In this thoughtful and provocative study, M.I. Finley challenges the prevailing traditions of researching and writing about ancient civilizations. He questions, for example, the special status accorded to classic texts, exposes the false assumptions historians have made based on severely limited information, and presents the flaws inherent in conventional explanations of the Greek city-state. Emphasizing the need to ask the right questions in order to expand our understanding of life in the ancient world, the author suggests how historians might better deal with the evidence that is available, and offers alternative methods that can be used to reconstruct history.