The Founders of the Western World: A History of Greece and Rome

by Michael Grant

For the 1st time in one volume, preeminent classical historian Michael Grant creates a vivid panorama of the Greco-Roman world by bringing together the most dramatic events on record from its beginnings in 1000 BCE to the fall of the western Roman Empire in the 5th century.
The Founders of the Western World covers the rise & development of the Greeks, the Greek city states, classical Greece & its relations with Persia, Alexander & his successors, life in Hellenistic Greece, early Rome & the Etruscans, the Roman Republic & its imperial development, the Augustan age, Rome after Augustus, Constantine's conversion & the founding of Constantinople, & the fall of the Roman West.
Thru in-depth analysis, Grant introduces us to the political, military, cultural, social, economic & religious life of the times that were building blocks of what's today called the Western World. He also provides a comparative table of dates, a list of Roman emperors & a complete reference section on important aspects of cultural life.
An essential resource, The Founders of the Western World is a masterly synthesis of a renowned historian's life's work. In casting his authoritative eye on this remote age, Grant illuminates the world for all time.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Ancient History, Roman, Roman History, Greece, Ancient

352 pages, Hardcover

First published December 31, 1991

About the author

Michael Grant was an English classisist, numismatist, and author of numerous popular books on ancient history. His 1956 translation of Tacitus’s Annals of Imperial Rome remains a standard of the work. He once described himself as "one of the very few freelances in the field of ancient history: a rare phenomenon". As a popularizer, his hallmarks were his prolific output and his unwillingness to oversimplify or talk down to his readership.

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Reviews

[Bryce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Have you ever wondered what shaped the so called western world we live in today? Michael Grant’s non fiction book: The Founders of the Western World gives and detailed overview, of the political, military, cultural, social, economic & religious life of Hellenistic Greece, and early Rome. This nonfiction novel gives the reader insight on rise & development of the Greeks, Romans, and their successors such as Augustus, Homer, and Alexander the great.
Along the way the roman and Greek lives hang in the balance, while new rulers rise and old ones fall. The most dramatic events are recorded from the beginning in 1,000 BC, to the fall of the roman empire in the 5th century. Along the way you will learn who fought to save the great western world and who opposed to destroy it. This book dealt with situation that are what shaped our world today. But with one wrong move the world as we know it could have been changed drastically.
I personally wanted to read this book because I am a history buff and love everything that has to do with ancient Greece. But what really caught my attention is how civilization way before us is not so different from today's world. At first I thought this book may be way to boring to keep interested. However, the book gave me a fresh look at the past which intrigued me to read more.
If you love history and have a respect for ancient Greek and Roman civilizations I think this book will intrigue your interests. Even if you like history but don’t like fast overviews of important time periods and events that happened I don’t think this book is for you. This booked is aimed at people who want to learn a lot about ancient Greek and Roman culture. However, don’t want a long boring explanation for everything.

[Erik Graff · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is an extremely fast-paced review of classical history--too fast, in my opinion, to constitute a very good read. Except for a few typos, the kinds that aren't noticed by a spell-check, there are no egregious errors. Grant is definitely an authority. There are, of course, many matters which might be debated, particularly as regards the author's choices as regards exclusion and inclusion. My preference would have been for less cultural, more political, history because of the very limited space available for the survey. The review of extant Greek tragedies is especially noteworthy in this regard.

Normally, one would expect a book like this to be for absolute beginners. I'm not such a one and was able to catch nearly all of the references, but a newcomer would, I think, be quickly lost. Consequently, I can recommend this as a swift overview for those already familiar with the centuries and regions covered, but not to others.

[Charles · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is neither bad nor great. It's an acceptable survey of the history of Greece and Rome.

The problem with it is threefold. Sometimes it's short when it needs to be long. Sometimes it's long when it needs to be short. Sometimes it's about the right length but muddled.

The "too short" parts are Joe Friday in nature. Just the facts. No interpretation. No connecting the dots.

The "too long" parts are interpretive, but in the wrong way. I'm not an ancient history scholar, but I know enough to call "b.s." when I read it.

Some of it is just muddled and unclear.

That said, I know more than I did before I read it.

[Trenton · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweeping, vaguely scholarly overview of both civilizations contained in a single volume that I would say succeeded in its intentions. A very solid introduction to the subject, also touching upon some non-European figures and civilizations essential to any discussion of the ancient world. Some sections were intensely informational where I was highlighting line after line, and others were kind of drawn out where I didn’t really comprehend what was being talked about (more than likely a fault of my own) but nevertheless I know more now than I did before I read it which is a successful product of any non-fiction read.

[Stuart]

I’ve long wanted to read one of Michal Grant’s books on the classical world. Other than the quick pace and overwhelming details in this volume, it is very well written. I was glad that he included as much on art and literature as on political events.

[Kenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a history of the rise of Greece and Rome in one volume. Discusses how the two societies became the foundation of western civilization.

[Jacob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great overview of Greek and Roman history. Introduces lots of historical figures who are unknown to most people

[James Violand · Rating 2 out of 5]

A typical shallow synopsis of Ancient Greece and Rome.