Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
14 Things You Didnā€™t Know About Ancient Greece
References & Edit History
Images & Videos
Acropolis: Erechtheum broad beans Antikythera mechanism Two images of the same Ancient Greek Trojan Archer statue: the top shows the original white marble, and the bottom shows a reconstruction with bright polychrome colors. Jacques-Louis David: Cupid and Psyche
A large wooden Trojan horse is labeled with a blue box reading "FICTION" and an arrow pointing to it, illustrating myth versus reality in Homer's Odyssey.
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what youā€™ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites
Acropolis: Erechtheum
Acropolis: Erechtheum Caryatids supporting the porch of the Erechtheum on the Acropolis, Athens.

14 Things You Didnā€™t Know About Ancient Greece

Written by
Estela Morais Westphalen
Estela Morais Westphalen was an Editorial Intern for Encyclopaedia Britannica. Estela graduated from Brown University with a Master's in Public Affairs and a bachelor's degree magna cum laude...
Estela Morais Westphalen
Fact-checked by
Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
Britannica Editors
Last updated
ā€¢History

Think you know ancient Greece? Think again. Behind the iconic temples, fearless warriors, and legendary philosophers are countless stories that rarely make it into history books. As youā€™re about to see, the word ā€œGreeceā€ perhaps shouldnā€™t even be in our title. From bizarre medical tests to a mass phobia of beans, here are 14 surprising facts that reveal just how inventive, eccentric, and fascinating the ancient Greeks really were. We call them Greeks from the...

Discover the world with Britannica

Subscribe to Continue Reading

Free Trial | No Ads | Exclusive Content
Explore Subscriptions
DNA
Right
Mobile