Ancient Greece and Rome

The classical civilizations of Greece and Rome shaped much of Western culture, government, art and thought. Ancient Greece was not a single state but a collection of independent city-states, of which Athens and Sparta were the most powerful. Athens, dominated by its hilltop Acropolis crowned with the Parthenon, developed an early form of democracy, while Sparta was organised around a disciplined military society. The two led opposing alliances in the long Peloponnesian War.

Greek achievements in philosophy, history, drama and science were lasting. Thinkers such as Plato shaped Western philosophy, and Herodotus is often called the father of history. Earlier, the Minoan civilization centred on the palace of Knossos on Crete had flourished in the Bronze Age. The conquests of Alexander the Great spread Greek, or Hellenic, culture across the eastern Mediterranean and into Asia, founding cities such as Alexandria and beginning the Hellenistic age.

Rome grew from a city in Italy into a vast empire encircling the Mediterranean. The Roman Republic, governed by elected officials and a senate, expanded through wars including the Punic Wars against Carthage, though reformers such as the Gracchi brothers struggled with deep social tensions. The Republic eventually gave way to rule by emperors. Roman cities such as Pompeii, buried by a volcanic eruption, and features like the underground catacombs survive as vivid records of daily life and belief in the classical world.

Frequently asked questions

How was ancient Greece organised?

Ancient Greece consisted of independent city-states such as Athens and Sparta, each with its own government and army, rather than a single unified country.

What were the Punic Wars?

The Punic Wars were a series of conflicts between Rome and Carthage for control of the western Mediterranean. Rome's victory made it the dominant power in the region.

What did Alexander the Great achieve?

Alexander built a huge empire stretching from Greece to the borders of India, spreading Greek culture across the region and beginning the Hellenistic age.