This book is a new, shorter version of the successful book by the authors Ancient Greece: Political, Social and Cultural History (OUP, 1998). Four leading experts of the classical world vividly and updatedly narrate the history of Greece and its culture in all its complexity and variety, covering the period from the Bronze Age to the Hellenistic Period and incorporating the latest findings of archaeology, comparative anthropology, and social history into the narrative. They show how the early Greeks borrowed from their neighbors to eventually develop their own unique culture, which stood out for its remarkable creativity, adaptability, and flexibility. The authors go on to trace the intricate and fascinating evolution of ancient Greek civilization until its ultimate dissolution and its interaction with various other cultures. Using material evidence from archaeology, written testimonies from literary texts and inscriptions, and anthropological models based on comparative studies, this comprehensive volume offers a well-informed and serious presentation of the Greek world that is nevertheless accessible and enjoyable to students and readers of all kinds who have minimal or no knowledge of Greece.