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800 BCE
Greek Alphabet
In ancient Greece, there was a unique alphabet. It first appears in the 8th century BCE. The Greek alphabet is an adapted version of the Phoenician alphabet. There was no single “correct” alphabet in Greece, because of the isolation between city states, resulting in varied versions of the alphabet.The Greek alphabet shares many similarities with the modern-day alphabet, such as consonants and vowels. In fact, the ancient Greek alphabet influenced our alphabet today. -
Period: 800 BCE to 500 BCE
Greek Social Structure
There is no specific date for the creation of social structure; it continued to develop. Social structure in ancient Greece varied among each government type, but common themes in were present. The slaves were always on the bottom. On top were women and children, and above that, were male children, and male citizens. Right above, were government officials and leaders. In Greek society, men had a lot more power than women. Women were expected to stay inside, while men got an education and a job. -
700 BCE
Greek Mythology
Greek Mythology became fully developed in 700 BC. Greek religion focused on many gods and goddesses, but the main ones were called deities. These special gods lived on Mount Olympus, and were the most famous. Every god has specific traits and powers. Greek religion is unique because the gods were very human like. Greek Mythology is a popular and interesting topic of study today, and themes of this ancient religion pop up in books, movies, and media. -
500 BCE
Democracy
One of Greece’s biggest accomplishments is democracy. However, before democracy, there were many other government forms. First was monarchy, where there is one hereditary ruler. Then, there was oligarchy, where a few wealthy individuals ruled. After that, tyranny became the government form of ancient Greece. Finally, Greece came to democracy. In democracy, everyone has a say, which made this a very popular way of running the government. Today, democracy is used, thanks to ancient Greece. -
Period: 469 BCE to 399 BCE
Socrates (Greek Philosophy)
Socrates was born in 469 BC. He was a philosopher and a teacher in Athens. He taught by asking questions, and his teaching method became very popular. He believed in the power of argument over writing, so he didn’t write any books. People spread his teachings by word. He’d initiate arguments with others about topics such as justice, bravery, and piety. Socrates would often critique Athens society. Leaders didn’t like this, so he was sentenced to death. He calmly drank poison and died in 399 BC. -
Period: 431 BCE to 404 BCE
Peloponnesian War
The Peloponnesian War was a war between the two leading city states, Athens and Sparta. The war lasted from 431-404 BCE. Each side had their own strengths: Athens had a stronger navy, and Sparta had a stronger army. The city states battled for a long time, until, eventually, Sparta won. Sparta’s victory began the decline of Athens. -
384 BCE
Aristotle (Greek Philosophy)
Aristotle was born in 384 BC. He is known as the greatest scientist of the ancient world, and considered the father of the natural sciences. He believed in using logic and reason to explain events. Born in Macedonia, he then moved to Athens and became a student in Plato’s school. He studied at this school for 20 years, then moved to Macedonia and became Alexander’s teacher. After Alexander became king, Aristotle returned to Athens and opened up his own school. Also, he also wrote 170 books. -
Period: 356 BCE to 323 BCE
Alexander The Great
One of the greatest conquerors of the ancient world is Alexander the Great. Alexander’s leadership began when he was young and his dad died. When he died, Alexander was left to rule. His conquest started in Greece, and spread to Asia Minor, Syria, Egypt, and India. His empire stretched from Macedonia to the Indus river. Also, he mixed the cultures of the places he conquered, forming Hellenistic culture. Even today, we continue to see elements of Hellenistic culture.
