'Monumental . . . A wonderful book.' Peter Frankopan'Magisterial . . . remarkable.' Guardian'Erudite and highly readable . . . An authoritative guide to the cou

"Most ancient cultures disappeared with scarcely a trace, their effect upon our modern way of life of little consequence. The Greeks, however, continue to influ

What do we mean when we speak of ancient Greeks? A person from the Archaic period? The war hero celebrated by Homer? Or the fourth century "political animal" de