Eventually, ancient Greek civilization was destroyed by war. For 27 years, Athens and Sparta, a city-state in the south of Greece known for its devotion to warfare, battled fiercely in the Peloponnesian War (431–404 B.C.).
When it was finally over, Sparta was victorious, but not for long. Within about 50 years, the Macedonians from northeastern Greece had conquered both Athens and Sparta, along with many other Greek states.
Over time, other conquests took place. New rulers, customs, buildings, and ideas replaced old ones. How, then, do we know as much as we do about a way of life that thrived more than 20 centuries ago? Read on to find out.
