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Before today's spandex-clad (and some sequined) Olympians strived for the gold, silver or bronze, ancient Greeks competed for victory. How did the games begin, and why were the athletes gunning for olive oil? More »
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Before today's spandex-clad (and some sequined) Olympians strived for the gold, silver or bronze, ancient Greeks competed for victory. How did the games begin, and why were the athletes gunning for olive oil?
Greece, Ancient. The civilization of the ancient Greeks grew up around the Aegean Sea and spread through the Greek mainland.
Achaeans, the earliest branch of the ancient Greeks. They were a Greek-speaking, warlike people who between 2000 and 1700 B.C.
Aegean Civilization, the civilization of the people living around the Aegean Sea before the emergence of ancient Greece about the ninth century B.C.
Aeoliansa branch of the ancient Greeks. Aeolian was one of the Greek dialects spoken by the Achaeans, who settled in Greece between 2000 and 1700 B.C.
Aetolian League and Acaean League
Aetolian League and Achaean League, two rival federations of cities in ancient Greece.
Alexander (III) the Great (356–323 B.C.), a king of Macedonia and Greece. Alexander conquered the entire Persian Empire, from the Aegean Sea to India and around the Mediterranean to Egypt.
Alexandrian Library, the largest and one of the most famous of the libraries of the ancient world.
Amphictyonic Council, or Amphictyonic League, an association of neighboring city-states in ancient Greece.
Antigonid Kingdom a Macedonian domain that existed from 276 to 168 B.C. It was ruled by the descendants of Antigonus, a general in the army of Alexander the Great.
Archon, a high magistrate in ancient Athens. After the hereditary monarchy went into decline in the city-state, the king was forced, probably in the eighth century B.C., to share power with two officials chosen for life by the aristocrats; the king and these two officials were called archons.
Areopagus , a high court of ancient Athens. It was named after its meeting place—Ares' Hill—west of the Acropolis.
Salamis, Battle of, 480 B.C., the decisive naval battle of the Persian Wars, fought in the strait between the island of Salamis and the Greek mainland.
Bucephalus, the prized war horse of Alexander the Great. When a youth, Alexander won great credit by breaking Bucephalus to ride.
Asclepius-
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