Ancient Greece - From City-States to the Hellenistic Period

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Ancient Greece was one of the earliest civilizations in the world and the first civilization in Europe. This civilization started around the 8th century BC in modern-day Greece and can be divided into three main periods. The Archaic Greek Period initiated around 800 BC after the Greek Dark Ages and lasted around the 5th century BC. It was followed by the Greek Classical Period, which lasted around 200 years. The last period of Ancient Greek civilization is known as the Hellenistic Period. It started in 323 BC after the death of Alexander the Great and lasted till 146 BC. The Romans captured Greece after the Battle of Corinth, which initiated the Roman-Greek era.

Archaic Greek Period

The formation of city-states was the main characteristic of this Greek period. These city-states were independent in their everyday matters, and bodies of citizens ruled these cities. Each city-state had its own social & financial center, fortified area for defense, religious place (temple), sports gymnasium, theatre for drama, currency (coins), and other individualities. Messenia, Sparta, and Delphi were important city-states of that period. These states also remained hostile to each other due to control of different areas and only united while defending against a foreign invader. This period lasted until 480 BC.

Classical Greece

This period lasted for around 200 years. It was a period of deadly wars. Initially, the Greek states united against the invading Persian Empire. They managed to free different Greek states, earlier annexed by the Persians. Later, the city-states of Sparta, Athens, and Thebes confronted each other several times. The situation changed after the rise of Macedonia.

Philip II of Macedonia united all areas of Greece under his leadership in 337 BC. Later, his son Alexander the Great took his successes forward and captured the Balkans, Levant, Egypt, and the Persian Empire, including today’s Iran, Iraq, Asia Minor, and other adjacent areas. 

Hellenistic Period

Alexander the Great died in 323 BC, which initiated the Hellenistic Period. During this period, the Greek culture progressed in the lands conquered by Alexander in Europe, Asia, and Africa. This period ended in most areas in 146 AD when the Roman Empire captured Greece following the Battle of Corinth, and Greece became a province of the Roman Empire. However, the conclusion of this period happened after the occupation of Egypt by the Romans in 30 BC.

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