More than two thousand years ago, the Greek city-states, led by Athens and Sparta, laid the foundation for much of modern science, the arts, politics, and law. But the influence of the Greeks did not end with the rise and fall of this classical civilization. As historian Roderick Beaton illustrates, over three millennia Greek speakers produced a series of civilizations that were rooted in southeastern Europe but again and again ranged widely across the globe.

Of ledgers and legends (1500 BCE-c. 1180 BCE) --'Homer's world, not ours' (c. 1180 BCE-c. 720 BCE) -- Inventing politics, discovering the cosmos (c. 720 BCE-494 BCE) -- The first world wars and the 'classical' age (494 BCE-404 BCE) -- Cultural capital (404 BCE-322 BCE) -- 'Becoming Greek' (322 BCE-27 BCE) -- Rome's Greek empire (27 BCE-337 CE) -- Becoming Christian (337-630) -- 'The eyes of the universe' (630-1018) -- 'City of the world's desire' (1018-1204) -- Hopeful monsters (1204-1453) -- Between two worlds (1453-1669) -- 'Greek revival' (1669-1833) -- European state, global nation (1833-1974) -- New ledgers, new legends (1974-2021) -- Epilogue.