Ancient Greece - 5 Things you Should Know - History for Kids

Smile and Learn Five things you should know about ancient Greece the ancient Greek civilization emerged around 1200 BC in a privileged place between the Mediterranean Sea and the Aegean Sea This territory was made up of a peninsula and a group of islands Ancient Greeks were settlers. They didn't just conform to staying in their territory They wanted to look for and colonize new lands to expand their civilization Ancient Greeks were excellent sailors and they reached many parts of the Mediterranean Sea extending their commercial activity and craftsmanship trade Ancient Greeks called their cities poleis and each one of them had its own government Poleis were very well organized. There was an agora in every one of them, which was the main public place an Acropolis which was the highest part of the poleis, a theater where ancient Greeks held events like comedy or tragedy plays Walls to defend the city and the Parthenon, the temple where they worshipped their gods Sparta and Athens were two of the most famous and powerful poleis There were occasional fights among the cities and these would then declare war in order to expand their territory and gain more power Ancient Greek society was divided into two groups free citizens and non-citizens Free citizens were men born in poleis and made the most important decisions Non-citizens were the women, the foreigners, and the slaves who never enjoyed their fundamental rights Ancient Greeks established a government regime called democracy that allowed only free citizens to make decisions by means of voting Ancient Greeks were a polytheistic society. This means that they worshipped many gods Have you ever heard of Ares, the god of war? How about Poseidon, the sea god? I'm sure you know that Zeus was the father of all the gods Ancient Greek mythology emerged in this civilization. It's a collection of stories and legends about gods and heroes Ancient Greeks made up these stories to explain to people the origins of the world and transmit their values Do you know the story of Hercules? He was the son of Zeus, a superhero, half-god, half-human. His powers were out of this world Ancient Greeks were incredibly curious and took great interest in learning about everything around them, be it nature or human beings themselves This is how the discipline of philosophy emerges, a word that in Greek is translated as love of wisdom Some of the most well-known philosophers were Plato or Aristotle There were also important mathematicians during this period, like Pythagoras or Archimedes, who intended to apply geometry principles in building and explain the meaning of numbers in people's everyday lives Their interest for intelligence and knowledge helped the ancient Greek civilization expand around the Mediterranean Sea The Olympic Games originated in ancient Greece Isn't it incredible they managed to survive till modern times? In the old times, the Olympic Games were held every four years in Olympia The best athletes who came from several different parts of Greece competed in the games They participated in sports like jumping, disc throw, or running Back then, athletes were competing for an olivary, not for medals Many of the ancient Olympic values like teamwork, discipline, and effort still remain up to this day The ancient Greek civilization came to an end in 146 BC But the ancient Greek legacy is still present today in politics, culture, philosophy, or even sports These are the 5 things you should know about ancient Greece Did you like learning about them? If you want to keep watching more videos, click on the boxes