IntroductiIntroduction to on to GreekGreek

LiteratureLiterature

The Four The Four Historical Historical

Periods of Periods of Greek Greek

LiteratureLiterature

These four These four periods coincide periods coincide with political with political fortunes of the fortunes of the Greek people.Greek people.

1.1. Classical Classical PeriodPeriod

900- 323 BC900- 323 BCsaw the birth of saw the birth of original worksoriginal works

main literary main literary types were types were developed to developed to express the needs express the needs and ideals of the and ideals of the communities of communities of which the writer which the writer was a memberwas a member

2.2. Hellenistic Hellenistic PeriodPeriod

323- 146 BC323- 146 BCa more a more cosmopolitan cosmopolitan periodperiod

literature was literature was developed and developed and written for the written for the entertainment or entertainment or scientific scientific instructioninstruction

3.3. Greco-Roman Greco-Roman PeriodPeriod

146 BC- 395 AD146 BC- 395 ADRome conquered Rome conquered Greece, and Greece, and ruled it for 600 ruled it for 600 yearsyears

writers turned writers turned to historical to historical past to create past to create a stylistic a stylistic renaissance of renaissance of lettersletters

pagan pagan literature literature gave way to gave way to Christian Christian literatureliterature

3.3. Byzantine Byzantine PeriodPeriod

395- 1453 AD395- 1453 ADConstantine I Constantine I rebuilt Byzantism rebuilt Byzantism and called it and called it ConstantinopleConstantinople

as the capital as the capital of the Byzantine of the Byzantine Empire, it Empire, it became the became the largest city in largest city in the Christian the Christian worldworld

as the center of as the center of Orthodox Orthodox Christianity, Christianity, religious poetry religious poetry became the became the prominent prominent literatureliterature