I just had to laugh when I saw the previous reviewers comment that Peter Greens area of expertise was not ancient Greece. It certainly is! He has written a critically acclaimed biography of Alexander the Great, Alexander of Macedon 356-323 BC: A Historical Biography, ..., as well as numerous histories of many of the pivotal events in Ancient Greece.
This is a edited version of my review because some people are taking for too much offense at this short review. I advise them to read it again. Green is a specialist in the Hellenistic period, a culture quite different from the Classical city of Athens or the archaic development of the polis for example. If one reads the review below youll note that I did not trash this book, I pointed out that it was lacking evidence and topics btut also how it might best be used in a classroom. Im a college instructor so I think in terms of what I would use in a history class and how best to use it. I stand by what I said below because Im comparing the book to others of its type, and this book is not the best (that would earn 5 stars). You should also note the "?" in my title -- you are entitled to your own opinions but when people start sending me nasty private emails about my reviews, I can only feel sorry for their lack of professionalism. For the specialist, Greens book is too concise, short on evidence to support all of his "facts". However, for the introductory history class, it might be a good book if supplemented by cultural and social history by the instructor. It is clear that Greens area of specialization is not ancient Greece but he is knowledgable nonetheless.
Peter Green is correct in saying, "The Greeks have influenced Western society more, and more fundamentally, than any other nation in history." The Greeks introduced much of the vitality into our aesthetics, literature, ethics, and our language. Their wars with Persia saved the West. The Greeks insisted on making sense of things. The world must have an order, and the Greeks had the intelligence and fortitude to discover it. Likely, their elite were as close to gods as man has yet become. Athens, with about 50,000 citizens, produced more knowledge than todays cites of over a million. If you are a serious person on history this is the book for you.
