The ancient Greeks set out from their homeland to colonize and settle almost all the Mediterranean and Black Sea coasts. They were a remarkable people, who have left their imprint on virtually every aspect of modern human endeavour politics, theatre, art, philosophy, medicine, architecture and athletics. This exceptional book reveals how they developed and adapted from Paleolithic times on, and how they interacted, both peaceably and otherwise, with the surrounding cultures: Minoans, Carians, Phoenicians, Lydians, Persians and Romans. Extracts from Classical authors and inscriptions provide eye-witness accounts of events, people and places, bringing the story vividly to life and allowing the Greeks to speak for themselves.