Archaic period of Greece

In 720 BC first Greek colonies established on the Island now known as Sicily. During the early period of Archaic, most city-states still had a hereditary king (basileus). Over time, however, the new organization of the city-states led to conflict between the king and the aristocracy. 

The aristocracy grew powerful in this period as they gradually bought up the already limited farmland, and typically brought in slaves to work the land. This resulted in the impoverishment of many of the former small farmers, but created a wealthy, elite class that came to dominate the city-states. The result was oligarchy, a system of government ruled by a small group of elites.

Ancient Greek civilization began with the rise of the city-states in Greece in about 800B.C. Of the 150 city-states of ancient Greece, Athens and Sparta were the strongest and most well-known though the two city-states were very different in culture and lifestyle.

The Greek world emerged from its temporary isolation and began to experience such great changes that a new era is defined as beginning around 750 BCE.

At this time new developments were including reintroduction of writing, increased trade, and emergence of poleis. The poleis – the city-state – emerged in Greece as a community of citizens, as a political, geographical, religious, and judicial unit, with an assembly, council, elected magistrates and written laws.

During the Archaic period, increased contact with the east brought the Greeks new ideas regarding pottery, sculpture, architecture, mythology, religion, and the use of iron and bronze. Most important of all was the reintroduction of writing, this time using an alphabet derived from Phoenician examples.
Archaic period of Greece

Ancient Europe

During lower Palaeolithic Age: 1.7 million BC - 200,000 BC, the peopling of Europe occurs, apparently in waves by separate hominid species; first Homo ergaster, around 1.7 million BC; then Homo heidelbergensis.

The earliest modern human found in Europe to date is 36,300 BC. The urge migratory herds in the tundra regions of southern Europe provide an abundant food supply that can be exploited with a relatively simple social organisation.

Sheep, goats, cattle and pigs are introduced to the region, followed by cereals by the end of the sixth millennium.

Post-glacial conditions, circa 10,00 - 6,000 BC reintroduced heavily forested landscape to middle and northern Europe largely replacing the grassland, steep and tundra and their big, herd herbivores with thick forest vegetation and the mainly small or scattered game associated with these environments.

Gathering, hunting and fishing continued as vigorously as ever both beyond the territories of the peasant settlers and indeed as a significant subcultural activity within the agricultural communities.

At the end of iron age, the peoples of northern Europe were increasingly connected to those of the Mediterranean world, who began to record there knowledge and impressions of the barbarians with whom they are trading and fighting. The Celts, Gauls and Germans did not use writing - their history was oral.

Since the beginning of the Christian era introduction to Europe had introduced rice, sorghum, sugarcane, cotton and several citrus fruits; amongst animals, the water buffalo and the silkworm had found an economic niche in southern Europe.
Ancient Europe

Earliest human settlement in Greece

Mediterranean seafaring began even earlier, as far back as the Pleistocene, when early humans or pre-humans, perhaps Neanderthals, took to the sea and found good hunting on nearby islands.

Since animals unused to humans were easy pickings, these ventures soon died out for lack of game.

The earliest evidence of human settlement in Greece is to be found at Nea Nikomedhia, near Veria. Here traces of large, rectangular houses dated to around 6000 BC have been excavated.

It seems that people originally came to these eastern Mediterranean territory in fits and starts predominantly from Anatolia.

The 18th century BC saw Greek city-states develop from Sicily to Anatolia. The Polis, or city state first developed in places such as Smyrna on the west coast of Asia Minor.

The situation of the cities, surrounded by non-Greeks, meant that they had walled, defendable settlements.
Earliest human settlement in Greece

Early history of Ireland

Ireland was known to the Greeks at very early Age, and before they were acquainted with Great Britain; it has been concluded that they obtained their first knowledge of it from an intelligent race called Phoenicians.

Ireland first peopled Phoenicians who came from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea about 1500 before Christian era and brought with them a knowledge of the arts, sciences and literature and extant among the enlightened inhabitants of Egypt and Etruria.

Later it was occupied by Celt which derived from the same Celtic stock which supplied Gaul, Britain and Spain with their original population.

Between the 4th and 7th century AD, Ireland underwent a series of large–scale changes which saw the emergence of new ruling dynasties, as the earlier peoples were pushed on to the background, and the penetration of Christianity into the country.

Ireland was the only nation that received Christianity without shedding blood, which they did in the year 432 AD from the lips of St. Patrick, who was a Gaulish captive, brought into Ireland, with many others as trophies of warm by their conquering legions.
Early history of Ireland