From Archaic times to the reign of Alexander the Great, Greek unity was tenuous, yet Ancient Greece was a place where culture flourished and intellectual achievement knew no bounds. Ancient Greek ideas on philosophy, politics, science, and the arts anticipate many of our own, and in some ways, remain unparalleled today. This book recounts the events that were instrumental to the development of this storied civilization and the indelible legacies it has left behind. A detailed appendix supplements the narrative with in-depth discussion on the Pre-Greek societies that fueled the imagination and gave birth to an enduring body of Greek mythology.