The story of the ancient Greeks is one of the most improbable success stories in world history. A small group of people inhabiting a country poor in resources & divided into hundreds of quarreling states created one of the most remarkable civilizations. Comprehensive & balanced A Brief History of Ancient Greece: Politics Society & Culture Second Edition is a shorter version of the authors' highly successful Ancient Greece: A Political Social & Cultural History Second Edition (OUP 2008). Four leading authorities on the classical world offer a lively & up-to-date account of Greek civilization & history in all its complexity & variety covering the entire period from the Bronze Age through the Hellenistic Era & integrating the most recent research in archaeology comparative anthropology & social history. They show how the early Greeks borrowed from their neighbors but eventually developed a distinctive culture all their own one that was marked by astonishing creativity versatility & resilience. The authors go on to trace the complex & surprising evolution of Greek civilization to its eventual dissolution as it merged with a variety of other cultures. Using physical evidence from archaeology the written testimony of literary texts & inscriptions & anthropological models based on comparative studies this compact volume provides an account of the Greek world that is thoughtful & sophisticated yet accessible to students & general readers with little or no knowledge of Greece. Ideal for courses in Greek Civilization & Ancient Greek History A Brief History of Ancient Greece Second Edition offers a revised art program featuring more than 125 illustrations & 17 original maps along with a new 8-page full color photo insert. Numerous document boxes" provide primary source material & updated suggested readings provide students with additional resources. Also new to this edition key terms have been boldfaced at their first appearance & listed at the end of the chapter; each one is defined in the expanded glossary. & for the first time a Companion Website for students will accompany the text."