The Shortest History of Greece. From Myths to Contemporary Realities

Philosophy, art, democracy, language, and even computers — many of our achievements trace their origins to Greek civilization. As is known, both the empire of Alexander the Great and the Roman Empire were essentially Greek. During the Renaissance and the Enlightenment, figures sought inspiration from the Greeks. Following a clear chronology, James Henidj briefly and broadly outlines the history of Greece. The first part of the book is dedicated to the period from ancient times until 1453 — a time the author calls 'the rule of half the world.' In 1453, Greece lost its independence and became part of the Ottoman Empire, so the second part covers a span of almost four hundred years, which the author refers to as 'the longest sleep' of the nation. The year 1830, the year of full awakening from this 'sleep,' became the date of the proclamation and final recognition of the independence of the kingdom of Greece. The third part describes the history of modern Greece up to 1949 (the reign of Otto, George I, the revolution and civil war in Russia, the First and Second World Wars, and the civil war in Greece). The fourth part covers events from 1949 to 2020. The result is a concise and informative chronicle of the historical path of the Greeks spanning more than three thousand years.