Greek Culture

The culture of Greece is one that is rich and historic. Greece has been an important part of aspects of culture, medicine, science and philosophy.  In this section you will find helpful articles about many aspects of Greek culture, including modern Greek history, ancient Greek history, Greek mythology and much more!




Top Ancient Greek Plays

Theater was very important to the culture of Ancient Greece. Greeks embraced both comedy and tragedy and people enjoyed both as a form of entertainment. Theater was ... Read More

How Did Hercules Die?

The Greek myths surrounding Hercules paint him as a demigod who had a remarkable amount of strength. His father, Zeus, was king of the gods. His mother was a mortal.... Read More

Why Do Greeks Play Tavli?

Tavli, also known as backgammon, is a popular game in Greece. There are tavli tournaments, people play in their homes, and they also play it while out, especially at... Read More

Top Ancient Greek Philosophers

The Ancient Greeks were known for their intellect, and no one epitomized this more than the ancient philosophers. There are so many of them that you could spend a li... Read More

All About Alexander the Great

Alexander the Great, officially called Alexander III of Macedon, is one of the most prominent historical figures in Ancient Greek history. In fact, he is as much a p... Read More

History of Tunnels in Greece

When visiting Greece, one thing you are sure to notice is the sheer number of tunnels that are located throughout the country. These tunnels are usually located in m... Read More

Timeline of Modern Greek History

Although the Greek civilization is an ancient one, the modern nation of Greece has a relatively recent history. Historians trace the beginning of modern Greek histor... Read More

About The 12 Labors of Hercules

Hercules is arguably the most famous demi-god of Greek mythology. He and his deeds are represented in art, literature, and film over the centuries. His deeds were ev... Read More

Creation Myth of Greek Mythology

In Ancient Greece, the mythological stories were more than just entertaining tales. They existed to help the Ancient Greeks better understand the world around them. ... Read More

Do You Know About Socrates?

Today, we know Socrates as one of the most recognized and influential philosophers in history. He had some unique ideas that were unlike any that the society had hea... Read More

Top Leaders of Ancient Greece

Ancient Greek history spans thousands of years, and there are some memorable moments that have taken place through the ages. At the center of some of the most memora... Read More

Overview of the Plague of Athens

Plagues and pandemics have been around for thousands of years. In fact, Athens had a particularly notable one that started in 430 BC, around the time when Athens was... Read More

All About Hookah in Greece

Although the idea of smoking out of a water pipe was actually invented in India in the 1500’s,  the practice of smoking using a hookah, or water pipe, is a...... Read More

Get to Know the Seleucid Empire

By the time Alexander the Great had passed on, his empire spanned through the ancient world. After his death, many of his generals took control of different pieces o... Read More

Do You Know About Plato?

Plato is considered to be one of the great philosophers of the world. He was alive nearly 2000 years ago, but despite that, he clearly had an impact on philosophical... Read More

All About the Siege of Rhodes

By the time the Siege of Rhodes took place in 1522, the era of the Crusades had been over for about a century. But the battle that occurred on the Greek... Read More

The Muses of Greek Mythology

According to Greek Mythology, artists have a Muse who whispers inspiration into their ears. Without the Muse, the artist wouldn’t be able to create. The Muse is sa... Read More

The Story of Pandora’s Box

The story of Pandora’s box begins with the story of Zeus, Prometheus, and Epimetheus. Prometheus and his brother Epimetheus were Titans but pledged their loyalty t... Read More

Do Greeks Celebrate Halloween?

Halloween, also referred to as All Hallow’s Eve, is a celebration that is observed throughout the world in some form or another. There is some controversy as t... Read More

About Pontus – God of the Sea

When most people think of Greek sea gods, Poseidon usually comes to mind. Poseidon is the most famous of sea gods in Greek mythology. However, Poseidon is just one o... Read More

Get to Know the First Punic War

Taking place between 264 and 241 B.C., the First Punic War saw a major power struggle occur between the three leading Mediterranean cultures of Greece, Rome, and Car... Read More

Origins of the City of Athens

Athens is one of the oldest cities in Europe and there is evidence that it has been inhabited for over 5000 years. In fact, some consider it to be the... Read More

History of Modern Greek Cinema

The history of modern Greece is filled with stories of war, government corruption, and persecution. Despite that, Greek cinema managed to flourish, even though it wa... Read More

About Flokati Rugs from Greece

When you visit Greece, one thing you will notice is that there are often herds of sheep that dot the countryside. These sheep roam through through the mountains and ... Read More

Life of Women in Ancient Greece

How women were perceived in Ancient Greece has been a subject of much fascination amongst historians. Part of the fascination lies in the contrast between two of the... Read More

Get to Know the Greek Senate

There were a lot of forms of government that Greece has undergone since the War for Independence. After the country achieved independence from the Ottoman Turks, it ... Read More

History of the Battle of Alamana

Greece had been occupied by the Ottoman Empire for around 400 years, but that all changed because of the Greek War of Independence. Many battles were fought during t... Read More

About General Theodoros Pangalos

Theodoros Pangalos was a lieutenant-general who led the revolt that took place in September of 1922. This led to a series of events that would end with him as presid... Read More

About Battus I of Cyrene

Unlike Modern Greece, Ancient Greece was made up of a series of kingdoms, colonies, and city-states. Each of these places had its own leaders and historical figures.... Read More

About Aeneas of Greek Mythology

The Trojan War was one of the pivotal occurrences in Greek Mythology, and there were many heroes that were part o that story. Aeneas was one of these heroes, and... ... Read More

Know the Epirus Revolt of 1854

Greece has been through a lot in modern times, and the struggles began with the country’s push to be freed form the Ottoman Empire. The Epirus Revolt of 1854 w... Read More

Conquests of Alexander the Great

In 336 B.C., King Philip II of Macedon was assassinated, leaving his son, Alexander, to take over. A brilliant military strategist, Kind Philip began to expand Maced... Read More

About Horkos of Greek Mythology

There are many figures in Greek mythology. There are the typical gods and goddesses that we know, such as Zeus, Hera, and Aphrodite. There are also heroes and demigo... Read More

Get to Know the Homeric Hymns

The stories of Greek Mythology have been around for thousands of years. They have changed multiple times over the centuries, and this is even evidenced in the multip... Read More

Get to Know Duris of Samos

Duris of Samos was an Ancient Greek historian who was born around 350 BC and died sometime after the death of King Lysimachus in 281 BC. He lived on the... Read More

Get to Know Cretan Hieroglyphs

Most people don’t realize this, but a form of hieroglyphs originated in Ancient Greece. Hieroglyph characters may represent a sound, syllable, or a word, and a... Read More

Collapse of the Greek Bronze Age

The Bronze Age was a lucrative time period for the Ancient Greeks. During these three millennia, the Greeks experience economic, technological and cultural progress.... Read More

History of the Achaean League

The Achaean League was a Greek confederation that operated from the 5th Century BC to 146 AD. Comprised of several city-state, the League was created as merely a def... Read More

Get to Know Ioannis Kapodistrias

When Greece won their independence from the Ottoman Empire, the country was in turmoil. Although the Greeks were united in their goal to defeat the Turks and become ... Read More

About Theseus of Greek Mythology

We tend to associate the Greek mythological stories with the gods, goddesses, and other mythological creatures. However, there are also some mortals who have become ... Read More

What to Know Helladic Chronology

Helladic Chronology is a dating system used to decipher art and archaeology in ancient Greece. It serves as a way of looking at The Minoan Civilization. The primary ... Read More

About the Spartan Hegemony

In Greek history, the Spartan hegemony represents the apex of Spartan influence over the rest of the Greek city-states during the period from 404-371 B.C. Throughout... Read More

All About Seneca the Younger

Although Seneca the Younger was born into the Roman Empire, it happened during a time when Greece was part of the Byzantine Empire. His life and work had a direct...... Read More

About the Greek Goddess Lyssa

Lyssa, also spelled Lytta, was the Greek goddess of rage and crazed fury. She also controlled rabies in animals. When the Romans adopted Greek mythology, they gave h... Read More

What Was the Greek Debt Crisis?

The Greek Debt Crisis began in late 2009 when Greece’s budget deficit exceeded 15% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) due to high public spending, tax avoidan... Read More

Learn About the Byzantine Army

The Roman Empire divided into the western European conquests, and the eastern, or Byzantine, Empire which had Constantinople for its throne. The Byzantine Army pushe... Read More

About the Heraean Games

As many athletes and historians know, the Olympics were initially organized in honor of the 12 Olympian gods of Greece. Yet, in the middle of the 6th century BC, the... Read More

What is the Peace of Antalcidas?

The Corinthian War paired two sides of Ancient Greece against each other, and the two main players were Sparta and Athens. After eight years of fighting, the war fin... Read More

About the Battle of Artemesium

While the Spartans and their allies made a heroic stand at Thermopylae, the Persian armada collected near the coast of Euboea. In 480 B.C., King Xerxes had assembled... Read More

Epic Cycle of Greek Mythology

  The Epic Cycle of Greek Mythology is a series of epic poems written by the poet’s Homer and Hesiod, which recounts the myths and history of ancient Gree... Read More

Do You Know About Thucydides?

It is fairly well known that Athens and Sparta were often bitter rivals. In fact, history shows that these two major parts of Ancient Greece were driven to fight for... Read More

All about the Panathenaic Games

Most of us know all about the legendary Olympic Games from Ancient Greece, especially since our modern Olympic Games were inspired by the tradition. However, the rea... Read More

Legend of the Fall of Icarus

In Greek mythology, there are plenty of heroic stories. However, not all the stories are like that. The story of the fall of Icarus is a tragic tale that actually... Read More

Structure of the Spartan Army

The Spartan Army is legendary just as much today as it was back in Ancient Greece. Sparta was a city-state in Ancient Greece, and because of its army, it was... Read More

Who Dione Was in Greek Mythology

In Greek mythology, there are several generations of gods and goddesses. The Olympian gods and goddesses that we know about were actually the third generation. The ... Read More

All About the Myth of Antigone

Sophocles is one of the top playwrights from Ancient Greece. He is known especially for his tragedies, and Antigone was one of the most famous of his works. His stor... Read More

What is the Dipylon Inscription?

As far as historians and linguists know, the Ancient Greek alphabet has taken roughly three forms. There was the Linear A script that was used during Minoan times, t... Read More

All About Archimedes

Before Rome rose to become a great empire, classical Greek civilization dominated the ancient Mediterranean region. Most people know of Greece as the birthplace of d... Read More

About the Colossus of Rhodes

The Colossus of Rhodes was a large, impressive statue that overlooked the water on Rhodes island. Listed as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Colos... Read More

What is the Seikilos Epitaph?

It is a pretty well known fact that the Ancient Greeks had music. We know that they played instruments like the lyre, the pan pipe, and the tympanum. Many works... <... Read More

Birth of Eros – God of Love

When it comes to Greek mythology, there are different gods and goddesses who all came about at time periods. Some, such as the twelve Olympian gods and goddesses, ca... Read More

What to Know About Cycladic Art

  When most of us think about Ancient Greece, we tend to think of certain things, such as the city-states, inventions such as democracy and theater, and a lega... Read More

What is Eleatic Philosophy?

The Ancient Greeks were known for their philosophical ideas and concepts and all of them impacted their society in some way. It seems that the Ancient Greeks wanted ... Read More

All About Pan in Greek Mythology

The Greek mythological god Pan, was a  half human, half goat god that lived in nature. He was rustic god, commonly worshiped in Arcadia. He was often associated wit... Read More

All About the Ionian Revolt

The Ionian Revolt was a military rebellion that took place in Ionia, Antolia, which was part of Ancient Greece. It was associated with many other military rebellions... Read More

What is Pre-Socratic Philosophy?

The origins and foundations of western philosophy can be traced back to some of the early Greek thinkers who lived between 6th and 7th century BC. These individuals ... Read More

History of Epicureanism

The Ancient Greeks were particularly known for their innovations in philosophical thought. Although philosophers such as Socrates are amongst the most well known, th... Read More

Pheidon – The Tyrant of Argos

Argos is one of the oldest city-states in all of Ancient Greece. It also became one of the most powerful, but before that happened, it went through a period of... Read More

What to Know About Minoan Art

The Minoan Civilization existing during the Bronze Age, long before the Classical Period of Ancient Greece. They were a thriving, peaceful culture that had a foothol... Read More

All About the Trial of Socrates

The Trial of Socrates, which took place in 3p9 B.C., is probably one of the most famous trials in history. Socrates was a philosopher on Ancient Greece who was born.... Read More

Clio – Muse of History

In the Greek mythological tradition, there are a total of nine muses and each one of them has her own purpose. However, like many of the ancient myths, there are... ... Read More

The Real Story of Pheidippides

Pheidippides, also referred to as Pheidippides, was the messenger soldier who famously ran a long distance from the battlefield at Marathon to Athens in order to tel... Read More

The Story of Pygmailion

There aren’t just gods and goddesses who make up the stories in Greek mythology. Often, the master story tellers from Ancient Greece tell of mortals who have h... Read More

Summary of the Kings of Greece

Although the Ancient Greeks are the ones who actually invented democracy, it took some time before it really became established in the country. Greece achieved its i... Read More

What is the Kingdom of Greece?

When Greece officially became independent from the Ottoman Empire back in 1832, the people’s first impulse is that they wanted to organize the government into... Read More

Who Was Narcissus?

According to Webster’s Dictionary, a narcissist is someone who is egotistical or egocentric. This means that when we call someone a narcissist, we imply tha... Read More

Chronology of Ancient Greece

When many of us think of Ancient Greece, we often don’t realize just how vast it was. The truth is, “Ancient Greece” refers to a set period of time... Read More

About the Athenian Revolution

The uprising in Athens, which started around 508-507 B.C., marked the beginning of a new era in the city’s history. It was a response to the rising trend of ty... Read More

Causes of the Peloponnesian War

Even though Athens and Sparta formed an alliance in order to fight the Persians in the Greco-Persian Wars, the two city-states didn’t remain on such friendly ... Read More

Prometheus Gives Mankind Fire

In Greek mythology, there are some gods that stand out more prominently than others. Prometheus is one of those. Though some sources describe him as a Titan god, he ... Read More

Nymphs of Greek Mythology

In Greek Mythology, the Nymphs were minor goddesses that were present in the natural world. They were spirits who helped shape the beauty found in nature. Wherever t... Read More

Information About Greek Flag Day

The classic Greek flag is something that gives Greeks throughout the world a feeling of pride. Immediately recognizable, with its blue and white stripes and blue cro... Read More

The Legend of Icarus

In Ancient Greece, the stories of the ancient gods and goddesses not only formed the center of their religion, but also served to highlight certain aspects of the hu... Read More

All About Ancient Greek Theater

Theater was a big part of the culture of Ancient Greece and it all had its start with the gods and goddesses. Memorable playwrights such as Euripides and Sophocles w... Read More

All About the Titans

When most of us think about the Greek gods and goddesses, we usually think of common ones such as Zeus, Athena, and Aphrodite. These, however, are the Olympian gods ... Read More

Greek Mythology Creation Story

Every culture has a creation story and the Ancient Greeks were no different. People have always felt the need to explain where they, the heavens, and the earth came ... Read More

Solon and the Origins of Anarchy

The term anarchy has its roots in Ancient Greece. Following Solon’s period of reforms (roughly around 589 BC), the aristocrats of Athens tried to recover their con... Read More

The Legend of the Minotaur

Greek mythology has creatures that extend well beyond the gods and goddesses and the Minotaur, which is half bull and half man, is one of these. In ancient mythology... Read More

Role of Women in Ancient Greece

Ancient Greece has a reputation of favoring men. Women were looked at as submissive. Once a woman got married, she was under the control of her husband. Prior to tha... Read More

Poseidon – God of the Sea

Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea, is one of the twelve Olympian gods and also Zeus’s brother. He is also known for causing earthquakes, calming horses, and for c... Read More

City-States Give Rise to Attica

Greece’s Dark Ages were marked by two significant events in Ancient Greek history. The first event was the fall of the Mycenaean empire, which meant the destructio... Read More

Hephaestus – The God of Fire

When most of us think of the Greek gods and goddesses, we imagine bold personalities who have memorable stories attached to their name. Some Olympic gods and goddess... Read More

The Origins of the City-State

Without the overarching power of the Mycenaean empire to act as a system of governance, the ancient Greeks decided to come up with innovative ways to colonize and or... Read More

Why Did Italy Invade Greece?

If you look at the timeline of World War II concerning Germany and leading up right up to Germany’s defeat, you may notice that Greece factors into this timeline o... Read More

All About the Goddess Athena

Athena, one of the Olympic Gods, is primarily considered the goddess of wisdom, the arts, war and military victory, and also military strategy. Her parents were Zeus... Read More

Artemis – Goddess of the Hunt

Artemis is one of the twelve main goddesses on Mount Olympus. She is largely known as being the goddess of the hunt and of wild creatures and is usually depicted... ... Read More

About Ares – God of War

In Greek Mythology, there are twelve main Olympian gods. These gods have their own distinct personalities and relationships with each other. Ares, the God of War, is... Read More

Greek War of Independence

Each year, both the people of Greece and those of Greek descent living throughout the world celebrate Greek Independence Day on March 25. They pin white and blue rib... Read More

Hera – Queen of the Gods

The people of Ancient Greece worshiped many gods and goddesses. In fact, each of the city-states worshiped one of these gods or goddesses. The people chose one patro... Read More

Zeus – King of the Gods

Ancient Greece was polytheistic, meaning that the people worshiped multiple gods and goddesses. Each god or goddess watched over something. For example, Athena was t... Read More

About Theseus of Greek Mythology

Theseus is synonymous with courage, heroism, and the quintessential struggle against injustice. Revered in ancient Greek mythology, Theseus is a hero whose stories s... Read More

About Hiero I of Syracuse

During the century BCE, Hiero I, also known as Hiero I of Syracuse, played a role in the history of ancient Greece. He ruled as a tyrant in the city-state... Read More