From the capital of modern Greece and the steps of the U.S. Capitol, and from the Islamic Republic of Iran to the People''s Republic of China, politicians of all stripes invoke the democratic ideal. But what does democracy truly mean? What forces converged to bring it to life in ancient Athens? How did it operate, and who were its founders? What are democracy’s modern applications, and what does its future hold? From the age of the Gods and Titans to the present day, this book explores these questions and reveals how humanity ended up calling “democracy” a system that, in essence, is a version of the oligarchy of ancient Rome (the Roman Republic). In reality, democracy flourished in dozens of ancient city-states beyond Athens, bringing power, prosperity, and culture. Driven by Athens’ maritime dominance and the democratic ideals later championed by Alexander the Great, from the Trojan War through the Ottoman occupation, the Greeks have been the timeless defenders of democracy— a system of governance that, now more than ever, must be reborn.