History & People
The following site is designed to open up the world of ancient Greece to students of all levels. DR. J’S Illustrated Guide to Greece, IH, and other important things.
History for kids is particularly accesible site for both elementary and middle school students, providing an introduction to all aspects of Ancient Greek life as well as information on books and projects for both teachers and parents, as is Ancient Greece: History by Michael Lahanas.
Another site that is quite useful for students of Greek history is Ancient-Greece.org.
A delightful and informative interactive site provided by PBS is Greece: The Crucible of Civilization
Similarly, The British Museum’ s Ancient Greece site provides students with an interactive learning experience.
Students of Bronze age Greece will find that Knossos and the Palaces of Crete is a valuable guides.
Materials for the Study of Ancient Sparta provides links to various topics related to Spartan history and culture.
Ancient Greek Ceramics provides a brief but detailed tutorial on classical Greek pottery.
If you are researching Greek costume Ancient Greek Dress is a quite useful site.
Ancient Greek Military Technology offers a comprehensive overview of all aspects of Greek warfare on both land and sea
Ancient Greek ships provides an overview of Greek ships from the Neolithic period to Hellenistic and Roman periods.
Command a Trireme in battle courtesy of the British museum.
The Tieres or Trireme provides an exhaustive overview of the most famous of Ancient Greek warship
Super Galleys of the Hellenistic Age discusses the changes in Greek warship design during the Hellenistic period.
Greek Warfare provides a short but comprehensive overview of Greek military practice. See also Hoplite for information regarding the most common type of heavily armed Greek foot soldier from the 7th to the 4th century BC. Greek Hoplite Armor and Weapons is also a useful reference on the subject.
Phalanx is an excellent introduction into Classical Greek warfare.
Iphikrates and the Evolution of Hellenistic Infantry
discusses Iphikrates’ military reforms and their effect on 4th century BC warfare.
For an account of the Ionian revolts, which marks the begining of the conflict between Greece and Persia see the Ionian Revolt by Hellenica.com. Detailed accounts of the The Persian Wars can be found under The Persian Wars by Livio C. Stecchini and Greco-Persian Wars by the New World Encyclopedia. The Oxford Reference provides a useful timeline for the Greco-Persian Wars.
Ancient Greek Battles offers accounts of some of the most famous battles in Greek History including Marathon, Thermopylae, Salamis and Plataea.
King Leonidas, The 300 Spartans and the Battle of Thermopylae- The Glory of Greece offers an extensive account of one of the most famous battles in Greek history.
Salamis: 480 BC The battle that saved democracy provides a comprehensive overview of both the battle and the naval technology and tactics of the period.
The Persian Empire dominated the international political scene in the Eastern Mediterranean for the three hundred years from the mid sixth century until its conquet by Alexander of Macedonia. Persia’s influence was to be found not only in the foreign policies of the Greek states but frequently in their internal policies as well. The importance of the relationship between Greece and the Persian Empire at the height of the Classical period cannot be overemphasized. Persepolis and Ancient Iran provides quite useful information for students interested in learning more about the Persian Empire. Additional information about the Persian Empire is provided by The Persian Expedition and Achaemenid Persia: A History Resource .
Articles on ancient Persia provide further details regarding peoples and places in ancient Persia
The Behistun-inscription is a long text on Persian history, in which the Persian king Darius I commemorates his military victories.
Achaemenid Royal Inscriptions l reveal how the Persian rulers wished to be remembered by posterity.
Persian Warrior pictures provides information and illustrations of the armies of the Persian Achaemenid Empire. As does the Achaemenid Army and the Achaemenid Imperial Army. Readers can also learn about learn about the Immortals a Greek name for an elite regiment in the ancient Achaemenid empire. More specific information on the arms and armor of the Persian forces can be found at Achaemenid Military Equipments.
Greeks and Scythians discusses the role of Scythians in the Greek world
Livius.org provides a concise but detailed overview of the Peloponnesian War
Philip II king of Macedonia (360-336) was responsible for the modernization of his kingdom and its expansion into Greece,as well as being the father of Alexander the Great. Also useful is the Philip II of Macedonia Biography.
The Alexander the Great, Project by John J.Popovic offers a highly detailed portrait of this most remarkable individual. Further information can also be found at Alexander the Great’s Home on the Web, and Alexander the Great, the latter quite conviently organized for research.
The army of Alexander the Great provides considerable detail about the organization of the Macedonian forces.
Macedonian Unit Organisations: Part 1 discusses the organization of Macedonian infantry forces.
Macedonian Unit Organisations: Part 2 discusses the organization of Macedonian cavalry forces.
Alexander’s Elephants Learn how Alexander came to acquire his war elephants, and what became of them under his Successors.
Arrian 4.4.6-7 and Macedonian combined-arms tactics against the Skythians uses Arrian’s account to discuss how Alexander the Great defeated the Skythians.
Infantry of the Successors discusses the evolution of Hellenistic Infantry in the period following the death of Alexander the Great.
Tarantine cavalry provides a detailed account of both the tactics and equipment of this type of Hellenistic cavalry.
Alexander’s successors: the Diadochi is a useful introduction to the first generation of military and political leaders after the death of the Macedonian king and conqueror Alexander the Great in 323.
Dynasties offers readers succinctly annotated geneologies for the Macedonian, Ptolemaic, Seleucid and Attalid royal houses.
Hellenistic Armies is the term applied to the armies of the successor kingdoms which emerged after the death of Alexander the Great.
The House of Ptolemy is an excellent aid for the study of the Ptolemaic (Macedonian-based Greek), Roman Imperial (Greco-Roman), and Byzantine rulers of Egypt based in Alexandria. The Hellenistic World Outside of the Ptolemaic Realms provides an overview of areas beyond the boundaries of Ptolemaic Egypt.
The Graeco-Roman Period: The Hellenists offers concise but detailed biographies of the Ptolemaic rulers of Egypt, while Ptolemaic Dynasty Affiliates provides access to genealogical diagrams for all families affiliated with the House of Ptolemy.
To learn even more about the Greek presence in Egypt visit Hellenic Alexandria.
The Seleukid Empire provides an online sourcebook for the history, numismatics, epigraphy, art and archaeology of the Seleukid empire.
The Seleucid dynasty and the Seleucid Empire (306 – c.150 BCE) provide information about the History, Numismatics, Epigraphy, Art and Archaeology of the Greek dynasty that arose from the ashes of Alexander’s Empire to rule over much of the Near East. As does The Seleukid Empire: An Online Sourcebook for the History, Numismatics, Epigraphy, Art and Archaeology of the Seleukid Empire.
The Greco-Bactrians were a dynasty of Greek kings who controlled Bactria and Sogdiana, an area comprising today’s northern Afghanistan and parts of Central Asia.
