The Rise of Athens: The Story of the World's Greatest

The Rise of Athens: The Story of the World's Greatest Civilization

A magisterial account of how a tiny city-state in ancient Greece became historyâ€™s most influential civilization, from the bestselling author of acclaimed biographies of Cicero, Augustus, and Hadrian
Â
Filled with tales of adventure and astounding reversals of fortune, The Rise of Athens celebrates the city-state that transformed the worldâ€”from the democratic revolution that marked its beginning, through the cityâ€™s political and cultural golden age, to its decline into the ancient equivalent of a modern-day university town.
Â
Anthony Everitt constructs his history with unforgettable portraits of the talented, tricky, ambitious, and unscrupulous Athenians who fueled the cityâ€™s rise: Themistocles, the brilliant naval strategist who led the Greeks to a decisive victory over their Persian enemies; Pericles, arguably the greatest Athenian statesman of them all; and the wily Alcibiades, who changed his political allegiance several times during the course of the Peloponnesian Warâ€”and died in a hail of assassinsâ€™ arrows. Here also are riveting you-are-there accounts of the milestone battles that defined the Hellenic world: Thermopylae, Marathon, and Salamis among them. An unparalleled storyteller, Everitt combines erudite, thoughtful historical analysis with stirring narrative set pieces that capture the colorful, dramatic, and exciting world of ancient Greece.
Â
Although the history of Athens is less well known than that of other world empires, the city-stateâ€™s allure would inspire Alexander the Great, the Romans, and even Americaâ€™s own Founding Fathers. Itâ€™s fair to say that the Athenians made possible the world in which we live today. In this peerless new work, Anthony Everitt breathes vivid life into this most ancient story.

Praise for The Rise of Athens

â€œ[An] invaluable history of a foundational civilization . . . combining impressive scholarship with involving narration.â€â€”Booklist

â€œCompelling . . . a comprehensive and entertaining account of one of the most transformative societies in Western history . . . Everitt recounts the high points of Greek history with flair and aplomb.â€â€”Shelf Awareness

â€œHighly readable . . . Everitt keeps the action moving.â€â€”Kirkus Reviews

Praise for Anthony Everittâ€™s The Rise of Rome

â€œRomeâ€™s history abounds with remarkable figures. . . . Everitt writes for the informed and the uninformed general reader alike, in a brisk, conversational style, with a modern attitude of skepticism and realism.â€â€”The Dallas Morning News

â€œ[A] lively and readable account . . . Roman history has an uncanny ability to resonate with contemporary events.â€â€”Macleanâ€™s

â€œElegant, swift and faultless as an introduction to his subject.â€â€”The Spectator

â€œAn engrossing history of a relentlessly pugnacious cityâ€™s 500-year rise to empire.â€â€”Kirkus Reviews

â€œFascinating history and a great read.â€â€”Chicago Sun-Times
Country USA
Manufacturer Random House
Binding Kindle Edition
ReleaseDate 2016-12-06
UnitCount 1
Format Kindle eBook
EANs 9780812994599

Country	USA
Manufacturer	Random House
Binding	Kindle Edition
ReleaseDate	2016-12-06
UnitCount	1
Format	Kindle eBook
EANs	9780812994599

The Rise of Athens: The Story of the World's Greatest Civilization

You might also like...