Table of Contents
The Archaic period (c. 800–500 BCE) marks the emergence of Greek civilization after the so-called "Dark Ages." It laid the foundations for Greek political, social, and cultural life.
Key Features
- Formation of the Polis (city-state): Independent city-states like Athens, Sparta, Corinth, and Thebes emerged as the primary political units.
- Colonization: Greeks founded colonies across the Mediterranean and Black Sea, including in Italy, Sicily, Asia Minor, and North Africa. This expanded trade, population, and cultural exchange.
- Political Developments:
- Rise of aristocracies.
- Emergence of tyrants (non-hereditary rulers).
- Beginnings of Athenian democracy (especially under Solon and Cleisthenes).
- Social Structure:
- Hoplite warfare developed—citizen-soldiers equipped with spears and shields.
- Cultural and Artistic Development:
- Invention of the Greek alphabet (from Phoenician script).
- Rise of epic poetry (Homer, Hesiod).
- Early temple architecture and sculpture (kouroi and korai).
- Development of Panhellenic sanctuaries (Olympia, Delphi).
Historical Turning Point
Growing rivalry between Greek states and the rising Persian Empire sets the stage for the Persian Wars, which transition into the Classical period.