ANCIENT

Apuntes

Greek civilisation began in the southern Balkan Peninsula and spread across the Mediterranean. Due to its mountainous terrain, Greece was never unified; instead, it consisted of independent city-states (poleis) that shared language and religion. Poor farmland made the sea essential for trade and communication. The first civilisations in the Aegean were the Minoans (on Crete), known for palaces and monarchy, and the Mycenaeans, a warrior society. Both declined around 1200 BC, leading to the Dark Age, a time without writing or major development. In the Archaic Period (from the 8th century BC), poleis emerged. Some, like Sparta, were aristocracies; others, like Athens, gradually became democracies. Land shortages and social tensions led to Greek colonisation across the Mediterranean, spreading their culture. During the Classical Period (5th–4th centuries BC), Athens introduced democracy with institutions like the Assembly and courts, though only free men could participate. Sparta, a military oligarchy, trained boys for war from age 7. In the Hellenistic Period, Alexander the Great built a vast empire and spread Greek culture (Hellenism). Greek became the official language, and cit...