Resources on Ancient Greece

The Ancient Greece civilization was one of great innovations and advancements in many different fields. Its contributions to architecture, politics, science, philosophy, linguistics, and theater are still enjoyed in modern society, over 2000 years later. In fact, Ancient Greece has had such a large impact on the world that it is considered to have been the foundation for Western culture. Its influence has affected everything from the way modern school systems are set up to how buildings are constructed.

The period called Ancient Greece occurred from 1100 BC to 146 BC. This was a time of prosperity and abundance, which allowed many Greeks to focus on intellectual pursuits rather than spending all of their time and energy on survival. The period ended when they were conquered by the Romans, who took many of the Greek ideas and artifacts and disseminated them throughout other areas of Europe.

Authors & Texts

Homer's Iliad Full text of the epic poem in English and Greek

Iliad Homepage Excellent background information for understanding the Iliad

Homer: The Odyssey Full text online, with links other Ancient Greek texts

Sophocles' Antigone Full text of one of the most famous Greek writings

Let's Review Greek! A list of the most famous literary works and their authors

Some Preliminary Observations on Classical Greek Literature An introduction to help readers understand Greek literature

Art & Images

Perseus Art & Archaeology Catalogs of images

Classical and Hellenistic Sculpture of Ancient Greece Images and descriptions of many famous sculptures

Greek Architecture – Orders A guide to Greek columns used in architecture

The Parthenon Detailed history and description of one of Greece's most famous buildings

Art History Resources: Ancient Greece An extensive list of helpful links

Ancient Greek and Roman Art A good overview of the different art periods

Life in Ancient Greece Reflected in Coins Why ancient Greek coins are considered an art form

Resources & Topics

Ancient Greece – History, Mythology, War, and More Great resource for learning about all aspects of Greek culture

The Ancient Greek World Virtual gallery covering many topics, including daily life

Greek Mythology All about the ancient religion

Ancient Greek Philosophy Outline of the major schools of thought

Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle The most influential Greek philosophers

Ancient Greek Slavery One of the less talked about aspects of the culture

Voyage Back in Time: Ancient Greece and Rome Comprehensive site geared toward kids

The Ancient Olympics Sports and Olympic games

Articles about womens' roles

Ancient Greek Theater Introduction to Greek drama

Maps & Geography

Maps Etc – Greece Many maps of Greece, both ancient and modern

Ancient Greece Maps

Greek Archaeology Images and articles about the archaeological landscape of Greece