Ancient Greece

Ancient Greece was a civilization that flourished in the eastern Mediterranean from about the 8th century BC until it came under Roman rule in the 2nd century BC. Rather than forming a single kingdom, it was made up of many independent city-states, known as poleis, including Athens, Sparta, Corinth and Thebes. Each had its own government, laws and traditions, although they shared the Greek language, religious beliefs and many cultural practices.

Trade and seafaring connected these cities with one another and with neighboring civilizations, helping ideas, goods and knowledge spread across the Mediterranean. Greek colonies also extended their influence far beyond the Aegean Sea. Ancient Greece made lasting contributions to politics, philosophy, science, mathematics, medicine, literature, theatre and the arts.

In Athens, citizens developed one of the earliest well-documented forms of democracy, though political rights were limited to certain groups. Thinkers such as Socrates, Plato and Aristotle explored questions about knowledge, ethics and government that still influence modern thought. Greek architects built temples with distinctive columns, while sculptors sought realistic representations of the human body.

The Olympic Games, traditionally dated to 776 BC, began as a religious festival honoring Zeus. Although the city-states often competed and fought each other, especially during conflicts such as the Peloponnesian War, Greek culture continued to spread, particularly after the conquests of Alexander the Great.