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Greece's History
Home » Greece » Greece: Overview and History » Greece's HistoryIt is no secret today that the country of Greece was the birthplace of European civilization. During 700 B.C., the great city states of Athens, Corinth, and Sparta rose up and, despite having a history of struggling with each other for supremacy, joined together to unite so that they could adequately face their oppressor, the Persian Empire. It was this new Hellenic Greece that built colonies along the Mediterranean, resisted Persian invasions, and whose culture would become the foundation of Hellenistic civilization.
The pinnacle of this country was reached in Athens during the fifth century B.C. when the city became the cultural and artistic focal point of the Mediterranean. During this time, Athens birthed spectacular works of literature, sculpture, and architecture. Athens eventually lost its dominion after a mutually devastating battle with its long-time rival Sparta. This paved the way for one of the greatest leaders of history, Alexander the Great. Alexander the Great united the country and then expanded the empire in a remarkable way.
The Greek influence spread through the East as far as India and even into Egypt after Alexander defeated the Persians. When Alexander the Great died in 323 B.C., the empire became fragmented and eventually fell to Rome. Under Roman control, the country received a new capital, Constantinople, in honor of the Roman emperor Constantine. The Byzantines, however, were not able to protect their territory effectively from their oppressors. Because of this, the Venetians were able to spread their influence over the country.
Around 1400 A.D., the Turks (Ottoman Empire) savagely overtook Greece for a period of nearly 400 years, and Greece became a part of the Ottoman Empire. Greece attained its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1829, and was finally proclaimed a free state. During the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, Greece began little by little to integrate neighboring islands and regions with Greek-speaking populations. In 1952, the country joined NATO after the 1944-49 Greek civil war. In 1981, Greece became the 10th member to join the European Community (presently known as the EU, European Union).
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