The German archaeologist Ernst Curtius (1814-1896) published his seminal work The History of Greece in 3 volumes between 1857 and 1867. It quickly became a bestseller and was republished in numerous German editions. The work was translated into English by the eminent British historian Adolphus William Ward (1837-1924) who divided it into five volumes, published between 1868 and 1873. Volume 4 covers the period of Spartan supremacy that followed the Peloponnesian War; the restoration of Athens; Greek relations with Persia; the Corinthian war; the rise of Thebes; and the Theban wars. Curtius’ History was a pioneering work of nineteenth-century classical scholarship. For many generations it provided an indispensable guide through the highly complex history of ancient Greece, and it continues to inspire researchers today.