Greece

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A country in southeastern Europe known, in Greek, as Hellas and consisting of a mainland and an archipelago of islands. Greece is the birthplace of Western Philosophy (Plato) Literature (Homer) Mathematics (Pythagoras) History (Herodotus) Drama (Sophocles and Aristophanes) the Olympic Games and Democracy and Science (these last two most notably in the early work of Democritus and Leucippus). Early Greek history is most easily understood by dividing it into time periods.

The Mycenaean Civilization (2750-1150 BCE, roughly) is commonly acknowledged as the beginning of Greek culture, even though we know almost nothing about the Mycenaeans save what can be determined through archaeological finds and through Homer’s account of their war with Troy as recorded in The Illiad. The Mycenaeans appear to have been greatly influenced by the Minoan culture of Crete (an island kingdom dating from 7000 BCE which they later conquered and stamped with their own language and ideals) in their worship of earth goddesses and sky gods, which, of course, become the classical gods and goddesses of ancient Greece.

The gods and goddesses of Ancient Greece were not just who they worshiped, but they were the Greek's understanding of the world. It is what they believed brought a good or a bad harvest, they brought life and death. The most know are - Zeus, Posideon, and Hades. Hades was the worst of them all because he was the Greek god of death.

By 1100 BCE the great Mycenaean cities of south-west Greece were abandoned and, some claim, their civilization destroyed by an invasion of Doric Greeks. Archaelogical evidence is inconclusive as to what lead to the fall of the Mycenaeans and, as no written records of this period survive (or perhaps were never made) one may only speculate on causes. It seems clear, however, that during what is known as the Greek Dark Ages (1100-800 BCE, so named because of the absence of written documentation) the Greeks colonized much of Asia Minor and the islands surrounding mainland Greece.

The Archaic Period (800-500 BCE) sees the introduction of Republics instead of Monarchies(which, in Athens, move toward Democratic rule) the institution of laws (Draco’s reforms in Athens) the great Panathenaeic Festival established and the first coins minted (on the island of Aegina) which set the stage for the flourishing of the Classical Period of Greece (500-400 BCE) also known as the Age of Pericles, after the great Athenian statesman who initiated the building of the Acropolis and spoke the eulogy for the men who died defending Greece at the Battle of Marathon. During this time Greece reached the heights in almost every area of human learning and the great thinkers and artists of antiquity (Phidias, Plato, Aristophanes, to mention only three) flourished. During this time Leonidas and his 300 Spartans fell at Thermopylae and, the same year (480) Themistocles won victory over the superior Persian naval fleet at Salamis leading to the final defeat of the Persians at Plataea in 379.

Socrates was executed in Athens in 399 and Athens fell to Sparta in 404, ending the Pelopponesian Wars and ushering in the Late Classical Period (400 -330 BCE roughly) which saw the rise of Macedon as a power under King Phillip II (who unified Greece under Macedonian rule) and lead to the Hellenistic age (330-30 BCE) brought about by his son, Alexander the Great. Tutored in his youth by Plato’s great student, Aristotle (a man who, in his time, was said to know everything there was to know) Alexander would spread the ideals of Greek civilization throughout the known world through his conquests and, in so doing, pass down Greek thought and learning through the ages.

Written by Joshua J. Mark, published 02 September 2009.

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