Athens and Sparta

The Rivalry That Shaped Ancient Greece

By: Adrian Goldsworthy

Narrated by: Mark Elstob

From an award-winning historian, the definitive history of classical Greece and the rivalry between its two greatest cities.

No period has more profoundly influenced the Western world than classical Greece, and at its center stood two cities: Athens and Sparta. Side by side, they beat the Persians, the only superpower of that age. Yet later, they spread conflict and destruction throughout the eastern Mediterranean, culminating in the horrors of the Peloponnesian War.

Athens and Sparta tells the definitive history of the relationship between brutal, militaristic Sparta and brash, radically democratic Athens. Eminent historian Adrian Goldsworthy narrates their incredible rise to prominence and how they became allies, rivals, and enemies. Ultimately, Goldsworthy shows that Athens and Sparta were more than competitors vying for power. They were polar opposites in ideology and culture, both driven by the Greek longing to excel, who led radically different experiments in how to run a state.

A remarkable account of ancient Greece at its height, this is the tale of the two cities that helped build it—before almost tearing it apart.

Critic reviews

“Goldsworthy tells a timely tale of national pride, and he has much to be proud of: Respectful of the somber grandeur of its subject, this book sparkles with wisdom and fury.”—J.E. Lendon, author of Soldiers & Ghosts

“Goldsworthy, writing in a style accessible to all, has tackled one of the biggest and gnarliest topics in antiquity. How did Athens and Sparta, two Greek powers that had united to fight the Persians, become mortal enemies? This is not just a retelling of the battles. Goldsworthy digs deep into the politics, diplomacy, and military history of the fifth century BCE to explain the mindset of the powers that faced off in one of the bloodiest conflicts in history while fighting for hegemony.”—Rose Mary Sheldon, Virginia Military Institute

“An epic story well told—lucid, thorough, enlightening, and a pleasure to read.”—Paul A. Rahe, Hillsdale College