These are some of the cool facts about ancient Greece which kids will find interesting. Greek food today, with slight variation (such as the addition of the tomato after 1500 AD), is about the same as it has been for over 2000 years.
Ancient Greece Facts
One cool thing about ancient Greece is the nectar. The Latin meaning of ‘nectar’ is ‘drink of the gods’. Nectar is a liquid sugar sauce produced by flowers and is also the source for making honey. Ambrosia was known as a food or drink of the gods.
The first person we know who realized the Earth couldn’t be flat was the Greek philosopher Anaximander. Around 560 B.C., he suggested that the Earth had a cylindrical shape. By 350 B.C., the concept of a spherical Earth was so satisfying and free of paradox that it was generally accepted by scholars even in the absence of direct proof.
Eighteen more centuries would pass before a direct proof, in the form of Ferdinand Magellan’s expedition to circumnavigate the globe, occurred.The yo-yo is the second oldest known toy in the world (only the doll is older) and was born over 3,000 years ago in the days of ancient Greece.
Nature of Sound
In the greek Facts, the nature of sound was one area of physics in which the ancient Greeks made significant progress in understanding. Around 400 B.C., Archytas of Tarentum stated that sound was produced by bodies striking together, with swift motion producing high pitch and slow motion low pitch.
Later, Aristotle included air as a body that produces sound when struck, stating that sound was propagated by one part of the air striking the next until it reached the ear, and also correctly noted that, without a medium such as air or water, a man could not hear the sound.
Olympics
Another cool thing about ancient Greece was the Olympics. The first Olympic games known as the Panhellenic Games were first held in Olympia around 775 BC.
There are different myths about the beginning of the game and one legend says the when Hercules brought a sacred olive tree to Olympia the game started. Another myth says that the Olympic Games took place as part of the religious festival celebrating in honor of Zeus.
Fire
Greek Fire was invented by the Athenians during the Battle of Salamis during the Persian War. King Xerxes watched his fleet literally go up in flames.The first Greek astronomer to suggest the sun was the center of the solar system was Aristarchus of Samos, around 290 B.C.
No one took him seriously, and most of his writings were lost. We know of him today primarily because Archimedes (whose writings do exist) referred to Aristarchus as holding this apparently nonsensical notion.
The turtle was created by Alexander the Great for defense, not offense. The cavalry was really the “clean-up” of every battle, while slaves had to pick up spears for the spear throwers, a tough job.
Pyramids
The ancient Greeks constructed pyramids of porous rocks in desert climates, which were used as water catchers. They could capture and condense surprisingly large quantities of water.
A group of 13 pyramids at Theodosia in the Crimea that was built around 500 B.C. averaged almost 40 feet high and were placed on hills around the city. As the wind moved through the stones, the changing temperatures throughout the day caused moisture to condense, run down, and feed a network of pipes.
