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.