A Traveller's History of Athens

by Richard Stoneman, Denis Judd (Editor), Peter Geissler (Illustrator)

Athens has a history stretching back to Mycenaean times and in the fifth century BC it became the most significant community for the development of political thought and practice, art and culture that had ever been seen and which still retains a vital influence on the present day. When the Ancient Olympics were first revived at the end of the nineteenth century they took place in Athens—an occasion remembered in the Games of 2004. A Traveller's History of Athens describes the whole history of this great city from mythological and prehistoric times, through its artistic flowering in the classical age; its transformation in Roman times from a major player in world politics to a quiet university city; its decline into ruin and insignificance in the Middle Ages when it became the playground of Crusaders and their successors; the long period of subjection to the Ottoman empire; its recreation as the capital of a new nation in the nineteenth century, and one of the finest new-classical cities in Europe; its troubled history in the twentieth century and its continuing place in the hearts and minds of all visitors. Throughout, quotations from contemporary sources enliven and illuminate the text. The author, who visits Athens at least once a year, also incorporates a chronological history and includes helpful information on Athens' museums and galleries and archaeological sites, excursions from the city and on transport and communications.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Greece

304 pages, Paperback

First published October 9, 2003

About the author

"I was born just a few miles from Exeter and have been an Honorary Fellow in the department since 1996. I spent thirty years as a classics editor, most of those years for Routledge; since retiring from that role in 2006, and returning from London to live in Devon, I have been taking an active part in university affairs, including teaching, research and a planned conference.

The core of my research interests has been the continuity of the Greek world and Greek tradition up to the present day. I have written anthologies and travel guides reflecting this interest. Since the early 1980s the main focus of my research has been Alexander the Great, especially in later legend. I have recently participated in several international conferences on the Ancient Novel and on Philip and Alexander. I am currently writing a biography of Xerxes and a study of Megasthenes.

Besides Latin and Greek, my languages include fluent German and adequate French, Italian and Modern Greek. I am taking classes in Turkish and Persian.

I am also Chairman of Westminster Classic Tours (www.westminsterclassictours.com), a company which runs gület tours to classical sites around the Turkish coast and Greek Islands.

In 2009 I was appointed Consulting Editor in Classics to I.B. Tauris Publishers in London, and am actively seeking new authors for their classics programme, and for the series I edit, 'Understanding Classics'.

In 2010 I organised a conference at Exeter University, in conjunction with the Institute of Arab and islamic Studies, on 'The Alexander Romance in Persia and the East'. There were delegates from every continent."