Ancient greek

Ancient Greek refers to the Greek language spoken in the Greek peninsula, various parts of the Mediterranean Basin, and parts of Asia Minor from the 9th or 8th century BC to the 6th century AD. It is often divided into the Archaic period, Classical Greek, and Hellenistic Greek.

History

The history of Ancient Greek can be divided into three main stages: Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic. The Archaic period in Greece (800 BC – 480 BC) was a period of ancient Greek history that followed the Greek Dark Ages. This period saw the rise of the polis and the founding of colonies, as well as the first inklings of classical philosophy, theatre, and poetry.

The Classical Greek period (5th and 4th centuries BC) is the most celebrated, with the flowering of drama, history, philosophy, and the visual arts. During this period, the polis of Athens was the center of Greek culture, and it is the period in which most of what we know as 'Ancient Greek' was spoken.

The Hellenistic Greek period is the period between the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC and the annexation of the classical Greek heartlands by the Roman Republic. This period is characterized by a new wave of Greek colonization which established Greek cities and kingdoms in Asia and Africa.

Culture

Ancient Greek culture had a powerful influence on the Roman Empire, which carried a version of it to many parts of the Mediterranean region and Europe. Greek culture influenced the development of Roman civilization because at first Rome absorbed ideas from Greek colonists in southern Italy, and they continued to borrow culturally from the Greeks.

Language

The Greek language has a long and well-documented history - the longest of any Indo-European language — spanning 34 centuries. There is a significant body of ancient Greek literature that is still extant, including the works of Homer, the tragedies of Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides, and the philosophical treatises of Plato and Aristotle.

Legacy

The cultural legacy of ancient Greece has had a significant influence on the world, affecting the development of the Western civilization. This legacy includes contributions to the fields of philosophy, drama, mythology, historiography, political science, athletic contests, and the Olympic Games.