The rise of the Greeks

This text sets out to discover the epoch between 1000 and 494 BC, a period which Grant argues was one of the most creative in history.

The book takes the reader on a detective trail to understand the world of the ancient Greeks.

It discusses the role, economic and social, of slaves and women, often seen as a mysterious, polluting element in the male-dominated society of ancient Greece, in curious contrast to their powerful role in mythology and literature.

It also discusses a civilization where leisure was thought to be "more desirable and more fully an end than business", giving rise to outstanding artistic and intellectual developments.