Greece

By Chris Mackie, Professor of Classics, La Trobe University* The coronavirus is concentrating our minds on the fragility of human existence in the face of a deadly disease. Words like “epidemic” and “pandemic” (and “panic”!) have become part of our...

In ancient Greece, hair was an important indicator of class and place of origin. Notably,  Spartan men were known for their long, flowing hair, which became linked to the ancient warriors in antiquity. While many would not associate long, beautiful...

The ancient Greek city of Amphipolis, one of Greece's many exceptional archaeological sites, was an Athenian colony founded in 437 BCE on the older Thracian site of Ennea Hodoi (Nine Roads). Situated between the navigable Strymon River and Mount...

Herodotus (or Ἡρόδοτος), born in Halicarnassus in 484 BC, was one of the most brilliant Greek thinkers of all time and is known worldwide as "The Father of History." He took it upon himself to record the history of the...

The long and (mostly) illustrious history of the ancient Greek city-state of Sparta defines the word "legendary."

The Diolkos stone road, an ancient Greek engineering marvel, allowed ships to travel overland from the Ionian Sea to the Aegean, bypassing the Peloponnesian Peninsula. Like the Corinth Canal, which was finally constructed millennia later, it made passage around the...

Every summer, Greeks flock to the beaches of the Aegean and Ionian seas to swim and get a tan. But did the ancient Greeks enjoy the beach?

Holy Friday, or Good Friday, is a profoundly mournful day in Greece which commemorates the Passion of Christ with the traditional Epitaphios processions. A nationwide affair, it recalls the moments leading up to and including the crucifixion of Jesus Christ,...

Liberty Ships, first built during World War II,  transformed the Greek shipping industry. By Lia Mageira “Your safety altogether depends upon the sea.” Xenophon, 4th century BC, Greek historian and philosopher. During World War II, between 1941 and 1945, a total of 2,711...

Sex work in ancient Greece was performed by the hetairai, and those who worked their whole lives (until they were of no further use) in brothels. Other sex workers were sold into the role as children. By Marguerite Johnson When the...

Throughout history, a plague, or pandemic, has affected the outcome of Ancient Greek wars, as studies by historians and medical scientists suggest

The life of the great Athenian general Themistocles is fairly well known, as the low-born leader was lauded even in his time for his brilliance in the battles against the Persians at Salamis and Marathon.

Ancient Greek philosophers including Plato likened civic leaders to doctors, creating a healthy society through balance and moderation. Those ideas feed into what we expect from leaders today. By Eva Anagnostou-Laoutides In the current health crisis, we might ask what needs to...

Rineia, an ancient Greek island next to Delos and Mykonos, has a unique place in the history of Greece.

Rineia, an ancient Greek island next to Delos and Mykonos, has a unique place in the history of Greece.