Greece is a land by the sea. Mountains cover 80 percent of it. Only small rivers run through the rocky land. Farming is not easy there. The sea is on three sides of the mainland. Many islands, like Crete, belong to Greece.

In Athens, a big temple stands on a hill. The hill is the Acropolis. The temple is the Parthenon. It was built between 447 and 432 BCE. It is for the goddess Athena. Its marble changes from white to gold in the light.

People in Athens met in the agora. It was a big open place. Socrates walked there and asked people questions. This way of asking is called the Socratic method. Athens had the first known democracy in the world. Men who were citizens, aged 18 or over, could vote. Women, foreigners and enslaved people could not.

The Olympic Games were held at Olympia. Olympia is in Greece. They were held every four years. The first game was a footrace. A winner got a crown of olive leaves. The people who took part wore no clothes. A wreath is a ring of leaves.

Greek theatre began in Athens. Plays were put on at festivals. A festival is a big party that comes at a set time. One festival was in March or April. Its name was the Great Dionysia. Plays are stories that people act out. In the plays, the actors wore masks.

The Greeks told stories about gods and heroes. These stories are called myths. Hercules was a hero of the myths. Midas was a greedy king. A poet named Homer made two long poems. They are the Iliad and the Odyssey. The Odyssey tells of Odysseus and his long journey home.

Words to know

• agora: open meeting place
• democracy: rule by citizens
• marble: smooth stone
• myths: old stories
• citizens: full members