Ancient Greece: A Complete Guide to Its History and Influence on the World

Ancient Greek civilization is one of the oldest civilizations known in human history. Its greatness is not restricted to ancient ruins and heroic stories; it extends to culture, science, philosophy, art, and architecture. Their civilization is still alive, as its imprints are present in many aspects of our daily lives. We can easily trace concepts, ideas, scientific discoveries, and creations in all fields back to ancient Greek times. 

Moreover, Greek history was not only confined to Greece’s premises; it also managed to extend its influence to ancient Europe, Asia, and North Africa. For instance, there is an excellent connection between ancient Greek and Egyptian Pharaonic history. They shared colonies, ideologies, marriages, and empires. There are even similarities between the Ancient Greek and the Ancient Egyptian Gods and Goddesses.

Below, we will explore some of the main historical remarks created by the Ancient Greek civilization and their influence on modern times even to this day. If you wish to experience a glimpse of their greatness, we will explore some of their still-alive imprints and answer the question of where and how you can observe them yourself.

Ancient Greek History Facts

1- Ancient Greece Politics and Government

Ancient Greece was not one kingdom. It was divided into small cities, states, or occupations, and these were called Polis. A polis was established during the period of archaic ancient Greek history. Historians claim that the number of poleis (plural of polis) reached 1000. Each polis had a separate governor and way of life. They were in continual unrest and war with each other. The most famous policies include Athens and Sparta.

2- Ancient Greek Famous Historical Leaders

The reputation of the ancient Greek wars and their ancient world colonization could not have been achieved without the dedication of their unique leaders. Indeed, some names went down in history with exceptional war intelligence and governance. Their leaders’ strategies created guidelines that are still taught today to be learned from and inspired on many levels. 

Alexander the Great

It is tough to find someone who would hear the name Alexander the Great, and it does not ring a bell. You must have read, heard, or watched a film about this exceptional name. He was a unique, of his kind war hero and leader. Alexander the Great is one of the best legends known in history. He expanded the Greek culture and identity throughout the ancient world through his invasions and expeditions. 

Reaching North Africa, we can find traces of his invasion in the Ancient Egyptian culture, which powerfully collides with the Greek culture. There are many similarities, for instance, between the Egyptian and Greek Gods. Even today, people can visit the Greek monuments and ruins in Egypt.

Alexander III of Macedon succeeded his father, Philip II, on the throne in 336 BC at the age of 20. Aristotle tutored him until the age of 16. Once he acquired the throne, he focused on his military expeditions. By age 30, Alexander created one of the largest empires in history, stretching from Greece to Northwest India. He founded more than twenty cities that were named after him. One of the most famous cities is Alexandria in Egypt. 

His widespread settlements throughout the ancient world resulted in the spread of Greek culture and the dominance of the Hellenistic Civilization. He became a classical legend featured in historical and mythical traditions of Greek and non-Greek cultures. His military tactics and success remain an interest and subject of study to many military leaders and academies.

The Egyptian Alexandria

One cannot mention Alexander the Great without taking a while to talk about one of the most prominent cities he founded, Alexandria in Egypt. Alexandria is considered one of the most famous cosmopolitan cities in the world. It is home to citizens from various origins, religious beliefs, and ethnicity.

When visiting Alexandria, you can find traces of its cosmopolitan nature throughout the city. Foad Street, the Greek community buildings, the Latin district, the footprints of the Christian Empire, and Islamic culture all stand side by side in one city. It is a place that attracts cultures, preserves them, and absorbs their authentic nature.

The story of Alexandria began in April 331 BC, after Alexander the Great chose the city’s location to create a sizeable Greek city on the Egyptian coastline. He envisioned building a causeway to the nearby island of Pharos that would make two massive natural harbours.

Alexandria was to be the link between Greece and the Nile Valley. However, shortly after its foundation, Alexander the Great left Egypt and never revisited it during his life. Nevertheless, the work in Alexandria and its ongoing history from its foundation onward were extraordinary.

One of the famous ancient Greek creations built in Alexandria and that has survived to this day is the Library of Alexandria. The Great Library of Alexandria was part of the Mouseion, which used to be a larger research institution dedicated to the Muses, the nine goddesses of the arts. 

Demetrius of Phalerum, an exiled Athenian statesman living in Alexandria, proposed the idea of a universal library in Alexandria to Ptolemy I Soter. Ptolemy I established the plans for the Library, but historians claim that the Library itself was not built until the reign of his son Ptolemy II Philadelphus. After its establishment, the Library quickly received many papyrus scrolls, estimates ranging from 40,000 to 400,000, owing mainly to the Ptolemaic kings’ aggressive and well-funded policies for procuring texts. 

As a result of the Library’s foundation, Alexandria came to be regarded as the capital of knowledge and learning in the ancient world. The Library was home to several influential scholars who worked there during the third and second centuries BC. Some famous names associated with the ancient Library of Alexandria include Zenodotus of Ephesus, Callimachus, Apollonius of Rhodes, Eratosthenes of Cyrene, Aristophanes of Byzantium, and Aristarchus of Samothrace. 

The Library declined over decades until Julius Caesar accidentally burned it during his civil war in 48 BC. It was neglected during the Roman period due to a lack of funding and support, and the negligence continued for centuries after.

The Library of Alexandria was revived in 2002 by the Egyptian government under the name Bibliotheca Alexandrina. It now serves as a public library and a cultural centre. It hosts museums, conference centres, planetariums, and several special libraries. Bibliotheca Alexandrina hosts and organizes many cultural events on an annual basis. The public can visit the library from Saturday to Thursday. Before planning your visit, make sure to check Bibliotheca Alexandrina’s official website for updates.

Pericles of Athens

What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others

Pericles

Pericles was a legendary Greek politician and military general during the Golden Age of Athens. He was born in 495 BC to Xanthippus, his father, who was a famous Athenian politician, and Agariste, his mother, who belonged to a wealthy and controversial Athenian family. It is said that his mother dreamt of giving birth to a lion before his birth, the same dream that Philip II of Macedon had before his son Alexander the Great.

Pericles’ rule of Athens from 461 to 429 BC is sometimes called the “Age of Pericles.” As a leader of Athens, he turned the Delian League into an Athenian empire. He was a successful leader to his countrymen during the first two years of the Peloponnesian War. 

His vision was not only military; he also tried to establish Athens’ reputation as an educational and cultural centre of the ancient Greek world. He supported most of the surviving structures on the Acropolis, including the Parthenon. He also advocated for Athenian democracy and tried to establish democratic rights for all the Athenian people.

In 429 BC, Pericles died due to the rise of the Plague of Athens, which weakened the city during its fight with Sparta.

Leonidas of Sparta

Leonidas I was king of Sparta from 489 BC  to 480 BC. He was the 17th of the Agiad line that claimed their mythological descent from Heracles the demigod and Cadmus. Leonidas I succeeded his half-brother King Cleomenes to the throne.

The story of his birth was fascinating. His mother was barren for years and could not bear his father’s children. The ephors tried to convince his father to take another wife and leave her. When his father refused, they allowed him to take a second wife, who bore him Cleomenes. However, one year later, his mother gave birth to his brother Dorieus. Leonidas I was the second son of his father’s first wife.

Leonidas is known for his remarkable role in the Second Greco-Persian War. He led an allied Greek force at the Battle of Thermopylae. Though he died in battle, he went down in history as the leader of 300 Spartans. A year later, the Greeks managed to expel the Persian invaders.

Queen Cleopatra

Cleopatra’s reign in Egypt from 51 to 30 BC marked the end of the Hellenistic age in Egypt that lasted since the reign of Alexander the Great.  Cleopatra was one of the most famous Egyptian queens and has been the subject of study and an art icon. Her efforts as a leader were remarkable. She was the only Ptolemaic ruler who sought to learn the Egyptian Language. Cleopatra succeeded her father, Ptolemy Xiii, sharing the throne with her brothers, Ptolemy XIII and Ptolemy XIV. 

During her reign, Cleopatra acknowledged the need for Roman support. While Caesar was seeking money to repay the debts incurred by her father, Cleopatra was determined to recover the glories of her dynasty. She managed to ally with the Roman party. She visited Rome with her husband-brother, Ptolemy XIV, and her son, Little Caesar, at least once during her reign.

During a later stage in her reign, Cleopatra married Mark Antony and had three children with him. Their relationship caused a scandal in Rome, leading to a war on Cleopatra in 32 BC. Cleopatra led several Egyptian warships along Antony’s fleet but failed to win against the Octavian naval army. 

Both Cleopatra and Antony were forced to flee to Egypt. It is said that they both committed suicide in Alexandria. However, the method of Cleopatra’s death has not been confirmed to date.

Cleopatra is known in history for her beauty and affairs. However, she was one of the most intelligent Greek Queens of Egypt. She was well-educated and loved the company of scientists and philosophers. She was a great warrior who led armies herself. Furthermore, she had a significant impact on the Ancient Egyptian civilization.

The ruling history and personal life story of Queen Cleopatra were intriguing subjects to many filmmakers and artists. She has been portrayed in many languages in different works of art. Her name was present in many novels, poems, and symbolic references. The most famous film, for instance, is the 1963 film under the name of Cleopatra, directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz. Make it on your watch list for your next movie night.

3- Ancient Greek Philosophy

The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing

Socrates

The Greeks were not only military leaders or politicians but also art creators and scientists. They sought to contemplate and analyse the universe. Their quest to understand the world and human nature and formulate a political structure formed the foundation of many scientific discoveries, social ideologies, and political notions centuries later.

Ancient Greek philosophy was the scientific observations of the universe and human nature. Though they believed that the Gods created the universe, they were keen on exploring the Gods’ mighty creation. The science of Ancient Greek philosophy can be divided into pre-Socratic philosophy, Socratic philosophy, and post-Socratic philosophy.

Pre-Socratic Philosophy

Pre-Socratic philosophy is the early Ancient Greek philosophy that formed before Socrates. Philosophers of this era mainly focused on cosmology and the universe’s formation. They tried to seek a scientific explanation for natural phenomena rather than the notion of the Greek Gods’ actions and will. 

Presocratic philosophy began in the 6th century BC with three philosophers, the Milesians: Thales, Anaximander, and Anaximenes. They all believed that the arche of the universe (meaning substance or origin) was water and air.

The latter three aristocratic philosophers are Xenophanes, Heraclitus, and Pythagoras. Xenophanes was famous for his critique of the anthropomorphism of gods. Heraclitus, who was said to be challenging to understand, was known for his maxim on impermanence and for considering fire the archer of the world. On the other hand, Pythagoras advocated that the universe was made up of numbers. 

Many renowned philosophers belong to this era. Though most of their work was lost, their impact was unprecedented. Many concepts of Western civilization that we study today can be dated back to the pre-Socratic philosophers. Concepts such as naturalism and rationalism paved the way for the scientific methodology of analysing our universe.

Socratic Philosophy

As the name Socratic philosophy suggests, it is the ideologies and philosophical notions initiated by the famous Greek philosopher Socrates. Socrates was an Athenian Greek philosopher known as the founder of Western Philosophy. Though his ideas were not recorded in books by his writings, he is known through the writings of his students Plato and Xenophon, who recorded his accounts as dialogues in the form of questions and answers. These accounts initiated a literary genre called the Socratic dialogue.

Socrates was considered one of the moral philosophers who advocated the ethical tradition of thought. Despite his efforts in educating the youth and his society, he was accused of impiety in 399. He was sentenced to death after a trial that lasted only a day, after which he was imprisoned and refused any offers to help him escape. Socrates’ influence on philosophical thought continued to the modern era. He was the subject of study by many scholars and shaped the idea of the Italian Renaissance. The interest in his work can be widely seen in the works of Søren Kierkegaard and Friedrich Nietzsche.

Plato and Aristotle were famous ancient Greek philosophers who adopted the Socratic ideology. Plato was taught by Socrates and documented his work. He founded a new school of thought called the Platonic School, and a high-ranking learning centre called the Academy. To date, we use the term “Platonic love” as an allegory to selfless and need-free relationships.

“I am the wisest man alive, for I know one thing, and that is that I know nothing.”

― Plato, The Republic

Plato was the first philosopher to use written dialogue and dialectic forms in philosophy. He raised questions that later became the foundation of major theoretical and practical philosophy areas. His entire collection of work is believed to have survived intact for over 2,400 years. Though their popularity has changed, Plato’s works have always been read and studied. Some of his productions include the Dialogues of Plato and the Republic.

Finally, one of the most famous Socratic philosophers was Aristotle. Aristotle was a student of Plato and the founder of the Peripatetic school of philosophy and the Aristotelian tradition. His area of study and thought covered many scientific fields. His findings shaped the foundation of physics, biology, realism, criticism, individualism, and many more. As previously mentioned in this article, Aristotle was even the tutor of Alexander the Great. One of his famous writings that has survived to date is Poetics.

Post-Socratic Philosophy

Philosophers from the post-Socratic school of thought established the foundation of four schools of philosophy: Cynicism, Skepticism, Epicureanism, and Stoicism. They focused their attention and analysis on the individual instead of politics. For instance, they focused on understanding and cultivating a particular way of life based on the individual’s virtues, wisdom, courage, and justice.

4- Ancient Greek Mythology

Greek mythology is the collective stories of the Gods and Goddesses whom the Greeks worshipped. It is the Greeks’ religion, philosophy, and social codes and the reason for their development artistically and mentally. They provided humanity with rich content that humans have built on to date on many levels: medically, socially, and artistically. We can see Greek mythology elements around us in modern times, and it is still captivating and astonishing.

The main characters of the mythology revolve around the Olympian Greek Gods. Zeus, the father of the Gods, was born with his siblings Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, and Poseidon, to his father Cronus and Mother Rhea. Cronus has been foretold that one of his children would dethrone him, so he swallowed all his children except for Zeus, whose mother hid. When Zeus reached manhood, he dethroned his father and saved his siblings. Thus, he named himself the father of the Gods and took Mount Olympus as his kingdom.

Zeus divided the universe between himself and his two brothers, Poseidon and Hades. Zeus became the ruler of heaven and the sender of thunder and lightning. Poseidon was named the God of the sea. And finally, Hades was the ruler of the underworld. Thus, this would explain how the ancient Greek Man explained the world and natural phenomena around him at the time.

Greek mythology originally consisted of oral narratives about the gods’ lives, including their love lives, marriages, wars, conflicts, and connections with the human world that Zeus created. Their stories created a network of heroes, antiheroes, Gods, Goddesses, demigods, and many other mythological creatures. Thus, they became rich material for research, art, and culture to date.

Effect of Greek Mythology on Ancient Greek Art

The tales of the Greek Gods and Goddesses were originally oral folklore stories. Thus, they were rich material for poets and playwrights to build on. Some famous Greek artists who influenced the Greek community at the time include Homer, Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides. Their work has influenced the world’s art and culture to date. In addition, the Greeks left the world with magnificent sculptures resembling their gods and goddesses, now found in museums worldwide.

Ancient Greek Writers

Homer

Homer is the most famous ancient Greek poet. He was an oral epic poet who narrated tales and stories about Gods and Demigods. Homer was praised for being an influential artist who guided Greek art after him.

As Plato mentions in his book ION, “But if, as I believe, you have no art, but speak all these beautiful words about Homer unconsciously under his inspiring influence, then I acquit you of dishonesty, and shall only say that you are inspired, which do you prefer to be thought, dishonest or inspired?”. His most famous creations are the Iliad and the Odyssey, though there were doubts that the same author created them.

On the one hand, the Iliad represented the Trojan War and its main characters. His creation was so influential that it has affected art, language, and culture. The Trojan Horse, the secret weapon for the defeat of Troy, is currently used as an English expression meaning “secretly overthrow an enemy or opponent “. The Odyssey, on the other hand, narrates Odysseus’s journey back from the Trojan War. It is more harmonious in its narrative than the Iliad.

Homer’s creative writing included encounters with the Gods and their interference with human fate. They shaped a representation of how the Greek Man viewed the Olympian Gods at the time. This creation and the fascinating narrative offered rich material for literature and cinematic art today. Some examples will be explored later in this article.

Aeschylus

Wisdom comes through suffering.
Trouble, with its memories of pain,
Drips in our hearts as we try to sleep,
So men against their will
Learn to practice moderation.
Favours come to us from gods.
― Aeschylus, Agamemnon

Aeschylus is a famous ancient Greek poet who was born around 525 BC. He was renowned for his tragic plays. Some researchers even name him the father of Tragedy. His plays included elements and allegories of the Gods. His endeavours were manifested during dramatic competitions, particularly in the City of Dionysia, where a festival was organized in spring to honour Dionysus, the God of wine.

He claimed to have won the first prize during these competitions thirteen times. Some famous Aeschylus tragedies were The Persians, Seven Against Thebes, The Suppliants, The Oresteia, a trilogy of three tragedies: Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers, and The Eumenides. Not all his work survived undamaged, but sources attribute seventy to ninety plays to him.

Sophocles

Wise words; but O, when wisdom brings no profit,

To be wise is to suffer.”

— Sophocles

Sophocles is another influential ancient Greek tragedy playwright. He was born around 497 BC. Sophocles started writing around the time of Aeschylus and was an innovator. He used the third actor in his plays, which reduced the importance of the chorus and left room for more conflict. He also participated in city competitions, and it is said that he won eighteen prizes in the city of Dionysia.

Aristotle praised Sophocles’s tragedy, Oedipus Rex, as an example of the highest achievement in tragedy. He also praised his scenery painting, which was innovative at the time. Sophocles’ ideas also influenced modern psychological science. Oedipus and Electra complexes, which Sigmund Freud discovered, were named after the tragedies he wrote.

Euripides

Knowledge is not wisdom: cleverness is not, not without awareness of our death, not without recalling just how brief our flare is. He who overreaches will, in his overreaching, lose what he possesses, betray what he has now. That which is beyond us, which is greater than the human, the unattainably great, is for the mad, or for those who listen to the mad, and then believe them.”
― Euripides, The Bacchae

Euripides is the third most famous tragedy playwright in Ancient Greece. He was known as a thinker and innovator. In his plays, he revisited Homeric Gods’ representation questionably. He also introduced a different characterization than that of his predecessors, Aeschylus and Sophocles, where the characters’ fate depends on their actions and decisions rather than on the tragic fate installed on them by the Gods. Furthermore, he wrote over 90 plays, including Medea, Children of Heracles, and Trojan Women.

Ancient Greek Sculptures

The ancient Greek sculptures were the Greek man’s signature and famous works of art. They were how they paid tribute to their Gods and paid their respects. Viewing the human body as sacred, their gods took a human form. You can find the unique and perfect sculptures as a signature of Greek history all over Greece and the over-sees colonies they claimed to date.

The Effect of Greek Mythology on Architecture

Being the core of the Ancient Greek Man’s religious belief, many temples and ruins were dedicated to the Greek Gods. Their unique architectural endeavour left the world with historical sites to study and admire to date. To name some:

The Temple of Zeus

It is a temple built in ancient Athens that initially consisted of 104 pillars. It is located near the Acropolis of Athens. The temple was built in honour of the great Greek God Zeus. The temple of Olympian Zeus used to be one of the largest temples in Athens, and it took many years to build.

Today, only 15 columns of the temple survive. Many tourists from around the world visit the temple of Zeus, which is considered one of the most critical open museums in the world. The entrance price is €12 (US$13.60) for adults and €6 (US$6.80) for Students. You can easily take the Metro to get there from Athens.

Archaeological sites of Isthmia

It is an important ancient Greek site with many historical landmarks and ruins. One is the temple of Isthmia, built in the Ancient Greek Archaic period. The temple was dedicated to Poseidon, God of the sea. It served as a Panhellenic sanctuary that served all Greek men, regardless of their origin state. It also hosted one of the four Panhellenic Games dedicated to the Gods at the time. At Isthima’s archaeological site, you can see the ruins of the stadium and theatre with its marble platform.

No one described it better than Pausanias in his book Description of Greece, Book 2: Corinth.

“The Isthmus has belonged to Poseidon. Worth seeing here are a theatre and a white-marble race course. Within the sanctuary of the god stand on the one side portrait statues of athletes who have won victories at the Isthmian games, on the other side pine trees growing in a row, the greater number of them rising straight. On the temple, which is not very large, stand bronze Tritons. In the fore-temple are images, two of Poseidon, a third of Amphitrite, and a Sea, which also is of bronze.”

Effect of Greek Mythology on the Modern Cinema

Modern Cinema Adaptation of Greek Mythology Stories

As seen before, Greek mythology had a wide range of influence over many aspects of the Greek Man’s life and our modern life. One of its most significant influences is its effect on modern literature and movies. An example is the influence of the myth of Perseus, son of Zeus.

According to myth, Danaë, the daughter of Acrisius of Argos, bore Perseus after her encounter with Zeus. Acrisius, prophesied to be killed by his grandson, sent Perseus as an infant and his mother to the sea in a chest. He grew up with his mother on the island of Seriphus.

The king of Seriphus later tricked him into bringing him the head of Medusa in exchange for releasing his mother, whom he had abducted. Aided by Hermes and Athena, he brought Medusa’s head, killed the king and his supporters with its gaze, and saved his mother. It is worth mentioning that Medusa’s gaze turned any man into stone.

The story of Perseus has been adapted into cinema several times. One adaptation is the 2010 movie Clash of the Titans. In the movie, people decide to defy worshipping the Gods, an action that leads to Zeus’ wrath. As a result, he agrees to Hades’ Plan to release the Karken to perish in the kingdom of Argos.

Hades gave the people several days to sacrifice the princess or face the undefeatable beast. Perseus witnessed the situation and was unaware of the truth of his origin until then. Hades revealed to him that he was the son of Zeus. Zeus tricks his mother, and he is the result of their encounter. His mother’s husband was angry and sent them to sea in a chest, where he was supposed to die with her. But being a demigod, he survived.

Perseus was angry at Zeus, and he decided to save the kingdom. He went on a quest with several soldiers and defeated the Medusa. Riding his winged horse, he returned to Argo’s kingdom and killed the Kraken using Medusa’s head. By doing that, he fulfilled the prophecy of being the awaited hero who was believed to save Argos.

Allegorical References of Ancient Greek Elements in Modern Cinema

The influence of Greek Mythology Is not just found in modern art as a retelling of the stories of its heroes. You can also find its influence in the symbolic reference of different artistic productions. One example is Alice in Wonderland, which was released in 2010.

In the movie, grown-up Alice is lured back to Wonderland to save the White Queen’s community from her sister, the Red Queen. She is the prophesized hero that Wonderland was waiting for, the one who was foretold to kill the Jabberwocky on Frabjous Day.

One cannot help but connect the resemblance of the undefeatable beast with the features of the Medusa whom Perseus slays. In the movie, Alice defeats the creature by slaying its head. The fight scene occurred in a Greek-like temple with its famous columns design. Though Lewis Carroll originally introduced the idea of the Jabberwocky in his poem “Jabberwocky”, the influence of Greek Mythology and Perseus’ story cannot be overlooked.

What are the Ancient Greek monuments to visit today?

As briefly explained in this article, the Ancient Greek civilization has survived for centuries. They have left their footprints in Greece and around the world. You can revisit their historical impacts by reading history books or watching fictional creations. You can also visit some of their ruins in Greece and different museums worldwide. For example, visit the temple of Zeus, the Acropolis, and the National Archaeological Museum in Athens. You can also see the Archaeological site of Mycenae. And take a tour of Ancient Olympia, the birthplace of the Olympic Games.

Different places outside Greece give a glimpse of Ancient Greek civilization. For example, in Egypt, visit the Greco-Roman Museum in Alexandria, Bibliotheca Alexandrina and its antiquities museum, and the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.