Kings of Greece. Greek chronology

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History of the development of Ancient Greece. The era of Ancient Greece begins its existence in the 3rd millennium BC. and lasted until the 1st century BC. on south of the Balkan Peninsula and islands in the west of Asia Minor. By the end of the 7th century BC. Greek culture became most prosperous. The Greeks achieved enormous success in the fine arts, monumental construction, unraveling the mysteries of mathematics and medicine, and in the development of social ideas. They created a system of government in which all citizens had a voice in deciding critical issues.

But Ancient Greece was not a single state. The mainland and islands were divided into many city-states surrounded by rural settlements. The most powerful city-state was Athens, who became in 5th century BC. center of Greek civilization. Athens had a well-trained army and the most powerful ancient navy in the world. Triremes, ships with 3 rows of oars on each side, made up the majority of the Greek battle fleet.

Athens

Athens were the most prosperous city in Greece. The huge bronze statue of Athena the Protector towered at a height of 9 meters, and in the temple Erechtheion there was an ancient wooden statue. On the side of the temple there was a huge altar. The main temple of Athena was called Parthenon . It was built in 447-438 BC. made of sparkling white marble. The roof was covered with marble tiles. The frieze was decorated with scenes of battles of centaurs - mythical half-human, half-horse creatures. The magnificent city owned silver mines and conducted international trade through the port in Piraeus . On the hill rose Acropolis(upper city), a sacred place with temples and sanctuaries of the goddess Athena. Below lay a city with cobbled streets, magnificent buildings and a market square called agora, where public meetings were held. Great philosophers Socrates, Plato And Aristotle lived in Athens.
On holidays, crowded religious processions walked through Athens. They entered the sacred land of the Acropolis through the marble gates - Propylaea.

People power

The city-states of Greece were called policies(which is where the word comes from policy). Around 510 BC e. the policies got rid of the kings and preferred to be governed by a group of noble people ( oligarchies) or one influential politician ( Tirana). In 508 BC. originated in Athens democracy, or People power. Under the new system, male citizens decided various issues by voting in assembly- people's assembly. Women, foreigners and slaves could not vote.
In 443-429 BC. Athenians elected a major politician as ruler Pericles who started construction temple on the Acropolis.

Culture and craft

First originated in Greece Olympic Gamesin 776 BC. and later became part of the festivals in honor of the god Zeus. In a democratic society, a politician had to own oratory. The first historical thinker named Herodotus, in the near future he began to be called the “father of history.” He was able to describe all historical events believably and honestly. Greeks visited Delphic Oracle, which, according to legend, could tell a lot of useful information about the future. Mount Olympus was considered the abode of the gods and was the most sacred place in Greek religion.
Thessaly was famous for horse breeding thanks to its beautiful and extensive pastures. The Greeks made their magnificent painted ceramics from special clay, which acquired a red color when fired. IN Lydia, and later in Athens they began to mint the first coins with the emblem of an owl of one of the goddesses. There were silver mines in Greece Lauria, which were famous for their deposits of precious metals.
Greek women wove most of the fabric themselves to make linen and clothing for their household. They wore clothes Ionic And Doric style. During the harvest, the girls winnowed the grain, separating it from the chaff.

Architecture of Greece

The Greeks built grandiose temples that were built on a stepped platform. They were surrounded by a colonnade. Inside was a main hall with a statue of a god or goddess and a repository for temple treasures.
The outside of the temple was decorated with bas-reliefs and sculptures, traditionally painted in red and blue. At first the temples were wooden, but from the 6th century AD. they began to be built from stone or marble and covered with tiles.
The Greeks built simple residential buildings from brick and wood, with earthen floors. But no money or labor was spared on public buildings, especially churches. Architects strived for harmony of proportions. The buildings usually had colonnades. Two main styles emerged - the Doric, strict, with squat, smooth columns, and the more refined Ionic, with slender, graceful columns. Public buildings were usually decorated with statues and wall paintings.

Science and knowledge

Knowledge of Ancient Greece. In the 6th century BC. Greek scientists began to strive to understand the structure of the universe. They were called philosophers, that is, “lovers of wisdom.” They studied the structure of the human body, solved mathematical problems and monitored the movements of the planets. Alexander the Great's mentor Aristotle, for example, described hundreds of species of animals. The research of Greek scientists laid the foundation for modern biology, medicine, mathematics, astronomy and philosophy. Science of Ancient Greece was one of the most unique and original in the ancient world.

Olympic Games

Sports competitions were part of all major religious festivals in Greece. The main ones were the Olympic Games in honor of Zeus. They were held every 4 years and lasted 5 days. Many of the Olympic events, such as javelin throwing and wrestling, were related to the military training required by every man. During the games, wars were interrupted so that participants from all over the country could come to Olympia. The winners of the games became celebrities.
Women were prohibited from watching and participating in the Olympic Games.

Theater

The first great dramatic works were created by the Greeks. Poets performed their songs at Dionysias - holidays in honor of the god Dionysus. Gradually the songs became longer, the number of performers grew, and the songs turned into theatrical performances. There were 3 types of plays - tragedy, comedy and satire. The best play in each genre was awarded. Special buildings without roofs were built for theaters. The actors wore masks, and all roles, even female ones, were played by men.

Religion

Names of the gods of Ancient Greece.
The Greeks had 12 main gods :
1) Zeus- king of the gods, thunderer. The eagle was considered his cult bird
2) Athena- daughter of Zeus, was the goddess of wisdom and war, the patroness of Athens. The owl was her cult bird
3) Artemis- huntress, was the goddess of the Moon, patroness of women and children
4) Aphrodite- goddess of love and beauty
5) Demeter- goddess of fertility and agriculture. During sowing, the Greeks held holidays in her honor
6) Poseidon- god of the sea, brother of Zeus and Pluto. With his trident he could cause a storm
7) Hera- goddess, wife of Zeus, patroness of women
8) Hestia- goddess of the hearth, sister of Hera
9) Apollo- god of the sun and music
10) Pluto- god of the underworld
11) Ares- god, son of Zeus and Hera
12) Hermes- god, son of Zeus and one of his lovers, messenger of the gods

Sparta

Sparta dominated southern Greece, Peloponnese. After the conquest Messenia And Arcadia it became the most powerful state in Greece. The Spartans devoted themselves entirely to war. All true Spartans had to be warriors; their training, which began at age 7, was extremely harsh.
Boys were subjected to corporal punishment to teach them pain and the ability to overcome fear in battle.
The girls were raised to be strong so that they would have healthy children in the future. All this helped Sparta win Peloponnesian Wars with Athens in 431-404 BC.
Spartans who did not show sufficient courage were ordered to shave off half their beard. They were subjected to universal ridicule and humiliation.
Athens And Sparta were constant rivals and were always at odds.

Greco-Persian Wars

Wars of Ancient Greece. The Persians invaded Greece in 490 and 480 BC. The Greeks survived the sack of Athens and the death of a small Spartan army defending a narrow passage in the gorge Thermopylae. Despite the losses, they still won, winning the battle of Marathon, at Plataea and sea battle Salamis. The Athenian leader convinced the government to create its own warships. The Greek fleet became a powerful force, whose main weapon was trireme ship, ramming enemy ships below the waterline. The ram was usually made of bronze. Triremes broke the formation of enemy ships, rammed them and disappeared from sight.
The decisive battle took place at Salamis Islands and ended with the defeat of the Persian king Xerxes, who invaded Greece. The Persians were lured into a trap - a narrow strait between Salamis and the mainland - and defeated.
Bucephalus. During his campaigns, Alexander left his people in the conquered lands. This contributed to the widespread dissemination of Greek culture and language, and ultimately to the assimilation of the achievements of Greek science and architecture by later civilizations.

Alexander's military campaigns

Conquering Asia Minor, Alexander won the battles with the Persians at Granicus and Issus. Turning south, he conquered Phenicia, Judea and Egypt, where he was accepted as Pharaoh. The Macedonian visited the temple of the god Amun in Siwa, where he recognized him as his son. Then he defeated the Persians in the battle of Gaugamela. The Persian king Darius III fled after a crushing defeat inflicted on him by Alexander the Great. Darius was soon killed. After a drunken revelry in Persepolis, Alexander ordered the palace to be burned before marching on India. Then the great commander went to India and again became the winner in the battle of the Hydaspes River, engaging in battle with the war elephants of King Porus. He would have continued his campaigns further, but the army was already exhausted.

Alexander the Great died 323 BC in Babylon from fever on the eve of a campaign in Arabia.
He was buried in Alexandria. He was only 33 years old at that time.

The ancient Greeks called their rulers basileus - monarchs who inherited power. The history of this goes back to the 15th century BC, to which clay tablets were found that read "qa-si-re-u" - a term for a chief or a person one step below the king. In ancient Greece, "basileus" meant the ruler who inherited power from the previous king. In the 5th century, the Athenians elected an archon to the position of basileus, who combined the functions of a priest and a judge in his work.

According to Aristotle, the term “basileus” appeared during the first legendary kings of Greece and has ancient origins.

In ancient Greece, basileus were defined as rulers elected or voluntarily accepted by the people, in contrast to tyrants who came to power by force. Thus, the Spartan kings were called basileus, since they had power, which was limited by the institution of overseers-ephors and recognized by the common people. In Thessaly, the basileus was assigned to the supreme military leader, who was elected for life in Thessaly. This term was not limited to Greece. Thus, in Macedonia, Asia and Egypt, Alexander the Great and his generals also wore basileus.

History and legends

Roman emperors were also informally called Basileus. After the spread of Christianity, the use of this title became more frequent in the east of the Roman Empire, where the influence of Greek culture was especially strong. After the defeat of the Sassanian kingdom in 610-641, the Byzantine emperor Heraclius took for himself the title of basileus, which previously belonged to the Sassanians.

On the territory of Byzantium, only Byzantine emperors and Greek rulers were allowed to be called basileus.

According to legend, the word “basileus” in the Mycenaean era was the name of the wise mythical griffin that brings good luck. The ancient inhabitants called a creature that personified wisdom as basileus. The Indians believed that mythological creatures with the head of an eagle and the body of a lion guarded treasures in gold-bearing veins. However, this version was misinterpreted. The basileus guarded not precious metal, but wisdom, which interpreters simply confused with the most expensive treasure of those times - gold. There is also a version according to which the word “basileus” was a variant of the word “basilisk” - another wise and ancient creature.

Today, when we talk about dynasties, as a rule, hereditary doctors, military men, and teachers come to mind. Worker dynasties were popular some time ago. However, most of us do not even think about where the word “dynasty” came from and what it meant in its, so to speak, original form.

So, let's turn to the history of the word. By its appearance the word "dynasty" obliged to Greece, where “δῠναστεία” meant “power”, “domination”. That is, as you understand, no hints about doctors or steelworkers.

Initially, the concept of “dynasty” referred exclusively to ruling families, where power was transferred from generation to generation to representatives of this particular family. And if this is so, then it makes sense to get acquainted with some dynasties of the past and present. And since this word, this concept was born in Greece, it would be fair to get acquainted with the most famous Greek dynasties. And, of course, to begin with it is worth turning to Ancient Greece, where the word originates.

Seleucids - a powerful dynasty of Ancient Greece

The history of Ancient Greece knows 10 ruling dynasties, among which were the Macedonian and Spartan kings and one of the powerful dynasties of antiquity - the Seleucids.

During the reign of the Seleucid dynasty, the founder of which was one of the commanders close to Alexander the Great, the chief of the Macedonian cavalry, Seleucus, the Hellenic state significantly expanded its possessions.

During its reign, the dynasty, which reigned from 312 BC. e. - 83, 68-64 BC e., the state included Babylon, Susiana, Persia, Media and eastern Iran.

And, as usually happens, the decline of the Seleucid dynasty was the result of internecine wars, great ambitions and claims (often completely unfounded) to the throne.

History remembers the ups and downs of rulers, their victories and defeats, which covered the name of the ruler with glory or shame. Today, only the pages of chronicles convey to us the struggle of the powers that be in the Ancient World for undivided dominance.

In its multi-thousand-year history, Greece experienced periods of prosperity and rise, and five hundred years of slavery, when it was conquered by the Ottoman Turks.

Time passed, centuries succeeded each other, and another dynasty of royalty could have taken place in the history of Greece, but...

Dynasty didn't happen

Already in the 19th century, after liberation from the rule of the Ottoman Empire, the first king appeared in free Greece. He became the second son of King Ludwig I of Bavaria, Prince Friedrich Louis, who belonged to the Bavarian dynasty of Wittelsbach.

He was a true European, who received an excellent education, spoke several languages, traveled through Italy and Germany and had a great idea of ​​what Europe was like.

The choice fell on Frederick Louis not by chance. His father knew the history of Greece very well and loved this country, and the young pretender to the Greek throne not only inherited from his father a love for the history of Greece and its people, but also had Greek roots in his ancestry: he was a descendant of one of the branches of the Byzantine dynasties of the Komnenos and Lascarides.

Frederick Louis was a king who was essentially appointed in London in May 1832 at the London Conference of European Powers. Türkiye also took part in the conference.

The candidacy of the future king of Greece was proposed by France and received the approval of all participants in the conference, and already in August of the same year, the Greek national assembly unanimously approved the decision of the conference and confirmed the election of Frederick Louis as king of Greece. From now on, the young king, who by that time was 17 years old, began to be called Otto I (but in Greece he was officially called not “king”, but “king”).

Until the young king came of age, the governance of the country was entrusted to three regents, but as soon as age allowed Otto to independently govern the country, the regency was abolished.

In 1836, Otto I married Amalia of Oldenburg, with whom he lived for 39 years. However, the Otton dynasty did not happen - the couple turned out to be childless.

In addition, political events in Greece developed in such a way that they displeased those who placed the king on the throne.

Otto I showed sympathy for Russia, which became especially clear during the Crimean War of 1853–1856.

The largest European powers at that time - Great Britain, France, and Turkey - conducted military operations against Russia. Greek rebel troops, in order to support Russia, occupied a number of territories that were part of the Ottoman Empire, but populated mainly by Greeks.

However, this was not at all to the liking of Great Britain, France and, especially, Turkey, who saw the rapprochement between Greece and Russia as a “threat to stability in the Balkans.”

The young king wanted to pursue an independent policy, looking neither to the West nor to the East, but this position of the King of Greece did not suit either Great Britain or Russia.

The lack of some political flexibility of Otto I, intractability with the radical forces of Greece, the absence of children and a whole series of events taking place within the country, which the king could not influence, formed a “picture” that did not bode well.

Indeed, in the period from 1859 to 1861, Greece was rocked by riots and uprisings, and more than one assassination attempt was made on the royal couple.

In addition, friction arose within the royal family regarding the issue of the heir to the throne - the king and queen disagreed about who could subsequently be entrusted with the fate of Greece. But in the end, it was not they who decided this issue.

In 1861, another revolution took place in the country, as a result of which Otto I was overthrown from the throne and in 1862 voluntarily left Greece, returning to his homeland in Bavaria, where he lived out his life with his royal wife.

GeorgeI- founder of the royal dynasty of Greece inXIXcentury (Glucksburg dynasty)

The founder of the royal dynasty of Greece was another king, George I, who ascended the Greek throne a year after the overthrow of Otto.

George was the second son of the Danish king Christian (Glucksburg dynasty) and ascended the Greek throne, like his predecessor, at the age of seventeen, having received the approval of the leading powers of Europe. However, we will no longer find similar events in the destinies of these people.

It is worth saying that he became the king of Greece, one might say, by accident, having received only 6 votes for his candidacy. But since all the other candidates refused to reign, only George remained.

However, for Greece itself, this appointment, and then his forty-year reign, by all accounts, became not only long, but also successful.

As a result of the First Balkan War, Greece expanded its European territories conquered from Turkey. It was during this period that the idea of ​​restoring the great Byzantine Empire was revived.

George I was married to the beautiful Grand Duchess Olga Konstantinovna, daughter of Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich, granddaughter of Russian Emperor Nicholas I.

The royal couple had eight children: three daughters and five sons, the eldest of whom, Constantine, succeeded his father, who was killed by an anarchist, on the Greek throne.

Constantine I was the first representative of the royal Glücksburg dynasty to be born in Greece and become its king.

Constantine ruled until 1922, after which he passed the royal throne to his son, George II, who became King of Greece twice and ruled the country from 1922 to 1924 and from 1935 to 1947.

The eighth king of Greece was George II's brother, Paul I. (George II had no children).

Pavel “performed the duties” of King from 1947 to 1964, although the end of his reign was already quite formal.

After the death of the seriously ill Paul, his son Constantine became king of Greece. Constantine was king for 10 years, until 1974, when the royal title was abolished.

Political dynasties of Greece

In the political life of any country, dynastic relations also take place. It is believed that there are two such dynasties in Greece: Papandreou and Karamanlisa. For many years now, these two dynasties have been waging an ongoing struggle for political leadership in the country.

The Karamanlis political dynasty is quite influential in Greece, although it is not numerous. It is based on one of the largest modern Greek politicians, Konstantinos Karamanlis, who served as Prime Minister of Greece several times from 1955 to 1963 (with interruptions) and from 1974 to 1980. He was elected President of Greece twice: in 1980-1985 and 1990-1995.

The nephew of Konstantinos Karamanlis, Kostas Karamanlis, is also a major political figure.

In 1989, he was first elected to the Greek Parliament and served as Prime Minister of the country from March 2004 to October 2009.

Kostas Karamanlis, who served as Minister of Culture and Sports in 2004, was entrusted with the responsibility of overseeing the preparation and holding of the Olympic Games in Athens. He held this post until 2006.

He headed the New Democracy party; then left the post of leader, but today represents its interests in the Greek Parliament.

As for the Papandreou family, it dates back to Georgius Papandreou (senior), who, starting in 1926, was constantly elected as a deputy to the Greek parliament from the liberal party.

In 1935, he himself organized and led the Democratic Party (later renamed the Democratic Socialist Party).

Georgius Papandreou was not spared from political persecution, when he was repeatedly sent into political exile.

He waged an active political struggle with his opponents, almost constantly winning elections. He held the posts of minister and deputy prime minister.

Resigned in 1965 after a conflict with King Constantine. During the coup of the “black colonels” he was arrested, was under house arrest and died in 1968.

The fallen banner of political struggle was raised by the son of Georges, Andreas Papandreou.

In 1959, he led the effort to implement an economic development program. He shared the political views and views of his father and opposed Greece's entry into NATO.

He had the opportunity, fleeing persecution, to obtain American citizenship. But instead he nominated himself for the country's parliament, and in 1964 he took the post of minister of state, while his father, Georgius Papandreou, served as prime minister.

Like his father, he did not avoid conflict with King Constantine II, for which he was fired. He was arrested by “black colonels”, and after his release he was forced to seek political asylum in Sweden, from where he moved to Paris and created the Panhellenic Liberation Movement,

He returned to Greece in 1974, becoming the founder of the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK), which won 13% in the first elections. In the next elections in 1977, the movement gained 25% and became the parliamentary opposition.

Until 1996, when he passed away, he was constantly at the forefront of the country's political life, holding leading positions in the government and working to implement economic and political reforms.

Today the name of Papandreou is also on the political Olympus of Greece. Now this is Georgius Papandreou (junior). He began his political career alongside his father, Andreas Papandreou, in the PASOK movement, and was twice elected as its chairman.

In 2009, he was elected prime minister of the country, then he was minister of foreign affairs and governor of Mount Athos, then again headed the government, but in 2011 he left the post, which does not prevent him from remaining in the thick of political life in Greece today.

In the history of Ancient Greece, there are hundreds of rulers famous for their military exploits and the art of diplomacy. The figures of queens—the spouses and wives of the kings of the ancient state—also stood out in the politics of ancient civilization.

Legendary kings of Ancient Greece

Aristodemus - King of Sparta , belonged to the Heraclidean family, his father was Aristomachus. Ruled at the beginning of the 11th century BC. According to ancient historians, it was Aristodemus who contributed to the arrival of the Dorians in the territory of Laconia. The ruler had a wife, Argea, the daughter of Autesion, who became the last Achaean king. According to legend, his wife gave birth to twins from Aristodemus, and when the king saw his children, he fell ill and soon died.
Agis I - King of Laconia from the Agid family, father Eurysthenes. Ruled in the 11th century BC. He took away their rights from slaves - artisans and farmers - and ordered them to pay taxes to the state. During his reign, he conquered all neighboring tribes, with the exception of the Eleans, but later they were defeated in a war called the war against slaves. The conquered population was turned into helots. Agis became the founder of the division of society into freemen and helots (slaves of the state).
Polydorus - ruler of Sparta from the Agid family, who ruled in the 8th century BC, father - Alkamen. Under the king, two colonies were founded by the inhabitants of Laconia. One is in Italy, the other is at Cape Zephyria. Also under him, the First Messenian began. Polydorus was greatly revered by his people for his justice, kindness and forbearance towards people.
Alexander I became the first legendary king of Macedonia from the Argead family in 498 BC. During the years of his reign, new Thracian lands were annexed to the state. In foreign policy, the ruler was focused on the Athenians, developing cooperation with them. Under Alexander I, Macedonian silver coins began to be minted, commodity-money relations were formed in the state, and trade intensified.
Alexander III of Macedon (356-323 BC) - the legendary ruler of Macedonia and commander, his father is Philip II, and his mother is Olympida of Epirus. He was well educated, the world famous Aristotle was his teacher. He inherited power from his father in 336 BC. Before the Persian campaign in 335, he suppressed the uprising of the rebellious tribes of Thrace. After the final defeat, the Greeks submitted and joined his army for a campaign in the East.

Great Queens of Ancient Greece

Queen Olympias was the wife of King Philip II, from their union in 356 BC. Alexander the Great of Macedon appeared. According to legend, Alexander’s father was not Philip at all, but the god Zeus. The Macedonian himself adhered to this legend for political gain, although he always recognized Philip as his father. The cooling of feelings between Olympias and Philip was facilitated by the king’s marriage to a young Macedonian aristocrat. The queen left for Epirus, and returned only after the murder of Philip and dealt with her enemies - Cleopatra and her daughter. Olympias had some influence on her son, although Alexander did not allow her to participate in state affairs.