Description: "The Greeks: Crucible of Civilization" is a unique introduction to the world of Homer, Plato, and Aristophanes, written by the world's premier chronicler of ancient Greek life and culture. Blending personal history and meticulous scholarship, Paul Cartledge, Professor of Greek History at Cambridge University, tells the unforgettable story of classical Greece's rise and fall through the stories of fifteen of its heroes: generals such as Epaminondas, statesmen such as Pericles, artists such as Sappho, philosophers such as Socrates and Aristotle.

Each person in this biographical history serves as an actor on the world stage and an embodiment of a major theme in the development of the Greek world. As well, Cartledge's list of ancient Greece's men and women goes beyond the usual suspects and celebrates the true depth and diversity of the ancient Greek world. The story of the poet Sappho opens a window onto the role of homosexuality in ancient times; the story of Pasion's scandalous trial for illegal business practices offers a view of the role of slavery in ancient Athens. This exquisite history is a personal tour through the formative years of Western civilization that brings the ancient Greeks to life, and forces us to reevaluate our commonly held assumptions about them.

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