Handbook to Life in Ancient Greece

Lesley and Roy Adkins' book on Greek civilization is a thourough categorical text covering everything from political institutions to fashion. The book also has extensive photographs and illustrations detailing countless subjects such as military formations and equipment, city plans and development, architecture, etc., etc. For a general reference guide, it's the most exhaustive, detailed, and accurate text I have ever found. A perfect book that can be easily used by adults or children, and teachers or students. A perfect classroom textbook for high school or general education-level college students. If you are just beginning to learn about Greek civilization, I strongly recommend this book above all other introductory texts: there's simply no comparison! As you learn more of the basic information, the book has an excellent bibliography and reference guide to authoritative books or academic texts that focus on a specific area. This book is truly one of the best investments one can make in the study of Ancient Greece.

This is an excellent overview of all major aspects of Ancient Greece. It is divided under a logical thematic scheme. There are plenty of pictures, illustrations, maps and chronologies to aid in conveying data. Each section has a bibliography for suggestions on where to delve deeper for more information. As a general introduction and quick reference, it can't be beat. Those wanting a deeper layer of detail will have to consult the books in the suggested bibliographies. This book was meant to be an affordable survey for the general reader, and in that scheme it does pretty well. If you read this along with the counterpart "Handbook to Life in Ancient Rome" you'll have a nice command of classical society. Highly suggested for high school students amd undergraduates.

The purpose of this book is to provide the reader with a overview (and comprehensive at that) of the Greeks up to the ascension ofAugustus in Rome. In this the book suceeds. The information included is well rounded despite its relative briefness and has been validated by recent scholarship. Topics range from city planning to civic calenders. Biographies of famous (and not so famous) people are also included in each section. Included are drawings and plans of architecture as well as maps and photos of ruins.

This handy reference covers the three millenia of Greek life from the Minoan era to the Roman Conquest of c.30bc. Organized thematically rather than chronologically, subjects are accessible under broad topics such as religion and geography, then under subheadings such as festivals and literature. This logical organization, together with an admirably complete index, makes it easy to use to find wanted information, or serves for pleasant browsing. With photos and drawings, maps, bibliography, and suggestions for further reading, this is a fine one-volume introduction into the Greek world, echoes of which can be heard in our civilization today. (The numerical rating above is an ineradicable default setting within the format. This reviewer does not employ numerical ratings.)