Greece=s archaic and classical period, with its political and intellectual innovations, is a fascinating chapter in Western history. One of the high points of the age was the Athenian democracy of the fifth century BCE, with its pioneering cultural achievements. This epoch of splendour was at the same time accompanied by many military conflicts, which repeatedly caused suffering and poverty, but also led to a deeper preoccupation with the nature of human existence. This survey traces the most important historical stages from the age of Homer to the defeat of the Greeks against the Macedonians (c. 750&338 BCE). It discusses fundamental processes such as the emergence of the polis and political thought, and explains the main features of ancient Greek society and culture.