The History of Ancient Greece

The Peloponnesian War raged from 431 to 404 BCE and sought two contingents of allies crossing swords with one another for a generation. The fifth century Athens is really only one small chapter in the history of ancient Greece, which began 1,500 years earlier. It's easy to understand how geography, climate, and natural resources determine the formation and shape of civilizations. For the first phases of civilization, it's hard to think of a better place.