First sentence
OUR knowledge of the prehistoric period, extending from the origins of Minoan and Mycenaean civilization to the end of the Great Migrations, is due in a great degree to archaeological discovery, which has clothed in a material form the myths and sagas transmitted by Greek oral tradition...
Description
This new edition of a well-known history of ancient Greece presents a modern interpretation of Greek ideas, culture, and history. Although the book's primary focus is on the political and military history of the Greek states, the prehistoric period and the intellectual, social, and economic backgrounds are also covered. N.G.L. Hammond's work thoroughly documents its ancent sources, and directs readers to further studies in the field. Updated and revised, the third edition adds new material on the significance of the spread of tumulus-burial in Albainia and the Mycenaean world, the dating of early coinage, the decree of Themistocles, and on aspects of the rule of Alexander the Great. Wide-ranging in scope, yet rich in detail, this work adds a modern perspective to the study of a fascinating ancient culture.