pastportraits

 It is generally accepted that the ancient Greek civilization spanned several centuries, from the conclusion of the Hellenistic period (31 BCE) to the Archaic period (c. 800 BCE). The major eras are roughly broken down as follows: 1. Archaic Period: around 800–480 BCE 2. Classical Period: around 480–323 BCE 3. Hellenistic Era: about 323–31 BCE So, from the eighth to the first centuries BCE, or just over 700 years, the ancient Greek civilization existed. It is noteworthy to acknowledge that these dates are approximations, and there were sometimes abrupt transitions between periods due to geographical variances and overlap.