Best History Books About Greece (2026): 5 Compared

The best history books about greece are the ones that cover the span from ancient to modern: a 600-page biography of the modern nation, a 544-page Oxford history of ancient Greece, and a 512-page illustrated encyclopedia. We compared five history books about Greece by pages, publisher, edition and release date, using only what each listing publishes.

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More picks to compare

• Oxford History of Greece536 pages, 2002 EditionCheck on Amazon
• Brief History of Ancient Greece158 pages, 2023Check on Amazon
• History of Greece Guide168 pages, 2021Check on Amazon
• History of Greece Overview160 pages, 2022Check on Amazon
• Athens and Sparta640 pages, 2026Check on Amazon

Compare the picks

Book details as published on each listing, collected 22 October 2026.

The picks: best history books about greece

#	Product	Shelf Score	Buy
1	Greece: Biography of a Modern Nation	9.7/10	Buy on Amazon
2	Creators, Conquerors, and Citizens	9.7/10	Buy on Amazon
3	Ancient Greece: An Illustrated History	9.7/10	Buy on Amazon
4	Ancient Greece: From Prehistoric to Hellenistic Times	9.6/10	Buy on Amazon
5	National Geographic The Greeks	9.6/10	Buy on Amazon

1

Greece: Biography of a Modern Nation

Roderick Beaton·9.7/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

Roderick Beaton's Greece: Biography of a Modern Nation, 600 pages, March 5, 2020.

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Pros

• 600 pages stated
• March 5, 2020 release
• Modern nation focus

Cons

• No stated publisher
• No stated edition
• 600 pages suits dedicated readers

2

Creators, Conquerors, and Citizens

Robin Waterfield·9.7/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

Robin Waterfield's Creators, Conquerors, and Citizens: A History of Ancient Greece, 544 pages, March 6, 2020, Oxford University Press, 2020 Edition.

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Pros

• 544 pages stated
• 2020 Edition stated
• Oxford University Press

Cons

• 544 pages suits dedicated readers
• No stated author background
• 2020 is recent

3

Ancient Greece: An Illustrated History

Nigel Rodgers·9.7/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

Nigel Rodgers' Ancient Greece: An Illustrated History, 512 pages, August 1, 2017, Lorenz Books, 2017 Edition.

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Pros

• 512 pages stated
• 2017 Edition stated
• Lorenz Books stated

Cons

• 512 pages suits dedicated readers
• Illustrated suits visual readers
• No stated author background

4

Ancient Greece: From Prehistoric to Hellenistic Times

Thomas R. Martin·9.6/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

Thomas R. Martin's Ancient Greece: From Prehistoric to Hellenistic Times, 311 pages, April 16, 2013, Yale University Press, 2013 Edition.

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Pros

• 311 pages stated
• 2013 Edition stated
• Yale University Press

Cons

• 311 pages is shorter
• 2013 is older
• No stated author background

5

National Geographic The Greeks

Diane Harris Cline·9.6/10 Shelf Score

i

The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

Diane Harris Cline's National Geographic The Greeks: An Illustrated History, 224 pages, June 7, 2016, National Geographic, 2016 Edition.

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Pros

• 224 pages stated
• 2016 Edition stated
• National Geographic stated

Cons

• 224 pages is the fewest
• 2016 is older
• No stated author background

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How we scored them

The Read Score weighs the pages, the publisher, the edition and the release date. Greece: Biography of a Modern Nation states 600 pages and a March 2020 release; Creators, Conquerors, and Citizens states 544 pages and a 2020 Edition from Oxford. How we pick explains the weights.

Scores run from 9.2 to 9.8: each book’s point total is placed on that range, so more points always means a higher score. Reading age or level counts on a list where at least one listing gives one, and a book whose listing gives none then scores zero on it. Where no listing gives one, the score is taken over the other 85 points. Books carry no warranty, so warranty is not scored.

Setup Notes

• Greece: Biography of a Modern Nation: 600 pages, March 5, 2020.
• Creators, Conquerors, and Citizens: 544 pages, March 6, 2020.
• Ancient Greece: An Illustrated History: 512 pages, August 1, 2017.
• Ancient Greece (Martin): 311 pages, April 16, 2013.
• National Geographic The Greeks: 224 pages, June 7, 2016.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which covers modern Greece?

Greece: Biography of a Modern Nation: 600 pages.

Which is the Oxford pick?

Creators, Conquerors, and Citizens: 544 pages, Oxford University Press.

Which is illustrated?

Ancient Greece: An Illustrated History: 512 pages, Lorenz Books.

Which is longest?

Greece: Biography of a Modern Nation: 600 pages.

Do all five state page counts?

Yes: all five state page counts in this roundup’s data.

Still deciding? Our top pickGreece: Biography of a Modern Nation

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