Ancient Greece is foundation of Western-European civilization. What makes it so special? The Greeks were the first to develop true philosophical inquiry. They led the way in literature, theater and art. But their most enduring accomplishment is the balance they found between the interests of the individual and those of his community. For the Greeks, all life was political. In this lecture, Gregory Conte traces out the basic facts of Greek history and culture from Troy to Alexander and suggests how the Greek example fostered the core idea of National Socialism: the common good before the individual good.