The conquests of Alexander the Great reshaped the Greek world into a landscape of monarchies and competing powers, challenging the survival of Greek city-states. This narrative focuses on one city that, despite enduring long periods of subjugation, remained a vital social entity throughout the Hellenistic age. The history of Athens is traced from its subjugation by the Macedonians in 338 B.C. to the battle of Actium in 31 B.C., when Octavian's victory over Mark Antony set the stage for Roman dominance. For nearly three centuries, Athens sought sovereignty, navigating foreign policies dictated first by the Macedonian monarchy and later by the Roman republic. Despite these challenges, the city maintained control over its internal affairs, with active citizen participation in governance. The author chronicles the democracy's fluctuations, detailing its alliances and the resulting impacts. Athens continued to thrive as a center of intellectual and artistic life, with playwrights like Menander gaining recognition throughout the Greek world, while its renowned philosophical schools attracted students from across the Mediterranean. This authoritative yet accessible history distills extensive research on Hellenistic Athens for readers interested in the ancient Mediterranean.
