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History of Greece: An Enthralling Overview of Greek History
It’s really here: Greece’s entire history encapsulated in one volume!
This book takes readers on a succinct journey from Greece’s first settlements all the way to the 20th century. Its easy-to-read yet meticulously-researched narrative will captivate history buffs, students, and anyone interested in learning more about Greece.
This concise overview covers Greece’s Stone Age and Bronze Age civilizations, its archaic and classical eras, its centuries under Roman rule, and the fascinating Byzantine Empire. It travels through Greece’s period under the Turkish Ottoman Empire, then its emancipation and formation of a parliamentary democracy that continued into the 20th century.
This book takes readers on a succinct journey from Greece’s first settlements all the way to the 20th century. Its easy-to-read yet meticulously-researched narrative will captivate history buffs, students, and anyone interested in learning more about Greece.
This concise overview covers Greece’s Stone Age and Bronze Age civilizations, its archaic and classical eras, its centuries under Roman rule, and the fascinating Byzantine Empire. It travels through Greece’s period under the Turkish Ottoman Empire, then its emancipation and formation of a parliamentary democracy that continued into the 20th century.
- GenresHistory
176 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 30, 2022
81 people are currently reading
33 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
July 30, 2024
- Βρε συ, θυμήσου το παρελθόν μας ως έθνος. Εμείς πολεμήσαμε τους Πέρσες, τους Ρωμαίους, τους Τούρκους, τους Φράγκους, τους Ιταλούς, τους Γερμανούς... Και τι αποδεικνύει αυτό Αποστόλη μ';
- Ότι ως λαός δεν τα πηγαίναμε καλά με κανέναν.
- Φτου σου, ρεζίλι!
(Ζωίτσα Κουντουράτου προς Τόλη Σιδεράτο)
Και κάπως έτσι κύλησαν πάνω από 4000 χρόνια ελληνικής ιστορίας, μέσα από μια σύντομη και αρκετά προσεγμένη ανασκόπηση από τον Billy Wellman. Πολύ επιφανειακή αλλά και χρήσιμη προσπάθεια, για μικρούς που τα μαθαίνουν και μεγάλους που τα ξέχασαν (καλή ώρα - όχι εγώ, ένας φίλος μου).
3/5
- Ότι ως λαός δεν τα πηγαίναμε καλά με κανέναν.
- Φτου σου, ρεζίλι!
(Ζωίτσα Κουντουράτου προς Τόλη Σιδεράτο)
Και κάπως έτσι κύλησαν πάνω από 4000 χρόνια ελληνικής ιστορίας, μέσα από μια σύντομη και αρκετά προσεγμένη ανασκόπηση από τον Billy Wellman. Πολύ επιφανειακή αλλά και χρήσιμη προσπάθεια, για μικρούς που τα μαθαίνουν και μεγάλους που τα ξέχασαν (καλή ώρα - όχι εγώ, ένας φίλος μου).
3/5
January 13, 2023
This is an enjoyable, short, fast-paced trip through Greek history from prehistoric times to the 20th century. It kept me turning pages, and I highly recommend it for anyone planning a trip to Greece, for students, and for anyone who wants a comprehensive overview of this remarkable land and its people. The author neatly ties together Archaic & Classical Greece, the Byzantine & Ottoman Empires, and Greece's history through the past two centuries.
It's exceptionally researched yet fun to read. Most of the chapters begin with a brief dialog drawn from Herodotus, Greek myth, etc., that pulls the reader into the chapter's topic and brings its people to life.
It's exceptionally researched yet fun to read. Most of the chapters begin with a brief dialog drawn from Herodotus, Greek myth, etc., that pulls the reader into the chapter's topic and brings its people to life.
January 14, 2023
I read an advance reading copy of this book and it was fascinating.
When reading all of the accomplishments of the Greeks, it’s like reading a who’s who of many of the greatest minds in the history of philosophy mathematics and the first writings on history and novels. They were poets and warriors, thinkers and doers, statesmen and businessmen.
The Greeks were accomplished warriors and they were able to conquer much of the known world under Alexander the Great.
If you are at all interested in Greek history, this book is a great start.
When reading all of the accomplishments of the Greeks, it’s like reading a who’s who of many of the greatest minds in the history of philosophy mathematics and the first writings on history and novels. They were poets and warriors, thinkers and doers, statesmen and businessmen.
The Greeks were accomplished warriors and they were able to conquer much of the known world under Alexander the Great.
If you are at all interested in Greek history, this book is a great start.
January 3, 2023
History of Greece
The history of Greece is a must for anyone interested in history. From early to modern times this clear guide is well written.
The history of Greece is a must for anyone interested in history. From early to modern times this clear guide is well written.
June 4, 2023
Greece is a cornerstone of Western history, but when we come to evaluate what we are taught of its history, it is surprisingly fragmentary. As with most countries, there are relatively few options when it comes to a single volume history in English, but Billy Wellman here provides a brief summary, which may be of use to someone wishing to understand the country for a visit.
You probably could write a shorter history – the word “chaotic” would seem sufficient. The fact that Greece has a single national identity is something of a miracle. From the warring city states of the ancient world to the conflicting factions of the independence movement, Greece is shown to be often its own worst enemy. Would the Romans have conquered Greece if the country had not been riven with its own internal conflicts? Would the Byzantine Empire have been overrun if its internal politics hadn’t so weakened it? Wellman doesn’t attempt to answer these questions, but simply lays out the events as they happened.
Arguably, it is this lack of stepping back and analysing that weakens the book. When the period from the fall of Constantinople to the stirrings of the independence movement (a span of nearly 350 years) passes in only about ten pages, it can be hard to keep track of the narrative. It isn’t clear why things happened the way they did and, if you’re reading about the various shifting allegiances in the classical era as a bedtime read, the dizzying pace can make it hard to keep a grip on key points. In fact, the author himself seems to have forgotten some developments: I was puzzled when in Athens to find references to the Venetian occupation – a chapter of Greek history which, if Wellman did write about it, I seem to have completely missed.
You might say that for any country, it is a challenge to get the whole history into a single volume, but having read compelling and detailed accounts of countries as diverse as Russia, China and India, I believe it can be done. Wellman’s book isn’t bad, by any means, but its summary of Greek history simply leaves one hoping for a more comprehensive account to come.
You probably could write a shorter history – the word “chaotic” would seem sufficient. The fact that Greece has a single national identity is something of a miracle. From the warring city states of the ancient world to the conflicting factions of the independence movement, Greece is shown to be often its own worst enemy. Would the Romans have conquered Greece if the country had not been riven with its own internal conflicts? Would the Byzantine Empire have been overrun if its internal politics hadn’t so weakened it? Wellman doesn’t attempt to answer these questions, but simply lays out the events as they happened.
Arguably, it is this lack of stepping back and analysing that weakens the book. When the period from the fall of Constantinople to the stirrings of the independence movement (a span of nearly 350 years) passes in only about ten pages, it can be hard to keep track of the narrative. It isn’t clear why things happened the way they did and, if you’re reading about the various shifting allegiances in the classical era as a bedtime read, the dizzying pace can make it hard to keep a grip on key points. In fact, the author himself seems to have forgotten some developments: I was puzzled when in Athens to find references to the Venetian occupation – a chapter of Greek history which, if Wellman did write about it, I seem to have completely missed.
You might say that for any country, it is a challenge to get the whole history into a single volume, but having read compelling and detailed accounts of countries as diverse as Russia, China and India, I believe it can be done. Wellman’s book isn’t bad, by any means, but its summary of Greek history simply leaves one hoping for a more comprehensive account to come.
February 3, 2023
This book did a really good job of covering the history of Greece. I never realized the history of Greece was so expansive and that there was much more than most of the history I've always read. Now, don't get me wrong, I love reading things associated with Hellenistic Greece, but it was also nice to see the rest of the history of it as well.
September 23, 2023
Greece Past to Present (2023)
This book is full of knowledge and there are certain dates in this book that coincide with the history of other nations. It wad also interesting to know that although many things are contributed to the Romans, it was the Greeks that deserve the recognition.
I would recommend this book to others that enjoy learning about other countries.
This book is full of knowledge and there are certain dates in this book that coincide with the history of other nations. It wad also interesting to know that although many things are contributed to the Romans, it was the Greeks that deserve the recognition.
I would recommend this book to others that enjoy learning about other countries.
January 18, 2023
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. It is a very interesting look at the history of Greece that is well written.
November 19, 2024
This is a very informative book and I recommend this to history lovers, especially the ones who love Greek history. This book was not a super easy read for me because of all the names to keep up with, but that’s just history anyways. I would say this book would be good for people 13+ because some topics are scary/gruesome. I also really enjoyed the Alexander the Great chapter because it kept me on my toes!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews