A History of Greece

To the Death of Alexander the Great

De: John Bagnell Bury

Narrado por: Charlton Griffin

At the time of his death in 1927, John Bagnell Bury was easily the most honored English historian of his era. The plaudits for his intellectual ability were well deserved. Bury, an esteemed Cambridge scholar, wrote what is considered the finest one-volume history of ancient Greece in the English language. His beautifully crafted survey of Greek civilization begins with the description of Bronze Age settlements which appeared on the Greek mainland and on the island of Crete. The story takes us on a strange and exciting series of adventures which result in the development of independent city-states constantly embroiled in division and war. As this millennial-long arc of history moved across the face of Greek society, the searing changes that occurred in various regions were profound and world changing. Militant Sparta and democratic Athens developed opposing civil societies, while despotic Persia awaited her opportunity to strike. In the end, it was both the warring Greeks and Persian Empire that succumbed to the Macedonian phalanx of Alexander the Great, ending a thousand years of independence for Greek city states. But in that space of time allotted them, these Greeks bequeathed to the world the most sublime philosophy, poetry, art, and architecture humanity has ever seen. Ancient Greece taught the world not what to think, but HOW to think.

Listeners are encouraged to refer to the accompanying PDF file of maps and chronological tables. This recording utilizes ancient Greek pronunciation where presumably known (e.g., Alcibiades); in questionable cases, modern Greek (e.g., Delphi); and in cases where it is commonly understood primarily by English speakers (e.g., Thucydides).

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

Public Domain (P)2023 Audio Connoisseur

The history of Greece love every minute of it

The book was long, but that is expected because of grease history is very rich, but I learned a lot. Maybe I will read this book down the line but it also makes me want to learn more about ancient Greece.

Error filled 1913 Edition. Pity and shame.

It is essential consumers are made aware what Audio Connoisseur have brought forth is the 1913 edition of Bury's famed history on ancient Greece. An edition noted for being out-of-date and error filled.

Bury's work was the most authoritative single volume history on Ancient Greece for more than 90 years. The overall work has gone through many revisions and corrections over the decades and the 1913 edition particularly was outdated almost upon its initial publication back in 1913. Bury himself has commented on it.

Effectively, not a single line from the first five hours of the Audio Connoisseur 1913 edition of "A History of Greece: To the Death of Alexander the Great," survived and made it into subsequent editions. Audio Connoisseur should have published somewhere prior to purchase what edition they were offering.

If I am not mistaken, the final, most recent edition was published in 1996 with much of the entire text being revisited and revised where needed by another reputable classical scholar (J.B. Bury & Russell Meiggs, 4th ed, 1990).

Bury's book was influential like few in the field have ever been and I am happy to have an audio version of his major work but it is a shame that no where is the consumer made aware of what edition Audio Connoisseur has published until after the time of purchase.

It remains a great work even though I know the first five or so hours of 1913 edition are to be more or less ignored. Connoisseur is right but Audio Connoisseur absolutely knew better and said nothing. Buyer beware.

Charlton Griffin's narration is awesome as always.

An excellent overview of Greek History

This book is an exceptional review of Greek history from its earliest beginnings and foundations to the development of the city states and subsequent Greek colonization of the Mediterranean. The narrative then focuses on the city states that emerge with exceptional power and influence over the rest of the Mediterranean and their subsequent Intra-Greek conflict and conflicts with external nations (e.g. Persia).

The work builds on archaeological findings as well as literature (Homer), but mainly focuses on the military and political history of Greece as opposed to the significant literary and philosophical history, which it does include, but is not the focus.

This was an exceptional listening experience with multiple notes taken as jumping off points to dive in to areas of more interest, and gives a good framework to reference going forward.