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Sundial - What the Ancients Knew | Science

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The ancient Egyptians wanted to be able to tell time to better organize their day, so they created the sundial.

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The ancient origins of the Olympics - Armand D'Angour

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Ancient Greek Columns for Kids and Teachers - Ancient Greece for Kids

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From a distance, each column looked straight, no matter which of the three designs the ancient Greeks used. But up close, the columns might actually tilt a bit, or lean left or right, to better support each building. The Greeks wanted things to be beautiful, but they also wanted things to be strong.

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Greek Architecture

Architecture is the art of designing and creating buildings. Greek architecture is a very specific and influential type of design, which was based off of the post-and-lintel system. The post-and-lintel system is made up of columns, which are large upright posts, with a roof, or architrave, over the top. This type of architecture began with the Greeks, but has persisted throughout the ages to live on today.

Ancient Greek Columns Facts

The Doric style is the most plain and simple.

The Ionic style is more slender and more ornate than the earlier Doric style column.

The Corinthian style is quite fancy and decorated with acanthus leaves and flowers.

Even though it may seem simple, the Greeks created a wonderful and lasting legacy of architecture. The columns and architraves were carved with leaves and flowers, scenes of battles, and mythological creatures. The columns were decorated with lines and bases, and capitals, which topped off the columns and connected them to the architraves.

These are some important terms to learn about Greek architecture:

Greek buildings were all built in a very methodical order. This means that there were many rules that they followed in order to make sure the buildings were all similar. These rules also helped to make sure that the buildings were safe and strong. Many Greek buildings were built so well that hundreds of them still exist today, even though they are thousands of years old!

The rules that Greeks used to build their buildings were precise, and said how wide the columns could be, how tall the columns could be, and how many columns a building needed. Eventually these rules became known as orders, and different types of orders developed, with different styles of architecture.

The three main Greek architectural orders are :

* Doric: The Doric order is the oldest and most simple order. The columns have no base and the columns have a very simple capital. In other words, Doric buildings were the least decorated. Archaeologists believe that Doric architectural buildings, which were built in stone, evolved from wooden buildings that were very similar.

* Ionic: The Ionic order is more decorative than the Doric. The columns are taller and thinner, and the capitals at the top of the columns are decorated with scrolls and other patterns. The bases of the columns are also decorated.

* Corinthian: The Corinthian order is a lot like the Ionic order, but the capitals are even more elaborately decorated, usually with leaves and floral patterns

Types of buildings: Besides just houses and marketplaces, Greek cities had many different types of specialized buildings. Many of these buildings can be found in most ancient Greek cities.

Temples: Temples are the most common type of public buildings in ancient Greece. The purpose of a temple was to store a religious statue. Some temples were very large, but others could be very small, depending on the size of the statue and how many people wanted to visit it. Perhaps one of the most famous of Greek temples is The Parthenon.

Stoas: Stoas were a lot like temples, but were extra long, and sometimes they were even two or three stories high. These buildings were big because they were used as large gathering places for the public, such as market places, public offices, and places where people could stroll and meet other people.

Theatres: Theatre performances and plays were a big part of Greek life, so theatres were an important part of Greek cities. Usually, they were built into a hillside, where the public could sit along the hills and watch the action. In large cities, some theatres could sit tens of thousands of people!

Assembly Hall: An assembly hall was similar to a theatre, but was much smaller. This building was used to have important town meetings.

Gymnasia: Gymnasiums are still a common part of most schools, and these buildings began with the Greeks. Parts of ancient Greek gymnasia were wrestling grounds, which were open to the outside, and running tracks. Other parts of the gymnasia were lecture halls and other smaller rooms where Greek athletes and warriors could train.

Greek architecture has had a long and important legacy in western history. Even now, people continue to copy Greek buildings, and many people go visit the ancient remains of the thousands of ancient Greek buildings still standing today.

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Ancient Greek Architecture and Columns Facts for Kids

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Architecture is the art of designing and creating buildings. Greek architecture is a very specific and influential type of design, which was based off of the post-and-lintel system. The post-and-lintel system is made up of columns, which are large upright posts, with a roof, or architrave, over the top.

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At their heart, the Games were a religious festival and a good excuse for Greeks from all over the Mediterranean basin to gather for a riotous barbeque. On the middle day of the festival a vast number of cows were slaughtered in honour of Zeus, King of the Greek Gods - once he had been given a small taste, the rest was for the people.

For the first 250-plus years all the action took place in the sanctuary of Olympia, situated in the north-western Peloponnese. Pock-marked by olive trees, from which the victory wreaths were cut, and featuring an altar to Zeus, it was a hugely sacred spot.

The Games lasted a full five days by the fifth century BC and saw running, jumping and throwing events plus boxing, wrestling, pankration and chariot racing. At least 40,000 spectators would have packed the stadium each day at the height of the Games' popularity, in the second century AD, with many more selling their wares outside.

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The first ancient Olympic Games can be traced back to Olympia in 776 BC. Full passion and extraordinary feats of athletic endeavour, the Olympic Games were the sporting, social and cultural highlight of the Ancient Greek calendar for almost 12 centuries.

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The Greeks loved sport and the Olympic Games were the sporting event in the ancient calendar.

The Olympic Games began over 2,700 years ago in Olympia, in south west Greece. Every , around 50,000 people came from all over the Greek world to watch and take part. The ancient games were also a religious festival, held in honour of , the king of the gods.

There were no gold, silver and bronze medals. Winners were given a wreath of leaves and a hero's welcome back home. Athletes competed for the glory of their city and winners were seen as being touched by the gods.

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The Greeks loved sport and the Olympic Games were the sporting event in the ancient calendar. The Olympic Games began over 2,700 years ago in Olympia, in south west Greece. Every , around 50,000 people came from all over the Greek world to watch and take part.

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Experience a taste of our Ancient Greece iPad app from your desktop, tablet, or smartphone with this interactive tour of the Parthenon!

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Experience a taste of our Ancient Greece iPad app from your desktop, tablet, or smartphone with this interactive tour of the Parthenon!

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Ready for an adventure back in time, gang? Then join us as we discover ten fascinating facts about Ancient Greece! And once you've had your fill of Ancient Greek facts, be sure to scroll down to learn more about Greece today...
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Facts about Ancient Greece

1. It's believed the first Ancient Greek civilisations were formed nearly 4,000 years ago (approximately 1600 BC) by the mighty Mycenaeans of Crete (a Greek Island). The Ancient Greek Empire spread from Greece through Europe and, in 800 BC, the Greeks started to split their land into city-states, each with its own laws, customs and rulers.

2. The Greeks had some strange superstitions about food - some wouldn't eat beans as they thought they contained the souls of the dead!

Did you know that we have a FREE downloadable Ancient Greeks primary resource? Great for teachers, homeschoolers and parents alike!

3. The Ancient Greeks had lots of stories to help them learn about their world. The gods featured heavily in these tales, and so did mythological monsters - like Cerberus, a three-headed dog that guarded the gates to the underworld; Medusa, a slithery sorceress whose look could turn people to stone; and the Cyclops who had one eye in the middle of its forehead - yikes! These tales are known as Greek mythology.

4. Events at the Greek's Olympics included wrestling, boxing, long jump, javelin, discus and chariot racing. But those taking part in the wrestling event had to be the toughest, as there were hardly any rules - and they had to compete naked. Eek!

5. Most Ancient Greeks wore a chiton, which was a long T-shirt made from one large piece of cotton. The poor slaves, however, had to make do with a loincloth (a small strip of cloth wrapped around the waist)!

6. Statues of Greek gods and goddesses were placed inside temples, the most famous of which is the Parthenon. This temple in Athens was built for the goddess Athena, the protector of the city.

7. A famous legend tells how, in 1180 BC, the cunning Greeks conquered the city of Troy - by hiding inside a giant wooden horse! The horse was left outside the city's walls and, thinking it a gift, the people of Troy wheeled it inside... only for the sneaky Greek soldiers inside to creep out and seize the city!

8. Did you know that the Ancient Greeks invented the theatre? They loved watching plays, and most cities had a theatre - some big enough to hold 15,000 people! Only men and boys were allowed to be actors, and they wore masks, which showed the audience whether their character was happy or sad. Some of the masks had two sides, so the actor could turn them around to change the mood for each scene.

9. The Ancient Greeks held many festivals in honour of their gods. To celebrate the god Zeus, for example, the first Greek Olympics were held in the city of Olympia in 776 BC and are thought to have inspired our own Olympic Games! The winners of each event were given a wreath of leaves, and when they returned home, they would be given free meals and the best seats in the theatre!

10. The city-states were often at war, but just before the Olympics, a truce would be called so that everyone could travel to Olympia safely.

Country fact file: Greece

Breathtaking landscapes, beautiful islands and cities steeped in history, now that you've discovered facts about Ancient Greece, learn about the Greece of today!
FORM OF GOVERNMENT: Parliamentary republic
CAPITAL: Athens
POPULATION: 11, 131, 582
OFFICIAL LANGUAGE: Greek
MONETARY UNIT: Euro
OFFICIAL LANGUAGE: Greek
FLAG:

Map of Greece

Greek geography and landscape

Greece is the southernmost country in Europe, sharing borders with Albania, Bulgaria, Macedonia and Turkey. The mainland has rugged mountains, dense forests and beautiful lakes - but the country is best known for the thousands of islands dotting the blue Aegean Sea to the east, the Mediterranean Sea to the south and the Ionian Sea to the west.

Greece is divided into three geographical regions - the mainland, the islands and the Peloponnese (the large peninsula south of the mainland).

The Pindus mountain range on the mainland contains one of the world's deepest gorges - Vikos Gorge. At its deepest parts, the walls of this cool canyon plunge a breathtaking 1,100m! Mount Olympus is Greece's highest mountain, standing a huge 2,917m above sea level. The Ancient Greeks believed this magnificent mountain was where the gods lived!

Greece's great nature!

Hundreds of years ago, most of the country was covered in forest. But over the centuries, the trees were cut down for firewood, lumber and to make room for farms. Today, forests can be found mainly in the Pindus and Rhodope mountain ranges.

Greece has ten national parks, which help to conserve the country's natural and historic landmarks. Marine parks help protect the habitats of two of Europe's most endangered sea creatures, the loggerhead turtle and the monk seal. The long coastline and clear waters make Greece an ideal location to spot lots of cool sea life, including starfish, sea anemones, sponges and seahorses. Snorkels at the ready!

Greece is home to lots of fascinating plant life, too. The Greek landscape is covered by maquis, a tangle of thorny shrubs that don't need a lot of water. These plants include fragrant herbs such as thyme, rosemary, oregano, and bay and myrtle trees.

Bird watching is also popular in Greece, where geese, ducks and swallows stop over during their migration from Africa to Europe.

Greek history

The first great civilisation in Greece was the Minoan culture on the island of Crete, around 2000 B.C. In 1450 B.C., the Minoans were conquered by the Myceneans from the mainland.

During ancient times, the country was divided into city-states ruled by noblemen. The largest were Athens, Sparta, Thebes and Corinth. Each state controlled the territory around a single city, and they were often at war with each other. Athens became the most powerful city-state and in 508 B.C., a new system of rule called democracy was instituted by the people. But during that time, only men were allowed to vote!

The first Olympic Games were held in the southern city of Olympia in 700 B.C. to honour Zeus, the king of the gods. Only men could compete in the events such as sprinting, long jump, discus, javelin, wrestling and chariot racing.

In the 2nd century B.C., Greece entered into a period of foreign rule which would last for over 2,000 years. The Romans conquered the Greeks in 146B.C., and 400 years later the country fell under Turkish control. But in 1832, following the Greek Revolution, Greece won independence.

Greece has had a troubled relationship with Turkey over the island of Cyprus, which has a large Greek population. Cyprus is divided into Greek and Turkish areas, and is monitored by the United Nations to make sure neither country starts a fight over the island.

Greek people and culture

Family life is considered very important in Greece. Children often live with their parents, even after they get married. Greeks live long lives and it is thought that their varied diet of olives, olive oil, lamb, fish, squid, chickpeas and lots of fruits and vegetables keep them healthy.

Olive trees have been cultivated in Greece for over 6,000 years, and every village has its own olive groves. Today the country is one of the world's biggest producers of olives and olive oil.

Nearly two-thirds of Greeks live in large cities. Athens is the largest city, with over 3.7 million people crowding the metropolis. As a result, air pollution can be a big problem in the capital, where thick clouds of smog form, known locally as nefos.

Greek government

Greece abolished their monarchy in 1975 and became a parliamentary republic. Under the new constitution, there is a president and a prime minister. The prime minister has the most power, and is the leader of the party running the country. The president selects cabinet ministers who run the different government departments.

The parliament, called the Vouli, has only one house with 300 members who are elected every four years. Greece became part of the European Union in 1981.

Credits:
Map of Greece: National Geographic Maps. Musicians and dancers in Greece: Maro Kouri. Mount Olympus, Greece: Helena Bilková, Dreamstime. Greek island and boat: F8grapher, Dreamstime. Hydra, Greece: Kokixx, Dreamstime. All other pictures and illustrations: Getty Images UK

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Facts about Ancient Greece for kids | National Geographic Kids

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Ready for an adventure back in time, gang? Then join us as we discover ten fascinating facts about Ancient Greece! And once you've had your fill of Ancient Greek facts, be sure to scroll down to learn more about Greece today... Article continues below... 1.

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Ancient Greece - KS2 History - BBC Bitesize

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KS2 History Ancient Greece learning resources for adults, children, parents and teachers.