Mythology

This striking difference in the way Athens and Sparta treated their victorious athletes reflects a striking difference between the states

Read More Sparta

A Spartan child was examined at birth. A healthy infant was allowed to live. Weaklings were not wanted. They were

Read More A Spartan grows Up

The legend of Theseus and the Minotaur suggests that Athens had dealings with Crete during the Minoan and Mycenaean Ages.

Read More Athens

One of the young Athenians who must have taken a good deal of interest in Draco’s writing down of the

Read More Solon

A tyrant’s first problem was to seize power. Peisistratus had to solve this problem three times. In 560 he came

Read More A Tyrant Who Was Not Tyrannical

The heroism of Harmodius and Aristogeiton was a myth, but Athenian democracy was not. In the two great wars of

Read More Athenian Democracy

The Ionian Greeks, who lived on the coast of Asia Minor and the adjoining islands, had produced some of the

Read More The Ionian Greeks

Both Sparta and Athens were determined to fight, — so determined that they had behaved outrageously towards Persian ambassadors who

Read More Marathon

After a battle there is a great deal of clearing up to be done. A small part of the Athenian

Read More The Rivals

Darius I died in 486. In the last years of his life he had no need of the slave who

Read More The Second Persian Invasion