The Ancient Greeks: A Critical History

by John V.A. Fine

Book Overview

An esteemed teacher offers a major reassessment of the history of Greece from prehistoric times to the rise of Alexander. This is a work of prodigious scholarship written in grand style.

John Fine surveys the archaeological work that has revealed so much about the civilization of Crete and Mycenaean Greece, and discusses the age of colonization during which Greek colonies were established from the Crimea to the Nile, from the Caucasus to...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0674033140
• ISBN13: 9780674033146
• Release Date: March 1985
• Publisher: Belknap Press
• Length: 734 Pages
• Weight: 2.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.9" x 6.2" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

The "Editorial Review" above is exactly correct...

I recently bought this book and have been pleased with every aspect of it. The above editorial reviews get it just right. I won't waste your time by repeating what they say. Buy it now.

a short review of a long book

I agree with David Reisbeck's review, but I want to add a few things. Among historians, Fine is one of the best for several reasons. First, his skepticism and fairness to all the sources stand out: he is not seduced by certain authors or philosophies of history as many are. He acutely perceives the difficulties of historical research. For anyone already interested in the history of Greece, I doubt there could be a better book; if you know a little and want to fill in what you're missing it's a great one too. Plus, it encourages further reading, making you aware of the sources available.I would give two warnings. First, it's dense. It's serious history, directed towards students rather than casual readers. Second, it's not primarily a history of Greek thought and culture except in their broadest outlines. If you want to study the devleopment of ancient philosophy or of Greek art or religion, you'll have to look elsewhere. But if that's all that you're familiar with (this was my situation), it's an excellent coverage of their background.The most surprising aspect of the book, for me, was Fine's wisdom about human nature--without being cynical. I usually think in terms of naive vs. cynical, and Fine is neither. Very refreshing.Finally, I want to mention that the paperback binding of this book is wonderful. Few books have survived the beating my copy took, and still it looks good.

A Critical Introduction for Serious Students

"A history which does not constantly cause one to reflect on what he is reading and to be cognizant of the nature andambiguities of the evidence is hardly performing the function that a historical work should," reads the Preface to Fine's 720 page survey of Ancient Greek history. The work does just that, constantly drawing on the sources, both archaeological and literary, and emphasizing the difficulty of obtaining "absolute certainty." This makes for an excellent introduction into the scholarship of Ancient Greek history from the early Aegean world through the death of Alexander the Great. Readers looking for a lighter treatment of the subject, however, should look elsewhere. Though Fine assumes little knowledge of the subject, his aim is "not to produce a smoothly flowing narrative," and he certainly does not. Readers should bring a serious interest in Greek history with them, because Fine does not motivate it. The serious student, though, will find the work rewarding. Those with a basic knowledge of the ancient world and a hunger to deepen that knowledge will find all of the major topics of Ancient Greek history dealt with broadly and competently, and will be able to move on from Fine's work into works of a lessgeneral orientation. Though the work lacks a bibliography, the Notes include enough sources to keep a student busy for years. Anyone seriously interested in Ancient Greek history will find this book to be an excellent introduction to the subject and its scholarly methods.

Critical Introduction for Serious Students

"A history which does not constantly cause one to reflect on what he is reading and to be cognizant of the nature and ambiguities of the evidence is hardly performing the function that a historical work should," reads the Preface to Fine's 720 page survey of Ancient Greek history. The work does just that, constantly drawing on the historical sources, both archaeological and literary, and emphasizing the difficulty of obtaining "absolute certainty." This makes for an excellent introduction into serious study Ancient Greek history from the early Aegean world through the death of Alexander the Great. Readers looking for a lighter treatment of the subject, however, should look elsewhere. Though Fine assumes little knowledge of the subject, his aim is "not to produce a smoothly flowing narrative," and he certainly does not. Readers should bring a serious interest in Greek history with them, because Fine does not motivate it. The serious student, though, will find the work rewarding. Those with a basic knowledge of the ancient world and a hunger to deepen that knowledge will find all of the major topics of Ancient Greek history dealt with broadly and competently, and will be able to move on from Fine's work into works of a more specific orientation. Though the work lacks a bibliography, the Notes include enough sources to keep a student busy for years. Anyone seriously interested in Ancient Greek history will find this book to be an excellent introduction to the subject and its scholarly methods.

Wow

A very interesting interpretation with much information