The Greeks

"When we think of the Greeks, what comes to mind first is likely to be the artistic and scientific achievements of the group of city-states led by Athens and Sparta around two and a half thousand years ago-a civilization that laid foundation for much of the arts, science, politics, and law throughout the developed world today. But the story of the Greeks is far more than the story of this classical civilization alone. Greek is one of only three languages, along with Chinese and Hebrew, that have been continuously spoken and written for more than 3000 years. The Greeks traces the story of Greek-speakers all the way back to the beginning of recorded history, and all the way forward to today. As historian Roderick Beaton shows, the Greeks produced a series of civilizations that were both deeply interconnected and characterized by constant reinvention, fighting different enemies, trading with different partners, worshipping different gods, and even calling themselves by different names. While they continuously inhabited the same southeastern corner of Europe, Greeks again and again ranged widely across the globe. Bronze Age Mycenaeans were warriors and traders who built fortresses at home and far-reaching trade routes abroad. Alexander the Great, a pupil of Aristotle, spread classical art and learning across Eurasia through his conquests. Greeks living under Roman rule produced their own distinct version of Roman civilization, and pious Byzantines for nearly a thousand years sought to export Christianity worldwide. Today Greece's debt makes its future in the E.U. uncertain, while its diaspora flourishes on five continents. Drawing upon Beaton's decades of research, The Greeks maps out this millennia-spanning story, revealing how Greek speakers developed a shared sense of identity and how they forever influenced the world"--