Ancient Greek Who lived in Ancient Greece? Painting on a vase: a boy learns to read

Which, in turn, brought its culture to almost every European people. The term “Ancient Greece” itself is used to designate the Greek-speaking population during the period of antiquity and refers not only to the territory occupied today by modern Greece, but also to other regions inhabited in the past by Greek people, such as Cyprus, the Caucasus, Crimea, Ionia (west coast of Turkey), Sicily and southern Italy, known as Magna Graecia, as well as scattered Greek settlements on the shores of the Mediterranean, Black and Azov seas.

Geography

The territorial core is the southern part of the Balkan Peninsula (Balkan, or mainland Greece), as well as the adjacent islands and the western coast of Asia Minor.

Map showing the main regions of mainland Ancient Greece and the surrounding "barbarian" lands.

In the northwest it bordered with Illyria, in the northeast with Macedonia, in the west it was washed by the Ionian (Sicilian) and in the east by the Aegean and Thracian seas. Included three regions - Northern Greece, Central Greece and Peloponnese. Northern Greece was divided into western (Epirus) and eastern (Thessaly) parts by the Pindus mountain range. Central Greece was delimited from the North by the mountains of Timfrest and Eta and consisted of ten regions (from west to east): Acarnania, Aetolia, Locris Ozole, Doris, Phocis, Locris Epiknemidskaya, Locris Opunta, Boeotia, Megaris and Attica. The Peloponnese was connected to the rest of Greece by the narrow (up to 6 km) Isthmus of Corinth.

The central region of the Peloponnese was Arcadia, which was bordered on the west by Elis, on the south by Messenia and Laconia, on the north by Achaea, on the east by Argolis, Phliuntia and Sicyonia; in the extreme northeastern corner of the peninsula was Corinthia. Insular Greece consisted of several hundred islands (the largest are Crete and Euboea), forming three large archipelagos - the Cyclades in the southwest of the Aegean Sea, the Sporades in its eastern and northern parts and the Ionian Islands in the eastern part of the Ionian Sea. Balkan Greece is mainly a mountainous country (it is pierced from north to south by two branches of the Dinaric Alps) with an extremely indented coastline and numerous gulfs (the largest are Ambracian, Corinthian, Messenian, Laconian, Argolid, Saronic, Mali and Pagasian).

Natural conditions

Mountain ranges divide Greece into many narrow and isolated valleys with access to the sea. There are few vast fertile plains here, except in Laconia, Boeotia, Thessaly and Euboea. In the ancient Greek period, three-quarters of the territory was pasture and only one-eighth was arable land. Both plant (oak, wild walnut, cypress, chestnut, fir, spruce, myrtle, laurel, oleander, etc.) and fauna(bears, wolves, foxes, wild boars, fallow deer, deer, roe deer, hares; in ancient times, lions), but the sea gave especially much. The subsoil concealed significant deposits of minerals, primarily iron (Laconia, many islands), as well as silver (Attica, Thasos, Sifnos), copper (Eubea), gold (Thessaly, Thasos, Sifnas), lead (Keos), white marble ( Attica, Paros), dark blue clay (Attica)

Periodization

IN historical science It is customary to distinguish the following stages in the history of Ancient Greece:

Creto-Mycenaean (late III-II millennium BC). Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations. The emergence of the first state formations. Development of navigation. Establishing trade and diplomatic contacts with the civilizations of the Ancient East. The emergence of original writing. For Crete and mainland Greece at this stage, different periods of development are distinguished, since on the island of Crete, where a non-Greek population lived at that time, statehood developed earlier than in Balkan Greece, which underwent at the end of the 3rd millennium BC. e. conquest of the Achaean Greeks.
1. Minoan civilization (Crete):
  1. Early Minoan period (XXX-XXIII centuries BC). The dominance of tribal relations, the beginning of the development of metals, the beginnings of crafts, the development of navigation, comparatively high level agrarian relations.
  2. Middle Minoan period (XXII-XVIII centuries BC). Also known as the period of "old" or "early" palaces. The emergence of early state formations in different parts of the island. Construction of monumental palace complexes in several regions of Crete. Early forms of writing.
  3. Late Minoan period (XVII-XII centuries BC). The heyday of the Minoan civilization, the unification of Crete, the creation of the maritime power of King Minos, the wide scope of Crete's trading activities in the Aegean Sea basin, the heyday of monumental construction ("new" palaces in Knossos, Mallia, Phaistos). Active contacts with ancient Eastern states. Natural disaster of the mid-15th century. BC e. becomes the cause of the decline of the Minoan civilization, which created the preconditions for the conquest of Crete by the Achaeans.
2. Hellenic civilization (Balkan Greece):
  1. Early Helladic period (XXX-XXI centuries BC). The dominance of tribal relations among the pre-Greek population in Balkan Greece. The appearance of the first large settlements and proto-palace complexes.
  2. Middle Helladic period (XX-XVII centuries BC). The settlement of the first waves of Greek speakers - the Achaeans - in the south of the Balkan Peninsula, which was accompanied by a slight decrease in the overall level of socio-economic development of Greece. The beginning of the decomposition of tribal relations among the Achaeans.
  3. Late Helladic period (XVI-XII centuries BC) or Mycenaean civilization. The emergence of an early class society among the Achaeans, the formation of a productive economy in agriculture, the emergence of a number of state entities with centers in Mycenae, Tiryns, Pylos, Thebes, etc., the formation of original writing, the flourishing of Mycenaean culture. The Achaeans subjugate Crete and destroy the Minoan civilization. In the 12th century. BC e. a new tribal group invades Greece - the Dorians, the death of the Mycenaean statehood.
Polisny(XI-IV centuries BC). Ethnic consolidation of the Greek world. The formation, flourishing and crisis of polis structures with democratic and oligarchic forms of statehood. The highest cultural and scientific achievements of ancient Greek civilization.
1. Homeric (prepolis) period, “dark ages” (XI-IX centuries BC). The final destruction of the remnants of the Mycenaean (Achaean) civilization, the revival and dominance of tribal relations, their transformation into early class ones, the formation of unique pre-polis social structures.
2. Archaic Greece (VIII-VI centuries BC). Formation of policy structures. Great Greek Colonization. Early Greek tyrannies. Ethnic consolidation of Hellenic society. The introduction of iron into all areas of production, economic growth. Creation of the foundations of commodity production, the spread of elements of private property.
3. Classical Greece (V-IV centuries BC). The flourishing of the economy and culture of Greek city-states. Reflecting the aggression of the Persian world power, raising national consciousness. The growing conflict between trade and craft types of policies with democratic forms of government and backward agrarian policies with an aristocratic structure, the Peloponnesian War, which undermined the economic and political potential of Hellas. The beginning of the crisis of the polis system and the loss of independence as a result of Macedonian aggression.
Hellenistic (IV-I centuries BC). The short-term establishment of the world power of Alexander the Great. The origin, flourishing and collapse of the Hellenistic Greek-Eastern statehood.
1. First Hellenistic period (334-281 BC). The campaigns of the Greek-Macedonian army of Alexander the Great, the short period of existence of his world power and its collapse into a number of Hellenistic states.
2. Second Hellenistic period (281-150 BC). The flourishing of Greek-Eastern statehood, economy and culture.
3. Third Hellenistic period (150-30 BC). Crisis and collapse of Hellenistic statehood.

Creto-Mycenaean period

The early stage of the history of Ancient Greece is called Crete-Mycenaean, or Aegean: the civilizations of the Bronze Age (from 3,000 to 1,000 BC) on the islands of the Aegean Sea, on Crete, as well as on the territory of mainland Greece and Anatolia, received the common name Aegean civilization, which, in turn, is divided into the Cretan-Mycenaean period (late III-II millennium BC), which includes the Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations. In the III-II millennia BC. e. The first states arise in the Aegean Sea basin - on the island of Crete and the Peloponnese peninsula (the cities of Mycenae, Pylos, Tiryns). These were states of a monarchical type, similar to ancient Eastern despotisms, with an extensive bureaucratic apparatus and strong communities.

The impetus for the beginning of the research of the English archaeologist Arthur Evans in Crete was the plots of the ancient Greek myths about the master Daedalus, who built a labyrinth palace in Knossos for King Minos, and about the hero Theseus, who defeated the inhabitant of the labyrinth, the Minotaur, and found the way back with the help of “Ariadne’s thread”. Mycenae was discovered by Heinrich Schliemann after excavations in Asia Minor, where he found the legendary Troy.

At the end of the 3rd - beginning of the 2nd millennium BC. e. the most powerful was the Cretan kingdom - a thalassocracy, which occupied an exceptionally advantageous geographical position and possessed a strong fleet. Cretan craftsmen finely processed bronze, but did not know iron; they made and painted ceramic dishes with images of plants, animals, and people.

Red Colonnade of Knossos Palace

To this day, the ruins of the royal palace at Knossos amaze. It was a multi-story structure, most of the rooms of which were connected by a complex system of passages and corridors that never had external windows, but were illuminated through special light shafts. The palace had a ventilation and water supply system. The walls are decorated with frescoes. One of the most famous is “Parisian Woman” (currently in the collection of the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion) - this is how Arthur Evans called the image of a young woman with dark curly hair.

The palace was the center of the political and religious life of the state of Minos. The Cretans worshiped the goddess Demeter, she was served by the high priestess - the daughter of Minos, who can be depicted by large and small statuettes of the Goddess with snakes. Other artifacts indicate that the cult of the bull was central in religious ideas as the personification of Poseidon, the thunder god (Crete and the surrounding islands often suffered from earthquakes): the roof of the palace was decorated with monumental images of horns, ritual vessels were made in the shape of a bull’s head, on one of The frescoes depict acrobats playing with a bull - Taurocatapsia. Knossos was destroyed by a volcanic eruption on the island of Thira, and Crete lost its dominant position.

So from the middle of the 2nd millennium BC. e. Mycenae, inhabited by Achaean Greeks, became the center of Greek civilization. It was surrounded by powerful defensive walls made of huge, roughly hewn stone blocks. The main Lion Gate was decorated with a triangular stele with a relief image of two lionesses. Heinrich Schliemann also found the golden tomb of the Mycenaean kings - the tomb of Atreus, which consists of underground structures with domed vaults located in a circle. Mycenae led the Achaeans in the Trojan War, celebrated in the Iliad, which is attributed to the authorship of Homer.

The disappearance of Mycenaean culture in the 12th century BC. e. associated with the invasion from the north of the Balkan Peninsula of Dorian tribes, among whom the tribal system still dominated. The enslavement of the indigenous people by the Dorians led to the decline of Greek cities and their culture, in particular to the loss of early Greek writing (the so-called Cretan script).

Polis period

Dark Ages

Already in the 6th century BC. e. The struggle of the demos against the aristocracy, in whose hands the land was concentrated, unfolds. In Athens, Archon Solon introduced a number of reforms, including the abolition of debt slavery, which laid the foundations of Athenian democracy. However, the resistance of the aristocracy was so stubborn that only weapons could curb it. Thus, a special form of tyranny was formed in Greek cities, which was aimed at protecting peasants and artisans: in Corinth - the tyranny of Cypselus and Periander; in Athens - the tyranny of Pisistratus and further reforms of Cleisthenes, in Samos - the tyranny of Polycrates, as well as the tyranny of the cities of Sikyon, Miletus, Ephesus, etc.

At the end of the Archaic period, slavery spread in many poleis, regardless of the form of organization of the polis, including democratic Athens. At the same time, in oligarchic Sparta, Crete and Argos, certain features of the tribal system were preserved, and in the communities of Aetolia, Acarnania and Phocis - subsistence farming. Against the background of such diversity in both political and economic indicators, Greek cities begin to compete; the Peloponnesian League, led by Sparta, arises - a military alliance of the cities of the Peloponnese to jointly wage wars and suppress helot uprisings.

Classical period

The classical period is the time of the highest flowering of ancient Greek society and culture, which occurred in the V-IV centuries BC. e. The most influential political and cultural center after the victory in the Greco-Persian wars was Ancient Athens, which stood at the head of the Delian League among the poleis of the islands of the Aegean Sea, its western, northern and eastern coasts. Athens reached its maximum power and cultural flourishing when the outstanding political figure, commander, and supporter of the democratic party, Pericles, who was elected strategist 15 times, became the head of the state. This period is known in historiography as the "Golden Age of Pericles", although it was relatively short-lived.

The transfer of the treasury of the Delian League from Delos to Athens, the collection of payment - foros - from the allies, the restriction of free trade at sea, punitive expeditions, cleruchia - all this caused indignation among the allies and a desire to free themselves from obligations. At the same time, conflicts outside the union were also brewing: the economic struggle between Athens and Corinth in the field of trade, and with Sparta for supremacy in Greece. In 431 BC e. The largest war in the history of Ancient Greece began - the Peloponnesian War, which ended with the crushing defeat of Athens, the loss of possessions and privileges, and Sparta established its hegemony.

The “crisis of the polis” was growing: intrapolis antagonism between the poor and the rich grew; meteks (foreigners in the polis) were glorified, the spread of slavery did not make it possible to find hired labor, and the only means of subsistence remained waging war (therefore, Greek mercenaries often fought in the Persian army). Frequent internecine wars further weakened the policies; they were no longer able to protect their citizens. Eventually 395 BC. e. The Corinthian War broke out, as a result of which Persia imposed the humiliating Peace of Antalcides on the Greeks, the implementation of which was to be enforced by Sparta. Thus, she became the main enemy, and the Second Athenian Naval League was created to fight Sparta. Although Thebes defeats Sparta at Leuctra, Athens' attempt to impose its will leads to another Allied War and the alliance falls apart.

During the period of weakness of the Greek city-states, Macedonia began its rise. King Philip II of Macedon successively conquers Thessaly, Phocis, Chalkis and Thrace. The anti-Macedonian coalition, whose ideologist was Demosthenes, suffered a crushing defeat at the Battle of Chaeronea in 338 BC. e. By 337 BC e. The Corinthian Union of Greek states was created, led by Macedonia, Macedonian garrisons were introduced everywhere and oligarchic regimes were established.

Hellenistic period

Culture of Ancient Greece

Mythology

Mythology played a unifying, formative role for the entire ancient Greek culture. It began to take shape back in the Cretan-Mycenaean period. The most ancient deities were the ones who embodied the forces of nature. From the union of Gaia - earth and Uranus - sky, the titans appeared, the eldest was Ocean, the youngest was Kronos. According to mythology, Kronos decided to take revenge on his father for imprisoning his Cyclops brothers in Tartarus. While Uranus was sleeping, Kronos dealt a heavy blow to him and became the king of all gods. The children of Kronos - the gods led by Zeus, in a fierce battle with the titans, won and shared power over the world.

Humane, harmonious images of Greek mythology became the basis for the development of ancient Greek art. The mythology of the ancient Greeks had a decisive influence on the formation of ancient Roman mythology and religion. During the Renaissance, it was actively included in the European cultural process. Until now, scientific, educational, and aesthetic interest in it has not waned.

Science

Main article: Ancient Greek science

Already in ancient greek mythology the desire to give a comprehensive picture of the world, to find an explanation for everything that exists was clearly visible. The same searches, but at a different ideological level, were continued by scientists of Ancient Hellas. It was in ancient culture that science emerged as an independent sphere for the first time in human history. There is every reason to talk not just about the accumulation of scientific knowledge (which was, as a rule, in the hands of priests), but about the development of professional science.

Ancient philosophy is of enduring importance. In Ancient Greece, philosophy was born as a scientific theory, a system of concepts developed, and the main philosophical problems were posed and received their original solution. One of the most important achievements of ancient Greek philosophy is the development of cosmological questions - about the origin of the Universe, about the nature of man.

A distinctive feature of the philosophical works of the Hellenistic time, when the rather closed world of the Greek city-states was broken, is the increased attention to the individual and his problems. The philosophy of Epicurus saw as its task the liberation of man from the fear of death and fate; he denied the intervention of the gods in the life of nature and man, and proved the materiality of the soul. The life ideal of the philosophical school of Stoicism was equanimity and calm, which a person must maintain in contrast to the changing world. The Stoics considered the main virtues to be understanding (that is, knowledge of what is good and evil), courage and justice.

The historical science of Ancient Greece is primarily associated with the name of Herodotus. He traveled a lot: visited Asia Minor, Ancient Egypt, Phenicia, various cities of Balkan Greece, the Black Sea coast, where he collected, in particular, information about the Scythians. Herodotus's main work is “History,” which is dedicated to the most important political event Greek history- Greco-Persian wars. Despite the fact that “History” is not always distinguished by its integrity and complete scientific character, the facts presented in it are mostly reliable. It was Herodotus who gives the first systematic description of the life and everyday life of the Scythians in ancient literature.

Medical knowledge began to be generalized quite early. One of the Olympian gods, Apollo, was considered the supreme patron of medicine, the healer god. Asclepius became the god of medicine itself, and many scientists now believe that this mythological character had a historical prototype, a real, skilled doctor. Several scientific medical schools have developed in Greece, the most famous are Knidos (city of Knidos) and Kos (on the island of Kos). The representative of the latter was Hippocrates, who lived in the classical era. His discussions about the causes of diseases, about the four temperaments, about the role of prognosis in treatment, about the moral and ethical requirements for a doctor had a great influence on the further development of medicine. The Hippocratic Oath is still the moral code of doctors around the world today. The first systematic textbook on animal anatomy was compiled by Diocles. The cities of Magna Graecia were major medical centers, the most prominent representative of which was Philistion.

The era of successful development of science was Hellenism. This stage is characterized by the successful development of many new scientific centers, especially in the Hellenistic states in the East. The synthesis of the mathematical knowledge accumulated by that time can be considered the work of Euclid, who lived in Alexandria, “Elements” (or “Principles”). The postulates and axioms set out in it and the deductive method of proof have served as the basis of geometry for centuries. The name of Archimedes from Syracuse on the island of Sicily is associated with the discovery of one of the basic laws of hydrostatics, the beginning of the calculation of infinitely large and small quantities, and a number of important technical inventions. Pergamon became the center for the study of Greek philology, and here Dionysius of Thracia created the first grammar.

Based on the works of Babylonian scientists, astronomy was further developed. For example, Seleucus of Babylon tried to substantiate the position that the Earth and planets revolve around the Sun in circular orbits. The campaigns of Alexander the Great significantly expanded geographical ideas. Dicaearchus made a map of the world. Eratosthenes of Cyrene calculated the length of the Earth's equator, obtaining a result close to the correct one (the scientist proceeded from the hypothesis of the spherical shape of the Earth). Volcanic and meteorological phenomena were studied, monsoons and their practical significance were discovered. The study of man has made significant progress. Herophilus discovered nerves and established their connection with the brain; he also suggested that human mental abilities are connected with the brain. Erasistratus studied the anatomy of the heart, research into veterinary medicine was developed, and Zopyrus and Philo of Tarsus made major contributions to pharmacology.

The largest scientific center Hellenistic world there was the Alexandria Museion and the Library of Alexandria, which contained more than half a million books. Outstanding scientists, poets, and artists from all over the Mediterranean came here to work.

Education

Gymnasium (palestra) at Olympia

In the course of the development of ancient spiritual culture, the ideal of a person was gradually developed, which presupposes harmony, a combination of physical and spiritual beauty. The entire system of upbringing and education, unique for its time, correlated with this ideal. It was in the policies of Hellas that for the first time in history the task of educating the children of the entire free population (we were talking primarily about boys) arose. Moreover, attention was paid both to the acquisition of scientific knowledge and to physical development, to the assimilation of the moral code of a free citizen.

There were private and public educational institutions. The structure of education was affected by political differences between policies. In the recognized center of education - Athens - with its democratic republican system, the following education system took shape. The first school laws were drawn up by the ancient Greek poet and statesman Solon. They stipulated that a schoolteacher must pass examinations from time to time to confirm his right to teach others. Classes in schools were held only in daylight. If a father did not send his son to school, then the son might not support his father in old age. School teacher He made sure to show the children the basic gymnastic exercises that would be taught in the gymnasium. Competitions were held among Athenian teachers in recitation and various types athletics.

After home education, boys from the age of seven began to study at a lower school, which was called didaxaleon(from the Greek “didaktikos” - teaching). Here they taught literacy, literature, starting with Homer, music, arithmetic, and drawing. More in-depth study of subjects with the addition of the principles of astronomy and philosophy continued at the second level of primary schools - grammar school (from 12 to 15 years). Physical education training was carried out simultaneously, in a special complex - the palaestra. All of these types of educational institutions in Athens were owned by private individuals. But the Athenians taught, at public expense, those children whose parents died on the battlefield defending the Fatherland.

General education was completed at the gymnasium, where young men aged 16-18 improved in the sciences, which included rhetoric, ethics, logic, geography, as well as gymnastics. The state was in charge of the gymnasiums, and monumental buildings were built for them. Wealthy citizens considered it an honor to take the elected position of head of the gymnasium, despite the fact that it was associated with large personal expenses. Gymnasiums were the centers of intellectual life in the polis; there were several of them in Athens. Every gymnasium had a library. The most famous were Plato's Academy, where Plato held conversations with his students, and the Lyceum, founded by Aristotle. After the gymnasium, one could become an ephebe - a student of a higher educational institution, who in the polis era were military, and in the Hellenistic era they radically changed and became civilians. Circles that were grouped around prominent scientists can be considered a unique form of higher education.

In Sparta, state control over personal development was quite strict. According to legend, newborns were examined by members of the gerusia (city council of elders) and only healthy children were selected. The weak and sick were thrown into the abyss of the Taygetos ridge. There was a public school system, compulsory for every Spartan from 8 to 20 years of age. Unlike Athens, both boys and girls studied in schools, but in Sparta the child was torn away from his family. Children, starting from the age of 12, were divided into squads, at the head of each squad was a pren (the oldest and most authoritative boy). The main elements of training were: hunting, religious and military dances, and various physical exercises. Mental development was a personal matter for every Spartan.

Art of Ancient Greece

Main article: Ancient Greek art

Literature

Ancient Greek artistic culture occupies a special place in the history of world civilization. Hellenic art achieved a deep humanity of images, imbued with a sense of harmony of the world and man, which consciously embodies the beauty of natural existence.

The very early formation of the ancient Greek literary tradition is associated with mythology, its plots and images. The development of individual spheres of culture does not always occur evenly. So, in ancient Greece the peaks poetic creativity were achieved much earlier than classical science, education and art took shape. Around the 8th century BC. e. Homer wrote his epic poems - the Iliad and the Odyssey. Most scholars believe that Homer lived in Asia Minor and was a rhapsodist - the name given to poets who recited their poems. Opinions differ about the time when the poems were written: some believe that the first records were made during the life of Homer, others that this happened later - in the 6th century BC. e. Both versions relate to the history of Greek writing. The alphabet (phonetic writing) was borrowed by the Greeks from the Phoenicians just in the 8th century BC. e. The Greeks wrote, like the Phoenicians, from right to left and without vowels, and in the 6th century BC. e. The letter took on a form that is already familiar to us.

Homer's poems are closely related to the folk heroic epic dedicated to the Trojan War, in which real historical events(military campaign of the Achaean Greeks against Troy, which they called Ilion), and fantastic stories (“Apple of discord” as the cause of the war, the participation of the gods in the conflict, “Trojan Horse”). However, Homer does not translate myths, but creates artistic images, draws the inner world of the heroes, the clash of characters. The Iliad is dedicated to one episode of the last, tenth, year of the war - the anger of the strongest and bravest of the Greek warriors, Achilles, who was offended by the leader of the Greeks, the Mycenaean king Agamemnon. Achilles refuses to take part in the battle, the Trojans break through to the ships, and dies best friend Achilles - Patroclus. Achilles changes his mind, enters into a duel with the main defender of Troy, the son of King Priam, Hector, and kills him. The scene of the meeting between Achilles and Priam is striking, when the king, kissing the hands of the winner, asks to give him the body of his son for burial with all honors.

“The Odyssey” tells about a long, full of incredible fabulous adventures, the return home of one of the main participants in the war - the king of the island of Ithaca, the cunning Odysseus. The Greeks not only knew them by heart, rewrote them many times, loved Homer’s poems, but worshiped them. They were made the basis of upbringing and education. An accurate and figurative assessment of the meaning of the Iliad and Odyssey was given by the medieval Byzantine writer Michael Choniates in the 13th century, who wrote: “Just as, according to Homer, all rivers and streams originate in the Ocean, so all verbal art has its source in Homer."

Hesiod continued the epic tradition of Homer. In the poem “Theogony” he outlined mythological ideas about the origin of the gods and the structure of the world. In “Works and Days,” for the first time he introduced personal assessments and a description of the circumstances of his own life into the epic poem. Subsequently, lyric poetry developed in Greece. The names of the poetess Sappho (sapphic stanza - a special poetic meter), Anacreon (anacreontic - lyrics glorifying the joy of life and worldly pleasures) became famous. However, the poems of these and other ancient Greek authors have survived only in fragments.

As an independent genre literary creativity dramaturgy developed.

Drama and theater

Main article: Ancient Greek theater

The emergence of the ancient Greek theater is associated with holidays in honor of the god of viticulture, Dionysius. Participants in the processions wore goatskins and sang and danced (the word “tragedy” is translated from Greek as “song of the goats”). The historical origin of the theater is indicated by the obligatory participation in tragedies of the choir, with whom at first a single actor entered into dialogues; later the number of actors increased to three. Combining with the literary tradition, theater in the classical era transformed from religious and folk performances into an independent art form. Theatrical performances have become an integral part of public holidays - Dionysius and Lenya. Grandiose stone theaters were built for them, designed for thousands of spectators (the Theater of Dionysus in Athens; the amphitheater in Epidaurus is the best preserved of others).

City authorities found a chorega (a person who provided financing), selected productions and, at their own discretion, determined the order of showing comedies and tragedies. Poor people received money for admission. The actors were exclusively men; they played in special masks. The masks reflected the character and mood of the character being portrayed. The director was the poet himself. After the end of the performances, which lasted for several days from morning to evening, special judges determined the best and awarded prizes in the form of a cash prize to the playwright and choreographer, a laurel branch and a monument in honor of the choreographer.

The most famous playwrights were the tragedians Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides. Aeschylus wrote 90 plays and won dramatic competitions 13 times. His historical play "The Persians" glorifies the victory of the Greeks in the war against the invaders. Aeschylus himself took part in biggest battles. Most ancient Greek plays use mythological themes, which the authors freely interpreted to express their own views. Aeschylus in “Prometheus Bound” admires the courage and love of freedom of the titan. Sophocles appears to have a psychological motivation for the actions of the heroes. For example, in “Antigone” the main character sacrifices herself, but fulfills a moral obligation: contrary to the king’s prohibition, she hides her dead brother. It is in this tragedy that the chorus sounds with the famous refrain: “there are many great forces in the world, but there is nothing stronger in nature than man.” Most of the dramatic works have been lost. Only seven plays by Aeschylus have been completely preserved, seven by Sophocles (123 were written, 24 of them won competitions), a little more - 17 by Euripides. Euripides lived already in an era of crisis, civil wars, external danger that was growing from Macedonia. All this was reflected in his work (“Medea”, “Hippolytus”), Aristotle called Euripides “the most tragic among poets.” Aristophanes (“Clouds,” “Wasps,” “Frogs”) was deservedly considered a master of comedy. Dramatic works of the ancient Greeks still remain in the repertoire of many theaters; they have been filmed several times.

Music

Music occupied an important place in the life of the Hellenes. Images of musicians are presented in ancient Greek mythology (Orpheus, Pan, Marsyas); images of musicians are preserved on Greek vases and in the form of sculptures. In Greece there were special colleges (associations) of singers, musicians, and dancers; music sounded during celebrations, rituals, games, and accompanied theatrical performances. The musical instrumentation was represented by plucked strings (kifara, lyre) as well as wind instruments (avlos, Pan flute).

Ancient Greek thinkers studied the most important acoustic patterns (Pythagoras, Aristoxenus), developed a detailed modal system and notation system, at the same time, a significant place in the works of philosophers was given to musical-aesthetic and musical-ethical problems (Plato, Aristotle). The musical culture of the ancient Greeks preceded the cult music of Christian Europe in the following centuries (Byzantine music, Gregorian chants) and largely determined the further development of European music, giving the majority European languages also the term itself is “music” (from the muses).

Architecture

Under slave-owning democracy, an integral environment of city-states is created. A system of regular city planning is developing (the Hippodamian system), with a rectangular grid of streets, a square - the center of trade and public life. The cult and architectural-compositional core of the city was the temple, which was built on the top of the acropolis - an elevated and fortified part of the city. The Hellenes developed a completely different type of temple than in the ancient Eastern civilization - open, bright, which glorified a person, and did not inspire awe. It is characteristic that architecture contains a human metrical principle. A mathematical analysis of the proportions of ancient Greek temples showed that they correspond to the proportions of the human figure. The classical Greek temple was rectangular in plan, surrounded on all sides by a colonnade. The roof was gable. The triangular planes formed from the facades - pediments - were usually decorated with sculptural images.

Greek architecture is distinguished by purity and unity of style. Three main architectural orders were created (“order” - translated from Greek as “order”) - they differ in the types of columns and ceilings, proportions, and decorative decoration. The Doric and Ionic styles arose during the polis period. Corinthian order - appears in the Hellenistic era.

The most perfect architectural ensemble of classical Greece was the Acropolis of Athens. It was built in the second half of the 5th century BC. e. during the period of greatest power of Ancient Athens. Acropolis Hill, which rises 150 m above sea level, has long been a fortress, and then the site of the main religious buildings. However, during Persian attack they were all destroyed. Pericles, who achieved the transfer of the treasury of the Athenian Maritime League, which included many ancient Greek policies, to Athens, initiated a grandiose reconstruction of the Acropolis. The work was supervised by Pericles' personal friend, the outstanding sculptor Phidias. A distinctive feature of this complex is its extreme harmony, which is explained by the unity of design and the short construction period for such a scale (approximately 40 years).

The main entrance to the Acropolis - Propylaea - was erected by the architect Mnesicles. Later, a small Temple of Nike Apteros (Niki the Wingless) was built in front of them on an artificially enlarged rock ledge - a symbol that the goddess of victory would never leave the city. The main temple of the Acropolis is the white marble Parthenon - the temple of Athena Parthenos (Athena the Virgin). Its architects - Iktin and Kallikrates - conceived and designed a structure so proportionate that, while standing out as by far the most majestic structure of the complex, its size does not weigh on others. In ancient times, in the center of the Acropolis, on a pedestal, in golden armor, stood the grandiose figure of Pallas Athena (Warrior Athena) by Phidias. The Erechtheion is a temple dedicated to Poseidon, who in mythology competed with Athena for the right to patronize the city. The portico of the caryatids is famous in this temple. A portico is a gallery that is open on one side and supported by columns, and in the Erechtheion the columns are replaced by six marble figures of caryatid girls. The Roman historian Plutarch wrote about the construction of the Acropolis: “...their eternal novelty saved them from the touch of time.”

The architecture of Hellenistic city-states continued Greek traditions, but along with the construction of temples, more attention was paid to civil engineering - the architecture of theaters, gymnasiums, and palaces of Hellenistic rulers. The interior and exterior design of buildings has become richer and more diverse. The construction of such famous “wonders of the world” as the tomb of King Mausolus in Halicarnassus and the Pharos lighthouse at the entrance to the Alexandria harbor, the Temple of Dionysus in Teos - the creation of Hermogenes - dates back to this time.

fine arts

Sculpture was the favorite art form of the Hellenes. Statues of gods were built in temples and city squares, and were placed for the winners of the Olympic Games and major playwrights. The acquisition, very gradual, of perfection in this art form dates back to archaic times. Archaeologists have found dozens of very similar archaic statues of two types: kouros - statues of naked youths and kora - draped female statues. These figures still look very constrained; you can only see attempts to convey living movement.

The era of ancient Greek classics gave the world masterpieces of sculpture that humanity never tires of admiring. Contemporaries were the great masters Phidias, Myron, and Polykleitos the Elder. Phidias was called by his contemporaries “the creator of the gods.” To this day, his main works have not survived; they can only be judged by enthusiastic descriptions and Roman copies. The statue of Zeus, lined with gold and ivory, which was located in the main temple of Zeus at Olympia, was rightly ranked by contemporaries as one of the seven wonders of the world. He also created outstanding bas-reliefs and sculptures of the Parthenon, including the main statue - Athena Parthenos (Athena the Virgin).

Myron reached heights in his desire to convey human movement in a sculptural image. In his famous Disco ball For the first time in art, the problem of conveying the moment of transition from one movement to another was resolved, staticity was overcome. At the same time, in accordance with the general aesthetic ideal, the sculptor depicts the athlete’s face as absolutely calm. Polycletus owns a series of statues of athletes - winners of the Olympic Games. The most famous figure is Doryphoros (young man with a spear). Polykleitos theoretically summarized the experience of his mastery in the treatise “Canon”. The most famous creator of female sculptural images was Praxiteles. His Aphrodite of Knidos evoked many imitations. The proportionality of classical sculptures became a model for masters of many eras.

The era of the conquest of Alexander the Great, the subsequent collapse of his empire, full of passions, ups and downs of the human destinies of entire states, brought a new atmosphere to art. If we compare the sculptures of the Hellenistic era with the previous, classical period, then their appearance has lost equanimity and calm. Artists (

One Greek is worth a thousand barbarians. (Alexander the Great).

Modern European (and not only European) civilization owes much of its development to ancient Greece. This relatively small state has made a huge contribution to global culture: medicine, politics, art, literature, theater. To this day, ancient Greek myths serve as a source of inspiration for many people, being studied and retold. And the famous ancient Greek theater, which became the prototype of modern theater, is now being reconstructed again, modern people are trying to revive a piece of ancient Greece through theatrical art. And all this is just a small part of the great Greek heritage.

History of Ancient Greece

Many people associate the phrase “ancient Greece” with high ancient culture, wise Athenian philosophers, brave Spartan warriors and majestic temples. In fact, ancient Greece is not one, but several civilizations that developed and transformed over the centuries. Among them are:

The Minoan civilization, which existed in the early period of the development of ancient Greece, is associated with it, for example, the famous legend of Theseus and the Minotaur, which probably has some real historical basis.
The Achaean civilization, it is about this period that Homer writes in his epic poems “Iliad” and “Odyssey”.
Hellenic civilization, actually the period of the highest flowering of ancient Greek civilization.

Also, the territory of ancient Greece itself is conventionally divided into three parts: Northern, Middle and Southern. In Southern Greece there was the warlike and harsh Sparta, the heart of ancient Greece - Athens, located in Central Greece, and in the North were Thessaly and Macedonia. (The latter, however, was not considered “true Greek”; the Macedonians were rather half-Greeks, half-barbarians, but it’s true that in the history of ancient Greece they had a significant role, but look further on this).

As for the history of ancient Greece, historians conditionally divide it into several periods, and then we will consider in detail the main periods of ancient Greece.

Early period

The emergence of ancient Greece dates back to ancient times, at a time when the ancient Greeks themselves were just as barbarians. Pelasgian tribes inhabiting Greek territory in the 3rd millennium BC. That is, they were expelled from there by Achaean tribes who came from the north. The Achaeans, who created the Achaean civilization, in turn, were destroyed by the Dorian tribes, who were at a culturally lower level of development. After the death of the Achaean civilization, the so-called “dark age” of the ancient world begins. Like the other “dark age” that came after the crash, it is characterized by the decline of culture, the lack of written sources that can tell us about this historical period.

Only Homer shed some light on it; however, for a long time, serious historians considered the events described in the Iliad about the Trojan War to be only the poet’s invention, until someone, the German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann, unearthed the real Troy. True, debates about the reliability of the Troy he excavated are still ongoing, we have a separate interesting one on this topic on our website, but for now we are returning to the history of Greece.

Archaic period

He's the same Archaic period ancient Greece, characterized by a new flowering of Greek civilization. It was during this period that Greek city-states began to appear - independent city-states, among which Athens, Thebes and Sparta gradually rose. Athens became the greatest cultural center of ancient Greece; it was here that many outstanding philosophers, scientists, and poets subsequently lived. Athens was also the stronghold of ancient Greek democracy, the power of the people (“demos” means “people” in Greek, “kratos” means power) and the birthplace of this form of government.

Of course, ancient Greek democracy differed from modern democracy, for example, slaves and women could not take part in voting and public meetings (it was not long before the advent of feminism). Otherwise, Athenian democracy was exactly what real democracy is in its traditional understanding; any free citizen had not only the right, but also the obligation to participate in public assemblies, the so-called ecclesias, at which all important political and economic decisions were made.

People's Assemblies in Athens.

Sparta was the complete opposite of Athens, a military state where, of course, there could be no talk of any democracy. Sparta was ruled by two kings at once, one of whom commanded the army and went on military campaigns at the head of the army, the second was in charge of the economy in his absence . Every Spartan man was a professional warrior who spent all his time improving his military skills; as a result, the Spartan army was the strongest in Greece at that time. And the feat of the 300 Spartans, who held back the advance of a large army, has been glorified more than once both in art and in cinema. The economy of Sparta rested entirely on slaves - helots, who often rebelled against their masters.

Thebes, another great city of ancient Greece, was also a significant cultural and economic center, which also had a large political influence. Power in Thebes belonged to a group of wealthy citizens, the so-called oligarchs (yes, this is a familiar word of Greek origin in our everyday life), who, on the one hand, were afraid of the spread of Athenian democracy, but on the other hand, the severity of the Spartan way of life was also not acceptable to them. As a result, in the constant conflicts between Athens and Sparta, Thebes supported one side or the other.

Classical period

The classical period of ancient Greece is characterized by the highest flowering of its culture, philosophy, art, it was during this period that such outstanding personalities as Solon and Pericles (outstanding political figures who strengthened democracy in Athens), Phidias (creator of the Parthenon in Athens and many other great buildings), appeared. Aeschylus (a talented playwright, “the father of drama”), Socrates and Plato (we think these philosophers need no introduction).

However, with highest development culture during this period, ancient Greece faced great trials, namely the invasion of the Persians, seeking to enslave the freedom-loving Greeks. In the face of a formidable enemy, even such previously irreconcilable rivals as Athens and Sparta united and presented a united front, pan-Greek patriotism prevailed over local squabbles. As a result, after a series of outstanding victories (the Battle of Marathon, the Battle of Thermopylae) over the superior forces of the Persians, the Greeks managed to defend their independence.

True, after the victory over the Persians during the Greco-Persian wars, the Greeks again returned to their old quarrels, which soon escalated so much that they resulted in the Great Peleponian War, between Athens and Sparta. On both sides, the two policies were supported by their allies, lasting 30 years, the war ended with the victory of Sparta. True, the victory did not bring much joy to anyone, the brilliant Greek civilization again fell into decay and desolation during the years of the war, and the Greek city-states themselves weakened so much during the war that soon the energetic Macedonian king Philip, the father of the great conqueror Alexander the Great, conquered all of Greece without much difficulty .

Well, his son, as we know, having rallied all the Greeks, himself attacked Persia, and so successfully that he reached with his then invincible Greek phalanxes all the way to . From this moment the Hellenistic period of the history of ancient Greece begins.

Hellenistic period

It is also the final period of the heyday of Greek civilization, the moment of its greatest zenith, when the power (and at the same time the culture) of the Greeks, thanks to the energy of one Macedonian, stretched from Greece proper to distant India, where a unique Greek-Indian culture was even created, manifested, for example, in statues Buddha, made in Greek style, antique sculpture. (such amazing cultural syncretism).

The Bamiyan Buddha statue, made in the ancient style, unfortunately, has not survived to this day.

After the death of Alexander the Great, his vast empire collapsed as quickly as it was conquered; Greek influence nevertheless continued to persist for some time, but over time gradually began to decline. The situation was complicated by the invasion of Greece itself by warlike Galatian tribes.

And finally, with the rise of Rome and the appearance of Roman legionaries on Greek soil, came the final end of Greek civilization, which was completely absorbed by the Roman Empire. The Romans, as we know, largely adopted Greek culture and became its worthy successors.

Culture of Ancient Greece

It was in ancient Greece that the first philosophical concepts were formulated, which laid down the fundamental knowledge about the universe that modern science uses.

The Greek historian Herodotus literally became the “father of history”; it was his historical works that serve as models for the works of subsequent generations of historians. The Greek physician Hippocrates became the “father of medicine”; his famous “Hippocratic Oath” to this day expresses the moral and ethical principles of a doctor’s behavior. The playwright Aeschylus, already mentioned by us, became the creator of theatrical drama; his contribution to theatrical art and the development of theater is simply enormous. Just like the enormous contributions of the Greeks Pythagoras and Archimedes to the development of mathematics. And the philosopher Aristotle can generally be called the “father of science” in the broad sense of the word, since it was Aristotle who formulated the fundamental principles of scientific knowledge of the world.

This is what the ancient Greek theater looks like, which emerged from religious mysteries; it soon became one of the favorite places of entertainment for the ancient Greeks. The theater buildings themselves in ancient Greece were an open area with a round structure for the choir and a stage for the actors. All ancient Greek theaters had excellent acoustics, so even spectators sitting in the back rows could hear all the lines (there were no microphones yet).

The Ancient Greek Olympic Games, during which all wars were even interrupted, became, in fact, the foundation for the development of modern sports and the modern Olympic Games, which represent precisely the revival of the ancient Greek sports tradition.

The Greeks also had many interesting inventions in military affairs, for example their famous phalanx, which represented a close-knit combat formation of infantry. The Greek phalanx could easily (and did) win over the numerically superior but unorganized Persians, Celts and other barbarians.

Art of Ancient Greece

Ancient Greek art is represented, first of all, by beautiful sculpture and architecture, painting. Harmony, balance, orderliness and beauty of forms, clarity and proportionality, these are the basic principles of Greek art, which considers man as the measure of all things, representing him in physical and moral perfection.

The famous Venus de Milo, the creation of an unknown Greek sculptor. Depicting the goddess of love and beauty Venus, she first of all conveys the pristine beauty of the female body, this is the whole sculpture of ancient Greece and all its art.

The architecture of ancient Greece became especially famous thanks to Phidias, a sculptor and architect, the Parthenon, a temple dedicated to the patroness of Athens, the goddess of war and wisdom, Athena, his greatest creation.

But besides the Parthenon, the Greeks built many other equally beautiful temples, many of which, unfortunately, have not survived to our times or have been preserved in the form of ruins.

As for painting, in ancient Greece it was represented in skillful drawings on Greek vases, in the form of vase painting. The ancient Greeks achieved great skill in decorating and painting vases and amphorae.

Painted Greek amphora. It is worth noting that the ancient Greeks painted a variety of types of pottery. And the inscriptions on vases left by some vase painters became an additional source of historical information.

Religion in Ancient Greece

The religion of ancient Greece and its mythology are perhaps the best studied, and the names of many Greek gods and goddesses, led by the supreme god Zeus, are well known to many. Interestingly, the Greeks endowed their gods with completely human qualities and even vices characteristic of people, such as anger, envy, vindictiveness, adultery, and so on.

Also, in addition to the gods, there was a cult of demigod heroes, such as Hercules, the son of the supreme god Zeus and an ordinary mortal woman. Often, many Greek rulers declared that they traced their ancestry to one or another semi-divine hero.

What’s interesting is that, unlike many other religions, the ancient Greeks were not at all characterized by religious fanaticism (“If Alexander so wants to be a god, then let him be,” the Spartans once calmly remarked in response to Alexander the Great’s claim to be divine origin), nor special reverence for the gods. When communicating with their gods, the Greeks never knelt, but talked with them as if with equal people.

And Greek temples dedicated to this or that god, in addition to their ritual functions, had another very important purpose: they were the real banks of antiquity, that is, places where various Greek oligarchs and nobles kept their values acquired by hook or by crook.

The familiar word “idiot” is of ancient Greek origin. The ancient Greeks called an idiot a citizen of the polis who did not take part in public meetings and voting, that is, a person who is not interested in politics in our modern understanding, who removed himself from political vicissitudes.
In ancient Greece, there was a special institution of hetaeras, which in no case should be confused with prostitutes. Hetaeras, like Japanese geishas, were beautiful and at the same time educated women, capable of maintaining an intellectual conversation, and versed in poetry, music, art, with a broad outlook, serving for the pleasure of men not only in the physical sense, but also in all other conceivable ways meanings. Many Greek hetaeras gathered around them philosophers, poets, scientists, a striking example of this is the hetaera Aspasia, who was the mistress of Pericles; at one time, even young Socrates was in love with Aspasia.
The ancient Greeks called all other representatives of, so to speak, less cultured peoples “barbarians” and it was they who introduced this term into use (“barbarian” is translated from ancient Greek as “foreigner, foreigner”). Later, the Romans also became infected with this Greek xenophobia.
Although the Greeks treated all Scythians and Germans with disdain, calling them “barbarians,” in turn, they themselves learned a lot from the more developed ancient Egyptian civilization and culture. For example, Pythagoras in his youth studied with Egyptian priests. The historian Herodotus also visited Egypt and talked a lot with Egyptian priests. “You Greeks are like little children,” the local priests told him.

Ancient Greece, video

And in conclusion, an interesting documentary about ancient Greece.

Ancient Greece was a fairly developed state, so at one time in this parameter it was ahead of many world countries formed in that era. Researchers have proven that in Greece, from VIII to VI BC (archaic period), architecture, painting, and monumental sculpture actively developed. There were many Greek philosophers and poets of this time who made an invaluable contribution to the development of human culture. We will talk briefly about Ancient Greece in the article. A lot of information has reached our time. But it is difficult to understand what is fiction and what actually happened. But nevertheless, historians collected and analyzed all the information, on the basis of which we compiled a short story.

Legends of Ancient Greece

There are quite a lot of different stories about this state, telling about something incredible from that historical period. All the myths of Ancient Greece are associated either with religion or with the unusual actions of famous people.

It is quite difficult to list all the stories in one review. The list of myths and legends of Ancient Greece is quite long. They are described in detail in the ancient works of contemporary writers. Now such mythical heroes, born thanks to these stories, as Hephaestus, Hercules, Dionysus, Apollo, Hades and many others, have gained worldwide popularity. Cartoons and feature films are created about them, described in modern books and magazines any interesting speculations, paint pictures with images.

Of course, at this stage it is difficult to separate the myths of Ancient Greece from real story that occurred in that distant time period. A lot of information was presented there that seems somehow fantastic and can be perceived by a modern person as some kind of fiction, born of the rich imagination of the narrator himself.

However, it may also be that some events were taken from reality and retold from mouth to mouth, and then written down in a certain book. After all, literature is the main source of information for the next generations of people. Therefore, everything that is recorded there is passed on from generation to generation very successfully. Perhaps some true facts about the history of the development of Ancient Greece have just reached us.

Gods

The religion of Ancient Greece was based on its own idea of the afterlife. The people who inhabited this country firmly believed that each individual deity, which they so sincerely worshiped and believed in its existence, was responsible only for a certain force or element.

Among the most famous gods of Ancient Greece, which were glorified by that people, the following main ones can be distinguished:

Zeus was considered the dominant deity in the religious worldview of the inhabitants of Ancient Greece. Then people believed that it was Zeus who directed the actions of all the other Gods and was the dominant force for them.
Poseidon - occupied the second place in importance and led the sea and water elements. In many ways, phenomena such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions were also closely associated with the name of this God.
Hades was in charge of the underworld of the dead, the so-called “kingdom of the dead.” Together with Zeus and Poseidon, he occupied a dominant role in the religious hierarchy of the ancient Greeks.
Apollo is the patron saint of all creative people and their main inspiration for creating artificial works.
Artemis is the sister of Apollo, mistress of the entire plant world.
Athena was considered responsible for the development of science and for the knowledge of human wisdom.
Ares - God of War. People turned to his help before large-scale battles and military campaigns.
Aphrodite was the patroness of love and beauty.

In addition to the deities listed above, people worshiped many other idols in which they believed so sacredly. The gods of Ancient Greece performed their religious function very well. And the faith that was present in this country helped people in everyday life, as it gave them strength in overcoming life’s difficulties and inexhaustible faith in ultimate success!

Social order

The government body in Ancient Greece (the history of development is briefly outlined in the article) was a special council, which included the elders of the clans. The military commanders here were the basilei, who, in addition to the main military functions, were assigned other responsibilities - conducting judicial and priestly affairs.

In order to divide people into classes, the process of teaching certain individuals many sciences was practiced within the ancient Greek state. This bore fruit, as it allowed this category of people to become more developed and occupy important government positions.

Other classes of Ancient Greece, which were less prosperous, were actively involved in agriculture. Another class included craftsmen.

Over time, the aristocrats began to significantly limit the social power of the tribal basilei, reducing their functions to a minimum. Therefore, the hitherto important position of basileus partially lost its significance. Representatives of noble archons began to rule at the head of the country.

In Athens, 9 archons were elected every year from among local aristocrats. The Council of Elders (Areopat) was replenished exclusively from archons and assumed important state significance.

Entertainment and life

Games in Ancient Greece were important because they personified the culture of the entire state and passed on established traditions to subsequent generations.

To make taverns fun, musicians, acrobats and dancers were attracted to these establishments. Various competitions were used as entertainment. It could even be fights between birds and animals. The game kottab was also very popular at that time. Its peculiarity was that the participant in such an unusual competition had to be able to throw out the remaining wine in the cup in such a way that it would hit a certain target.

Also popular games among the ancient Greek people were dice competitions, as well as the Olympic Games. The latter were attended exclusively by men, and women were only allowed to create entertainment programs based on songs and dances.

People from other countries also came to the Olympic Games in large numbers. Due to the fact that there were always a lot of tourists, the Greeks thought in advance about the entertainment program and places to accommodate visiting guests. These traditions are also inherent in our modern world, and they originate from Ancient Greece.

Theatrical performances also enjoyed particular success among the Greeks. Very often they were held in honor of the God Dionysus, who was responsible for such an industry as winemaking. The residents of Athens did not skimp on the organization of these events, as they considered theatrical performances to be the pride of the state.

Wide variety of art

The art of Ancient Greece is very multifaceted in its essence. At one time, a huge number of talented people lived here, who made a great contribution to the development of this or that industry.

In art, the Greeks tried to portray a person who was perfect in everything. This includes a beautiful appearance, as well as purity and nobility of morals. Then it was the idealistic image that was at the basis of many creations created in that distant era.

The uniqueness of the art of Ancient Greece lies in the fact that its history consists of several fundamental periods, which are divided into:

The Aegean era (III - II BC) - was distinguished by its particular brightness in the painting of palaces and walls. It was during these years that the culture of Crete, which was called Minoan, was fully reproduced. The Knoo Palace, which occupied an area of 16,000 square meters, became a wonderful cultural monument.
Homeric era (XI - IX centuries BC) - the dawn of artistic craft is observed, and a kind of revaluation of previous values occurs. They begin to especially respect a craftsman who is capable of making certain things well. At the same time, the main trend of this time should be considered the creation of some new product.
The archaic era (VIII-VI centuries BC) is remembered by historians for its rapid development of poetry and global changes in worldview. In this era, the Greeks are beginning to look more actively at mythology. The art of music is also developing and improving at a very rapid pace.
Classical era (V-IV BC) - society experiences rapid changes in its social as well as political outlook on life. Thanks to this push in art, the Greeks began to depict the artistic forms of their own works more subtly. Athens has actually turned into the center of ancient culture and sports competitions are increasingly being held here, theatrical performances are being held and various large-scale festivals are being organized.
Hellenistic era (end of the 4th - beginning of the 1st century BC) - the horizons of creative individuals expand significantly, as a result of which their works become more advanced in content. During these years, society managed to achieve unprecedented progress in science and technology, which was reflected in extensive military campaigns and mass scientific trips.

Architecture Features

When constructing various structures, the inhabitants of Ancient Greece most often used stone. Temple architecture was based on the use of soft stone or limestone. It was from this that the Acropolis was built in Athens. This significant event took place in the 6th century BC. This temple complex is unique in that it rises 156 meters above sea level. At the same time, it contains the following main parts:

Temple of the Goddess of Victory.
Parthenon.
Erechtheion.

But residential buildings in Ancient Greece were largely built from baked bricks. Moreover, all these structures were quite small - they were all built on one or maximum 2 floors. The outside of all houses was usually covered with special stone slabs.

Wooden beams served as floors, but a little later they were successfully replaced with stone ones. The masonry itself was reinforced with metal staples or tenons.

Among the architectural objects of Ancient Greece, one can also highlight various stadiums, museums and gymnasiums. Moreover, they were built with sufficient quality and in compliance with the technologies of that time. Therefore, virtually all the sights of Ancient Greece to this day delight the eyes of many tourists, as well as true connoisseurs of beauty!

Famous Literary Works of the Ancient Greek Era

Writers of the ancient Greek era showed the world a number of interesting literary works, which are still very popular among readers. Poetry became most famous in this regard thanks to the fundamental works of Homer. It was with his help that the epic form of this literary style was actively developing at that time. Consider only two famous works - “The Odyssey” and “The Iliad”. They embodied enormous wisdom and great knowledge, and also skillfully glorified the exploits of the main characters.

Somewhat later, in Ancient Greece, literature acquired a lyrical orientation. Initially, this poetry was sung to the sounds of the lyre, but this form of performance has not actually survived to this day.

But fables in the ancient Greek state were also very popular at one time - this was around the 6th century BC. They mainly touched on the topic of short jokes about various animals and their relationships with each other. At the same time, these stories were described in such a way that they were understandable to everyone. The reader who read them thought about morality and reflected on this topic.

Famous Landmarks

Even today you can get acquainted with many of the sights of Ancient Greece. All of them remained from the moment of its existence. There are quite a lot of them, so judging which of them are the most valuable in a historical or cultural aspect is a thankless task, since each person may have his own individual opinion on this matter.

In 500 BC, the Temple of Poseidon was built at the very top of the rock. This facility is located 30 kilometers south of Athens - on Cape Sounion. Nowadays, you can only see a few columns of that great landmark. On one of them the name of Lord Byron is very clearly carved. It was painted in 1810 during the stay of this famous writer in Athens.

Ancient Olympia was located in the western part of the Peloponnese Peninsula. According to legends, the very first Olympic Games in human history took place here. Then they were supposedly held in honor of God, the patron of heaven. At one time, in Olympia, archaeologists were able to discover a huge figurine depicting Zeus. It was created from ivory and gold.

The tombs of the city of Vergina are located relatively close to Thessaloniki - about 50 miles. Many unusual tombs have been discovered here. One of them contained a golden sarcophagus - one of the most valuable relics of Greece.

Historical development and significance

What significance did the ancient Greek period have for modern people? The history of Ancient Greece is very multifaceted in many main points. If we judge the peoples who inhabited this territory in ancient times, we can say that they brought their own “zest” to the development of this ancient civilization.

At the end of the 4th century BC, after the collapse of the Persian state, the Hellenistic system was formed on the territory of Greece. In those years, the Greek world was very vast and covered a vast territory - from Sicia to the Northern Black Sea region.

However, the main period of development of Ancient Greece was rightfully considered the Aegean era. It was then that the foundations of statehood and the cultural values of the country were born. This was accomplished thanks to the Achaean tribes who densely inhabited this region. However, under the pressure of the Dorian tribes who came from modern Macedonia, in the 2nd millennium BC, the Achaeans were forced to leave the local area and move to the mountains.

In the 1st millennium BC, the descendants of the Achaeans successfully lived in the mountains of Arcadia, as well as in Cyprus. It was still possible to meet them in the Asia Minor region of Pamphylia.

The historical significance of Ancient Greece for the modern world is quite great. Thanks to the sports traditions that arose during that period, large-scale Olympic competitions still remain relevant in our world. Moreover, the prestige of athletes’ participation in them is quite great, and for winning in one or another event, medalists are often awarded various incentives at the state level.

Also, the literature of Ancient Greece played a big role in understanding human existence. After all, the Greeks believed in an afterlife and in the existence of God. Therefore, according to their teachings, religion then developed, which was then successfully transformed into various directions.

A modern view of these historical events

The views of modern historians on the era of Ancient Greece are very diverse. Some believe that the cult of the deity, which the Greeks actively promoted, is quite naive. Others, on the contrary, attribute this unusual worldview to the key to the future successful development of the state.

Everyone can also look at the art of different ancient Greek eras differently. To some, all those architectural creations, paintings or literary works may seem uncreative and devoid of their own “zest,” but to others, on the contrary, they seem to be a masterpiece, the highest creative manifestation of the masters of that time!

But in any case, without the historical period associated with the development of Ancient Greece, it is extremely difficult to imagine modern society in the form in which it now exists. In fact, such large ancient states as Greece and Rome became the main “locomotives” of human progress!

History of the development of Ancient Greece. The era of Ancient Greece begins its existence in the 3rd millennium BC. and lasted until the 1st century BC. on south of the Balkan Peninsula and islands in the west of Asia Minor. By the end of the 7th century BC. Greek culture became most prosperous. The Greeks achieved enormous success in the fine arts, monumental construction, unraveling the mysteries of mathematics and medicine, and in the development of social ideas. They created a system of government in which all citizens had the right to vote on major issues.

But Ancient Greece was not a single state. The mainland and islands were divided into many city-states surrounded by rural settlements. The most powerful city-state was Athens, who became in 5th century BC. center of Greek civilization. Athens had a well-trained army and the most powerful ancient navy in the world. Triremes, ships with 3 rows of oars on each side, made up the majority of the Greek battle fleet.

Athens

Athens were the most prosperous city in Greece. The huge bronze statue of Athena the Protector towered at a height of 9 meters, and in the temple Erechtheion there was an ancient wooden statue. On the side of the temple there was a huge altar. The main temple of Athena was called Parthenon . It was built in 447-438 BC. made of sparkling white marble. The roof was covered with marble tiles. The frieze was decorated with scenes of battles of centaurs - mythical half-human, half-horse creatures. The magnificent city owned silver mines and conducted international trade through the port in Piraeus . On the hill rose Acropolis(upper city), a sacred place with temples and sanctuaries of the goddess Athena. Below lay a city with cobbled streets, magnificent buildings and a market square called agora, where public meetings were held. Great philosophers Socrates, Plato And Aristotle lived in Athens.
On holidays, crowded religious processions walked through Athens. They entered the sacred land of the Acropolis through the marble gates - Propylaea.

Power of the people

The city-states of Greece were called policies(which is where the word comes from policy). Around 510 BC e. the policies got rid of the kings and preferred to be governed by a group of noble people ( oligarchies) or one influential politician ( Tirana). In 508 BC. originated in Athens democracy, or power of the people. Under the new system, male citizens decided various issues by voting in assembly- people's assembly. Women, foreigners and slaves could not vote.
In 443-429 BC. Athenians elected a major politician as ruler Pericles who started construction temple on the Acropolis.

Culture and craft

First originated in Greece Olympic Gamesin 776 BC. and later became part of the festivals in honor of the god Zeus. In a democratic society, a politician had to own oratory. The first historical thinker named Herodotus, in the near future he began to be called the “father of history.” He was able to describe all historical events believably and honestly. Greeks visited Delphic Oracle, which according to legend could tell a lot about the future useful information. Mount Olympus was considered the abode of the gods and was the most sacred place in Greek religion.
Thessaly was famous for horse breeding thanks to its beautiful and extensive pastures. The Greeks made their magnificent painted ceramics from special clay, which acquired a red color when fired. IN Lydia, and later in Athens they began to mint the first coins with the emblem of an owl of one of the goddesses. There were silver mines in Greece Lauria, which were famous for their deposits of precious metals.
Greek women wove most of the fabric themselves to make linen and clothing for their household. They wore clothes Ionic And Doric style. During the harvest, the girls winnowed the grain, separating it from the chaff.

Architecture of Greece

The Greeks built grandiose temples that were built on a stepped platform. They were surrounded by a colonnade. Inside was a main hall with a statue of a god or goddess and a repository for temple treasures.
The outside of the temple was decorated with bas-reliefs and sculptures, traditionally painted in red and blue. At first the temples were wooden, but from the 6th century AD. they began to be built from stone or marble and covered with tiles.
The Greeks built simple residential buildings from brick and wood, with earthen floors. But no money or labor was spared on public buildings, especially churches. Architects strived for harmony of proportions. The buildings usually had colonnades. Two main styles emerged - the Doric, strict, with squat, smooth columns, and the more refined Ionic, with slender, graceful columns. Public buildings were usually decorated with statues and wall paintings.

Science and knowledge

Knowledge of Ancient Greece. In the 6th century BC. Greek scientists began to strive to understand the structure of the universe. They were called philosophers, that is, “lovers of wisdom.” They studied the structure of the human body, solved mathematical problems and monitored the movements of the planets. Alexander the Great's mentor Aristotle, for example, described hundreds of species of animals. The research of Greek scientists laid the foundation for modern biology, medicine, mathematics, astronomy and philosophy. Science of Ancient Greece was one of the most unique and original in the ancient world.

Olympic Games

Sports competitions were part of all major religious festivals in Greece. The main ones were the Olympic Games in honor of Zeus. They were held every 4 years and lasted 5 days. Many of the Olympic events, such as javelin throwing and wrestling, were related to the military training required by every man. During the games, wars were interrupted so that participants from all over the country could come to Olympia. The winners of the games became celebrities.
Women were prohibited from watching and participating in the Olympic Games.

Theater

The first great dramatic works were created by the Greeks. Poets performed their songs at Dionysias - holidays in honor of the god Dionysus. Gradually the songs became longer, the number of performers grew, and the songs turned into theatrical performances. There were 3 types of plays - tragedy, comedy and satire. The best play in each genre was awarded. Special buildings without roofs were built for theaters. The actors wore masks, and all roles, even female ones, were played by men.

Religion

Names of the gods of Ancient Greece.
The Greeks had 12 main gods :
1) Zeus- king of the gods, thunderer. The eagle was considered his cult bird
2) Athena- daughter of Zeus, was the goddess of wisdom and war, the patroness of Athens. The owl was her cult bird
3) Artemis- huntress, was the goddess of the Moon, patroness of women and children
4) Aphrodite- goddess of love and beauty
5) Demeter- goddess of fertility and agriculture. During sowing, the Greeks held holidays in her honor
6) Poseidon- god of the sea, brother of Zeus and Pluto. With his trident he could cause a storm
7) Hera- goddess, wife of Zeus, patroness of women
8) Hestia- goddess of the hearth, sister of Hera
9) Apollo- god of the sun and music
10) Pluto- god of the underworld
11) Ares- god, son of Zeus and Hera
12) Hermes- god, son of Zeus and one of his lovers, messenger of the gods

Sparta

Sparta dominated southern Greece, Peloponnese. After the conquest Messenia And Arcadia it became the most powerful state in Greece. The Spartans devoted themselves entirely to war. All true Spartans had to be warriors; their training, which began at age 7, was extremely harsh.
Boys were subjected to corporal punishment to teach them pain and the ability to overcome fear in battle.
The girls were raised to be strong so that they would have healthy children in the future. All this helped Sparta win Peloponnesian Wars with Athens in 431-404 BC.
Spartans who did not show sufficient courage were ordered to shave off half their beard. They were subjected to universal ridicule and humiliation.
Athens And Sparta were constant rivals and were always at odds.

Greco-Persian Wars

Wars of Ancient Greece. The Persians invaded Greece in 490 and 480 BC. The Greeks survived the sack of Athens and the death of a small Spartan army defending a narrow passage in the gorge Thermopylae. Despite the losses, they still won, winning the battle of Marathon, at Plataea and sea battle Salamis. The Athenian leader convinced the government to create its own warships. The Greek fleet became a powerful force, whose main weapon was trireme ship, ramming enemy ships below the waterline. The ram was usually made of bronze. Triremes broke the formation of enemy ships, rammed them and disappeared from sight.
The decisive battle took place at Salamis Islands and ended with the defeat of the Persian king Xerxes, who invaded Greece. The Persians were lured into a trap - a narrow strait between Salamis and the mainland - and defeated.
Bucephalus. During his campaigns, Alexander left his people in the conquered lands. This contributed to the widespread Greek culture and language, and ultimately the assimilation by later civilizations of the achievements of Greek science and architecture.

Alexander's military campaigns

Conquering Asia Minor, Alexander won the battles with the Persians at Granicus and Issus. Turning south, he conquered Phenicia, Judea and Egypt, where he was accepted as Pharaoh. The Macedonian visited the temple of the god Amun in Siwa, where he recognized him as his son. Then he defeated the Persians in the battle of Gaugamela. The Persian king Darius III fled after a crushing defeat inflicted on him by Alexander the Great. Darius was soon killed. After a drunken revelry in Persepolis, Alexander ordered the palace to be burned before marching on India. Further great commander went to India and again became the winner in the battle of the Hydaspes River, engaging in battle with the war elephants of King Porus. He would have continued his campaigns further, but the army was already exhausted.

Alexander the Great died 323 BC in Babylon from fever on the eve of a campaign in Arabia.
He was buried in Alexandria. He was only 33 years old at that time.

Greece is located on a peninsula - a land surrounded on three sides by the Mediterranean Sea. The shores of the peninsula are uneven. Far out to sea are issued capes, separated by small bays - bays. There are many islands around. Every Greek has seen the sea since birth and was not afraid of it.

Poverty of natural resources and lack of fertile lands determined the low standard of living of people and encouraged them to search for and develop new territories, develop trade, handicraft production, and improve productive types of agricultural crops.

Sea

One of the most important natural factors that influenced the development of Greek history and culture was the sea, with which the life of most Greek states was closely connected. In Greece there are no large rivers suitable for swimming, so the sea served as the main road for the ancient Greeks. The sea forced the Greeks to actively develop shipbuilding, fishing, and build port facilities. The ships of the ancient Greeks sailed from island to island, from bay to bay, transporting people and cargo. The Greeks founded many colony cities on the islands and shores of the Mediterranean Sea, as well as on the shores Black And Azov seas.

Mountains

Another important feature of the natural environment of Greece was the numerous mountains through which it is not easy to build roads. They occupied a significant part of the territory of Ancient Greece, dividing neighboring regions and preventing the formation of large states.

Greeks were not indigenous to the Balkan Peninsula. Their ancestors probably came there from the north - the territory of the Danube River basin. The resettlement occurred in two main waves.

The first - at the end of the 3rd millennium BC. e. - composed by the Achaean Greeks, who in the 2nd millennium BC. e. created states known to us from myths, historical legends, archaeological materials and monuments of ancient Greek writing.

The second wave of immigrants came about a thousand years later - at the end of the 13th - 12th centuries. BC e. - also from the north of the Balkan Peninsula. It consisted of Greek Dorians, related to the Achaeans, but at a lower level of development - they did not have statehood, cities, or writing. Under the influence of this migration, several groups of Greek tribes and several dialects of the ancient Greek language were formed. Over time, a single ancient Greek nation was formed.

Aegean civilization, Cretan-Mycenaean period (end of the 3rd millennium - 11th century BC)
- Minoan civilization on the island of Crete (XXX-XII centuries BC)
- Hellenic civilization on the Balkan Peninsula (XXX-XII centuries BC)
- Cycladic civilization (XXI-XIII centuries BC)
- Mycenaean civilization (XVI-XI centuries BC).
Polis period (XI-IV centuries BC)
- Dark Ages, or Homeric period (XI-IX centuries BC)
- Archaic period (VIII-VI centuries BC)
- Classical period (V-IV centuries BC)
Hellenistic period (IV century - 146 BC)

Dark Ages (Homeric period)

During the Homeric period, which is also called the “dark ages” (XI-IX centuries BC), Greece was in a state of crisis. The poems of the brilliant poet Homer “Iliad” and “Odyssey” tell about Greece of this time ( see Homeric Question), which are outstanding works of world epic literature.

Archaic period

The secondary entry of Greece into civilization took place in the archaic period of ancient Greek history (VIII-VI centuries BC). This was a time of intensive development of the country, during which a large layer of peasants and artisans was formed - small owners who, through a long struggle with the nobility, managed to achieve political and civil rights for themselves. This layer of ordinary citizens - the demos - began to play an increasingly significant role in political life. States were formed in which, under the influence of the struggle of the demos with the hereditary aristocracy, democratic institutions and traditions were laid. A socio-economic structure characteristic of antiquity developed, in which small peasant and handicraft farms predominated: they were based on the labor of the owner himself and his household, with the involvement of the labor of slaves and, to a lesser extent, hired workers.

Due to the lack of fertile land, the growth of the landless population, as well as due to the development of handicraft production and trade, the Greeks began to actively colonize the coast of the Mediterranean and Black Seas. As a result, many new independent states appeared on the shores of the Mediterranean, which successfully developed for centuries and contributed to the spread of Greek culture among the tribes of the Scythians, Sarmatians, Thracians and Celts.

Classical period

Life and life in Ancient Greece

Classes

While ancient Greek men worked, went shopping, or met with friends, women stayed at home. They spent most of their time in the gyneceum. Women managed the entire household, cared for children and supervised slaves, and wove wool and decorative fabrics that decorated the walls.

Cloth

Ancient Greek women wore a garment called a chiton. The men wore a long cloak - a himation.

Food

The ancient Greeks dined in the androna - the living room for feasts. Slaves served food. Fried octopus, roasted wild boar, and barley bread were popular among the ancient Greeks. Wine was usually mixed with water.

House

In houses belonging to wealthy ancient Greek families, the roof was covered with ceramic tiles. The kitchen, kitchen, and bathroom (with a ceramic bathtub) were on the ground floor. On the second floor there are bedrooms and a gynaecium - the women's part of the house. There was a paved courtyard in the center of the house. There was a wooden balcony above it. In the courtyard there was a well and an altar, near which the family met every morning during prayers.

Education in Ancient Greece

Boys from wealthy ancient Greek families began school when they were seven years old. They were taught reading, writing, mathematics, music, poetry, gymnastics and dance. Ancient Greek girls stayed at home and were raised by their mothers.

Travels in Ancient Greece

Olympic Games

In ancient Greece, gymnastics was a popular pastime for men. Competitions were held throughout the country. The most significant were the Olympic Games. They took place every four years at Olympia and were part of a festival in honor of Zeus, the supreme god.

The main sports at the Olympic Games were running, jumping, fist fighting, wrestling, horse racing, chariot racing, discus and javelin throwing. In one competition, men had to run wearing a bronze helmet, greaves and a heavy shield.

Ancient Greek theater

In world history, the first great plays were created by the ancient Greeks. They were performed to please the gods during religious festivals. These holidays lasted several days, and the best play was awarded a prize.

During the performance of the play, Greek actors wore painted masks, which were supposed to reflect the character of the character. The crane was used to allow the actors playing the gods to fly through the air. All the actors were men, some of them dressed in women's clothing.

The scenery for the play being performed was painted on the wall behind the stage. In front of the stage was a circular arena called an orchestra. On it, a group of actors - the so-called choir - sang hymns and danced, explaining what was happening on stage. Near the orchestra there was an altar, which serves for sacrifices to Dionysus, the god of wine and fun. The judges sat in front, in special places, and the public sat on stone benches set on the hillside. Material from the site

Science in Ancient Greece

Geography

The borders of the Ecumene were constantly expanding, the world was large and diverse. It was necessary to comprehend what the Earth is, in different parts of which Greek scientists, traders, sailors and warriors visited. In Ancient Greece, geography became a science. Knowledge about the earth was born from observations, from travel experience, from comparisons of new phenomena and geographical objects. Ancient Greek scientists gave geographical descriptions of the entire world known to them, they compiled maps that people used for hundreds of years. The ancient Greeks correctly determined the shape and size of the Earth.

Herodotus

The Greek scientist Herodotus is called the father of geography. He described in detail the nature and life of the peoples of those places, but which he traveled in the 5th century BC, collecting stories from other travelers. Herodotus described the lands of the Scythians who lived north of the Black Sea, in what is now southern Russia and Ukraine. Great Dnieper River, Don and others flowed to the sea through the Scythian steppes- endless plains covered with grass. Scythian herders grazed their herds there, and to the north lived Scythian farmers. Since those times, mounds have been preserved in the steppe - hills built over the graves of Scythian leaders.

Eratosthenes

Ptolemy

Ptolemy, in a work called “Geography,” described how maps should be drawn up and listed the names of about 8,000 rivers, mountains, cities and other geographical objects.

Aristotle

While traveling, people observed how the length of day and night, the height of the sun in the sky, and the weather changed. The ancient Greeks correctly determined that the higher the sun rises in the sky, the hotter the weather. The Greek word "climate" is translated as "slope", the angle at which the sun's rays strike the earth. Aristotle identified within the globe one hot thermal zone, two moderate ones, favorable for life, and two cold zones.

Astronomy

The Greeks thought that the Earth was like a convex disk or a warrior's shield. In the middle of the Earth is the Mediterranean Sea, surrounded on all sides by land, and the huge river Ocean flows around the entire land.

But already in the 5th century BC. The ancient Greek scientist Pythagoras expressed the idea that the Earth has the shape of a ball. Another Greek scientist, Aristotle, managed to prove this a hundred years later by observing the shadow of the Earth on the Moon during a lunar eclipse. The shadow was round, which means it was cast by the round Earth. The ancient Greek scientist Eratosthenes was the first to measure the radius of the Earth.

Pictures (photos, drawings)

Ancient Greece
Knossos Palace
Dolphins. Fresco from Knossos Palace
Troy. Reconstruction
Homer
Dinner party in the androna (dining room)
House belonging to a wealthy Greek family
Women in the gyneceum, where they spent most of their time
Painting on a vase: a boy learns to read
Discus thrower
Horse racing
Athlete with helmet, shield and leggings

Ancient Greek Who lived in Ancient Greece? Painting on a vase: a boy learns to read

Geography

Natural conditions

Periodization

Creto-Mycenaean period

Polis period

Dark Ages

Classical period

Hellenistic period

Culture of Ancient Greece

Mythology

Science

Education

Art of Ancient Greece

Literature

Drama and theater

Music

Architecture

fine arts

History of Ancient Greece

Early period

Archaic period

Classical period

Hellenistic period

Culture of Ancient Greece

Art of Ancient Greece

Religion in Ancient Greece

Ancient Greece, video

Legends of Ancient Greece

Gods

Social order

Entertainment and life

Wide variety of art

Architecture Features

Famous Literary Works of the Ancient Greek Era

Famous Landmarks

Historical development and significance

A modern view of these historical events

Athens

Power of the people

Culture and craft

Architecture of Greece

Science and knowledge

Olympic Games

Theater

Religion

Sparta

Greco-Persian Wars

Alexander's military campaigns

Sea

Mountains

Dark Ages (Homeric period)

Archaic period

Classical period

Life and life in Ancient Greece

Classes

Cloth

Food

House

Education in Ancient Greece

Travels in Ancient Greece

Olympic Games

Ancient Greek theater

Science in Ancient Greece

Geography

Herodotus

Eratosthenes

Ptolemy

Aristotle

Astronomy

Pictures (photos, drawings)

Ancient Greece

Knossos Palace

Dolphins. Fresco from Knossos Palace

Troy. Reconstruction

Homer

Dinner party in the androna (dining room)

House belonging to a wealthy Greek family

Women in the gyneceum, where they spent most of their time

Painting on a vase: a boy learns to read