History of ancient Greece. From democracy to an alarm clock: what Greece gave us What I know about ancient Greece

- Hello, dear guests!
Allow us to open our FESTIVAL OF CULTURES!
Now I ask everyone to stand up. The flag of the Hellenic Republic is brought under the anthem. (The standard-bearers enter.)

Today we will tell you about Greece: its history, myths, culture.

The motto of our festival:
Everyone in the Motherland has something that you definitely want to say out loud.
M. Prishvin.

Geographic location of Greece (children say)

Greece (self-name - Hellas, official name - Hellenic Republic) - a state in southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula and numerous islands mediterranean sea(large islands - Crete, Euboea, Rhodes, Lesbos). The population is predominantly Greek official language- Greek, believers - mostly Christians. The head of state is the president, the monetary unit is the drachma.

The highest mountain is Olympus (almost 3 thousand meters), there is Mount Parnassus (above 2 thousand meters).
Mountain rivers predominate, short, stormy, with picturesque rapids and waterfalls, often flowing to the sea in narrow canyons. The longest river is Alyakmon (over 300 km). There are more than 20 lakes.
The climate is warm and sunny. Wet mild winters and hot dry summers.
The swimming season opens from mid-May and ends in October.

The seven wonders of the world are also associated with Greece. These are: the statue of the Colossus of Rhodes, which is located on the island of Rhodes; the temple of Artemis at Ephesus, the pyramids at Giza, the lighthouse of Alexandria, the mausoleum at Halicarnassus, the gardens of Simiramide at Babylon, the statue of Zeus at Olympia.

Not many species of wild animals have survived in Greece. For more than 8 thousand years, people actively exterminated animals and plants in Greece. Small animals live here: hares, badgers, porcupines and different kinds mice.
Of the large mammals, like ours, the brown bear is common,
jackal, fox, lynx and wild boar. Many species of animals are listed in the Red Book. Among them: Mediterranean sea ​​turtle and the seal is a monk.

Greece is one of the largest cement exporters in the world. Greek marble is known.
Greece is one of Europe's leading producers of tobacco, cotton, grapes, citrus fruits, and tomatoes. It is a major producer of olive oil, canned fruits and vegetables, and raisins. Sheep and goats are bred. Fishing and foreign tourism are developed.

(Milana - 1 "A", message)

Greek writing is alphabetical (letter). In Greece, letters appeared to convey vowel sounds, which was a new stage in the development of writing. The classical Greek alphabet consists of 27 letters that served
also for numbers. The Modern Greek alphabet has 24 letters and is read from left to right, like Russian.

- Attention! Muses, the patroness of sciences and cultures, descended from Mount Parnassus (2450 m) to our festival of peoples. (muses come out)

I, Euterpe, Muse lyric poetry! I can awaken in people
different feelings and emotions: joy, sadness, love, hate, anger,
kindness, resentment, compassion, tenderness, confidence and much more.
Thanks to me, you will know what is beautiful and ugly.
Greetings!

I, Erato, the muse of love poetry!
Love each other, respect
And don't offend anyone!
May none of you taste
"apple of discord".
Greetings!

I, Calliope, the muse of epic poetry!
I tell people about their heroes.
And the people compose heroic songs and tales about them.
Greetings!

I, Clio, the muse of history!
Learn the history of your people
And write new chapters of it.
Greetings!

I, Thalia, the muse of comedy!
So that you don't get bored
I tell funny and funny stories
And a smile appears on your face.
Greetings!

I, Melpomene, muse of tragedy!
Life is a theater, and all people in it are actors ...
Greetings!

I am Polyhymnia, the muse of hymns!
Let hymns be composed and songs of praise sung.
Greetings!

I, Urania, the muse of astronomy!
Study the sciences, work hard,
Let the stars light your way!
Greetings!

I, Terpsichore, the muse of dance!
I bless you!
Oh, almighty Zeus!
Send them joy!
Let them dance and have fun!
Greetings!

- Attention! The supreme god, the son of Kronos and Rhea, the father of gods and people, the lord of thunder and lightning, the almighty Zeus, has come to us!

(Zeus enters with fanfare, ascends the mountains)

- I'm Zeus! I came down from Mount Olympus to congratulate you on your festival and tell you a little about ancient and modern Greece. So how did it all start?
And let Olympus be gone for a long time already,
And even if I hardly meet Athena,
It burns in each of us in the soul,
Part of the Olympic flame.

Greece is the birthplace of the Olympic Games.

The first Olympiad known to us from antiquity was held in 776 BC. During the Olympic Games, all wars were stopped. Games were held in Olympia - a grove along the river Alpheus every four years.
The Greek festival officially lasted five days. At the Olympic Games there were competitions: running, chariot racing, throwing, wrestling.

(Scenes. someone depicts running, javelin throwing, wrestling)

A distant land of distant truths,
And antiquity is before you, child!

You are lined with wondrous mountains,
Through the eyes of memory...

Olympus smiled
Tartar swayed
After all, Prometheus
Found fire.

Once glorious Prometheus
Got fire. And for the people
He was brought from Olympus.
But Zeus was very angry.

Gave the order and nailed
Him to the rock forever.
A man could not bear
But Prometheus was a hero!

He endured everything: in his chains
Doomed to pain and fear
The eagle pecked him at night,
Though he rattled in full chains,
But he was bound.

Forever arrested.
And only Hercules after many years
Zeus broke that ban
And he saved Prometheus!

Before nm reverent
All Greece now lives
And sings glory to the feat!

Scene "Prometheus".

MYTH ABOUT PROMETHEUS.

Prometheus: Hello, Hephaestus!
Hephaestus:- Hello, Prometheus!
Prometheus:“Look what I brought—it’s a sharp stone!” Tie him to a stick, and with his help you can hollow out a boat, you can dig up the ground, protect yourself from the beast.
(Hephaestus is making something, Prometheus looks at the fire)
Hephaestus:"Prometheus, what are you thinking about?"
Prometheus:– I was on Earth. People need fire.
Hephaestus:“But you know that without the permission of Zeus, I cannot give you the sacred fire. Do you understand what you're thinking? Do you want their mind and heart to become enlightened? If they receive the sacred fire, they will become like the GODS. How will gods be distinguished from men? Have you thought about how confusing it could be? No, it's better to let things be the way they are.

(Hephaestus imitates the movements of a blacksmith, Prometheus steps aside. People appear and pray to the gods.)

People: OH GODS! Send warmth, we're dying from the cold!
Prometheus: Come what may, I will help people!
(Hephaestus leaves. Prometheus steals fire, gives it to people.)
Hephaestus:- Can't be! Prometheus still stole the fire - there is no one else!
(Zeus sends a flood to the earth, all the lights go out.)
Zeus:- Let it rain heavily on the earth !!!
(It rains, the lights go out, everyone leaves.)
Prometheus:- Live the human race!
(Gives the last tongue of fire to the people)
Hephaestus:- Why did you do it, Prometheus?
Prometheus: I wanted to help people!
(Hephaestus chains Prometheus to a rock. People appear.)
People:- We will save your fire, Prometheus!
(People leave. Hercules and Titan appear. Titan holds the sky. Hercules approaches him.)
Hercules:- I'm Hercules. And who are you?
Titanium:“I am a Titan, holding the sky.
Hercules:“Do you know where I can get the apples of the Hesperides?”
Titanium:- I know. Hold the sky while I run after them.
(Hercules stands under the vault of heaven. The Titan goes for apples, brings, shows and wants to leave.)
Titanium:“Look, I brought apples of longevity. I see you're good at holding the sky. I then went. Now it's your turn to hold the vault of heaven.
(Hercules goes to the trick.)
Hercules:“Wait, help me at least make myself more comfortable under it.”
Titanium:"Alright, get in there, I'll hold him."
(While the Titan is holding the arch, Hercules grabs the apples and runs away. He approaches the rock of Prometheus. An eagle appears, pecks at the liver of Prometheus.)
Hercules:- Oh, Prometheus! I will help you! I will kill the eagle that pecks at your liver. (fighting)
Hercules:- I have apples of eternal youth and longevity from the garden of the Hesperides. I will pour the juice of this apple. (Pours in.)
(Prometheus comes to life.)
Hercules:- Prometheus, where is your sacred fire?
Prometheus:- Here (points to heart). It burns in the human soul.
Hercules:- Praise be to you, great Prometheus!

There is such a legend among the people that the mountain to which Prometheus was chained is located in the Jingirik region.

Scene "Argonauts".
The king of Colchis (Erid) had a GOLDEN FLEECE. The fame of the GOLDEN FLEECE spread far: whoever owns the golden fleece will gain happiness and power. All the heroes of Hellas gathered to build a ship called "Argo" (Orpheus, Hercules, Perseus, etc.). The Argonauts most of all wanted a cheerful wind, and they wanted to accomplish a feat. The bow of the ship was decorated with a statue of Pallas Athena. This ship was driven by Jason.
The path of the Argonauts was not easy: rocks stood on the way (Children depict mountains holding hands. When the ship passes, the children unhook their hands.), Sirens met them: half-birds - half-women who lured the sailors with their singing and destroyed them. Portable - beauties enchanting with their voice (depict sirens)
Jason:
- Hello, king of Colchis! Give me the GOLDEN FLEECE.
KING (ERID):
- Provided that you fulfill 3 conditions: in one day you
plow the field, sow it, and reap the harvest.
Jason:
- I'm not a plowman, I'm a warrior!
MEDEA (daughter of the king of Colchis):
"I'll help you, Jason!" When the seedlings grow, throw a stone into the middle of the field!
(Jason throws a stone, takes the GOLDEN FLEECE and takes Medea with him).
The GOLDEN FLEECE was laid in the temple of Athena.
Light up your new path for Jason, bright-eyed Virgin Pallas.

The Argonauts are sailing, the Orpheus lyre is ringing,
New juices awaken in the gardens of the Hesperides,
And the Cretan maiden weaves a return thread,
And the glory of her labyrinth leaves the deep.

Ancient Greece.
The culture of Greece was formed over many thousands of years, starting from the time of the Minoan civilization.

The first inhabitants appeared in Greece about 40,000 years ago. On the island of Crete, the first great European civilization arises - the Minoan (named after the mythological king Minos). The Minoans were good farmers, hunters, builders. They knew how to trade well. They created their own writing.

Around 1450 BC. The Minoan civilization is coming to an end. From 160 to 1100 BC The Achaeans (Mycenaeans) invaded mainland Greece. They lived in small states, in the center of which was a fortified city. They built cities on high hills to protect themselves from enemies, surrounded them with a large ring of fortifications. This type of fortified city was called an acropolis (kremlin, upper city). The royal palace was located here, and next to it were houses for services, artisans and soldiers. The Mycenaeans were a militant people: they had armor, chariots, foot soldiers. The ancient Greek poet Homer in his poem "Illada" spoke about the Mycenaeans and the Trojan War. (1240-1230 BC) - the reason is the beautiful Helen from Sparta, who fled with King Paris from her husband Menelaus, brother of King Agamemnon from Mycenae . They decided to take revenge on the Trojans and conquer Troy. For 10 years they tried to subdue the city. Then the king of Ithaca, Odysseus, went to a trick: they built a wooden horse, inside there were several Mykene warriors who opened the gates to their soldiers at night.
In 1100 BC Mycenaean culture ceased to exist.
Alexander the Great (2-3 centuries BC)
After his death, Greece split into three parts: Macedonia, Persia and Egypt.
The period between the death of Alexander and the fall of the Greek Empire in 30 B.C. is called Hellistic. The main city in Egypt, Alexandria, is the center of learning and art (Pythagoras, Euclid - mathematicians; Ptolemy - studied movements celestial bodies, the rise of medicine).
The Greek Empire after the death of Alexander fell into decline and was conquered by the Romans. Egypt lasted the longest, where Cleopatra ruled, realizing that she could not defend her state, she committed suicide.
Scene "Trojan horse"

Modern Greece.
Greece vision of my dreams.
Homeland of mythical heroes.
The rocks here are the abode of the Gods.
The heroes of Troy live in memory.

The spirit of Orthodoxy reigns here.
The past is not sent after curses.
Russian is spoken everywhere.
The Greeks live among themselves like brothers.

And the Hellenes know a lot about food.
Give them only young meat.
Food without frills, but all for the future.
The impulse of the soul is connected with peace.

Hellene has a pure soul.
There is no layer of madness in it.

Fiery enthusiasm sparks in the hearts.
Rest in a big way indulge.

Dance amuses the soul of a Greek.
And what songs are sung here.

They invite everyone here to dance,
Grabbing you by the arms, by the shoulders.

The local wind is ready to caress everyone.
And children grow up for joy in families.
Mild climate, music, love.
Everything here has longevity.

Paying tribute to the legends of antiquity,
Architectural monuments are preserved.
They have been erected for centuries.
Greece in their glory will continue to dabble.

The spirit of the past is still alive.
Memory is not subject to oblivion.
Here the people are mild-mannered.
And he is not inclined to destruction.

The Holy Spirit has power over creation.
At any hour, the doors of the Temples are open.
And in honor the old man here is gray-haired,
Not betraying the true Faith.

There are many churches and monasteries here.
There is no excessive gilding in the Temples.
Love for Greece is in my blood.
Deity captivating beauty.

Culture of Greece.

Until now, Greek culture has served as a standard of excellence in European art. Many cultures look up to it.
On our territory from the end of the 9th century. Byzantine (Greek) influence on the Alans is increasing. Byzantine missionaries launched a wide church construction. Today, on the territory of our republics, the Sentinsky, Shoaninsky and Arkhyz churches are protected as unique historical and architectural monuments.
Byzantine (Greek) frescoes and the remains of Greek inscriptions have survived to this day.
First Greece was conquered by the Romans, then Türkiye. Therefore, the culture of Rome and Turkey influenced Greek culture. Russia helped Greece: she freed her from the Turks. From 1856 to 1866 the Greeks moved to the northern Caucasus in the Kuban region. Here we have formed the village of Khasaut-Greek, on the bank of the Aksaut River, above the village of Kardonikskaya, as well as the village of Sparta - on the right bank of the Bolshoy Zelenchuk River. The name of this village reminds us of the ancient state of Sparta, where the Spartans lived - very strong, courageous and loved freedom.
After the Russian-Turkish war, a lot of Pontic Greeks moved to Russia. They moved both by land and by the Black Sea.
Through North Caucasus passed the segment of the Great Silk Road.
In the North Caucasus, the Pontic Greeks formed 10 groups.
(Sochi, Tuapse, Gelendzhik, Anapa, Crimean, Abinsko-Severskaya, Goryacheklyuchevskaya, Apsheronskaya, Maikop-Beloreskaya, Stavropol-Pyatigorsk (Khasaut-Grechesky village, Sparta village)).
When the Second World War began, Nazi Germany attacked not only our country, but also Greece and other countries.
During the years of Stalinist repressions, the Pontic Greeks were subjected to mass deportation to Central Asia and Siberia, as well as the peoples inhabiting the North Caucasus.

National traditions.

There are national features in any country in the world. But the national features in Greece are Greece itself, its nerve, style, its unique way of life.
Greeks know how to enjoy life to the fullest. They want to have a good time and live for their own pleasure here and now, and tomorrow ... it will be tomorrow!
The cherished dream of a Greek is to get rich as soon as possible. But it would not occur to him to save money. He needs money to spend.
The Greeks are distinguished by ardor, sentimentality, combined with tolerance. Shaking the head from bottom to top in Greek means "no", and from top to bottom - "yes". In Greek, the sound "ne" means "yes", and the denial sounds like "oh".
Greeks love and cherish traditions. And not only protect, but also revive.
They do everything with passion - having fun and sadness.
The Greeks are not characterized by punctuality, they may be late for a business meeting. The Greek for "tomorrow" ("avrio") means something indefinite or a refusal.
The Mediterranean climate influenced the Greeks' habit of afternoon naps. After a delicious lunch from 15.00 to 17.00, it's time to relax. During the daytime period from 14 to 18 hours and in the evening after 22 hours in Greece it is not customary to make phone calls.
You should not enter the monastery in shorts or miniskirts, refuse refreshments in village houses.
The Greeks are in no hurry. It happens that in a restaurant you have to wait a long time for your order, and even longer for the bill. You should not leave a restaurant without leaving a tip. Nevertheless, the Greeks keep their promises, especially when it comes to business. True, there may be some delay with the timing. Greeks are very hospitable.
Greeks believe in strength evil eye. Adults and children wear a turquoise bead as an amulet, sometimes with an eye painted on it.
A Greek will never praise anyone's elegance and beauty, especially children, without spitting three times and knocking on wood. This is done to ward off the envy of the gods from the one you praise, as we do.
bad omen it is considered not to offer something to drink to anyone who enters the house.
Guests play an important role. Especially important is the guest who will be the first to cross the threshold of the house in the new year. Therefore, they try to invite benevolent people as early morning guests. Entering the house, they must cross the threshold with their right foot, while wishing the family
Happy New Year. In the old days, they had to bring a pomegranate fruit and, entering the house, throw it on the floor. The scattered grains were believed to bring prosperity throughout the year.
A beautiful custom related to the rite of baptism of a child: godparents must give him a gold cross on a chain plus a full set of Sunday toilets, including shoes, otherwise it will be considered that the godson will stumble through life and he will never have enough clothes.

Relatively young dance "Sirtaki" in modern world acts as one of the symbols of Greece.
Greek dances are very reminiscent of Ukrainian, Moldovan, Romanian.
Sirtaki is a popular Greek dance.

Greek dance Sirtaki.

Poetry

Ripe olives turn black
In the green of the leaves.
From the sky Helios lets
Sultry rays.

Poseidon drives the surf
Nereids in the foam of the waves.
In the vineyards of the bacchante
Dancing in the sweetness of steam.

Throne gently the strings of the lyre,
I feed Pegasus
And stroke the wing.

Greece will stretch out its hands
In its swarthy beauty -
And already in a golden tunic
I run through the fields.

Ah, Greece! Dream of my soul!
You are a gentle fairy tale, but I am more tender to you,
Tender than to Hector, the hero, Andromache.
Take your sword. Be Serbia's sister

The main traditional holidays coincide with ours. This:
New Year, Christmas, Easter, Trinity. There is Independence Day and the Feast of the Annunciation.
March 25 - Greek Independence Day. It was on this day in 1821 that the uprising began, which led to the liberation of the country from the four-century Ottoman yoke.
Greece honors the heroic past, calls for a happy future. On this day there are concerts and exhibitions.

Greek games.
Tavli is the favorite game of Greek men in kafenion coffeehouses. The Greek word tavli comes from the word tavla, translated as a board.
The game is played on a board divided into two sections, each marked with 12 narrow wedges or dotted lines. In other words, 24 wedges on the entire playing field. Each player has 15 chips. The paths of movement are determined by the thrown bones.

Tavli is definitely not a game of chance, but a game of strategy based on skill, intuition and psychology. There are three main versions of the rules of the game in Greece.
Portes (doors) game more or less corresponds to the backgammon rules familiar in Russia.
The second version is called plakoto (from the Greek word plakono, translated - to hide). The third option is known as fevga (start or fast).
In all three games, the idea is to be the first to move his pieces from the starting position to the victory zone.

Ball game on horseback.
The purpose of the game: the development of endurance, eye, strengthening the musculoskeletal system.
They usually play in large groups. Players stand in pairs in a circle. Count on the first or second. The first number sits on the back of the second. The starting rider throws the ball to another rider. He throws to the third, and so on. The ball is passed continuously and without any system.
Rules of the game:
the player who dropped the ball, as a punishment, changes place with a horse.
Develops: endurance, eye

Catch the one with the pebble
The purpose of the game: the development of mindfulness, speed.
At least five people take part in the game. Players line up on the playground in one line, against them stands the head of the game or the chosen leader. Players hold their arms outstretched forward with folded palms.

The leader of the game has a pebble, he walks in front of the line and pretends to want to put it in the palms of the players. Then he discreetly lowers the pebble into someone's palms. The one who gets the stone runs to the predetermined point and back to return the stone to the leader. The rest of the players chase him and try to catch him while he is in the field. You can't catch him on the line.
Rules of the game:
if the player comes back and no one can catch him, in the next round he takes the place of the leader;
if the player is caught, the player who first touched the one who ran will take the lead position.

Greek cuisine.

One of the most important Greek national characteristics is the universal love for Greek cuisine. Greeks love to eat a lot, tasty and delicious. Greek cuisine is its own world, its own national taste.
Greek cuisine is characterized by the extensive use of lemons, walnuts, raisins, olive oil, lamb, fish, garlic, tomatoes and plenty of spicy mixtures. Very popular in Greece are meat dishes cooked on a spit, dolmates (like cabbage rolls in grape leaves), chir-chir (like chebureks), alyan (a drink made from sour milk), and sweet dishes. Of the large number of Greek dishes, the most popular are: sea fish, vegetable salad with pieces of cheese, baked tomatoes stuffed with rice and meat, shrimp, lobster, squid, eggplant, pasta pudding or soufflé, a type of barbecue, pieces of meat on skewers; fish caviar salad. Wine is the most common drink in Greece. And, of course, Greek coffee. This is a strong black coffee served in small cups along with a glass of pure water.

Other distinguishing feature Greek cuisine is an abundance of olive oil. It is added to almost all dishes and is used
Another indispensable component is a lemon.
The special pride of the Greeks is cheese. In Greece, it is produced at least 50 varieties. Greeks consume the most cheese in the world. The most popular variety is called Feta. It is he who is used in the preparation of the famous "Greek salad". In Greece, this salad is called "horiatiki" ("village").

The brilliance of traditions, customs, excellent cuisine - everything is created to bring joy.
And now we invite our mothers, they will tell us about the dishes they have prepared.
With this, our holiday came to an end. Thank you for your attention!

Hellas and Hellenes. The country that we call ancient Greece was located in the south of the Balkan Peninsula. Although in ancient times it was never a single state, its inhabitants were aware of themselves as a single people and called their country Hellas, and themselves Hellenes. They called all foreigners barbarians, and at first this word did not have a contemptuous connotation, as the Greeks denoted all those who did not speak their language and muttered something, from their point of view, incomprehensible (from the onomatopoeic "bar-bar" and the Greek comes "barbara", i.e. barbarians).

Major parts of ancient Greece. Ancient Greece was divided into three parts: mainland, island and Asia Minor. Mainland Hellas consisted of Northern, Middle and Southern Greece. Northern Greece consists of two regions: Thessaly in the east and Epirus in the west. To the north of Thessaly were Macedonia and Thrace (their population, although related to the Greeks in language and culture, did not belong to the Hellenes). On the border of Macedonia and Thessaly is Olympus - the highest mountain in Greece, on top of which, as the Greeks believed, were the palaces of their gods, who were led by Zeus, "the father of gods and people." Illyrian tribes lived north of Epirus.

From Thessaly, through the narrow Thermopylae Gorge, the road led to Central Greece, which also consisted of several regions, the main of which were Attica (its center is Athens) and Boeotia, whose largest city was Thebes. To the west of Boeotia lay Phocis, in whose territory, at Delphi, was the temple of Apollo with the oracle of this god. Without the divinations given by the priestess of Apollo, Pythia, the Greeks did not start any important business. The rulers of the states neighboring Hellas also listened to the oracle of Apollo.

The narrow Isthmus of Corinth (Isthm) separated Central Greece from South or Peloponnese (Peloponnese - "Pelops Island" - was named after the mythical hero, the grandson of Zeus himself). The most significant areas of the Peloponnese: Laconia, the center of which was the famous Sparta, Argolis with Argos and Elis, where in Olympia there was a temple of Zeus with a statue of this god, which was considered one of the wonders of the world, and once every four years the Olympic Games were held in honor of the supreme god of the Hellenes .

Greek Islands and Asia Minor. The island part of Greece consisted of many large and small islands, almost all of them were located in the Aegean Sea. The largest of them is Crete, as if closing the Aegean Sea from the south. A kind of bridge connecting the two continents, Europe and Asia, is the Cyclades archipelago between the south of the Balkans and the west of Asia Minor. Scattered along the coast of Asia Minor are the islands of another archipelago called the Sporades.

The western coast of Asia Minor was colonized by the Greeks at the end of the 2nd millennium BC, and they lived there until 1922, when, after the Greco-Turkish war, they were forced to move out. Greek Asia Minor was divided into Ionia and Aeolia, located to the north of it. The largest of the Asia Minor Greek cities was Miletus.

periods of Greek history. The history of ancient Greece is usually divided into five periods:

• Cretan-Mycenaean (Aegean) - the end of the III-end of the II millennium BC;
• Homeric - XI-IX centuries. BC.;
• archaic - VIII-VI centuries. BC.;
• classical - 500-323 years. BC.;
• Hellenistic - 323-30 AD BC.

Achaean civilization. In the ancient Crete-Mycenaean period, the first civilizations in Europe dating back to the Bronze Age arose: the Minoan in Crete and, under its influence, somewhat later in the Peloponnese and Central Greece - the Achaean or Mycenaean (by the name of its most famous center, the kingdom of the famous Agamemnon) . The Achaean civilization was the first created by the Greeks, whom Homer calls Achaeans or Danaans. She died at the end of the XII-beginning of the XI century. BC, and Greece was thrown back in its development for a whole millennium ago.

The Homeric period is so named because for a long time the main source for its study were Homer's poems "Iliad" and "Odyssey". Now the results of archaeological excavations carried out from the second half of the 19th century have acquired just as great importance. At this time, Greek society was slowly recovering from the catastrophe of the end of the 2nd millennium BC. and accumulated strength for a powerful leap forward - the creation of a civilization of a completely different type, unlike either Cretan or Mycenaean. In the Homeric period, the Iron Age of Hellas begins.

City-states of Greece. In the archaic period, the formation of a polis civilization in Greece took place. A new form of state appeared - the polis, which is usually called the city-state. In total, there were several hundred such states in Hellas, the area of ​​some of them was measured in tens of square kilometers, but, despite their small size, they were completely independent. The polis was a slave-owning state: as you know, ancient world was a world devoid of machines and full of slaves, the lot of which turned out to be hard physical labor. At the expense of slaves, free citizens of the policy had free time for the development of physical and spiritual culture, military training, for holidays and entertainment.

The free population of the policy consisted of citizens and non-citizens, immigrants from other places and their descendants. Citizens, in turn, were divided into aristocracy (nobility), which traced its origin to gods and heroes, and demos (farmers, artisans, merchants).

Types of power among the Greeks. Depending on the characteristics of their structure, the Greek policies were divided into democratic, aristocratic and oligarchic. In democracies, power belonged to the demos, in aristocratic - to all the nobility, in oligarchic - to a narrow circle of people from among the same aristocracy. In any policy there was a people's assembly, council and elected representatives. officials, but in the democratic, all important issues were decided by the popular assembly, in which all citizens participated, while in the aristocratic or oligarchic it existed only for show and rarely met, only to approve what had already been decided by those who held power. An example of a democratic policy was Athens, an aristocratic, later reborn into an oligarchic one - Sparta.

Greek warriors. The armed forces of the policy consisted of a militia of all citizens. They bought weapons with their own money, so the richest served in the cavalry (maintenance of a horse was very expensive), the wealthy - in heavily armed infantry, the poor were light infantry and crews of ships (the ships themselves were built either at the expense of the state, or on behalf of the rich, whom were appointed captains of the ships they built).

Aristocrats and oligarchs did not trust their own fellow citizens, so they preferred to rely not on them, but on mercenary warriors who offered their services to the highest bidder. But it also happened that one of the aristocrats, planning to seize power, bribed mercenaries, with their help destroyed or expelled his opponents and became a tyrant - as the Greeks called the one who established sole power illegally. There was a time when tyrants ruled in many Greek cities, but towards the end of the archaic period, tyranny is everywhere destroyed, only to be reborn in a different setting many decades later.

The fourth (classical) period begins with the collision of the Greek policies with the powerful Persian state (Greek-Persian wars), and ends with the conquests of Alexander the Great, who destroyed this power.

Persian kingdom. In it, from the time of its emergence to the death of the rule, the Achaemenid dynasty, and the state itself stretched from India to the Aegean Sea. King Darius divided it into regions - satrapies, each of which was headed by a satrap. The population of each satrapy had to pay taxes and, by order of the king, appear in the army. Thus, the Persian army was a huge number of warriors with different weapons, different ways of fighting, who spoke different languages. It was very difficult to manage such an army. The Persians did not have their own fleet, the Phoenicians, Egyptians and Ionian Greeks supplied them with ships.

Elinistic period. The last period in the history of ancient Greece is called the Hellenistic, it lasted from the death of Alexander the Great to the conquest of Egypt by the Romans. At this time, both the Greek policies and the former power of the Achaemenids are part of the new states founded by the generals of Alexander, who, many years after his death, proclaimed themselves kings. One of the famous Hellenistic kings was Pyrrhus, whom the Romans had to meet on the battlefield.

How is it known about the wars and battles of the ancient Greeks. We know about the battles of the Greco-Persian wars mainly from the work of Herodotus "History". The information reported by Herodotus is supplemented and revived by Plutarch, who lived many centuries later. His "Comparative Lives" are several dozen biographies of famous Greeks and Romans and therefore are important source on the history of not only ancient Greece, but also Rome.

Battles of the first half of the 4th c. BC. described by their contemporary, the Athenian writer and historian Xenophon and Plutarch already known to us. On the history of the campaigns of Alexander the Great, in addition to the biographies of the great Macedonian and his contemporaries, ancient historians who already lived in Roman times, Arrian and Quintus Curtius Rufus, created special works that have survived to our time and translated into Russian. Much interesting characterization of the struggle of the Greeks for freedom, against Macedonia, is contained in the speeches of Demosthenes.

And almost entirely Santorini? How was Greece from Hellas turned into the Macedonian Empire? Roman aggressor - the end of the Greek Empire?

The history of Greek civilization has almost four thousand years. The first people known to us who settled on the territory of modern Greece were the so-called Pelasgians - representatives of the once widespread and mysterious group of “Mediterranean peoples” for modern historians (the Etruscans also belonged to this group, and the living descendants of the Mediterranean peoples may be Basques). These first inhabitants of Hellas were later named Pelasgians by the Greeks themselves - their self-name is unknown to us.

At the beginning of the second millennium BC, the so-called proto-Greek tribes, the ancestors of modern Greeks, migrated to the Balkan Peninsula from the north. They subjugated the Pelasgians and completely assimilated them. Today, only archaeological finds and some surviving geographical names (for example, Corinth and Larissa) remind us of the original population of Hellas.

The palace of Knossos had a real sewerage system. Under the floor of the rooms, archaeologists discovered a network of clay pipes of small and large diameters. Through one pipe came to the palace drinking water, bathrooms and pools were filled from others, and others were used to drain drains from latrines.

The fate of the inhabitants of the island of Crete, also inhabited by representatives of the "Mediterranean peoples", developed somewhat differently. Already in 2700 BC, an original civilization arose and developed here, which modern historians call the Minoan (after the semi-legendary ruler of Crete - King Minos). To this day, in the vicinity of the city of Knossos in Crete, you can see the rather well-preserved remains of the palace of the Minoan kings, painted with amazingly beautiful frescoes.

Perhaps it was this palace, with its many corridors and buildings, that served as the basis for stories about the labyrinth of the Minotaur. And the legend of the Minotaur itself, which tells about the time when the inhabitants of Athens were forced to annually send young men and women to Crete as a tribute, is based on very real historical facts: Minoan Cretans subjugated a significant part of the eastern Mediterranean, including the coast of Hellas.

The beginning of the decline of the thousand-year-old Minoan civilization was the strongest earthquake that occurred in Crete between 1525 and 1500 (a more exact date has not yet been established). The earthquake destroyed the island of Thera, or Thira, located off the coast of Crete (small remnants of it are now called Santorini), and caused great destruction in Crete itself. The Minoan civilization never recovered from this catastrophe and already in the 1450s was finally subdued by representatives of another, much younger civilization - the Mycenaean.

IN Ancient Greece there was a small coin mite. In the gospel parable, a poor widow donates her last two mites to the construction of the temple, from where the expression “make her contribution” comes from.

If the Minoan Cretans belonged to the group of Mediterranean peoples, then the Mycenaeans can already rightly be called Greeks. These were the descendants of the proto-Greek tribes and partly the Pelasgians, and they spoke a language in which the basis of the later “divine Hellenic speech” is easily guessed. Numerous surviving samples of its writing allow us to get acquainted with the language of the Mycenaean civilization (mainly these are records on various economic topics).

The Mycenaeans built many cities on the territory of Hellas, the main of which was Mycenae - hence the modern name of this civilization (the Mycenaeans themselves called themselves Achaeans). Today Mycenae is just a small village, but in its vicinity there are remains of ancient palaces and fortifications (for example, the famous Lion Gate), as well as several stone mounds-tombs of Mycenaean kings.

The origin of the Dorians is still a mystery of history. But according to legend, they were descendants of Hercules. This troubled period was one of the most difficult in the history of Greece. At first, after the invasion of the Dorian tribes, the country embarked on the path of degradation, but soon gradually began to "gain momentum", synthesizing a completely new civilization from the remnants of the Mycenaean, Cretan, Achaean, Asian and Dorian cultures. During this period, the Greek language is formed. It was at this time that the great Homer created his immortal poems, filling them with all the colors of his era.

Alexander the Great learned that the chariot of King Gordius was kept in the temple of the city of Gordion. The drawbar of the chariot was tied to the yoke with a belt with an extremely tricky knot. It is believed that the one who unties the Gordian knot will own all of Asia. Without thinking twice, Alexander cut the knot with one blow of the sword.

archaic period. This time is characterized by the intensive development of the country's economy, as well as its culture and art. City-polises are growing all over Greece, and Greek colonies are growing all over the Mediterranean. In addition, this era is associated with significant changes in political system. A striking event of that time was the Peloponnesian Union, which was headed by Sparta, famous for its strict laws of Spartan life, which, in fact, contributed to strengthening its position among other city-states. The struggle for leadership between Athens and Sparta was further developed in the classical period.

The classical period in the history of Greece begins with a war with the Persians in 500 BC, which lasted more than 20 years. Only thanks to Athens, who created a maritime alliance and took command in the fight against the Persians, Greece managed to win the final victory in this brutal war. Gradually, Athens strengthens its power, which allowed the inhabitants of the city to use significant resources to create their great masterpieces. The best master painters, architects and sculptors are invited to Athens to carry out Pericles' plan to turn the city into a "work of art". In addition, science, art and philosophy are developing rapidly. This time can rightly be considered the "golden age" in the history of Athens.

Naturally, this situation did not suit Sparta, which was the reason for the beginning in 431 BC. Peloponnesian War, which ended 27 years later with the complete defeat of Athens. As a result of the war, Sparta became the most powerful policy in Greece, forcing other cities to comply with their military orders. And only with the unification of Greece under the hegemony of Macedonia began to subside internecine wars. So in 337 BC. Greece was united into the Macedonian Empire.

The word "teacher" comes from ancient Greece and literally means "leading the child." But it was not called the teacher, but the slave who took the child to school and brought him back. Usually, slaves were chosen as teachers, unsuitable for any other work, but distinguished by their loyalty to the house.

After the assassination of Philip II, the place of the ruler was taken by his son, Alexander, who created a powerful empire in just 9 years. His main goal was to forever end the centuries-old war between Greece and Persia. Hoping for peace agreements, he married Persian princesses - daughters of Greece's enemies. The successes of Alexander's numerous victories, about which legends were made, turned his head. He proclaimed himself the god Zeus-Amon, and did not want to stop there. But long years of battles exhausted his army and caused a wave of misunderstanding, both among the soldiers and among his entourage. Alexander died at the age of 33, leaving no heir.

Hellenistic period. Undoubtedly, the death of Alexander significantly accelerated the collapse of the great state, which had already begun. The commanders of Alexander's army divided the empire among themselves: Greece and Macedonia went to Antipar, Thrace to Lysimachus, Asia Minor to Antigonus, Babylonia to Selevek, Egypt to Ptolemy. From a new threat - the Roman aggressor - the first in 148 BC. Macedonia and Greece fell, and the kingdom of Ptolemy in Egypt, which lasted until the 30th year BC, resisted the invader the longest.

Roman period. It is noteworthy that several decades before the arrival of the Roman conquerors, the Greek rulers themselves invited the Roman liberators. Similar to the Russian princes, who "used" Golden Horde in internecine wars as a military force, the Greeks turned to the Roman legionnaires. For which, in fact, they paid the price when the Roman troops occupied Greece and Macedonia, announcing the creation of a province on their territory, which should be subordinate to the Roman governor. It was the Romans who became the receivers of Greek culture, bringing it to our days. Elements of Roman architecture, no doubt, are in the nature of the masters of ancient Greece. Like most great civilizations, Roman civilization was self-destructive due to idleness, corruption and self-interest.

Heliocentric Device Theory solar system was first put forward by the Greek astronomer and philosopher Aristarchus of Samos 1800 years before Nicolaus Copernicus.

The Battle of Chaeronea and the conquests of the Greco-Macedonian army in the east under the command of Alexander the Great opened the Hellenistic period. The monarchy of Alexander the Great collapsed immediately after his death (323). The long struggle of the Diadochi and their successors, the epigones, led to the creation of a number of independent Hellenistic states (the largest of them were the Seleucid, Ptolemaic and Macedonian monarchies).

Greece of the Hellenistic period is characterized by the predominance of states and unions of a militarized type (Macedonia, the Achaean Union, the Aetolian Union, Sparta), which continued to challenge dominance in Greece. In most states, oligarchy or kings were in power. The struggle of the states led by Athens against Macedonia after the death of Alexander (the Lamian War 323/322) ended with the victory of Macedonia and the massacre of the Greek democrats. After a second defeat in the Chremonid War (267-261; named after the Athenian commander Chremonides), Athens was defeated, becoming completely dependent on the Macedonian monarchy.

However, Macedonia was unable to restore its power over the entire Balkan Peninsula. They fought against it, sometimes uniting with each other, sometimes separately, two new powerful unions - Achaean (reborn around 280) and Aetolian (created around 320). The Achaean Union covered most of the Peloponnese (except for Sparta, which entered the union after 192) and Largest cities(Sicyon, Corinth, Megara). The Aetolian Union, in addition to Aetolia, included the regions of Central Georgia (except for Athens), southern Thessaly, and some other cities. The struggle of the successors of Alexander, and later Macedonia, and two alliances for power in Greece led to the massive destruction of cities, the sale of inhabitants into slavery, and the settlement of centers by new colonists.

The Greek cities were also devastated by pirates, who were used by the Aetolians, selling them into slavery the inhabitants of the captured cities (from Laconica alone, up to 50 thousand people were sold). The result of the struggle was the slow agony of cities, the ruin of the middle strata of the Greek population, the growth of the poor, whose unrest became common (in Corinth, Argos, Miletus). After the defeat inflicted by the Romans on Macedonia at the Battle of Cynoscephalae in 197, the Romans constantly intervened in the internal affairs of the Greeks, supporting the oligarchic layers against democracy. In the summer of 196, the Roman commander Flamininus proclaimed the "freedom" of the Greeks at the Isthmian Games, faith in which short term made Rome popular in Greece.

Since that time, Greece has been constantly under Roman influence. In fact, Greece was under the rule of Rome. With the assertion of the Roman Empire (27 BC), Greece was turned into the Roman province of Achaia (except for Athens, which was nominally considered a free city) and stood out little from the other eastern provinces of the Roman Empire. From the 4th c. AD Greece formed the core of the Eastern Roman Empire - Byzantium.

The history of the development of ancient Greece. The era of ancient Greece begins its existence in the III millennium BC and extended before the 1st century BC. on south of the Balkan Peninsula and islands in western Asia Minor. By the end of the 7th century BC. Greek culture flourished as much as possible. The Greeks achieved great success in the fine arts, monumental construction, unraveling the mysteries of mathematics and medicine, and in the development of social ideas. They created a system of government in which all citizens had a voice in solving the most important issues.

But Ancient Greece was not a single state. The mainland and the islands were divided into many city-states surrounded by rural settlements. The most powerful city-state was Athens, which have become 5th century BC. center of Greek civilization. Athens had a well-trained army and the most powerful ancient navy in the world. Trieres, ships with 3 rows of oars on each side, made up the bulk of the Greek battle fleet.

Athens

Athens were the most prosperous city in Greece. A huge bronze statue of Athena the Defender towered at a height of 9 meters, and in the temple Erechtheion stood an ancient wooden statue. On the side of the temple was a huge altar. The main temple of Athena was called Parthenon . It was built in 447-438 BC. from sparkling white marble. The roof was covered with marble tiles. The frieze was decorated with scenes of battles of centaurs - mythical creatures half people, half horses. The magnificent city owned silver mines and conducted international trade through the port in Piraeus . On the hill towered Acropolis(upper city), a sacred place with temples and shrines to the goddess Athena. Below lay a city with cobbled streets, splendid buildings, and a market place called agora, where public gatherings were held. Great Philosophers Socrates, Plato And Aristotle lived in Athens.
On holidays, crowded religious processions went through Athens. They entered the sacred land of the Acropolis through the marble gate - Propylaea.

People power

The city-states of Greece were called policies(from which the word policy). Around 510 B.C. e. policies got rid of the kings and preferred the management of a group of noble people ( oligarchies) or one influential politician ( Tirana). In 508 B.C. originated in Athens democracy, or People power. Under the new device, male citizens decided various issues by voting in assembly- People's Assembly. Women, foreigners and slaves could not take part in the voting.
In 443-429 BC. Athenians elected a major politician as ruler Pericles who started construction temple on the acropolis.

Culture and craft

first appeared in Greece Olympic Gamesin 776 BC. and later became part of the festivities in honor of the god Zeus. In a democratic society, a politician should have oratory. The first historical thinker by name appears Herodotus, in the near future they began to call him the "father of history." He plausibly and honestly knew how to describe all historical events. Greeks visited Delphic oracle which, according to legend, could tell a lot about the future useful information. Mount Olympus was considered the abode of the gods and was the most sacred place in the Greek religion.
Thessaly was famous for its horse breeding due to its beautiful and extensive pastures. The Greeks made their magnificent painted ceramics from special clay, which acquired a red color when fired. IN Lydia, and later in Athens they began to mint the first coins with the emblem of an owl of one of the goddesses. There were silver mines in Greece Lauria which were famous for their deposits of precious metals.
Greek women themselves wove most of the fabric for making linen and clothes for their home. They wore clothes Ionic And Doric style. During the harvest, the girls winnowed the grain, separating it from the chaff.

Greek architecture

The Greeks built grandiose temples that were built on a stepped platform. They were surrounded by a colonnade. Inside was a main hall with a statue of a god or goddess and a vault for temple treasures.
Outside, the temple was decorated with bas-reliefs and sculptures, traditionally painted in red and blue colors. At first, the temples were wooden, but from the 6th century AD. they began to be built of stone or marble and covered with tiles.
The Greeks built residential houses of simple brick and wood, with earthen floors. But for public buildings, especially temples, they did not spare either money or labor. Architects strove for harmony of proportions. The buildings usually had colonnades. There were two main styles - Doric, strict, with squat smooth columns, and more refined Ionic, with slender graceful columns. Public buildings were usually decorated with statues and wall paintings.

Science and knowledge

Knowledge of Ancient Greece. In the VI century BC. Greek scientists began to strive to understand the structure of the universe. They were called philosophers, that is, "lovers of wisdom." They studied the structure of the human body, solved mathematical problems and followed the movement of the planets. Alexander the Great's mentor Aristotle, for example, described hundreds of species of animals. The research of Greek scientists laid the foundation for modern biology, medicine, mathematics, astronomy and philosophy. Science of Ancient Greece was one of the most unique and original in the ancient world.

Olympic Games

Sports competitions were part of all major religious festivals in Greece. The Olympic Games in honor of Zeus were considered the main ones. They were held every 4 years and lasted 5 days. Many of the Olympic competitions, such as javelin throwing or wrestling, were related to the military training that every man needs. During the games, wars were interrupted so that participants from all over the country could come to Olympia. The winners of the games became celebrities.
The female sex was forbidden to watch and participate in the Olympic Games.

Theater

The first great dramatic works were created by the Greeks. Poets performed their songs at Dionysius - holidays in honor of the god Dionysus. Gradually, the songs became longer, the number of performers grew, and the songs turned into theatrical performances. There were 3 types of plays - tragedies, comedies and satires. The best play in each genre was awarded. Special buildings were built for theaters, without roofs. The actors were wearing masks, and all roles, even female ones, were performed by men.

Religion

Names of the gods of ancient Greece.
The Greeks had 12 main gods :
1) Zeus- the king of the gods, the thunderer. The eagle was considered his cult bird
2) Athena- the daughter of Zeus, was the goddess of wisdom and war, the patroness of Athens. The owl was her cult bird
3) Artemis- huntress, was the goddess of the moon, the patroness of women and children
4) Aphrodite- goddess of love and beauty
5) Demeter- the goddess of fertility and agriculture. During sowing, the Greeks held holidays in her honor
6) Poseidon- the god of the sea, the brother of Zeus and Pluto. With his trident, he could cause a storm
7) Hera- goddess, wife of Zeus, patroness of women
8) Hestia- goddess hearth Hera's sister
9) Apollo- god of the sun and music
10) Pluto- god of the underworld
11) Ares god, son of Zeus and Hera
12) Hermes- god, son of Zeus and one of his beloved, messenger of the gods

Sparta

Sparta dominated southern Greece Peloponnese. After the conquest messenia And Arcadia it became the most powerful state in Greece. The Spartans devoted themselves entirely to the war. All true Spartans had to be warriors, their training, which began at the age of 7, was extremely harsh.
Boys were subjected to corporal punishment in order to accustom them to pain and the ability to overcome fear in battle.
Girls were raised strong so that they would have healthy children in the future. All this helped Sparta win Peloponnesian Wars with Athens in 431-404 BC.
Spartans who did not show sufficient courage were ordered to shave off half of their beards. They were subjected to universal ridicule and humiliation.
Athens And Sparta were constant rivals and always at enmity.

Greco-Persian Wars

Wars of Ancient Greece. The Persians invaded Greece in 490 and 480 BC. The Greeks survived the sack of Athens and the death of a small Spartan army defending a narrow passage in the gorge. Thermopylae. Despite the losses, they still won, winning the battles of Marathon, at Plataea And sea ​​battle at Salamina. The Athenian leader convinced the government to create their own warships. The Greek fleet became a powerful force, the main weapon of which was trireme ship, which rammed enemy ships below the waterline. The battering ram was usually made of bronze. The triremes broke the formation of enemy ships, rammed them and disappeared from view.
The decisive battle took place at Salamis Islands and ended with the defeat of the Persian king Xerxes who invaded Greece. The Persians were lured into a trap - a narrow strait between Salamis and the mainland - and defeated.
Bucephalus. During the campaigns, Alexander left his people in the conquered lands. This contributed to the widespread dissemination of Greek culture and language, and, ultimately, to the development of the achievements of Greek science and architecture by later civilizations.

Military campaigns of Alexander

Conquering Asia Minor, Alexander won the battles with the Persians at Granicus and Issus. Turning south, he conquered Phoenicia, Judea and Egypt, where he was accepted as Pharaoh. The Macedonian visited the temple of the god Amon in Siwa, where he recognized him as his son. Then he defeated the Persians in the battle of Gaugamela. The Persian king Darius III fled after a crushing defeat inflicted on him by Alexander the Great. Soon Darius was killed. After a drunken revelry in Persepolis, Alexander ordered the palace to be burned down before moving on to India. Then the great commander went to India and again became the winner in the battle near the Gidasp River, having entered into a fight with the war elephants of King Por. He would have continued his campaigns further, but the army was already exhausted.

Alexander the Great died 323 BC in Babylon from a fever on the eve of a campaign in Arabia.
He was buried in Alexandria. He was at that time only 33 years old.

31.03.2016

Ancient Greek treatises have become the basis of modern philosophy; most of the knowledge about the world, about man, about the Earth and even about the Universe, which today are accepted as indisputable facts, also comes from sunny Greece. Let's try to penetrate deep into the centuries and look at least with one eye at the life of these beautiful, wise and proud people - citizens of the state that has become the cradle modern science. Let's get acquainted with some interesting facts from the history of Ancient Greece.

1. Ancient Greece consisted of many separate city-states - policies, each of which had its own government and its own army. Sometimes they even clashed with each other. Many policies had their own colonies with which they traded and exchanged slaves. The colonies were formed by people from the main city-state - for example, representatives of the nobility, if the demos won there in the course of the political struggle, or vice versa.
2. Wealthy ancient Greeks spent most of their lives in idleness. They had philosophical conversations, were engaged in politics, devoted a lot of time to physical training, as they periodically had to fight. Women led the house, relying on the help of numerous slaves. Noble women did not even feed babies themselves - for this there were slave nurses.
3. The average life expectancy of people in ancient Greece was: women - 36 years, and men - 45 years. Probably, the earlier mortality of the representatives of the beautiful half of humanity was associated with frequent childbirth.
4. Great curiosity has always been aroused by a special layer of ancient Greek society - getters. They are sometimes erroneously considered to be something like the highest cohort of prostitutes. In fact, these women received an excellent education, knew how to take care of their appearance, had excellent manners, were distinguished by a sharp inquisitive mind and love of art. Their main task was to captivate men with an interesting conversation. They were free and independent. One of the famous Greek getters - Aspasia - charmed the ruler of Athens, Pericles, so much that he married her. For twenty years the couple lived in peace and harmony, and Aspasia actively interfered in politics, gave her husband a very good advice. Her mind was admired by Socrates and Phidias, who received real pleasure from conversations with the beauty.
5. The word "teacher" came to us from Ancient Greece. Initially, it meant - "a person leading children to school." That is, the teacher had nothing to do with the learning process. Slaves who were not fit to perform other duties became teachers.
6. The Olympic Games were invented in Ancient Greece. The first ancient Olympic Games consisted only of running competitions.
7. When a person died in ancient Greece, the Greeks put a coin under his tongue - an obol. It was believed that with this coin he must pay off the carrier of souls Charon in order to safely enter the kingdom of the dead. If there was no coin, the gloomy Charon left the soul of the unfortunate loitering on the banks of the river Styx - between the worlds of the dead and the living.
8. One of the famous travelers of Ancient Greece was Herodotus (also a part-time historian). He managed to swim almost half the world. Herodotus visited Egypt, Africa, India, as well as the territory that today is part of the European part of Russia. Herodotus left the most curious memories of everything he saw.
9. The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates, who enjoyed great respect among fellow citizens, fell victim to political intrigues towards the end of his life. He was sentenced to death, and he courageously accepted it, draining the cup of poison.
10. Were you sometimes jokingly called an Epicurean? If so, know that you are considered an unusually optimistic and happy person. The ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus created a whole doctrine based on the calm acceptance of everything that life brings - both joy and sorrow. He, one might say, came up with a way to get rid of the fear of death that haunts any person. It turned out to be very simple! Epicurus reasoned as follows: "as long as we exist, there is no death yet." When death comes, we are no more. So why be afraid?

Ancient Greece is a treasure trove of knowledge. It is a pity that much was irretrievably lost during the period of heavy dominance of the scholastic Middle Ages! However, some Interesting Facts and the information has come down to us through the ages. And even they are enough for sincere admiration for Greece - serious and frivolous, rattling weapons and setting rich feast tables - Greece, harsh and brilliant at the same time!