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personal interest stories about the philosophers, the great leader Pericles, Alexander the Great, and King Ptolemy the ancestor of Cleopatra

scientific discoveries in medicine, astronomy, and mathematics economic growth and failures, natural resources and trade with other countries

cultural development and social interests from sports and the Olympics to dance and music, the arts of sculpture and painting, architecture, clothing and jewelry facts about Greek literature- comedy and drama, poetry and prose: Homer’s The Iliad and The Odyssey, Pindar and Thucydides the evolution of Greek mythology and other religions- legends, shrines, festivals, and patron saints- and how the Greek myths and Jewish beliefs influenced the evolution of Christianity in-depth analysis of Greek’s three famous philosophers: Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle the sequence of events in Greece’s rise and decline including distinct ages and eras, wars, power struggles, boundary disputes, government leaders, and evolving philosophies from 1400 BC to 30 BC Will Durant offers a wide variety of information in this 700 page tome: There are valuable lessons to be learned by studying the history of any great empire, though it is somewhat frightening in knowing that history has often repeated itself. He patiently takes you from the glorious days at the pinnacle of power to the devastating destruction caused by war, internal strife and political disorder, a corrupted government, depletion of natural resources, and the decay of moral values and waning patriotism. Covering approximately 1000 years- give or take a hundred- Durant schools the reader on the empire’s rise and fall. In reading Greek history there is a lot to absorb. He keeps things interesting, is thorough, and he goes out of his way to explain the big picture… that is, tying together the sequence of events within a country with what is happening at the same moment elsewhere around the globe. One of the enjoyable things about Durant’s writing is his books are truly ‘readable’. And if your opinion differs, please let me know as I’d be forever grateful. I have yet to find an author on ancient history who writes any better than Will Durant.