The West in the World, 4th Edition (Sherman)Chapter 2:
The Contest for ExcellenceChapter Summaries
In the Greek peninsula and in the Aegean islands, the Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations preceded the formation of the Greek city-states, the most famous of which were Sparta and Athens. In the poleis, participatory forms of government evolved, as did traditions of philosophy, literature and drama, art and architecture, and medicine. The heroic individualism and competitive spirit of the Greeks led them to bravely confront the encroaching Persian Empire. However, those same traits led to the demise of the city-states, as Greeks failed to cooperate amongst themselves.
|  |
|
