The Story of Greece and Rome

The extraordinary story of the intermingled civilizations of ancient Greece and Rome, spanning more than six millennia from the late Bronze Age to the seventh century

The magnificent civilization created by the ancient Greeks and Romans is the greatest legacy of the classical world. However, narratives about the “civilized” Greek and Roman empires resisting the barbarians at the gate are far from accurate. Tony Spawforth, an esteemed scholar, author, and media contributor, follows the thread of civilization through more than six millennia of history. His story reveals that Greek and Roman civilization, to varying degrees, was supremely and surprisingly receptive to external influences, particularly from the East.
 
From the rise of the Mycenaean world of the sixteenth century B.C., Spawforth traces a path through the ancient Aegean to the zenith of the Hellenic state and the rise of the Roman empire, the coming of Christianity and the consequences of the first caliphate. Deeply informed, provocative, and entirely fresh, this is the first and only accessible work that tells the extraordinary story of the classical world in its entirety.

"A beautifully written account of ancient history, breathtaking in its ambition and rich in insight."—Professor Paul Cartledge, author of The Spartans

"An incredibly engaging read, written with scholarly precision and clarity. With great agility, Spawforth mixes literary, inscriptional and archaeological material and offers a nuanced understanding of how civilisations evolve."—Professor Michael Scott, author of Ancient Worlds

A conversation with Tony Spawforth:

How did you first become interested in the stories of ancient Greece and Rome?
 
When I was a boy I devoured stories about the famous figures of ancient myth and history. Then as a graduate student I studied Greek inscriptions in museums and started telling my own stories about the figures they recorded . . . I was hooked.
 
What do you think is the greatest achievement of classical antiquity?
 
Forget legendary heroes and gods, the Athenian dramatist Sophocles understood civilization as a human creation. In fact, the Greeks’ understanding of the cultural ascent of man as an achievement wrought through human capacity was revolutionary—it paved the way for an investigation into humankind’s early steps towards cultural complexity. An investigation which continues today.
 
Why should we care about the worlds of the ancient Greeks and Romans today?
 
These two great civilizations have bequeathed a great deal of beauty and humanity to us. Yes, they were founded on human weaknesses as well as strengths, but the aesthetic fineness which allowed Greek and Roman artists to capture images and effects—the bright plumage of a mosaic bird, or the cool curve of a marble limb—which arrest us still; the human understanding of the ancient writers, their clear-eyed reckoning of what constitutes our short human lives: these are things which suspend despair about the shortcomings of human nature. They bring joy and hope, and their achievements are a source of wonder and still inspire people across a whole range of activities, not just so-called highbrow stuff like poetry but also truly popular culture, from war-gaming to the Olympics. That’s the wonderful thing about the Greeks and Romans—there’s something there for everyone!