When was greece founded

These laws will later constitute the first laws of the modern Greek state, as it will be formed in the 19th century.

The country suffered a lot under the Ottoman occupation and frequent rebellions would rise. As these revolutions were unorganized, they were all suspended by the Ottoman army, until March when the Greek War of Independence broke out.

This year is a cornerstone of the history of the country. After many fights, massacres and seizes, the country finally got its freedom in , when the first independent Greek state was formed and Ioannis Kapodistrias, a Greek diplomat in the Russian courtyard, was set as governor. The first Greek state included Peloponnese, Sterea and the Cyclades islands. Twentieth-century after Kapodistrias was assassinated in , prince Otto from Bavaria became the first king of Greece, followed by George I from Denmark in That time, the Ionian islands were donated to Greece by Britain as a gift to the new king and then Thessaly was attached to the Greek state by the Turks.

This was the time when the figure of an important Greek politician raised, Eleftherios Venizelos, the most famous prime-minister of modern history.

The year was troublesome for Greece as many Greek refugees from Asia Minor came to the mainland, part of the population exchange with Turkey. Although at first, it was very difficult for refugees to adapt to their new lives, they gradually contributed a lot to the development of the country.

After the Second World War, the Dodecanese islands, which were still under Italian occupation since the early 20th century, also became part of the Greek state. Three decades of political turmoil followed, including a military junta from till Since , the regime of Greece is the Parliamentary Republic. Contact us Contact us. Sign In. History from the bronze age to modern days Excavations show that the first settlement in Ancient Greece dates from the Palaeolithic era 11,, BC.

Famous Greeks' Quotes. Archaeological Sites. Zeus, the youngest son of Rhea and Kronos, was hidden from his father, instead of being swallowed. Violence and power struggles were common in Greek mythology, and the Greeks used their mythologies to explain their lives around them, from the change in seasons to why the Persians were able to sack Athens. Originally, Hermes held a bunch of grapes, with which he teased the infant god of wine.

Heroes, who were often demigods, were also important characters in Greek mythology. The two most important heroes are Perseus and Hercules. Perseus is known for defeating the Gorgon, Medusa. He slew her with help from the gods: Athena gave him armor and a reflective shield, and Hermes provided Perseus with winged sandals so he could fly. Hercules was a strong but unkind man, a drunkard who conducted huge misdeeds and social faux pas.

Hercules was sent on twelve labors to atone for his sins as punishment for his misdeeds. These deeds, and several other stories, were often depicted in art, on ceramic pots, or on temple metopes. The most famous of his deeds include slaying both the Nemean Lion and the Hydra, capturing Cerberus the dog of the underworld , and obtaining the apples of the Hesperides. Hero cults were another popular form of Greek worship that involved the honoring of the dead, specifically the dead heroes of the Trojan War.

The sites of hero worship were usually old Bronze Age sites or tombs that the ancient Greeks recognized as important or sacred, which they then connected to their own legends and stories. Black figure hydra. Greek worship was centered on the temple. The temple was considered the home of the god, and a cult statue of the god would be erected in the central room, or the naos.

Temples generally followed the same basic rectangular plan, although a round temple, known as a tholos, were used at some sites in starting in the Classical period. Temples were oriented east to face the rising sun. Patrons would leave offerings for the gods, such as small votives, large statues, libations or costly goods. Due to the wealth dedicated to the gods, the temples often became treasuries that held and preserved the wealth of the city. Greek temples would be extensively decorated, and their construction was a long and costly endeavor.

Rituals and animal sacrifices in honor of the god or goddess would take place outside, in front of the temple. Rituals often included a large number of people, and sacrifice was a messy business that was best done outdoors.

The development and decoration of temples is a primary focus in the study of Greek art and culture. Sacrificial scene : Scene of a sacrifice. Attic red-figure bell krater. Circa — BCE. Athens, Greece. Privacy Policy. Skip to main content.

Ancient Greece. Search for:. Introduction to Ancient Greece. Introduction to Ancient Greece Ancient Greek culture spans over a thousand years, from the earliest civilizations to the cultures that became the Ancient Greeks. Key Takeaways Key Points Ancient Greek culture is noted for its government, art, architecture, philosophy, and sports, all of which became foundations for modern western society. It was admired and adopted by others, including Alexander the Great and the Romans, who helped spread Greek culture around the world.

Before Greek culture took root in Greece, early civilizations thrived on the Greek mainland and the Aegean Islands. The fall of these cultures and the aftermath, known as the Dark Age, is believed to be the time when the Homeric epics were first recited. Greek culture began to develop during the Geometric, Orientalizing, and Archaic periods, which lasted from to BCE. For the most part, Ancient Greece was divided into several small city-states, each with their own laws, customs, and rulers.

However, in the s B. Great for teachers, homeschoolers and parents alike! A famous legend tells how, in B. Did you know that the Ancient Greeks invented the theatre? They loved watching plays, and most cities had a theatre — some big enough to hold 15, people! Only men and boys were allowed to be actors, and they wore masks , which showed the audience whether their character was happy or sad.

Some of the masks had two sides, so the actor could turn them around to change the mood for each scene. Most Ancient Greeks wore a chiton , which was a long T-shirt made from one large piece of cotton. The poor slaves, however, had to make do with a loincloth a small strip of cloth wrapped around the waist! The Ancient Greeks held many festivals in honour of their gods. To celebrate the god Zeus, for example, the first Greek Olympics were held in the city of Olympia in B.

The winners of each event were given a wreath of leaves, and when they returned home, they would be given free meals and the best seats in the theatre! Statues of Greek gods and goddesses were placed inside temples, the most famous of which is the Parthenon. This temple in Athens was built for the goddess Athena, the protector of the city. But those taking part in the wrestling event had to be the toughest, as there were hardly any rules — and they had to compete naked.

The Ancient Greeks had lots of stories to help them learn about their world. The gods featured heavily in these tales, and so did mythological monsters — like Cerberus , a three-headed dog that guarded the gates to the underworld; Medusa , a slithery sorceress whose look could turn people to stone; and the Cyclops, who had one eye in the middle of its forehead — yikes!

These tales are known as Greek mythology. The city-states were often at war , but just before the Olympics, a truce would be called so that everyone could travel to Olympia safely. Greece is the southernmost country in Europe, sharing borders with Albania , Bulgaria , Macedonia and Turkey. The mainland has rugged mountains, dense forests and beautiful lakes — but the country is best known for the thousands of islands dotting the blue Aegean Sea to the east, the Mediterranean Sea to the south and the Ionian Sea to the west.

Greece is divided into three geographical regions — the mainland, the islands and the Peloponnese the large peninsula south of the mainland. At its deepest parts, the walls of this cool canyon plunge a breathtaking 1,m! The Ancient Greeks believed this magnificent mountain was where the gods lived!