Ancient Greece
General facts
The First Greeks
Ancient Rome
Romulus and Remus
Many of the fundamental elements of Western culture first arose more than 2000 years ago in ancient Greece.
The Greeks’ emphasis on the individual.
After conquering the Greeks, the ancient Romans spread Greek ideas throughout their empire, which included much of Europe.
After the fall of the Roman Empire, these ideas lost their prominence in European society during most of the Middle Ages (500-1500 C.E.).
The glorification of the human form and of human accomplishment defined ancient Greek art, philosophy, literature, and religion.
The Minoans
The Mycenaeans
By 1650 B.C.E., the Minoans occupied the island of Crete that is south of the Greek mainland.
The Minoans were named for the legendary ruler of Crete, King Minos.
The Mycenaeans came from a group of people who migrated from India through the Middle East and into Greece around the year 2000 B.C.E.
These Indo-Europeans mixed with the native population of Greece to become the Mycenaeans.
Over time, both the Minoans and Mycenaeans expanded and conquered territory until the two civilizations ran into one another.
Historians suspect that in the ensuing conflict the Mycenaeans wiped out the Minoans, whose civilization and culture disappeared somewhat mysteriously.
By 1200 B.C.E., the Mycenaeans were in turn wiped out by another group known as the Dorians. This ushered in a Dark Age that lasted from 1150 to 800 B.C.E.
During this time, economic activity ground to a halt, and literacy disappeared. Not much is known about this period in Greek history.
The Roman Empire’s tentacles stretched from England to Egypt, from Spain to Iraq, and from southern Russia to Morocco.
Ancient Roman civilization thrived for nearly one thousand years.
After adopting Christianity in the 4th century C.E., the Romans spread it to every corner of their empire.
Latin, the language of the Romans, became the basis for several modern European languages, including Italian, French, and Spanish.
The Romans were particularly skilled in administration, organization, and engineering. They had a highly trained and disciplined military and an efficient bureaucracy.
The Romans basically adopted and copied much of Greek art, literature, philosophy, and even religion.
The Romans had the same set of gods as the Greeks, but with different names.
At the height of its expansion (around 120 C.E.), the Roman Empire comprised nearly all of the lands surrounding the Mediterranean Sea.
According to Roman mythology, twin brothers, named Romulus and Remus, were the sons of Mars, the Roman god of war. They were abandoned at birth and raised by a wolf.
When they became older, they decided to found a city along the Tiber River near the spot where they had been abandoned. Each chose a hill upon which to begin a settlement.
They often had disputes led to quarreling and fighting. Romulus killed his brother in a fit of rage. Romulus went on to build the city that eventually became Rome.
Finally, the Italian peninsula’s central location within the Mediterranean Sea made it possible for the Romans to trade and communicate with every part of the Mediterranean world.
Until the Renaissance (1350- 1500 C.E.) that the ancient Greek and Roman origins of many European institutions and practices were rediscovered.
Rome was located on the Tiber River about 15 miles inland from the Mediterranean Sea. The Romans had easy access to the sea, and were somewhat protected from seaborne invasion.
Also, Rome lay in the middle of the Italian peninsula, the boot-shaped landmass to the west of Greece. From this central position, the Romans could easily access and control all of what is today the modern country of Italy.