Greece is a land by the sea. The sea is on three sides of the mainland. Many islands, like Crete, are part of Greece.
Mountains cover most of Greece. Only small rivers run through the rocky land. It is not easy to farm there.
In the city of Athens, a big temple stands on a hill. The hill is called the Acropolis. The temple is the Parthenon, for the goddess Athena.
The Parthenon is made of marble. The marble changes from white to gold in the light.
The Greeks held the Olympic Games every four years. The games were at a place named Olympia.
The first event was a footrace. A winner got a crown of olive leaves.
The Greeks put on plays, too. In the plays, the actors wore masks.
A poet named Homer made two long poems. They are the Iliad and the Odyssey.
The Odyssey tells of the hero Odysseus. It tells of his long trip home.
The Greeks told myths. Myths are stories of gods and heroes. Hercules was one hero. Midas was a greedy king.
Words to know
- marble: smooth stone
- temple: god house
- poet: poem writer
- myths: old stories
- hero: brave person
