Customer Reviews

Greece in the Making 1200-479 BC (The Routledge History of the Ancient World)

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Robin Osborne's Greece in the Making is a generally excellent, albeit somewhat advanced, introduction to Greek history. The book is well written and clearly organized, but I would caution that it might be a bit difficult and off-putting for those without a basic knowledge of the subject matter. A few topics are introduced in a manner that suggests Osborne believes his readers already know what he is talking about.

There are also some lengthy charts on matters such as when coinage was introduced in various cities which make the book slow going at places. On the positive side there are plenty of maps, photos and excerpts from literary works and inscriptions.

A good introduction to the Greek world. I like the balance between detail and general views of the making of the Greek culture. Maybe a different organization of the book would have helped, but at the end it is more a matter of taste if the info is there and is delivered clearly.