Ancient Greece is the birthplace of Western philosophy (Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle), literature (Homer and Hesiod), mathematics (Pythagoras and Euclid), history (Herodotus), drama (Sophocles, Euripides, and Aristophanes), the Olympic Games, and democracy., The term Ancient, or Archaic, Greece refers to the years 700-480 B.C. The period is known for its art, architecture and philosophy. Ancient Greece saw advances in art, poetry and, Discover the history and civilization of Ancient Greece - where it was located, when it started and ended, and what it achieved. Timeline and map included., Ancient Greece is the period in Greek history that lasted for around one thousand years and ended with the rise of Christianity. It is considered by most historians to be the foundational culture of Western civilization., The ancient Greeks lived in many lands around the Mediterranean Sea, from Turkey to the south of France. They had close contacts with other peoples such as the Egyptians, Syrians and Persians.The Greeks lived in separate city-states, but shared the same language and religious beliefs., .