Od Homéra k Alexandru Velikému – Bílý Jiří (2021)

This engaging book offers a distinctive introduction to the classical Greek period, when everything considered typical of antiquity was born. It explains how the state and law emerged at a particular stage in the development of human society, and describes the distinctive form of government that arose in ancient Greece: the polis, or city-state. When Aristotle and his students studied the constitutions of city communities, they were able to compare 158 different constitutions, which can, with various modifications and combinations, be placed under two basic opposing types: Athenian democracy and Spartan aristocracy. Their rivalry became one of humanity’s valuable historical experiences, reflected in many ways by later generations. The readable text goes beyond dry facts and events, exploring the period from many perspectives: the earliest mythical times, the formation of the state and law, the Greek economy, contemporary politics and democracy, and the life of ordinary people. It also describes the historical realities that shaped the ancient world, from the wars with Persia to the extraordinarily successful campaign of Alexander of Macedon. The contents are in Czech.