Ancient Greek civilization was destroyed by war. For 27 years, Athens and Sparta, a city-state in the south of Greece that was known for its love of warfare, fought the Peloponnesian War (431–404 B.C.).
Sparta won, but not for long. Within about 50 years, the Macedonians from northeastern Greece took over Athens, Sparta, and many other Greek states.
Over time, other conquests took place. New rulers, customs, buildings, and ideas replaced old ones. So how do we know so much about a way of life from more than 20 centuries ago? Read on to find out.
