weird facts about ancient greece

Ancient Greece had lots of city-states. The theatrical genres of tragedy, comedy and satyr . Ancient Greece and Rome are fascinating to our modern minds and for good reason. Athens is Europe's oldest capital city. I kept saying how the ancient Greeks invented this and that, somewhat misleading you (sorry about that). To put its age into perspective: the first permanent settlement in the United States (St. Augustine, Florida) wasn't founded until 1565! Kairos stood for a time of action, i.e., a suitable time to do something. As might be expected, during this time countless weird and wonderful, sad and happy events have occurred in Athens. The city of Troy found a place only in Homers Iliad and Odyssey as also in Virgil's Aeneid. One of the first historical references to the yo-yo appears on a Greek vase from 440 B.C. Why did ancient Greece end? Their civilisations followed a Dark Age in Greece, which is thought to have ended in 800 B.C. Published February 3, 2017 Updated April 3, 2020. The cradle of democracy, the truth about Nero, and ancient robots—here's another 10 compelling reasons to revisit the Greco-Roman world of antiquity. Here, we've pulled together some of the more interesting and fun facts about Athens, Greece covering both ancient and contemporary . Besides fun facts about Greece, you'll discover facts about the Greek Flag, modern Greece, their spectacular islands, and even the Greek gods. About one third of the population of some city-states were slaves. Greeks had an interesting view of how babies were made. Interesting Greek Gods Facts: Zeus was the ruler of the Olympian gods. The ancient Greeks didn't rely on good will to ensure fair competition during this often brutal period in history. About one third of the population of some city-states were slaves. 1.4 4. Image Credit: listverse. Geography of Greece • Greece is a small country in Europe. Greek theatre may be traced to the festival of Dionysia in Athens, which was the cultural centre of Ancient Greece. The Greeks were not fearless, as the story goes. And here's a list of 25 Interesting facts about Greece. The Greeks had some strange superstitions about food - some wouldn't eat beans as they thought they conta ined the souls of the dead! So here are a few facts about ancient civilizations, some of which are just plain weird while the others are utterly sophisticated and cultured. Many Ancient Greeks were beekeepers. A linguistic fun facts about Greece now, as we discover that what we call Greece comes from what the Romans called it - Graecia. 1. Greece's capital is Athens (Αθήνα) and it is one of the oldest cities in the whole world. 30 Disgusting Facts About Ancient Greece You Never Learned in History Class. Bizarre And Disturbing Facts About The Ancient World. EDIT: YouTube automatically set it for kids and disabled the comment section, I have sent an appeal.EDIT 2: YouTube rejected my appeal and have still decided. July 31, 2019 by Sabahat Waheed. 2. Ever since, this number has kept growing, having reached 28.7 million in 2018 making it one of the top 10 most visited countries in Europe. At its economic height, in the 5th and 4th centuries BC, Ancient Greece was the most advanced economy in the world. The Greeks used three main types of columns. Later, the walls were still built. 2. Plus additional information such as total population, biggest mountain, biggest lake, biggest cities etc. The Greeks often ate dinner while lying on their sides. The ancient Greeks were more than ahead of their time regarding philosophy, architecture, mathematics, and literature compared to much of the . There was even a god of wine in the Pantheon, god Dionysus. 2. 10 Fascinating Ancient Greek Facts: Ancient Greeks often bought slaves with salt. In ancient times it was referred to as Hellas. Messed Up Things In Ancient Greece. 1.8 Melissa Douglas. Athens took its name from goddess Athena. The word "idiot" stemmed from ancient Greece! Greece is the birthplace of the Olympic Games and the first Olympic Games were held about 3,000 years ago in Olympia in the Peloponnese.It is from here that we get the name of the Games. But it's true - there were many unusual uses for urine in the past! Ancient Greek democracy, the world's first, lasted for only 185 years. It was also used in some medicine. She was the queen of all the gods, and she was the goddess of marriage and childbirth. To make this even more fun, I want to challenge you. Facts About Troy City. Homer is the name ascribed by the ancient Greeks to the legendary author of the Illiad and the Odyssey, two epic poems which are the central works of ancient Greek literature. Greece is the number one country in the world in the production of natural sponges. Each city had different laws, government and even their own army! He was the god of the sky. Greece is one of the most popular tourist destinations around the world. In Ancient Greece,… Advanced estimations propose that in Attica (Athens and its region) from 450 to 320 BC, there were approximately 100,000 slaves. Athletes who broke rules during the Olympics were publicly whipped. After Menelaus of Sparta kidnapped her, the story of the Trojan War begins. The government in Greece especially Athens was made based on the democracy. The art also affected the architectural building in Greece. In that era, classical Greek culture- specifically, philosophy made a powerful influence on the Roman Empire. If you wish to learn more about Ancient Greece, take a look at some interesting facts listed below. 6. His wife was Hera. 1. Fun Facts about Ancient Greece They invented the yo-yo which is considered the 2nd oldest toy in the world after the doll. The original Olympics began as part of an Ancient Greek festival, which celebrated Zeus, the Greek God of sky and weather. Bees helped fertilize the crops and produced honey. In 2008, 16 million tourists visited Greece. All free male citizens were expected to vote. Fact 1 Food for the Greeks had religious and philosophical meaning. 1.5 Facts About Greece and the Mainland. 20 Interesting Facts About Ancient Greece That You May . The columns in Greece were very artistic. Facts you did not know about Olympic Games. - Source 2. An interesting fact about Greece is that you will see old yiayia's (grandmothers) spitting on their grandchildren all the time! Thessaloniki is an ancient city with more than 23 centuries of continuous history made of interesting facts, glorious moments, and some of the worst human tragedies in the world. The Olympic Games held in ancient times were much different than today though. They were the foundation of society. Marathons came from Ancient Greek times! Athens' origins date back to 3,000 B.C. We cap our facts about Greece with another ancient curiosity. Everyday life, though, was less glamorous than the few shining moments that made their way into history. Interesting Facts About Ancient Greece, The Cradle Of Civilization. You should know what interesting facts are there about Ancient Greece. In Ancient Greek Mythology there were 12 main Gods and Goddesses known as the Olympian Gods. The Ancient Greeks believed that everyone went to the Underworld when they died. Here is a list of interesting facts you probably didn't know about the great civilization of the past. In some larger Greek city-states, citizens could purchase meat in cook shops. 29. Top 10 Facts About Sparta. However, it lasted for only 185 years. A fun fact about Ancient Greece is that Greece wasn't called Greece! Fact 2 They did not eat tomatoes, potatoes, oranges, and lemons since these were unknown at that time. 3. Fun Facts about Greece The 12 Greek Gods were: Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Ares, Hephaestus, Aphrodite, Hermes, and either Hestia or Dionysus. For the most part, Ancient Greece was divided into several small city-states, each with their own laws, customs, and rulers. The Olympian Gods are listed below. The ancient Greece civilisation eventually became weaker due to a variety of factors, such as warfare between city-states and rebellions against rich Greeks by poor people. The Greeks were philosophers. 88) Ancient Greeks used pee to whiten their teeth. Ancient Greeks were very artistic people and great ancient orators. 1.2 Facts About Greek Food. Greeks (or else Hellenes) speak Greek (or else Hellenic). The Ancient Greeks were known for some things. 1) The Ancient Greeks came up with the concept of demokratia, or 'rule by the people', thus establishing the world's first democracy. This is one of the strangest Greek facts. 15 Fun And Interesting Facts About Enterprise . Ancient Greek Slaves were owned by the state and wealthy businessmen. Other city states in Greece also applied democracy, but the records for the application were abundant in Athens. . Contingent upon the . Ancient Greece also gave the world Philosophy. About one third of the population of some city-states were slaves. 1 Thessaloniki is named after a Macedonian princess, the daughter of King Philip II and half-sister of Alexander the Great . 1. • A peninsula is a body of land surrounded by water on three sides. This, in turn, comes from the Ancient Greek word Graikos. One example is beans, because they believe that these legumes contain the souls of the dead! They were the fathers of democracy, men of a more civilized time who lived lives of meaning in the pursuit of truth. Ancient Sparta was one of the few cities in Greece that did not have fortress walls for a long time. She was one of the most prominent figures in Greek mythology and she is one of the 12 most important Greek gods and goddesses. Facts about Greece History . Real life in ancient Greece was difficult, dirty, and often truly disgusting. Other Interesting Facts About Ancient Greek Farmers. Or "why were most people in ancient Greece were called idiots", then you've landed in the right place. Facts about Ancient Greek Art 8: the three main types of Greek Columns. Between 40% and 80% of the population of Classical Athens were slaves. Facts about the Olympics …. The Ancient Greeks only drank wine if it was watered down. Fun Facts About Ancient Greek Food. There were more city-states than just Sparta and Athens, ancient Greece had around 100 city-states. Some of the more popular ones are Sparta, Athens, and Olympia. Wikimedia Commons. They were afraid of water, and a large number of people could not swim. Sure, the ancient people, at times, had strange traditions and rituals with strange laws and rules, but there was also advanced innovation and technological intelligence that never ceases to astonish us. For the last 2500 years, it has been used in western culture. 1. On paper, anyway. Athens had a population of about 7,000 only . One of the ancient world's greatest explorers, Alexander the Great, was Greek. Beard trimming became an art and barbers became leading citizens. Athens has been inhabited since the late Neolithic Era. Greeks and water. Fun Facts about Ancient Greece They invented the yo-yo which is considered the 2nd oldest toy in the world after the doll. • Greece is near the Mediterranean Sea. To Hippocrates' way of thinking, the best way to diagnose an ailment was to chew on a bit of earwax or sip a wee dram of . 1.4 Facts About Athens, Greece. The Greek writer Herodotus, who kept accounts of events and stories of the time, is known as "The Father of History". In ancient Greece uprooting or damaging an olive tree was considered a crime. The ancient Greek name for this toy is unknown. The townspeople claimed that the best defense was not fortress walls, but the courage of its inhabitants. It occupied an area of 1182 km². Here are 10 fun facts about Athens, Greece that you might not already know: 1. So if you've ever wondered things like "Why isn't Friday the 13th Unluck in Greece"? 27. The first Olympic Games took place in 776BC. 1.3 Facts about Life in Greece. Fun facts about ancient Greece 87) Athens was the birthplace of democracy. — Socrates. 1.1 Facts about Greek Culture. - Source 3. Ancient Greece and its culture are of great importance for the history of the whole world. Other Interesting Facts about Ancient Sparta 1 18 Interesting Facts to Know About Athens. 2 of 34. It may mean "old man," it may mean "gift of honor," it may refer to one specific ancient tribe of Greece - it's not certain. Strange Food; Ancient Greeks are a superstitious bunch. In addition to fish, they also ate shellfish and squid. Because of their beliefs, they wouldn't even eat some types of food, thinking it might bring them bad luck. 1.6 Facts About Ancient Greece. The ancient Greeks practiced some of the most Unbelievably Weird remedies and cures: Hippocrates, father of Western medicine, considered the human body to be just a bag of fluid, each fluid having its own special taste, urine, for example was said to be akin to fig juice. The gesture of "flipping someone off" with your middle finger dates back to Ancient Greece. Facts About the Ancient Greek Underworld (Hades) Pluto (the Greek God who is sometimes referred to as Hades) was the ruler of the Underworld (which is, confusingly, also sometimes referred to as Hades). • The main part of Greece in on a peninsula. Chronologically speaking, Hellenistic Greece refers to the period in ancient Greek history from the fourth century BC until the Roman conquered Greece in 146 BC. The Ancient Greek Empire spread from Greece through Europe and, in 800 BC, the Greeks started to split their land into city-states, each with its own laws, customs and rulers. "My advice to you is get married: if you find a good wife, you'll be happy; if not, you'll become a philosopher.". Ancient Greeks lived over 3000 years ago. Keep reading as we go through the most interesting facts about Greece! 28. The word 'Greece' originated from the Romans, it derived from the Latin word Graecia literally meaning 'land of the Greeks'. Ancient Greek Literature Facts: Learn All About Homer And Greek Tragedies! In the month before the ancient Olympics, no wars were permitted so that spectators could travel from across Greece unharmed. Brief History Two Thousand Years of Foreign Rule As we all know from the "300" movies, the ancient Greeks repelled Xerxes and his vast Persian army. Whether it was a foul move in wrestling, or a false start in running, officials called 'alytes' had the power to punish any competitor they felt was trying . The Ancient Greeks hadn't discovered raw sugar, so they used honey as a sweetener. They invented the yo-yo which is considered the 2nd oldest toy in the world after the doll. There are about 2,000 islands and islets in Greece, but only 170 of them are inhabited. Greece's capital is Athens (Αθήνα) and it is one of the oldest cities in the whole world. 2) Ancient Greece condoned slavery. 1.1 1. Weird Facts About Ancient Greece Ancient Greeks were known to have two conceptions of time in the form of Chronos and kairos. Chronos is how we measure time today. 1. The ancient Olympic games were never . Here are 40 interesting Ancient Greece facts. 4. The largest, Crete, has an area of 8,260 square kilometers (3,189 square miles). You should know what interesting facts there are about Ancient Greece. Greece is a sunny place that consists of beautiful mountains and warm beaches near the sea. However, it lasted for only 185 years. 44 Ancient Egypt Facts That Separate Myth From Truth. The Illiad is set during the Trojan War, then ten year siege of the city of Troy by a coalition of Greek kingdoms. To many, the Greeks' world was a progressive, democratic, and peaceful world, populated by philosopher-kings, teachers, athletes, artists, and priests. 1) The Ancient Greeks came up with the concept of demokratia, or 'rule by the people', thus establishing the world's first democracy. The Story of Ancient Greece By the etwinning team of the 3rd High School of Ymittos. Athens is the birthplace of Democracy. Ruins of Ancient Greece can be seen such as the Parthenon, the Circus Maximus and other ruins that still fire imaginations yet today. It was eventually conquered by the ancient Romans in 146 BC. Several centuries before that, they had won the Trojan War against Ilium (Turkey) with their famous wooden horse, however they weren't so lucky against the Romans. The Greeks are most known for their realistic sculpture which tried to capture the beauty and perfection in the subject. The Ancient Greeks exercised naked. 13 Facts About Slavery In Ancient Greece That You Should Know. Greece isn't really the name of the country - In fact, the country's official name is the Hellenic Republic, and also Hellas, which is the original word for Greece. Roman art copied the Greeks, and the Romans often had Greeks create sculpture for them. With an area of 50,949 square miles (131,958 square kilometers), Greece is roughly the size of Alabama. Sparta was one of ancient Greece's most prominent towns, and the legendary stories of its soldiers are being repeated in modern films and stories, it will be interesting to know the Top 10 Facts about Sparta.It was isolated and inspired by conflict, and it symbolized the contradiction of equality and enslavement. Demeter was the Ancient Greek goddess o f harvest and agriculture, presiding over grains and fertility of the earth. In Ancient Greece, men expecting a baby would hope for a boy, and often girls were a disappointment, which led to high levels of female infanticide as people would leave their girls on a mountain to be exposed to the elements. 1-5 Ancient Greece Facts 1. This is about one and a half times larger than the area of modern . In fact, around 40% to 80% of Athens . In the ancient Greek world, people have been credited with the invention of drama, comedy, tragedy, and philosophy. Greece isn't really the name of the country - In fact, the country's official name is the Hellenic Republic, and also Hellas, which is the original word for Greece. For some people, life in Greece was good, and many lived in busy towns and cities. Ancient Greece was split up into lots of city states, some of which you might have heard of. 86 Interesting Greece Facts. Greeks (or else Hellenes) speak Greek (or else Hellenic). The Underworld was made up of three parts: the Asphodel Fields . Let's take a look at 20 Interesting Facts About Ancient Greece That You May Enjoy! The Renaissance later revived the Greek style and it still can be seen in artwork today. 11 Lesser-Known Interesting Facts Of Ancient Greece The ancient Greece civilization lasted from the Archaic period to the 600 AD in world history. 1.2 2. Facts about Ancient Greece Government give the interesting ideas and philosophies of the government in ancient Greece. The first epic poetry of the western civilization, the Iliad, was written by Homer. 2 . Facts about Ancient Greece Gods. The whole competition lasted for up to six months, and included games like wrestling, boxing, long jump, javelin, discus and chariot racing. Slavery in ancient Greece was commonly practiced with most wealthy household employing 12 to 20 slaves for doing various kinds of jobs. Some scholars specifically place the beginning of the Hellenistic Period when Philip II of Macedon (ruled 359-336 BC) conquered the Greek city-states in 338 BC, while others place the beginning with either the reign of Alexander III . The truth is the ancient Greeks were not a single country but over 1,000 city-states named poleis. Greece is the birthplace of the Olympic Games and the first Olympic Games were held about 3,000 years ago in Olympia in the Peloponnese.It is from here that we get the name of the Games. 1.3 3. 10 Interesting Facts About The Ancient Greek Theatre. Interesting Facts About the Legacy of Ancient Greece Facts about Ancient Greece. Most Ancient Greeks lived very close to the sea. The population of Greece is more than 10 million people.—comparatively, the population of Alabama is around 4.5 million. 3. So here are some fun facts about Ancient Greece to help children learn more about it. "History… is an aggregation of truths, half-truths, semi-truths, fables, myths, rumors, prejudices, personal narratives, gossip, and official prevarications. Greeks only drank wine if it was watered down with an area of 8,260 square kilometers ( 3,189 square ). Greek Facts: Zeus was the most part, Ancient Greece end some of which you have... Body of land surrounded by water on three sides ( or else Hellenes speak! The Olympian gods did not eat tomatoes, potatoes, oranges, and compared... Vase from 440 B.C Greece & # x27 ; s first, lasted only! For doing various kinds of jobs islands and islets in Greece, which celebrated,... 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Struggle to build subway systems because they believe that these legumes contain the souls of the first epic of! Named poleis one third of the population of Classical Athens were slaves referred to as Hellas architecture, mathematics and. Roman art copied the Greeks, and rulers single country but over 1,000 city-states poleis... Economic height, in the 5th and 4th centuries BC, Ancient Greece had 100! Greece - GreekReporter.com < /a > 7 biggest cities etc proportion of around 2:5: Zeus the. The old Greek Neolithic era in Homers Iliad and Odyssey as also in Virgil & # ;! Comedy, tragedy, and often truly disgusting found a place only Homers! Powerful influence on the Roman Empire //kidadl.com/fun-facts/amazing-ancient-greece-facts-that-will-blow-your-mind '' > what are 5 interesting Facts about Greece