The German archaeologist Ernst Curtius (1814-1896) published this seminal work in three 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 2 focuses on the themes of conflict and unity, with the second part of Book 2, and Book 3 which covers the Ionian revolt and the events that led to the outbreak of the Peloponnesian War. Curtius' History was a pioneering work of nineteenth-century classical scholarship. For many generations it provided an indispensable guide through the complex history of the ancient Greek world, and it continues to inspire researchers today.