7 h 42 minAudiobook14 minSummaryRead it, hear it, the 15-minute summary, and print and large print at cost
Audiobook edition · 7 h 42 minPaperback · 6 × 9 in · printing soonHardcover · 6 × 9 in · printing soonAbout this book
How do small, rival cities stand against a vast empire—and then turn against one another?
In The Story of the Greeks, H. A. Guerber makes ancient Greece one connected story. She begins with mountains, narrow valleys, islands, and a broken coast, then enters the legends Greeks tell about their beginnings. Myth has a large place here, alongside the history of people, cities, and their struggles.
Sparta becomes a military state, while Athens takes a different path. When Greek cities in Asia Minor revolt against Persian rule, Athens sends help. Guerber follows the clash with Persia, the growth of Athens under Pericles, and the fears that draw rival Greeks into war. Power brings achievement, but also danger.
What you’ll discover
- A land of contrasts Explore the mountains, valleys, and seas that Guerber places at the heart of Greek life.
- Where legend meets history Enter the legendary age and discover the stories Greeks tell about their own beginnings.
- Two rival cities Follow Sparta and Athens as their different paths shape the larger story of Greece.
- An empire to face See small Greek cities confront Persian power, with their independence at stake.
- The cost of power Watch Athens flourish under Pericles, then trace the rivalry that leads toward war.
Who will love it
This book suits readers who love stories about real and legendary people, anyone who wants a clear route from Greek myth to Alexander and Rome, and families or teachers looking for lively tales of courage and civic pride.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- A small land shapes the world
- Legends carry memories of change
- Good intentions meet an unknown fate
- Sparta builds strength through discipline
- Athens moves toward rule by citizens
- United cities resist a larger enemy
- Athens turns against its own citizens
- Ambition carries conquest beyond Greece
- Divided cities seek protection through leagues
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The Story of the Greeks
by H. A. Guerber · 1896
A Spartan mother hands her son his shield and tells him to come back with it or on it.
Challenging2–5 hours to readEnglish
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In short
Why does a country half the size of New York State matter so much to the world? H. A. Guerber answers with a map.
The Story of the Greeks at a glance
- Reading time
- About 4 h 5 min3 h 15 min fast, 4 h 50 min slow
- Length
- 58,300 words
- Library level
- Challenging long sentences, a rich vocabulary
- First published
- 1896by H. A. Guerber
Reading time at 238 words a minute (fast 300, slow 200). How long the classics take to read · Updated
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
Greek history begins as fireside stories
Greece has no written record of its earliest age. Parents told stories to their children, and each teller changed them a little. No one could say where truth stopped and imagination began.
The tale begins with the Pelasgians, who live in caves and wear animal skins. Egyptians and Phoenicians, far more advanced, sail from island to island and reach Greece. The Egyptian prince Inachus teaches fire, cooking, and stone walls, and founds Argos. The walls grow so huge that later Greeks say one-eyed giants built them. Cecrops brings wheat, olives, and weaving, and founds Athens. Cadmus brings the alphabet and founds Thebes. Hellen gives Hellas its name.
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Which edition is right for me
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas of the whole book in about 14 minutes. A good first look, or a refresher.
Details
- First published
- 1896
- Language
- English
- Reading time
- 5 h 0 min
- Level
- Challenging
Cite this edition
Guerber, H. A. The Story of the Greeks. Library of Alexandria, 2026, libraryofalexandria.com/products/the-story-of-the-greeks.
Guerber, H. A. (2026). The story of the Greeks. Library of Alexandria. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/the-story-of-the-greeks (Original work published 1896)
Guerber, H. A. The Story of the Greeks. Library of Alexandria, 2026. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/the-story-of-the-greeks.
@book{guerber2026story,
author = {Guerber, H. A.},
title = {The Story of the Greeks},
publisher = {Library of Alexandria},
year = {2026},
url = {https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/the-story-of-the-greeks},
note = {First published 1896}
}
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What is The Story of the Greeks about?
It retells Greek history as stories about people, from early legends of floods and heroes through the Trojan War, Sparta, Athens, the Persian wars, Pericles, Socrates, and Alexander, to the Roman conquest.
Who was H. A. Guerber and why did she write it?
Guerber, who died in 1929, wrote it as a first history for young readers and as supplementary reading in schools. She wanted history to be enjoyable and wanted the lives of noble people to teach courage and perseverance.
Are the myths in the book supposed to be true?
Guerber treats the earliest chapters as fireside stories that grew with each telling. She separates legend from record, saying real history begins after the Heroic Age, when events started to be written down.
The author
H. A. Guerber
1859–1929 · American historian and mythologist
H. A. Guerber was Hélène Adeline Guerber, an American writer who lived in the United States from 1859 to 1929. She wrote books about history, mythology, and legends. Her works included The Story of the Greeks (1896), Legends of Switzerland (1899), and The Book of the Epic (1913).
More by H. A. Guerber
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