Ancient Greece represented one of the most noteworthy civilizations where the world witnessed social, cultural, and scientific progress between 800-146 BC.The southernmost country of Europe - Greece, is known for its picturesque islands encompassing the blue Aegean Sea in the east, the Ionian Sea in the west, and the Mediterranean Sea in the south. Three major geographical divisions are seen in Greece, including the islands, the mainland, and the Peloponnese peninsula.It is regarded as the birthplace of Western civilization because of the immense cultural and philosophical advancements during that time. A vast range of Greek mythology featuring mighty Greek gods, legendary heroes, and mythical monsters has attained heights of popularity among people from all over the world.Ancient Greece comprised several city-states that were related to each other both in terms of culture and language. All these city-states unified under the rule of Alexander the Great, the ruler of the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon. The facts about this civilization are known through the observations of contemporary philosophers. This is how the historians and archaeologists of our age rediscovered the finer details of the affluent Greek society.Greek architecture is famous for its intricate detail and awe-inspiring harmony. The Periclean Parthenon of Athens is the most renowned temple architecture of the ancient Greeks. They were also known to maintain a healthy Mediterranean diet and were involved in rigorous physical activities. They developed an excellent sanitation system, including underground sewage canals and water heating systems.The most prominent ancient Greek cities were Athens, Sparta, Pergamon, Olympia, and Thebes. Innumerable battles took place between these city-states according to the Greek mythologies and plays. A diverse array of goods were made that were used for trading among these city-states.Trade flourished to a great extent in ancient Greece, which further gave way to the development of various modes of transports and an extensive road network at that time. Keep reading to find out more fascinating facts on ancient Greek civilization.Are you enjoying this article? Then don’t forget to check out the ancient Greek drama facts and ancient Greek astronomy facts here on Kidadl.Fun Facts About Ancient Greek CivilizationThe archaic period in ancient Greece has been seen to be highly influential.Various mathematic concepts were developed by Greek mathematicians and philosophers, like Pythagoras and Archimedes, which are still taught in schools and colleges.Many believe that the ancient Greek temples were aligned with one another, forming the shapes of triangles. For example, the locations of the Temple of Aphaia in Aegina, Acropolis in Athens, and the Temple of Poseidon at Sounion form the shape of an isosceles triangle when looked at on a map.Olympic games were invented by the Greeks. Olympia conducted the first game of ancient Olympics in 776 BC, which included different games than the ones played today, for example, chariot racing. Initially, these Olympic games were played to honor the Greek god Zeus.In the ancient world, a period of truce was held before the beginning of the games when runners called spondophoroi announced the beginning of this period to the participant cities. No one, except the participants, was allowed to enter the city of Olympia during the games.The ancient Greek empire worshipped many deities. They believed that 12 Greek gods resided in Mount Olympus. Apart from Hades, who was the god of the Underworld, these gods and goddesses were Zeus, Poseidon, Hera, Athena, Artemis, Ares, Apollo, Aphrodite, Demeter, Hermes, Hephaestus, and either Hestia or Dionysus. There were also many other gods and goddesses. Greek mythology describes the power and the wrath of the Olympian gods.The mythical stories also give us the idea that the Greeks were believers in strange superstitions; for example, fava beans were not consumed by them because they thought that the souls of the dead were trapped in these beans.The art and architecture included intricate and unique Greek styles, which were later imitated and spread worldwide, including Egypt and India. Ancient Greeks were fond of a luxurious lifestyle. The elites practiced the custom of eating while lying down. Thousands of servants were employed in ancient Greece who served the elites and fed them from time to time.The slaves in Sparta were called Helots, and many of them were traded for salt. None of the slaves ever received a payment from their masters or mistresses. Different sorts of stones, ceramic pieces, and pebbles were used by the Greeks instead of toilet paper.Ancient Greece hosted some of the fearless fighters who were known for their heroic deeds. The city of Sparta had no walls. The Spartan King, Agesilaus, relied on his heavily armed soldiers, who were extremely efficient at defending the empire from invaders. The warriors designed their breastplates and fought side by side in closely packed units called a phalanx. They used several weapons like dory (spear) and xiphos (double-edged sword).Hercules, Achilles, Odysseus, and Hector were some of the famous Greek warriors, who were also called the hoplites.The correct theory of planets orbiting around the Sun was first proposed by an ancient Greek mathematician and astronomer, Aristarchus of Samos. He also hypothesized that the universe was much bigger in size.The ancient Greeks also thought of the sphere shape of Earth and tried to calculate its size. They observed five planets with their naked eyes. These planets were Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn, all of which appeared to be stars in the sky.Historical Facts About Greek CivilizationMany researchers believe that the fearless Mycenaeans of Crete, which was a Greek island, formed the first ancient Greek civilization about 4,000 years ago. The archaic period began just after the end of the Mycenaean Greece of the Bronze Age.The start of this civilization was from the Greek Dark Ages around 776 BC. Researchers call it the Classical Period, which lasted for about 350 years and ended with the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC. Classical Greece ranged from the western Mediterranean to central Asia during the rule of Alexander. After the collapse of the Classical Age, the Byzantine period began with the conquest of the Roman Republic in Greece.The ancient Greeks called their land Hellenic Republic or simply Hellas. It was the ancient Romans who came up with the name Greece, which they derived from the Latin word ‘Graecia,’ meaning ‘Land of the Greeks.’ The Greek culture highly influenced the Romans, who copied different Greek traditions.The most powerful city-state in ancient Greece was Athens. It was the heart of all political and economic activities. With the renowned Greek philosophers residing there, numerous innovations developed in this place. The concept of democracy was first established in Athens by the ancient Greeks who believed in the ‘rule by the people.‘The Greek leader of Athens, Cleisthenes, established several political reforms in 507 BC. Adult males over the age of 20 were able to participate in politics. The political system of Athens also practiced Ostracism. Common people had the power to vote out a political member of the state who was then sent out of Athens for a period of 10 years.Acropolis, the capital city of Greece in Athens, served as a line of defense and also as a sanctuary for various religious practices. Many temples are present in Athens, where the Greeks worshipped their gods and goddess of ancient times. The Parthenon, situated at the top of the Acropolis, was an important Greek temple. The ancient Greeks served the goddess Athena over there.Sparta was another popular city-state beside Athens. The Greeks who resided there led a valorous Spartan lifestyle and endured intense hardships. Infanticide was a common practice in this part of ancient Greece. Children born with disabilities who were not capable of becoming Spartan soldiers were abandoned.Facts About Greek Civilization’s ExpansionThe ancient Greeks expanded their civilization by engaging themselves in countless battles with neighboring countries. They established colonies outside Greece in the hope of additional resources.Colonies were set up across the Mediterranean.Trade was the key aspect that led to their colonization beyond Greece. The ancient Greeks were opportunists and always searched for new lands to conquer.In the beginning, the islands around ancient Greece were captured. Corcyra (Corfu) was the first Adriatic colony that was founded by Corinth in 733 BC. The establishment of more such colonies increased the inflow of luxury goods in Greece, like wine, pottery, oil, textiles, and metal works.Facts About Ancient Greek Civilization’s TimelineThe first evidence detected says there was construction and food production in Greece during the Neolithic Period in 7000 BCE.The first Megaron house for feasts or religious practices in ancient Greece was observed in 5700 BCE.The earliest fortification at Dimini dates back to 3400 BC. The Aegean Bronze Age started from 3000 BCE and continued till 1400 BCE. Initiation of the Mycenaean culture began with the raids conducted by the sea people in the Mediterranean during 1300 BCE.The Mycenaean palaces were destroyed in 1200 BCE. The destruction of Miletus dates back to 1000 BCE.The first Olympic games were started by the ancient Greeks in 776 BCE.After that, several inventions and the establishment of colonies in southern Italy and Sicily took place between 750-740 BCE.The first Spartan war with Messenia broke out in 730 BCE, followed by the second Messenian war in 640 BCE.Much later, in 279 BCE, the ancient Greeks were attacked by the Gauls (group of Celtic people), following which the Roman invasion in Greece started off.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for 133 ancient Greek civilization facts to learn about its beginning then why not take a look at ancient greek drama facts, or ancient Greek astronomy facts.
Ancient Greece represented one of the most noteworthy civilizations where the world witnessed social, cultural, and scientific progress between 800-146 BC.
