Greece

Greece is a European country having a long history of civilization. Athens is its capital city. It has an area of about 131,990 sq. km. This country is situated on the Mediterranean sea and occupies the southern end of the Balkan Peninsula in south-east Europe. The glory of Greece lies in her past, in the imperishable monuments of her ancient literature and art.

Greece is also known as the Hellenic Republic. It has many islands that compries almost one-fifth of the total area of the country. Crete is the largest island.

This is a country of southern Europe region occupying the southern portion of a peninsula which projects into the Mediterranean between the peninsula of Italy and the mainland of Turkey in Asia; the N. is bounded by Turkey in Europe; it is made up of the N. and S. divisions connected by the narrow and canalled isthmus of Corinth, the Ionian Islands in the W., and the Cyclades and Sporades in the E.; it is a mountainous region, and many of the peaks are rich in classic associations, e. g. Olympus, Parnassus, and Helicon; the rivers are of no great size, and the lakes though numerous are inconsiderable; in the valleys the soil is fertile and agriculture is actively engaged in, although the methods adopted are still somewhat primitive; but favoured by a delightful climate the vine, olive, and other fruit-trees flourish; currants are the chief article of export, and textiles and cereals the principal imports; milling, dyeing, distilling, and tanning are important industries; various minerals are found, and the marble from Paros is famed as the finest for statue carving; there is a considerable mercantile marine, and a busy shipping trade of a small kind among the islands and along the deeply indented coast, and also valuable coral and sponge fisheries. Education in this country is free and compulsory.

The native language of the people is Greek and currency is Drachma in short Dr.

History of Greece

It has a recorded history going back to 66 BC. The achievements of Greece in ancient days in arts, architecture, science, mathematics, philosophy, drama, literature and democracy were unparelled. The country reached the peak of its glory in the 5th century BC. Greece was politically independent till the first century BC. However, in the latter half of the century, the Greeks succumbed to the Roman might. By 146 B.C. she had fallen before the growing power of the Romans.

After the fall of the Roman Empire, this country fell under the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires. Greece regained its freedom as a monarchic state in 1830. This monarchy was abolished in 1974 and the country became a republic.

The early history of Greece is mixed with legend and truth, fiction and reality. We come across legendary history or the story of Theseus as coordinator of the cities of Attica alongwith many other accounts of kings from early periods. Aristocratic archons held power when Solon presumably began reforms in 594 BC. A period of tyrants under Pisistratus and his sons Hippias and Hipparchus lasted until 510 BC. It was in that year Cleisthenes founded a democracy in Greece that was to continue throughout the period of greatness of the country. During the Persian Wars (500-449 BC) small Athens emerged as a great naval power under the heroic leadership of leaders like Miltiades, Themistocles, and Cimon. In the subsequent years Dlian League became practically and Athenian Empire. Architecture, art, an literature rose to astonishing heights under Pericles (5th century BC). It was considered as the Golden age of Greece. The Parthenon was built, Socrates spoke his philosophy, Greek drama was founded with Aeschylus, Sophoclese, and Euripides. The Glory of Greece began to decline, which continued during the times of Plato and Aristotle, Aristophanes and the orator Demosthenes. Athens was finally conquered by Sparta in the long-drawn Peloponnesian War. Greece recoverd its glory around 404 BC, however, it was transitory. Athens was subjected by Philip II of Macedon and his son, Alexander. When Roman emerged powerful, Athens became a provincial capital. Attempts to regain power resultied into humiliation, especilly the sack by Sulla (86 BC). However, the traditions in Athens was so strong that it affected Rome and even more the Byzantine Empire, under which it fell. With the fall of that Empire, Athens fell in the hands of a French (1205) and became duchy. Later, it became prosperousin Catalan hands (under house of Aragon). It declined again under Ottoman rule after 1458.

Along with the rest of the Byzantine or Eastern empire was overrun by the Turks in A.D. 1453; her renascence as a modern nation took place between 1821 and 1829, when she threw off the Turkish yoke and reasserted her independence, which she had anew to attempt by arms in 1897, this time with humiliation and defeat, till the other powers of Europe came to the rescue, and put a check to the arrogance of the high-handed Turk.