From the legends of the Trojan War to the world conquests of Alexander the Great, Greece is the bedrock of Western civilization. Above all, the Greeks were pioneers in political thought and creators of the world's first democracies. The first half of this fascinating military and political history details how the Greeks recovered from the collapse of the first Minoan, Cretan and Mycenaean civilization. It highlights the Persian Wars, and shows Athens during its brilliant Golden Age, before it was wrecked by the long wars with Sparta. It describes the men and women who have made Greece's name resonate down the ages: Solon, the great reformer; Pericles, the supreme democrat; and Dionysius, the Sicilian tyrant. The second part of the book opens with the rise of Macedonia under Philip II, father of Alexander the Great. Alexander, one of the most heroic and controversial figures in history, was a military genius who transformed the world, and who overthrew the Persian empire and helped spread Greek civilization and culture across half of Asia. His untimely death resulted in his eventual successor becoming the Roman empire. Over 500 photographs, illustrations, maps and battleplans bring this ancient history to life. With illuminating information on weapons, fleets and armies, on military tactics, and the organization of the great armies of Dionysius of Syracuse, Philip II and Alexander the Great, this is a breathtaking analysis of 2,000 years of impassioned politics, warfare and culture.An authoritative and beautifully illustrated account of ancient Greece, describing its classical heritage and influence on the history of the Western world. Chronicles political development in ancient Greece and explores the democracies, oligarchies and autocracies of Pericles, Solon and Leonidas. Explains the military techniques and strategies, operations and training of the Greek armies, with a special focus on the life, tactics and conquests of Alexander the Great. Includes detailed accounts of all the major conflicts - from the time of the Persian and Peloponnesian wars, charting Alexander the Great's campaigns across the known world, to the reigns of Cleopatra, the last queen of Egypt, and Emperor Hadrian of Rome. Over 500 photographs, illustrations, specially commissioned battleplans and maps show Athens, Sparta and other ancient Greek city-states in magnificent detail.