Greece
Greece is a land of rich mythology, amazing history, beautiful people, picturesque seascapes, volcanic cliffs, countless mountains, distinctive architecture and delicious food.
This Greek republic is located in Southeastern Europe and has always been a source of intrigue and amazement for people. At least for those east of the meridian and south of the equator. Believe me, it has nothing to do with geography. The idea that the Greek gods are the symbol of all that is wonderful, unique and remarkable, has created quite a flutter in our hearts. It is quite natural that one wants to know everything about the land where such a beautiful divinity went down. The idea of seeing the natives of these lands in the hope of finding the appearance of the above Greek gods is quite tempting. In addition, it is the world-famous mythology that comes from the Greek countries.
What may surprise you the most is that apart from the obvious, there is so much more to Greece, it is impossible to understand without experiencing it on your own. One of the oldest countries in the world, Greece has always been an important center of worldly affairs since ancient times. Considered the cradle of Western civilization, Greece is the birthplace of democracy, Western philosophy, Western literature, historiography, political science, important scientific and mathematical principles, Western drama and Olympic games. It is a good example and example of political anthropology in human history. You may be surprised to know that the first known democracy began in Athens, the capital of Greece, around 500 BC. This democracy allowed citizens to vote directly on the laws. Athens' origins date back to 3,400 years ago, making it one of the oldest cities in the world.
As always, in this blog post, I will try to cover information about history and today's Greece. In my opinion, visiting a country is like entering into a new relationship. Unless you understand the past, you will never really understand her personality, her beauty and her value. I will also try to cover some of the traditions that the people follow, so that you can get a brief idea of their faith and way of life. After all, what would a place be other than for the people? So here you go.
Greek History
Bronze Age -Archaeological evidence suggests that the first settlement in ancient Greece dates back to Paleolithic times (11,000-3,000 BC). During the second millennium BC. Greece saw the birth of the great stone and bronze civilization:the Minoans (2600-1500 BC), the Mycenaeans (1500-1150 BC) and the Cycladic civilization. This period is characterized by the rapid population growth and the development of trade. The islands of the Cyclades, located in the center of the Aegean Sea, were an important trading center connecting Europe and Asia. Samples of Cycladic architecture can be seen in the Museum of Cycladic Art in Athens and the regional museums in the Cyclades.
Classic Period - The classical period reached its peak in the 5th century BC. when the foundations of Western civilization were laid in Athens. This city-state became the largest naval power in ancient Greece at that time and developed in all areas of culture, including philosophy, music, drama, rhetoric and even a new regime called democracy. Athens and Sparta were the most powerful city-states in ancient Greece, and the other city-states were allies of one or the other of these two cities. In the 5th century, the allied Greek city-states managed to repel the invasion of the Persians. However, the Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta led to the decline of the glorious classical era. At this time, the kingdom of Macedon, a tribe living in northern Greece, came to power, defeating and conquering the other Greek city-states. After the death of King Phillip II, his son Alexander started a large expedition in Asia. In 334 BC. Alexander the Great invaded the Persian Empire and the size of his army touched Indian borders. But in 323 BC. he died in Babylon at the age of 33 due to fever and thus began the decline of the great Macedonian Empire.
Roman period - From the second century onwards, the Romans conquered Greece and a new era in Greek history began. This period saw a transition from ancient Greece to Roman Greece. The country became a leading battlefield for many important battles and new cities were constructed. This period saw the decline of Athens and Greek culture in general. However, Greek became the second official language of the Roman Empire. The Romans read the classical philosophers and based their religion on the Olympic gods. In the 3rd century AD. the mighty Roman Empire began to sink and was divided into two parts, the Eastern and the Western Roman Empire.
Byzantine period -While the Western Roman Empire was gradually conquered by barbaric northern European tribes, the Eastern Roman Empire developed and developed with Constantinople (Byzantium) as the capital of the great Byzantine Empire that lasted for about 1,000 years. At this point in history, Christianity became the official religion of the new empire, new territories were occupied and new state laws were formed. These laws later became the first laws of the modern Greek state, as they were formed in the 19th century.
The Ottoman Period and the War of Independence - In 1453 BC, with the fall of Constantinople, the Ottoman Turks gradually conquered the rest of Greece. This period saw a large number of revolts and revolutions, all of which were aggressively suppressed by the Ottoman army, until March 1821, when the Greek War of Independence broke out. This period marked a cornerstone in the history of Greece. After many battles, massacres and seizures, Greece finally won its freedom in 1829, when the first independent Greek state was formed.
Twentieth Century - In 1831, Prince Otto of Bavaria became the first king of Greece, followed by George I of Denmark in 1863. At that time, the Ionian islands were donated to Greece by Britain as a gift to the new king, and then Thessaly was annexed to the Greek state. of the Turks. In the early 1920s, Macedonia, Crete, and the eastern Aegean islands became part of the Greek state after World War I. This period witnessed the rise of one of the most important Greek statesmen and politicians, Eleftherios Venizelos, who led the Greek liberation movement and went on to become one of the most famous prime ministers of Greece. He is known for his contribution to the enlargement of Greece and the promotion of liberal-democratic policies. The year 1922 was troublesome for Greece when many Greek refugees from Asia Minor came to the mainland, part of the population exchange with Turkey. Although at first it was very difficult for refugees to adapt to their new lives, they gradually contributed a lot to the development of the country. During World War II, Greece resisted many of the Axis forces, but eventually most of the Greek territory was conquered by the Germans and some parts of the Italians. After World War II, the Dodecanese, who have been under Italian occupation since the early 1920s, also became part of the Greek state. Three decades of political chaos ensued, including a military junta from 1967 to 1974. Since 1975, the Greek regime has been the parliamentary republic.
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is a set of stories about the gods, heroes and rituals of ancient Greece. Greek mythology has had a profound influence on the art and literature of Western civilization. Poets and artists from antiquity to the present day have drawn inspiration from Greek mythology and have discovered contemporary significance and relevance in classical mythological themes.
Sources of Greek Mythology
- Literary - According to Herodotus, Homer and Hesiod gave the Olympic gods their known qualities. The Homeric Poems: the Iliad and Odyssey and The Works of Hesiod :Theogony and Works and Days, are extensive sources of Greek mythology. The works of the three tragedies - Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides, all from the 5th century BCE - are remarkable for the diversity of traditions they preserve.
- Archaeological - The discovery of Mycenaean civilization and Minoan civilization in Crete is crucial to the 21st century understanding of the evolution of myths and rituals in the Greek world. Such finds illuminated aspects of Minoan culture from approx. 2200 to 1450 BC. and Mycenaean culture from approx. 1600 to 1200 BC; These eras were followed by a dark age that lasted until around 800 BC. Geometric designs on pottery from the 8th century BCE depict scenes from the Trojan cycle, as well as the adventures of Heracles. In the subsequent archaic, classical and Hellenistic periods, Homeric and various other mythological scenes seem to supplement the existing literary evidence.
Forms of myths and legends
- Religious - They mostly included stories about gods and heroes. Religious myths tell of cosmogonic stories about the origin of the gods and the world out of chaos, the successes of divine rulers and the inner struggles that culminated in the supremacy of Zeus, the ruling god of Olympus. The goddess Athena's unique birth story — that she jumped out of Zeus' forehead, is also a famous tale; and the myths of Apollo illuminate his sacred associations, describe his remarkable victories over monsters and giants, and emphasize his jealousy and the dangers of immortal alliances. Some myths are closely related to rituals, such as the story of the drowning of the infant Zeus 'cry of the Kurites, Zeus' companions, clashes with their weapons, or Hera's annual reintroduction of virginity by bathing in the spring Canthus.
- Folklores - There are several folk tales that have entered Greek myths. For example, the stories of lost people - whether it is husband, wife or children (eg Odysseus, Helen of Troy or Paris of Troy) - found or recovered after long and exciting adventures. Journeys to the Land of the Dead were made by Orpheus (a hero who went to Hades to restore his dead wife, Eurydice, to the realm of the living), Heracles, Odysseus and Thesevs (the killer of the Minotaur). The victory of the little man by means of cunning against impossible odds, the exploits of the superhuman (eg Heracles), or the long-delayed victory over enemies is still as popular among modern writers as it was among the Greeks.
- Legends - They were quasi-historical and are believed to have happened in reality. These are the stories of more than one sack of Troy, supported by archaeological evidence and the work of Heracles, which may indicate Mycenaean feudalism. The legend of the Minotaur (part of man, part ox) could have originated from hyperbolic accounts of the bull that jumped on ancient Crete. In another class of legends, heinous crimes - such as trying to rape a goddess, deceiving the gods or assuming their rights - were punished with endless torture in the underworld. The consequences of social crimes, such as murder or incest, were also described in these legends (eg the story of Oedipus, who killed his father and married his mother). Sometimes legends were also used to justify existing political systems or to strengthen territorial claims.
Anthropology:People, Ethnicity and Religion
The population of Greece, especially northern Greece, has always been characterized by a great ethnic, religious and linguistic diversity. Migrations, invasions, imperial conquests and wars from the 20th century all contributed to this cultural diversity, which continues to characterize modern Greece. According to the dominant ideology of the Greek state, all the inhabitants of Greece are or should be Greek. However, the population of Greece includes people who identify themselves as Turks, Macedonians, Albanians, Aromanians (Vlachs) and Roma (Gypsies). The only minority officially recognized by the Greek government is the Muslim minority Thráki (Thrakia), whose existence was recognized in the 1923 Lausanne Treaty.
When it comes to religion, most of the Greek population belongs to the Church of Greece. It is an autocephalous church that appoints its own ecclesiastical hierarchy and is led by a synod of 12 metropolitans under the presidency of the Archbishop of Athens. The Muslim (mainly Sunni Muslim) minority, which makes up most of the non-Orthodox sector of the population, is predominantly Turkish and concentrated in western Thrace and the Dodecanese.
Places to travel in Greece
Known for its abundance of historic remains, whitewashed villages, sunny beaches, delicious food and pleasant atmosphere, it is no miracle that Greece is among Europe's best destinations. You will often find the spectacular beauty of the many scattered islands, scattered like precious ornaments and gems in the sea around the Greek peninsula.
There is a wealth of cultural and scenic delights to explore. From the Ionian Islands in the west –– to the Aegean Sea, including Santorini, Mykonos, Kos and Rhodes. It is the pre-Greek Minoan culture of southern Crete. The Meteora Monastery, the ruins of Delphi, and of course the most spectacular capital of Athens and its iconic Parthenon. Here's a look at the best places to visit in Greece:
Greek Islands From beautiful beaches, ancient ruins, colorful harbors and active volcanoes, the Greek islands have it all. Santorini is part of the Cyclades and is among the most picturesque islands in Greece. Mykonos has a modern, cosmopolitan society mixed with conventional houses and labyrinthine streets. Rhodes is located in the Aegean Sea off the coast of Turkey, and is the capital of the largest island in the Dodecanese archipelago, popular for its beautiful beaches and historical significance. The northernmost of Greece's Ionian islands, Corfu, was controlled by many foreign powers, especially the Venetians and the British, which is reflected in the culture and architecture of the island.
Athens - It is a bustling center for business, nightlife and culture. Lived for more than 3,000 years, Athens is widely known as the cradle of Western civilization and the birthplace of democracy. The city hosts a mix of historic and modern features. Athens is famous for its archeological ruins and monuments, such as the famous Acropolis, the Parthenon, the Ancient Agora and the Theater of Dionysos just to name a few.
Meteora - The Greek word Meteora means "suspended in the air", and this sentence aptly describes the spectacular cliffs that rise more than 1,200 feet into the air. What makes these cliffs even more amazing are the ancient monasteries that lie along the tops.
Crete - The largest of the Greek islands, Crete is an expansive country with beautiful distinctions. Steeped in history, Crete still bears archaeological traces of the many civilizations that inhabited it over the centuries.
Delphi - Next to the Acropolis, Delphi is Greece's most popular archaeological site. Delphi was once revered by the ancient Greeks as the center of the earth. Dedicated to the god, Apollo, Delphi was an important oracle. In ancient times, people came to this sacred place to ask the priestess for advice on a wide range of topics, from struggles to relationships and politics. Significant ruins and structures in Delphi include the Temple of Apollo, the Athenian Treasury, the theater and the hippodrome that once hosted the ancient Pythian Games.
I thought this was a great blog, which classifies all the Greek cities and places according to the moods and vibes they have to offer. I will return to the essence of this for your convenience.
- Athens - Modern vibes
- Chania by - Cobbled and narrow streets
- Santorini Shades of blue and white
- Hersonissos - Old harbor
- Rethymnon - The old Venetian city
- Mykonos by - Iconic wind turbines
- Tsilivi - Greek beach town
- Apokoronas - Baking bread and cheese
- Meteora - Fog valleys
- Crete - Lands with contrasting landscapes
- Nafplio - Elites land
- Corfu - Storybook Land
- Siphnos - Home Of Trekking Trails
- Therasia - Charming settlements
- Patmos - A charming island
- Nisyros - Active volcanic city
- Parga - Picturesque streets
- Zagori - Fjellregionen
- Kefalonia - Ionian's Largest
- Kapp Sounion - Home to Poseidon
- Naxos - The greenest island
- Peloponnese - Mulberry Leaf Like
- Thessaloniki - With a rich history
- Zakynthos - With pristine beaches
- Delphi - The ancient ruins
- Delos - A legendary place
- Rhodes - A little gem
I have just given a bird's eye view of some of the most amazing places in Greece that you can visit. I will definitely follow it up with a detailed blog about indulgences in Greece.