The work opens with an intricate geographical and historical analysis of the northern frontiers of Greece, tracing the origins of the Dorians and related tribes such as the Macedonians, Thessalians, and Illyrians. Müller investigates the early settlements of the Dorians in the mountainous regions near Olympus and Ossa, examining their interactions with the Pelasgians and Lapithae. A central theme is the great migration of the Dorians to Crete and their subsequent move to the valley of Oeta and Parnassus, laying the foundation for their later expansion into the Peloponnese. The narrative deconstructs the traditional epic accounts of the return of the Heraclidae, separating mythological genealogy from the concrete historical realities of conquest and settlement.
Subsequent sections provide a detailed regional breakdown of the Peloponnese, analyzing the physical structure of Arcadia, Laconia, Argolis, Achaia, and Elis, and how geographical isolation shaped the political destiny of these territories. The text examines the complex reduction of Argos, Corinth, Megara, and the protracted resistance of Amyclae against Spartan dominance. Müller discusses the rise of the Dorian colonies across the Mediterranean, tracing settlements in Sicily, southern Italy, the islands of the Aegean, and the coast of Asia Minor. He demonstrates how these colonies maintained religious and political ties with their mother-states despite geographical separation.
The later chapters shift toward the institutional and political history of the Peloponnesian league under the hegemony of Sparta. Müller details the rise of the tyrannies in Sicyon, Corinth, and Megara as a direct challenge to the traditional Dorian aristocracy, and how Spartan intervention ultimately restored conservative governance across the region. The analysis extends into the causes and character of the Peloponnesian war, contrasting the rigid, land-based stability of the Dorian confederacy with the maritime aggression of Athens. The concluding portions examine the evolution of Dorian religious life, emphasizing the supreme importance of the worship of Apollo and Artemis as unifying forces throughout the ancient Greek world.
