This book examines the transitional periods of archaic Greece and late antiquity, the ostensible birth and death of the ancient west. The author argues that an interpretation of the social, political, and intellectual history of these important turning points brings to light some philosophical understanding of the dynamics of change itself.

• Contents
• Part I: Transitions
  • 1 Introduction
  • 2 Nomenclature
• Part II: The Birth of the Ancient World
  • 3 A Miracle Story
  • 4 Power and Reason
  • 5 From Mythos to Mythos
• Part III: Late Antiquity
  • 6 Civilizational Collapse?
  • 7 Decline or Transformation
  • 8 Christianization
• Conclusion
• Works Cited
• Index
• About the Author