Rating: 
Summary: From the mouth of a student
Review: Dr. Martin writes a very clear and concise work on Ancient Greece. His use of pictures and timelines throughout the chapters greatly aids in the reader's understanding of Greece's History. He proposes his own ideas and backs them up well with archaeology and primary texts while still leaving room for the reader to think for his/herself. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a knowledgeable understanding of the ancient world.
Rating:
Summary: From the mouth of a student
Review: Dr. Martin writes a very clear and concise work on Ancient Greece. His use of pictures and timelines throughout the chapters greatly aids in the reader's understanding of Greece's History. He proposes his own ideas and backs them up well with archaeology and primary texts while still leaving room for the reader to think for his/herself. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a knowledgeable understanding of the ancient world.
Rating: 
Summary: A good introductory text, easy to read
Review: For general students of history or those that want a basic knowledge of Ancient Greece, this book will be able to give you the knowledge that you need to understand the times and contexts of discussions derived from this important period of history. While most texts cover the Classical period, this book gives the history that preceeds it and hence the reader will have a better understand for not only what happened but most likely why. From a classroom perspective this text would be useful for a introductory course on Greece.
Rating:
Summary: A fine job...
Review: I see from all the favorable reviews that everyone else was just as pleased. Not long ago I had to write a short paper on early public education and criminal justice systems. This book provided an excellent starting point. When readability and detail are successfully combined, it's a rare and difficult task that's accomplished. Martin has done just that.
Rating:
Summary: Great introductory text
Review: If you are looking for a comprehensive yet concise hystory of ancient Greece this would be a great choice. Enjoyed it tremendously!
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Summary: A basic presentation of Ancient Greece.........
Review: In "Ancient Greece", Thomas Martin manages to present a cohesive and fundamental narrative. His synopsis is brief, but to the point, and provides an excellent building block for further inquiry. Martin's prose maintains the readers interest in a superior way without overly technical terminology. Encompassing the Paleolithic through the Classic era, Martin artfully presents the politics, the economy, the confrontations, and the everyday life of Greece and it's inhabitants. I believe it an excellent work and one that will inspire further and more specific inquiry into the life of the ancient Greeks.
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Summary: Good overview, but reads like a textbook
Review: Martin's history of Ancient Greece is comprehensive and thorough, providing a useful overview of the development of civilization in Greece and covering the major events of the subsequent history while also paying attention to lifestyle and cultural topics. I have two quibbles with the book. I think the early section covering pre-Bronze Age civilization could have been shorter, as much of the analysis is of necessity overly speculative. I was also slightly disappointed with the tone of the work, which often read like a textbook: I felt as though I was reading lists of fun facts without theme or context, and I found myself mentally preparing lesson plans and hypothetical quizzes. I hoped for a slightly deeper examination of Greek civilization.
Rating:
Summary: A quality item for the student of Ancient Greece
Review: One of the most readable summaries of the Greek experience I have read in years. The section on Sparta, for example, is especially well done. However, in my opinion, there is one (albeit minor) shortcoming: The period between the Peloponnesian War and the Rise of Macedon is too brief; I just wish Mr. Martin had enlarged it. Other than that, if you are looking for a good, short history of Greece, this is the one for you
Rating:
Summary: Great overview of great civilization
Review: Professor Martin has done a great job here, compressing into 221 pages the history of Greece from prehistoric to Hellenistic times. The book is very well written, and the fact that it includes maps, timelines and pictures helps a lot. The prose is clear and concise, with brief biographies of the most remarkable people. Martin has an ability to vividly depict the daily life and social structure of the Greeks, especially Athenians, that makes it very engaging and approachable. Of course, the main attraction of the book is that the Greek civilization was so fascinating, and that there is much in our own time that comes straight from them, so it's easy to feel empathy with the Greeks. We owe them so much. An excellent book to put some order in your chronology of events when you read texts from these times, and excellent as well as introduction or reminder.
Rating:
Summary: Engaging History!
Review: The best history book I've ever read!Designed as an overveiw for students, this book is highly readable and contains useful timelines, maps, plans, and photographs, which clarify the narrative even further, making it a perfect choice for the general reader. Mr. Martin begins with a prehistory of late Stone Age activity that provides background for the conditions of later Greek life. He then describes the civilizations of the Minoans on the island of Crete and of their successors, the Mycenaeans, on the mainland; the Greek Dark Age and the Archaic Age; the Classical Age of Greece in the fifth and fourth centuries B.C.; the transformation of the kingdom of Macedonia into the greatest power in the Greek world; and the period after the death of Alexander the Great in 323 B.C., when monarchies emerging from Alexander's fragmented empire once again came to dominate Greek history. This book would be great background reading for those parents who homeschool their children according to a "classical" approach. If any one who has read this book knows of another history book (any period) which equals this one in appeal, please email me and tell me about it!
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