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Ancient Greece for Kids

Ancient Greece was a civilization that dominated much of the Mediterranean thousands of years ago. At its peak under Alexander the Great, ancient Greece ruled much of Europe and western Asia. The Greeks came before the Romans and much of the Roman culture was influenced by the Greeks.

Ancient Greece formed the foundation of much of Western culture today. Everything from government, philosophy, science, mathematics, art, literature, and even sports was impacted by the ancient Greeks.

Acropolis in Athens
The Acropolis of Athens by Salonica84

Periods

Historians often divide up the history of ancient Greece into three periods:
  1. Archaic Period - This period ran from the start of Greek civilization in 800 BC to the introduction of Democracy in 508 BC. This period included the start of the Olympic Games and Homer's writing of the Odyssey and the Illiad.
  2. Classical Period - This is the time that many of us think of when we think of ancient Greece. Athens was governed by a democracy and great philosophers like Socrates and Plato arose. Also, the wars between Sparta and Athens were during this time. This period ended with the rise and then the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC.
  3. Hellenistic Period - The Hellenistic period lasted from the death of Alexander the Great until 31 BC when Rome defeated Egypt at the Battle of Actium. The name Hellenistic comes from the Greek word "Hellas", which is the original word for Greece.
Athens and Sparta

Athens and Sparta were the two main city states that ruled much of ancient Greece. They were often rivals and fought each other in the Peloponnesian Wars. At other times they united together in order to protect the Greek lands from invaders. The cultures of the two cities were very different. Sparta was almost entirely focused on war and how to fight, while Athens focused on the arts and learning.

Interesting Facts about Ancient Greece Recommended books and references:

  • A guide to the golden age of Greece by Julie Ferris. 1999.
  • A Cultural Atlas for Young People: Ancient Greece by Anton Powell. 1989.
  • Eyewitness Books: Ancient Greece written by Anne Pearson. 2004.
  • Life in ancient Athens by Don Nardo. 2000.


  • Activities For more about ancient Greece:

    Overview
    Timeline of Ancient Greece
    Geography
    The City of Athens
    Sparta
    Minoans and Mycenaeans
    Greek City-states
    Peloponnesian War
    Persian Wars
    Decline and Fall
    Legacy of Ancient Greece
    Glossary and Terms

    Arts and Culture
    Ancient Greek Art
    Drama and Theater
    Architecture
    Olympic Games
    Government of Ancient Greece
    Greek Alphabet

    Daily Life
    Daily Lives of the Ancient Greeks
    Typical Greek Town
    Food
    Clothing
    Women in Greece
    Science and Technology
    Soldiers and War
    Slaves

    People
    Alexander the Great
    Archimedes
    Aristotle
    Pericles
    Plato
    Socrates
    25 Famous Greek People
    Greek Philosophers

    Greek Mythology
    Greek Gods and Mythology
    Hercules
    Achilles
    Monsters of Greek Mythology
    The Titans
    The Iliad
    The Odyssey

    The Olympian Gods
    Zeus
    Hera
    Poseidon
    Apollo
    Artemis
    Hermes
    Athena
    Ares
    Aphrodite
    Hephaestus
    Demeter
    Hestia
    Dionysus
    Hades

    Works Cited

    Back to History for Kids



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