Ancient Greece

Although brief at only 38 pages, this is a very well designed and written book on the Greeks intended for school-age children and younger readers. Using cutting-edge graphics in their usual effective way, the author and DK brings the life and times of the ancient Greeks alive in this nicely done little volume. I note that the author has written more than 60 children's books on various history topics, and has personally visited many of the major historical sites in his 12 trips to Greece. Prof. Hugh Bowden, who teaches ancient history at King's College of London, also served as consultant on the book. So the qualifications of the writers appear to be top-notch.The book is organized into two-page spreads which present important events and aspects of Greek culture and history. Topics included are The Trojan Horse, Ancient Beginnings, Legends and Myths, The Greek Revival, Sea Battles, Greeks at War, Private Lives, Power and Politics, The Parthenon, Religions and Worship, Greek Theater, The Olympics, King of Macedon, Alexander the Great, and The Greek Legacy. Five of the above spreads are presented using transparent overlays to enhance the display or to show how a building like the Parthenon appears now versus the artist's reconstruction.Although far older than the intended age-group for this book, I read most of it and picked up some interesting things myself. I'm interested in archaeology, ancient history, and military history, and another of the overlays deals with the famous sea battle of Arginusae, which took place in 406 B.C. I learned that the Greek triremes were much more complex than I had thought. There were 170 oarsmen in three rows (hence the name of the ship); a crew of 10 sailors, 5 officers, and a helmsman to steer; marines consisting of 10 Hoplite soldiers (named for their big, colorful shield, the hoplon), with spears and shields to protect the ship during boarding or to attack another ship; 4 Scythian archer mercenaries from the area of the Black Sea; and a Trierarch or captain, usually a wealthy Athenian who could pay for the cost of the ship. The Hoplites and sailors were paid, however, by the city-state.The main battle strategy was for the ships to ram each other with the metal-reinforced prows, and they could make 10 knots at full speed, which was enough to crash through the thickly timbered hulls of the ships. After the battle, the sea was full of wreckage and 20,000 dead or dying men, which gives some idea of the scale of the naval operations that were possible even back then. Although Athens won this battle, they eventually lost the 27- year war with Sparta.All in all another well-designed, well-written, and visually appealing offering in DK's extensive history and ancient history series.