Grote's History of Greece is one of the classic works of historical interpretation and scholarship. George Grote - banker, MP and a founder of London University - was the first historian to give a high value to the Greek creation of democracy, and this aspect of his work is closely relevant to current debates about democracy in our times. This abridgement of the original twelve volume work, which was made in the early years of the century and published by George Routledge and sons, is now available again and makes accessible the essential Grote.