re: Athens on PBS TV
If you've never checked out Bettany Hughes before, you owe it to yourself to see this. Her shows on Sparta and Helen of Troy were as much of a joy to watch as she was.
Looks, brains, and she speaks ancient Greek. I think I'm in love.
But seriously, I hope this doesn't degenerate into another "the Athenians weren't so nice because they owned slaves, conquered their neighbors, and treated women like second class citizens". For crying out loud people, this was the early Iron Age, look at the civil liberties record of the rest of the world.