The social history of ancient Greece and its architecture and art have shaped the Western world. In this absorbing history, an expert accessible text and carefully selected pictures describe the birth of the world's first great classical civilization, from the time of Minoan Crete to the Golden Age of Athens. Split into two parts, the book first traces the origin of the magnificent artistic achievements of Greece, describing the rise of Greek architecture with the Minoans and Mycenaeans, the Doric, Ionian, and Corinthian styles that developed, and the cities and religious sites such as Athens, Olympia, and Delphi that this architectural expression was used to create. The book then goes on to discuss and beautifully illustrate the sculptures, vase paintings, and mosaics that adorned the great Greek houses and public buildings, including Timotheus, the first master of the female form, Lysippus, the most prolific sculptor of the 4th-century BC, and the glories of the Hellenistic Golden Era. The second section delves deep into Greek society and looks at how its belief system and philosophy underpinned its great achievements. Religion and mythology, the theater, literature, philosophy, science, and technology, athletics and sport, and work and leisure are all comprehensively discussed, detailing the many wonders of Greece - the first Olympic games, the magnificent drama festivals where plays by Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides were performed, and the schools and academies where pupils studied with such great philosophers as Socrates and Plato, and many more. Over 500 fine-art illustrations and photographs of temples, archaeological sites, sculptures, paintings and vases make this anindispensable source for anyone wanting to discover ancient Greece for themselves.