Ancient Greece was the cradle of western civilization; like Rome, its influences on the world, in law, language, architecture, philosophy, and the art of government, remain with us to this day. In this richly illustrated volume, the reader can enjoy an all-around introduction to the politics, people, culture, and everyday life of the world of ancient Greece. Unlike most general histories, the reader will come to know this remarkable culture directly from the Greeks themselves, in their own words, through the works of orators, philosophers, historians, poets, playwrights, and satirists.