This volume is one of the most important works on ancient Athens in the
last fifty years. The focus is on the early city, from the end of the
Bronze Age--ca. 1200 BCE--to the Archaic period, when Athens became the
largest city of the Classical period, only to be destroyed by the
Persians in 480/479 BCE. From a systematic study of all the excavation
reports and surveys in central Athens, the author has synthesized a
detailed diachronic overview of the city from the Submycenaean period
through the Archaic. It is a treasure trove of information for
archaeologists who work in this period. Of great value as well are the
detailed maps included, which present features of ancient settlements
and cemeteries, the repositories of the human physical record. Over
eighty additional large-scale, interactive maps are available online to
complement the book.