Greek History Overview

Overview

This lecture surveys the rise, achievements, struggles, and transformations of Greece from prehistoric times to the modern era, highlighting key events, cultures, and legacies that shaped Western civilization.

Early Greek Civilizations

• The Neolithic era (c. 7000 BCE) marked the start of settled communities in Greece.
• Minoan civilization (c. 3000–1100 BCE) flourished on Crete with palatial complexes and advanced trade.
• Mycenaean civilization (c. 1700 BCE) emerged on the mainland, known for strong citadels and Linear B script.
• Cycladic civilization (c. 3000 BCE) is noted for its distinctive marble idols and trade networks.
• The Trojan War (c. 12th century BCE) featured in Homer’s Iliad, may reflect a real conflict.

Dark Age, Archaic Period, and City-States

• After Mycenaean collapse, Greece entered the “Dark Ages” (c. 1200–900 BCE) with decline in literacy and art.
• The Archaic period saw the rise of the polis (city-state) and spread of the Greek alphabet.
• Athens developed democracy, led by reforms of Cleisthenes; Sparta focused on military oligarchy.
• Panhellenic festivals like the Olympic Games fostered shared identity.

Classical Greece and the Persian Wars

• Persian Wars began with the Ionian Revolts, leading to iconic battles at Marathon and Thermopylae.
• Greek victory at Salamis cemented Athens as a naval power.
• The Golden Age of Athens under Pericles led to cultural flourishing, democracy, and construction projects like the Parthenon.
• Philosophers Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle shaped Western thought.

Science, Arts, and Culture

• Greek thinkers advanced mathematics (Pythagoras), astronomy, and medicine (Hippocrates, Galen).
• Architecture (Doric/Ionic orders), sculpture, and theater thrived.
• Mythology and literature, including Homer’s works, explored human nature and morality.

The Rise of Macedon and Hellenistic Age

• King Philip II unified Greece under Macedonian hegemony using diplomacy and military reforms.
• Alexander the Great expanded the empire across Egypt, Persia, and parts of India, blending Greek and Eastern cultures.
• After Alexander’s death, his generals established Hellenistic kingdoms, spreading Greek culture and knowledge.

Roman Greece and Byzantine Empire

• Rome conquered Greece (146 BCE), integrating its culture and intellectual legacy.
• Under Roman rule, Greek cities retained cultural importance and autonomy.
• The Byzantine Empire preserved Greek traditions, language, and Christianity, with Constantinople as its center.
• Iconoclasm and the East-West Schism shaped religious and political life.

Ottoman Rule and Greek Resistance

• The Ottomans conquered Constantinople (1453), ruling Greece through systems like the millet and devshirme.
• Greeks retained their Orthodox faith and cultural identity, occasionally rebelling against Ottoman rule.

Modern Greece: Independence and Nation-Building

• Enlightenment ideals inspired the Greek War of Independence (1821–1829), aided by European powers.
• The Treaty of Constantinople (1832) recognized Greek sovereignty; Otto of Bavaria became first king.
• Constitutional monarchy and later democratic reforms shaped political evolution.

20th Century: Wars, Dictatorship, and Democracy

• Balkan Wars and World Wars expanded and challenged Greek territory and identity.
• The Greek Civil War (1946–1949) pitted government against communist forces, with US (Truman Doctrine) support.
• A military junta ruled (1967–1974) until democracy was restored and monarchy abolished.
• Greece joined the EU in 1981; faced economic crisis in the 2000s.

Key Terms & Definitions

• Polis — independent city-state in ancient Greece.
• Democracy — system of government by the people, first developed in Athens.
• Hellenistic — period after Alexander’s conquests, marked by Greek cultural influence.
• Millet system — Ottoman practice allowing religious communities self-governance.
• Devshirme — Ottoman system of conscripting Christian boys for military service.
• Truman Doctrine — US policy supporting countries resisting communism.

Action Items / Next Steps

• Review key periods: Minoan/Mycenaean, Classical, Hellenistic, Byzantine, and modern Greece.
• Study the major philosophical, political, and cultural contributions of Greece.
• Complete assigned reading on the Greek War of Independence and Periclean Athens.