Greece History: Ancient Greece
Greece in Ancient Times : A brief description of Ancient Greece
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 In the 8th century B.C., in Ancient Greece, the Dorian’s rule declined and the states started to re-emerge. Two ports, Argos and Corinth started to flourish, and began trades with the Near East and a local production. A wealthy elite emerged. These two ports were specialized in the manufacture of luxury goods. In trade contacts with the Phoenicians, they adopted their alphabet and other innovations that accelerated the changes in the Greek civilisation.Many Greek colonies based on metal trade were founded all around the Mediterranean Basin and the Black Sea and the Greek culture and military power started slowly to establish. In order to find additional land for agriculture, Corinth later sent out settlers to Corfu and Sicily. More than 150 colonies were established. This period is characterised by the growth of the city state, the “polis”. The two important city-states that began to develop were Sparta and Athens. Sparta was the first city that organised itself with a rigid social structure and a government that included an assembly that represented every citizen.  In the meanwhile, a largest polis appeared which also included several other regions of Attica, and was named Athens. The social system of Athens was based on wealth rather than aristocratic birth. Although in different ways, Sparta and Athens both included all citizens in their political system.During this period, inter-state relations started to grow from an economical, political and religious point of view. During religious or athletic festivals such as the Olympic Games, a political ramification was established between the city states and Greek people developed an early sense of common identity and referred to themselves as Hellenes. All the foreigners were called “barbaroi”, barbarians. In the 6th century, the Greek Empire was under the threat of the Persian Empire, under King Xerxes rule who had views on invading Greece. The Hellenic league, under the leadership of Athens and Sparta decisively defeated the Persians at the battles of Marathon, Salamis and Platea. It resulted in the Persian Wars and was of great importance because they resulted, after centuries of trade and cultural relations, into the separation between the Greek Empire and the Near East including Phoenicia, Lydia, Egypt, and other cultures. Then, Sparta left the Hellenic League and Athens gain the total leadership of the League with Themistocles and Kimon. The new Alliance was created that took the name of Delian League. A military force started to be built by using monetary contribution from other member states like its rival Sparta, head of the Peloponnesian league. |
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From the 6th to the 4th century, Athens was the pre-eminent power in the Mediterranean. The Athenian Empire was composed of 172 tribute-paying states and was totally controlling the Aegean. The enormous wealth permitted to Athens to flourish in terms of art, architecture, literature, philosophy and politics that is still source of inspiration all over the world.Until the beginning of the 6th century, Athens was ruled by aristocrats and generals. The position of the citizen in the hierarchy depended from his wealth. Poor people has no rights until Solon, the law giver and poet, placed the first basis for democracy when he declared all free Athenians equal by law and abolished inherited privileges.
Pericles, who came into power in 461 B.C, established democracy and built great architectural monuments, including the Parthenon, to employ workers and symbolize the majesty of Athens. This period was considered as the Golden Age of the Greek civilization.
With the enormous growth of Athens, many states felt threatened. One of the states was Sparta. Their differences led into the Peloponnesian Wars, the longest war of Antiquity.
The Athenians were defeated and that definitely marked the end of the classical period.
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During the Peloponnesian Wars, a new political force was rising in Macedonia. The Macedonians were a civilization speaking another form of Greek and with different customs and social organization. The Macedonian political and social system was totally different with those of the concept of the polis. It was organized with a headman concentrating all the power.Macedonia quickly became a great Empire and conquered, under King Philip II, a number of city-states and even Athens and Thebes in 338. King Philip was assassinated and the task of expanding the empire was given to his son Alexander the Great, student of the famous Greek philosopher Aristotle. When his father died, the 22 years old Alexander became king.
He created the largest empire ever seen. After having conquered all the city-states of Greece, he invaded Asia Minor with 30.000 soldiers. Before dying at the age of 33 of malarial fever, Alexander the Great had conquered the Whole Persian Empire, Egypt and the Mesopotamia, Afghanistan and some parts of India.
After the death of Alexander the Great, the Macedonian Empire felt into pieces and was divided in several parts: the Antigonids in Macedonia, the Seleucids in Asia Minor, Syria, Persia and the Ptolemies in Egypt.
New Hellenistic and autonomous monarchies made their appearance but ruled with much difficulty as Athens had lost every political power. The concept of “polis” disappeared and states of larger size appeared. The Greek language remained the official language in trade, administration and literature.
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