These were the Greeks presents an absorbing and readable introduction to Greek society. The twenty chapters examine the period from 1500 B.C. to Roman times, depicting main events from the time of the Minoans and Mycenaeans through the Persian Wars and Alexander to the end of the Hellenistic period. Against this background the authors explore many aspects of Greek social, domestic, political, religious and intellectual life. They also provide a vivid impression of the style and quality of Greek life by including extracts from Greek literature. Unlike many other texts on ancient Greece, this includes numerous maps and photographs.As a very attractive, well-written and eminently sound publication, the title provides an essential core text for Classical Studies... a most readable book... it can be wholeheartedly recommended. Joint Association of Classics TeachersAmos and Lang are to be complimented on their reliance on the original sources for much of their text and for the role that literature plays in general in their work... good for introductory course-work on ancient Greece.The Classical OutlookThe authors are sensitive to the current impatience with traditional historical content, yet they convey much historical fact without losing either the reader's attention or the shape of the long time period treated.BooklistA concise, but quite detailed, picture of Greek cultural history... The logical organisation and aesthetically pleasing format pay tribute to the ideals the Greeks themselves espoused... Each topic is illustrated with handsome, well-labelled photographs of vase paintings and buildings.New England Classical Newsletter