The history of Ancient Greece can be studied for a long time, as it has a lot of interesting things. The facts available in the sources are fascinating, amazing and very inspiring. The entire historical past of this state is mainly divided into five main periods or eras. This is the Aegean era, Homeric era, archaic era, classical era and, known to many, Hellenistic era. In addition, the three initial eras in most cases are united by a common name - the pre-classical period. It turns out that the full history of the country includes three major periods: pre-classical, classical and Hellenistic.
Information on the settlement of the area of Greece by certain peoples was extracted from archaeological excavations. In an area stretching from Macedonia to Elis, Paleolithic sites have been found that date back to the Middle Paleolithic. A skull belonging to a Neanderthal man can be attributed to this period. He was found on a peninsula called Halkidika. The Neolithic period known to many was marked by the fact that the people of Greece learned agriculture, were actively engaged in cattle breeding. The tribal order that formed during the Middle Paleolithic was gradually improved and, as a result, reached full progress.
Aegean era (3-2 thousand BC)
As you know, the emergence of the initial class societies is attributed to this period. The history of this era, if divided in chronological order, includes the early period, the middle period and the later period. Due to the differences in the culture of some parts of the state, separate geographic versions emerged. They consisted in the following: the cultural structure of Crete acquired the name of the Minoan culture, the culture of the mainland was called Hellenic, the customs of the islands in the Aegean were called the Cycladic culture.
Early Bronze Age (28th - 21st centuries BC).
This era is characterized by special progress in the islands of Greece. By the 3rd millennium on many islands, such activities as the extraction of silver, copper, lead and the production of various metal utensils, weapons, jewelry and items for ritual services were actively spreading. At the same time, a significant improvement was evident in the field of pottery and building crafts. Navigation spread across the Aegean Sea, it connected all the shores. The very first small towns arose: Poliochni, Agios Kozmas.
At the very peak of the hill in Lerna, there is a huge fortified palace that reflects the rule of the tribal kings. Between 2200-2000, tribal battles and numerous displacements completely destroyed some of the flourishing centers on the mainland and islands. The ethnic part of the population contains a mix of tribes. At first there was the majority of the Pelasgians, then they were displaced by some Greek tribes, among whom the number of the so-called Achaeans, as well as the Ionians, increased.
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Middle Bronze Age (20th - 17th centuries BC).
This time can be characterized by the strong progress of the island of Crete, especially in social and economic life. New small states appeared with the presence of an early slave system. Writing developed very quickly, a new system was developed, called syllabic writing. The Cretan inhabitants formed a huge fleet and took possession of a number of islands in the Aegean Sea. Diplomatic and trade relations were established with Egypt and also, the countries of Asia, which ensured the island's primacy.
The history within the Greek mainland is characterized by a very slow development, but the presence of stable relations between communities. Only from the 17th century, countries with an early slave system began to form. In Mycenae, ancient burials of royal dynasties were discovered in huge tombs, similar to wells. The graves contained many things of great value. These are weapons, unique jewelry, masks made of gold, etc. These findings confirm the growing importance of the rule of the Achaean dynasties in the 17th -16th centuries.
The Late Bronze Age (16th - 12th centuries).
The Cretan countries have improved more and more. The new palace period (1700-1450) was marked by the restoration and expansion of the palaces of Festus and Knossos, the palace located in Kato Zakro was postponed in a new way. Cities grew and external relations took root. The Greeks have long remembered the maritime dominion of that time. Around 1470, a tectonic disaster on the island of Fera caused a terrible earthquake. Cities and villages were destroyed, a huge part of the population perished, the fleet was destroyed. These sad circumstances led to the fact that the island was completely deserted. The palace at Knossos was restored around 1380, and a small state existed here for a while.
Mainland Greeceespecially made progress in the 16-13 centuries. In connection with the development of agriculture and various types of crafts, the population began to grow rapidly in number. Then internecine wars between neighbors began to take place, defensive and military formations of dynasties were formed. This fact led to the formation of a rich epic tradition. The Mycenaean cultural structure of the Achaeans influenced the neighboring states, this includes Egypt. Thanks to the presence of the fleets of local kings, the Achaeans were able to carry out extensive trade activities overseas. Handicrafts were sold, sometimes they were made with the aim of bringing them out of the state. In the 15-14 centuries, Achaean products became very popular in the East (in Troas, some regions of Asia Minor, Cyprus, Phenicia, Syria, Egypt). They also spread in the West (in Sicily and southern Italy). Since the state life of the Achaeans became much more complicated, writing began to develop rapidly. The Achaeans were able to adapt the Cretan script to their own dialect, as a result, an improved writing was obtained.
Homeric era (XI-IX centuries BC)
During this era, class societies continued to form. The northern tribes of Greece, called the Dorians, invaded the local lands - they occupied some territories of southern and central Greece. The only city that was able to maintain its own independence is Athens. Some of the migrants from the Peloponnese countries took refuge here, which were defeated. As a result of the invasion, the Achaean states began to rapidly disintegrate and the tribal relationships in Greek social life revived. Further, the productive forces developed successfully, and the basis for this was the proliferation of tools of labor made of iron and various types of weapons. The Dorians inherited from the Achaean people the plow, wheeled carts, sailing ships, the press, as well as the rudiments of architectural art.
After the invasion of the Dorians, small but autonomous communities formed in Greece. The Basilees took power into their own hands, began to spread their own limits of the clan nobility. In most regions, the acquisition of land ownership became the basis of agricultural labor. The local people were subordinate to the conquerors, who broke up into communities in the form of large families. The enslavement of the population was not the same everywhere. For example, in Sparta, representatives of the conquering society were resisted by the periecs. The Periecs were the former indigenous population of Sparta. They still retained limited self-direction, trades and trade activities. To other categories of the population of Sparta belonged helots, who were enslaved by the Spartans. They were considered the property of the country. Still similar categories of nationality were present in Thessaly and on the territory of Crete. In Athens, farmers were enslaved through debt bondage.
In the 9th century, the Greek peoples settled in the north, middle part of Greece and the eastern side of the Peloponnese. The Ionians lived in Attica, the Achaeans, being independent, settled in Arcadia and Achaia. The most important event of this period was the development of the islands and shores of Asia Minor by the Greek peoples.
The emergence and expansion of the polis system (8-6 centuries BC). With the spread of iron tools, artisans began to emerge. The separation of handicrafts from agriculture meant a transition to the most progressive exchange, market-level production and urban improvement.
Archaic era (VIII-VI centuries BC)
Greek cities have established some life priority - this is the obligatory establishment of systematic ties in trade activities, as well as providing the population with the necessary resources and food products. In the cities one could see more and more peasants left without land. At the same time, there was a need for slave power. It became necessary from an economic point of view, the withdrawal of existing colonies. This was caused, first of all, by the class war in the internal borders of the Greek states and was carried out in order to mitigate sharp social disagreements. In the 8th century, the first colony of cities on the Italian island of Euboea was brought out. Colonization flourished in the 7th-6th centuries. The colonies spread widely along the northern coast of the Aegean Sea, the eastern coast of Sicily, and reached the shores of the Black Sea.
As a result of this activity, Greek trade in the 6th century reached an international level. Craftsmen's products were in high demand, literally, in all efficient markets. More and more slaves appeared in Greece, the country could import grain, various food products, necessary raw materials, all kinds of luxury goods. In all places, coins began to spread, which the Greeks borrowed from the Lydians. Centers of religion were formed in some cities. Due to the increase in the number of slaves, the positions of the current slave owners were established. Their activities were related to the trade of handicrafts and financial economy. But, the most important occupation in production - the land lot and the power of the political direction were still under the control of the aristocratic population. The nobles based their own economic influence on family property and the oppression of working people who are agricultural workers.
The main specificity of the epoch of the 8-6 centuries was the opposition of the demos to the clan aristocrats and debt slavery. As a result, the debt yoke was canceled in some cities. But the only way to resist the discontent of the nobility was through violence. And as such violence, they used tyranny, which is the sole power that is established through armed battle.
The result of the reforms was the elimination of the economic and political privileges that were present in the aristocratic society. In the 8-6 centuries BC. e. social economic, as well as political Greek societies were formed. It is a policy, like a city-state, which is a collective of free citizens. Anyone who belonged to the polis could count on gaining ownership of land and slave power.
The degree of victory of artisans and farmers over aristocrats determined the constitution of the polis. It could be either oligarchic or democratic. By the end of the 6th century, slavery was actively progressing in separate policies, which were distinguished by a high development of the economic direction (Athens, Corinth). In these regions, slaves as well as slave owners became antagonistic classes. At the same time, in other policies (Sparta, Argos, etc.), along with slavery for a long time, there were still the remnants of the tribal structure. In the South and Central part of Greece, agricultural tribal societies, engaged in farming, continued their vital activity.
There was a serious battle between the policies, it was provoked by the situation that had developed in the economic and political spheres. In the sixth century, the first and very significant union of different cities appeared - this is the Peloponnesian Union, which was ruled by Sparta. It was created in order to unite the military units of the Peloponnese and organize assistance during the period of active uprisings from the helots.
The classical era (5-4 centuries BC)
These centuries in the historical past of Greece are a period when the economic, political and cultural way of life was especially flourishing. A certain economic system has also developed. Slave labor largely determined the state of the state. Small peasant economic labor and minor handicrafts, nevertheless, contributed to development. The heyday of Greece was due to the rapid rise of Athens - victory was obtained in the Greco-Persian battles. Also, as a result of the war with the Persians, the states located on the territory of the islands of the Aegean Sea were created.
The most significant period for Athens was the period of the greatest power and strength of the city. During these years, Pericles ruled, and then culture and the democratization of the political system flourished especially. Only this period was very short. The allies became subjects, the most significant cases were transferred to the city's judicial institution, freedom of trade was limited, they began to demand filing, punitive expeditions were organized. All these factors prompted corresponding actions - the desire for complete freedom, especially the oligarchs wanted it. At the same time, a foreign policy conflict was brewing. It was the struggle of Corinth and Athens for the possession of the western trade routes, as well as the struggle of Sparta and Athens for hegemony. The riots and disagreements that arose caused the beginning of the Peloponnesian War (431-404), which covered a larger number of policies.
The war revealed the weakness and insecurity of the Athenian unification and was eventually lost by Athens. The city lost all its own external possessions, the fleet passed to Sparta. Thus, the era of hegemony began.
In addition to Athens, many more cities in Greece turned out to be very weak after the war. Within the policies themselves, a tough struggle began, as property contrasts intensified. Each of the cities had two camps - these were the poor people and the rich. Slavery was actively developing, handicrafts and financial economy advanced, as a result, the foundations of a state society (polis) were undermined, because its economic basis was medium and small land tenure.
The wealthy collected a large amount of financial resources, and this destroyed the economic framework of the policy. Peasants and artisans were ruined, poverty arose that could not be applied in the economic sphere. The military strength was also greatly weakened. Instead of trained military detachments, detachments of hired people were present. That is, the only way out for poor people was war as a profession. The incessant internecine battles further exacerbated their plight.
The year 395 was marked by the outbreak of the Corinthian War. Then all the available policies were dependent on prosperous Persia, as they were weak and financially impoverished. Persia, in turn, presented its own conditions to the warring parties. These were the terms of the peace agreement. Persia carried out the restoration of its own power over the cities of Asia Minor, in Greece the unions of cities were liquidated, the control of the Greek cities belonged to Sparta.
Sparta became the main enemy of Greek liberation and independence. A garrison from Sparta was introduced to Thebes, but local democrats expelled it, they also restored the Boeotian Union, which was present in the 6th century. In 378-377, another Athenian naval union was formed, designed to resist Sparta. Thebes also entered the union. Soon the Thebans defeated the Spartan troops, as a result, the legend of the complete invincibility of Sparta was destroyed. When the Theban general died, the short time of the exaltation and pride of Thebes ended. By the way, Athens made an effort to this, as it was very hostile. But then, Athens tried to establish the order that existed in the First Alliance, and this led to the Allied War (357-355), which ended in the collapse of the alliance.
It was at this time that Macedonia appeared as a new power. In 346, the Macedonian king Philip II first conquered Thessaly, then Phocis, Chalkidiki and the Thracian coast. Athens and other cities of Greece suffered prolonged attacks by the anti-Macedonian party. A coalition of cities was organized against Macedonia, which, however, was defeated in one of the battles. The Congress held in Corinth (338-337), which was convened by Philip II, delivered the final judgment that Greece should submit to Macedonia. It was announced at the congress that a union of Greek countries was being created and that Macedonia would become the head. In each polis, an oligarchic order was approved, which was actively supported by the Macedonian garrisons.
Hellenistic era (4 BC - 1 century AD)
The battle that took place near Chaeronea, as well as the wars of the Greco-Macedonian troops opened the era of Hellenism. The reign of the famous A. Macedonian suffered a collapse after he died. Long-term feuds between the diadochi and their followers - the epigones, led to the creation of many autonomous Hellenistic countries. This included the rule of the Ptolemies, the Seleucids and Macedonia itself.
Greece in this era was characterized by the predominance of individual states, as well as paramilitary associations. These unions continued to struggle to gain dominance in Greece. Most states had kings or influential oligarchs in their governance. The battle of the states, led by Athens against Macedonia, ended in complete victory with the last and harsh reprisal against the jacks of Greece. After another defeat (the Chremonides war) took place, Athens was completely destroyed and became completely dependent on Macedonian rule.
But Macedonia was never able to complete the restoration of its own power over the Balkans. She was constantly attacked by other very strong alliances. These were the Achaean Confederation, founded about 280, and the Aetolian Confederation, about 320. The Achaean Union managed to cover the largest part of the Peloponnese - it included very large cities. If we talk about the Aetolian Union, then it belonged to the regions of the middle part of Greece (Athens was not included here), and other separate regions. The followers of Alexander actively fought, a little later the struggle of Macedonia and two more unions for gaining power over Greece, entailed massive destruction and devastation of cities. In addition, the sale of local residents into slavery began to progress especially, whole centers with new newcomers-colonists began to populate. The pirates also made their negative contribution - they devastated the cities of Greece, and the Aetolians, in turn, sold them the local inhabitants into slavery. Soon the result of this struggle became clear - this is the gradual agony and death of cities, the complete ruin and death of certain sections of the population, the rapid increase in poverty. By the way, her incessant disagreements and worries have become commonplace.
Then Macedonia was defeated by the Romans. This happened during the battle near the Kinoskephals in 197. It is known that the Romans systematically intervened in Greek domestic politics and, at the same time, supported the oligarchic population, which was going against the establishment of democracy. In the summer of 196, the commander of Rome announced "liberation" for the Greeks. The Greeks believed this, and for a certain time Rome was especially popular within Greece. As a result, Greece fell under the full influence of the Roman rulers, that is, Rome ruled everything. When the Roman Empire was established, Greece became one of the Roman provinces called Achaia. It almost did not differ from other provinces located in the East of Rome. In the 4th century A. D. Greece became the core of the Eastern Roman Empire, which was called Byzantium.
Comb Marina Viktorovna