philip Of Macedon. David Stuttard Has Written Numerous Books On The Classical World Including 'the Parthenon: Power And Politics On The Acropolis'.