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mastichas09

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I am trying to learn more about the history of the Orthodox Church in Greece. I know that there are some Bible passages that mention the Apostle Paul being in Greece, but I am not clear on the actual history.

For example, Ephesians was written about "Ephesus", which was part of Greece at that time. But, when I read the Bible I like to have more of an historical context. I am sure this information exists, I am just not sure where.
 
I am trying to learn more about the history of the Orthodox Church in Greece. I know that there are some Bible passages that mention the Apostle Paul being in Greece, but I am not clear on the actual history.

For example, Ephesians was written about "Ephesus", which was part of Greece at that time. But, when I read the Bible I like to have more of an historical context. I am sure this information exists, I am just not sure where.
The Orthodox Study Bible, the one with the OT and NT, has a good synopsis of the history of each of the gospels and the epistles. It is available from Amazon. There is a cheaper on line version. I didn't see it on Amazon but you can check. I find navigating within the on line version difficult.
 
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I agree about the Orthodox Study Bible. Koine Greek was the main language of the New Testament, so Greece was important. Off the top of my head, Ephesians was written in "Greece" (it's in Turkey now, but at the time it was part of Greece), I and II Corinthians (written in Corinth), and the book of Revelations was written in a place called the Cave of the Apocalypse in Patmos, Greece. There could be more, but I am not sure.
 
The Orthodox Study Bible, the one with the OT and NT, has a good synopsis of the history of each of the gospels and the epistles. It is available from Amazon. There is a cheaper on line version. I didn't see it on Amazon but you can check. I find navigating within the on line version difficult.
All of you, Above Writers, do well in pointing out that, for example, Letters in the NT were addressed to newly formed Xian communities/churches [Ephesus, Corinth, etc.], but unfortunately did not refer to sources about the other half of the organized religion, namely the liturgy -- e.g., the Eucharistic Service which was also copied and developed in Rome as the Mass. Some Greek phrases-- were left untranslated and are still used in the Latin liturgy. [This new Pope --a communist and a heretic -- is about to eliminate the use of Latin....] Some church music -- antiphonal -- was fruitfully brought to Italy in the 4th century.
 
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Hmmm... does anyone know of a book I can read besides the study Bible that could give some information? There really isn't much online! Thank you to those who have chimed in so far!
 

Period of Greek History You Find the Most Fascinating?

One of the things I love most about visiting Greece is how layered the history feels. You can be standing in one place and realize people have been living there for thousands of years across completely different eras.

So far, I’ve been especially drawn to Minoan history, places like Knossos really stayed with me, and also sites connected to the New Testament. Visiting locations tied to early Christianity adds a whole different dimension to travel for me.

Lately I’ve been thinking about planning future trips around specific historical periods, but Greece has so many that it’s hard to know where to focus next. Ancient classical sites, Byzantine monasteries, Ottoman-era towns, Venetian fortresses, it’s almost overwhelming in a good way.

I’d love to hear what periods of Greek history you personally find most fascinating, and why. Are there particular places that really brought that era to life for you? I’m looking for inspiration for future exploring.

Most forgotten period of Greek history?

I was in Crete once eating at a restaurant and there was a pile of artifacts heaped - broken pottery shards, etc. The restaurant told us that they were going to throw them out. I said, but they are artifacts, why?! They said that no one cares about that time period the artifacts came from - something about an Arabic occupation.

I thought it was interesting and it stayed with me nearly two decades later. This is clearly a forgotten period of Greek history. Does this happen a lot in Greece? Got me thinking about Greek history and what else may be forgotten... Would love your thoughts.

Fall of the City States (Polis)

I’ve been reading more about ancient Greek history lately, and something struck me — we always hear about the rise of the polis and how important city-states like Athens and Sparta were, but I don’t see as much discussion about how that system actually declined.

What led to the fall of the polis as the dominant structure in Greek life? Was it mainly due to constant warfare like the Peloponnesian War, or did larger powers like Macedon gradually make the independent city-state model obsolete?

I’m especially curious about whether this was a sudden shift or more of a slow transition over time. Did people living through it even realize the polis era was ending?

I’d love to gather more insight on this. Greek history is a big interest of mine, and this feels like an important piece I haven’t fully understood yet.

Learning About Ancient Corinth

I’m hoping to visit the ruins of Ancient Corinth on a future trip to Greece, and I’d like to learn more about the history before I go. I always find that I appreciate archaeological sites more when I understand what I’m looking at and know some of the stories behind the ruins.

For those who have visited Ancient Corinth, what would you recommend learning about beforehand? Are there particular periods of the city’s history, important events, or historical figures that help put the site into context? I know Corinth had an important location and a long history, but I’d like to understand more about how the city developed and changed over time.

I’d also love recommendations for books, documentaries, podcasts, or other resources that give a good introduction to Ancient Corinth. What helped you understand the site and its history before or after your visit?

How Democratic Was Athenian Democracy?

I’ve been studying the democracy of Athens lately, and I find it fascinating that such an influential system didn’t actually last very long in its original form. It’s often described as the birthplace of democracy, and yet when you look closely, it seems both groundbreaking and limited at the same time.

On the one hand, the idea of citizens participating directly in decision-making was radical. On the other hand, citizenship excluded women, enslaved people, and foreigners, which dramatically narrowed who had a voice. It makes me wonder how “democratic” it really was by its own standards, let alone ours.

I’m also curious how stable it truly felt at the time, given the political upheavals and eventual decline.

For those who’ve studied this period more deeply, how do you interpret Athenian democracy? Do you see it as a bold experiment that laid the groundwork for modern systems, or as something far more fragile and constrained?
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