During the Archaic Era, the ancient Greeks established colonies all over the Mediterranean world. These colonies were often established by private individuals, seeking wealth and fortune and access to raw materials (particularly metals). The ancient Greeks were not the only people engaged in this pursuit during this time period. The Phoenician people, of modern-day Lebanon, were prominent traders in the Mediterranean and established many colonies in Spain, North Africa, Sicily, and Sardinia.

The Olympics were held in the city of Olympia, in the Peloponnese, every four years, beginning in 776 BCE. The Olympics were open to all male Greeks, although in practice only those who were wealthy enough to train and travel could participate. Additionally, the Olympics were accompanied by a suspension of war and conflict so that athletes could travel safely to Olympia from all over the Greek world. In this way, the Olympics represent the growing sense of Panhellenism that was emerging in ancient Greek society in the early Archaic Era. There is little evidence, however, to suggest that the Olympics were dominated by the athletes from any one city-state. Indeed, ancient Greek athletes competed for their own individual glory and prestige, not on behalf of some larger political community like athletes do today.

Croton was founded in the late eighth century BCE by settlers from the Peloponnese (a region in southern Greece). Croton was one of the larger and more significant Greek colonies in southern Italy.

The term Magna Graecia is a Roman term meaning “Great Greece.” It refers to the ancient Greek settlements in southern Italy and on the island of Sicily. During the period of time before the rise of the Roman Republic, Greek settlements were dominant in southern Italy. This had a lasting impact on the development of Roman and Italian culture.

Syracuse was founded on the island of Sicily during the early years of the Archaic Era. Syracuse was probably the most powerful Greek colony in Magna Graecia (the Roman name for Greek Italy) for much of the history of the ancient Greeks. Notably, Syracuse was a reliable ally of Sparta and fought against Athens in the Peloponnesian War.

The Phrygian Kingdom was located in Anatolia, and was powerful in the eighth, seventh, and sixth centuries BCE. It’s most famous ruler was Midas, who is still somewhat famous today (everything he touches turns to gold). The Phrygian Kingdom was very famous in Greek society for its extraordinary wealth and reserves of gold.

Beginning during the Greek Dark Ages, and lasting through the Classical Era, ancient Greeks colonized the Mediterranean world in large numbers. They reached as far as Spain and North Africa in the west and Anatolia in the east. The impact of these colonizations would have far reaching consequences, including the spread of Hellenistic culture (accelerated by the conquests of Alexander the Great) across much of the known world.

The Lydian people were a small kingdom that thrived in the Middle East shortly before the rise of the Persian Empire (the Lydians were conquered by the Persians). The Lydians invented metal coinage, which they passed on to other societies in this part of the world, including the ancient Greeks and Romans.

The Etruscans were the pre-eminent power in northern and central Italy before the rise of the Roman Republic in the fifth century BCE. The Etruscans traded extensively with the ancient Greeks and Phoenicians.

The earliest Greek colonial efforts were directed to southern Italy and Sicily, Magna Graecia. According to literary sources, Pithekoussai (Ischia) was the first Greek colony after the Bronze Age. No until the later 6th c. BCE did Greek city-states seriously colonize other regions of the Mediterranean.