GENERAL INFORMATION ON GREECE
History
The first great civilization of the Aegean was developed on the island of Crete. The earliest inhabitants settled in about 3000 BC, but the most important Minoan period was between 2299 and 1450 BC. Archaeologists have uncovered many treasures and buildings. If you go to Crete, you can visit the famous palace at Knossos.
Greece legend describes how an Athenian prince called Theseus went to Crete and killed the Minotaur – a monster that was half man and half bull. Athenian children were sent as sacrifices to the Minotaur, who was kept in a labyrinth, a maze of long winding tunnels. It is possible that the labyrinth was at Knossos.
After the collapse of the Minoan civilization in 1450 BC, came the Bronze Age. There was an important Bronze Age centre at Mycenae in the Peloponnese. The Myceneans were warriors and very rich. Archeologists have found weapons and armour, as well as wonderful gold and silver jewellery and death masks in the Mycenaean graves.
During the Classical period (5th century BC), Greece was made up of city-states. These included Athens, Sparta and Thebes. All citizens spoke Greek. Each settlement or polis, was ruled by a king or tyrannos (tyrant). Later, some city-states got rid of their tyrants and Athens had the world’s first democracy. The word ‘democracy’ comes from two Greek words demos (people) and kratos (authority). It means government by the people. In ancient Greece, the system of democracy was not quite the same as it is known today. Every adult male citizen could speak and vote in the Assembly, and had to take part in government at some point. The democratic system practiced all over the world has its roots in ancient Greece.
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