Ancient Greece is a civilization of Antiquity of peoples of Greek language and culture developed in Greece and in the western part of Asia Minor, then, following several phases of expansion, in other regions of the Mediterranean basin (Cyprus, Sicily, southern Italy, Egypt, Cyrenaica) and the Middle East (Syria, Palestine), constituting points of establishment as far as Spain and France to the west and Afghanistan (Bactria) to ballast.
This civilization of Greek culture developed during the last part of the “dark centuries” (c. 1200-800 BC), from the rubble of the Mycenaean civilization, and took shape in particular during the archaic era. (c. 800-480 BC), and fully developed during the Classical period (480-323 BC) and the Hellenistic period (323-31 BC). VS.). The Roman conquest (between 220 and 31 BC) marks the end of Greek political independence, but ancient Greek culture retained real dynamism under Roman domination, gradually evolving towards Byzantine civilization from the 4th century onwards. century.
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ToggleFestivals of Ancient, Mycenaean and Hellenistic Greece
Holidays of the month
October 2, 2024 (1 event)
October 2, 2024
On this day, the Greek people celebrated Proerosia. Offerings from the Greeks were brought to Eleusis in order to have Demeter's blessing on the Autumn crops and seeds. #mythology #myth #legend #calendar #6pyanepsion #proeprosia #eleusis
October 3, 2024 (2 events)
October 3, 2024
On this day, the Athenians celebrated Oskhophoria. Two men dressed as women carrying bunches of grapes were coming down from the temple of Dionysus towards the temple of Athena Skiras. #mythology #myth #legend #calendar #7pyanepsia #oskhophoria #athena #dionysus
October 3, 2024
On this day, the Greeks celebrated Pyanepsia. This festival, surely of Mycenaean origin, dates back to the myth of Theseus who had just returned from his fight against the Minotaur. #mythology #myth #legend #calendar #7pyanepsion #Greece #athens #pyanepsia
October 4, 2024 (1 event)
October 4, 2024
On this day, the Athenians celebrated Theseia. The bones of founding father Theseus were returning to Athens. This month was also an opportunity to worship Poseidon, the divine father of Theseus. #mythology #myth #legend #calendar #Theseus #Athens #8pyanepsion
October 5, 2024 (1 event)
October 5, 2024
On this day, the Greeks celebrated Stenia. This festival in honor of Demeter and Persephone is little known, it preceded Thesmophoria. #mythology #myth #legend #calendar #Greece #9pyanepsion
October 26, 2024 (1 event)
October 26, 2024
On this day, the Athenians of ancient Greece celebrated Chalkeia. They were dedicated to the god Hephaestus and the goddess Athena Ergan (worker). The festival also evokes the founding myths of Athens since the two deities Hephaestus and Athena are united in the myth of the birth of Erichthonios, one of the first kings of the city. #mythology #myth #legend #calendar #November 11 #athenes #athena #chalkei
October 27, 2024 (1 event)
October 27, 2024
On this day, the Greeks celebrated Noumenia, the New Moon marking a new month. The Noumenia is the second day of a three-day family festival held every lunar month – the Deipnon of Hekate, then the Noumenia, followed by the Agathos Daimon. #mythology #myth #legend #calendar #noumenia
Cultural areas in ancient Greece
Ancient Greece is a civilization of Antiquity of peoples of Greek language and culture developed in Greece and in the western part of Asia Minor, then, following several phases of expansion, in other regions of the Mediterranean basin (Cyprus, Sicily, southern Italy, Egypt, Cyrenaica) and the Middle East (Syria, Palestine), constituting points of establishment as far as Spain and France to the west and Afghanistan (Bactria) to ballast.
This civilization of Greek culture developed during the last part of the “dark centuries” (1200-800 BCE), from the rubble of the Mycenaean civilization, and took shape in particular during the archaic era (800-480 BCE), and fully developed during the Classical period (480-323 BCE) and the Hellenistic period (323-31 BCE). The Roman conquest (between 220 and 31 BCE) marks the end of Greek political independence, but ancient Greek culture retained real dynamism under Roman domination, gradually evolving towards Byzantine civilization from the 4th century onwards.
Ancient Greek civilization exercised considerable influence in the ancient world, particularly after the conquests of Alexander the Great and during the Hellenistic era when it dominated and influenced the civilizations of the Middle East, where significant centers of Greek culture (Alexandria, Antioch). In the Mediterranean basin, Greek culture played a decisive role, through the influence it exerted on the civilization of ancient Rome, where Greek became the language of knowledge used by the elites, to the point that we speak regularly of “Greco-Roman” culture. It is through this means that many political and cultural productions of the ancient Greek world had a major role in the development of Western civilization.
The Greek world therefore remained very dynamic culturally under Roman domination, and the cities remained the fundamental framework of political and social life. During Late Antiquity (c. 250-700) the Eastern Roman world, of Greek culture, gradually took on its autonomy around Constantinople, which became the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire (or Byzantine Empire) and the new pole culture of the Greek world. Christianization, which led to the disappearance of the Greek polytheistic religion, and the progressive disintegration of the institutions of ancient Greek cities, at the same time, marked the end of ancient Greek civilization.
Greek cultural influence was also exerted on the intellectual life of the medieval Arab-Muslim world, and especially in the West where its status as a reference was confirmed on numerous occasions subsequently, several of the aspects of ancient Greek culture having served as sources of inspiration. Often idealized, it is commonly invested with the status of founding culture for the Western world. The archaeological rediscoveries made on Greek soil since the 19th century and new perspectives on ancient Greek texts transmitted to the modern era have made it possible to deepen and renew the knowledge and understanding of this civilization.