Notes

The ancient Greeks continue to fascinate us they gave us our alphabet and much of our scientific, medical and cultural language; they invented democracy, atomic theory, and the rules of logic and geometry; established artistic and architectural canons visible to this day on all our high streets; laid the foundations of philosophy, history, tragedy and comedy; and debated everything from the good life and the role of women, to making sense of foreigners and the best form of government, all in the most sophisticated terms. In Eureka!, Peter Jones tells their epic story as he expertly guides the reader through the key historical events from the Trojan War through the wars against the Persians, to the Athenian Empire, the conflict with Sparta, and on through the Byzantine Empire. Along the way he introduces the major figures of the age, including Homer, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Alexander the Great, Euclid and Archimedes, explores the Greek myths, provides a glimpse of everyday life in ancient times and shows us the very foundations of Western culture. It is a compelling tale unmatchable in its vividness, scope and variety. Includes index.