Ancient Greece was a civilization in southeastern Europe from about 800 BCE to 146 BCE. It was made up of many independent city-states rather than one unified country. These city-states were often located around the Aegean Sea.

Greek culture included theater, philosophy, and athletic events such as the Olympic Games, which began in 776 BCE. Thinkers such as Socrates and Aristotle studied ideas about knowledge and society. Some city-states developed early forms of democracy.

Ancient Greece is studied in history through texts, artifacts, and architecture. These sources show its influence on politics, culture, and learning.