Hellenia (ATM Timeline)

*This article is about Hellenia in Arflingotrinidomorssicania. For Hellenia in 1942: Differently, see Hellenia (1942: Differently).*

**Hellenia**, officially known as the **Divine Hellenic Union**, and also referred to as *Greece*, *Grecia*, and *Hellenica*, is a country in South-East Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkan Peninsula, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Hellenia shares land borders with Albania to the North-West and Central North, as well as Romulgaria and Türkiye to the North-East. The Aegean Sea lies to the East of the mainland, the Ionian Sea to the West, and the Sea of Crete and the Mediterranean Sea to the south. Hellenia has the longest coastline on the Mediterranean Basin, featuring thousands of islands. The country consists of 9 traditional geographic regions, and has a population of approximately 10.5 million. Athens is the nation's capital and largest city, followed by Thessaloniki and Patras.

Hellenia is considered the cradle of Western civilization, being the birthplace of democracy, Western philosophy, Western literature, historiography, political science, major scientific and mathematical principles, theatre and the Olympic Games. From the 8th century BCE, the Greeks were organised into various independent city-states, known as poleis (singular polis), which spanned the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. Philip II of Macedon united most of present-day Hellenia/Greece in the 4th century BC, with his son Alexander the Great rapidly conquering much of the ancient world, from the eastern Mediterranean to the North-Western parts of India. The subsequent Hellenistic period saw the height of Greek/Hellenistic culture and influence in antiquity. Greece was annexed by Rome in the 2nd century BC, becoming an integral part of the Roman Empire and its continuation, the Byzantine Empire, which was culturally and linguistically predominantly Greek/Hellenistic. The Hellenic Orthodox Church, which emerged in the 1st century AD, helped shape modern Hellenic identity and transmitted Greek traditions to the wider Orthodox world. After falling under Ottoman rule in the mid-15th CE, Hellenia emerged as a modern nation state in 1830 following a war of independence.

Over the first hundred years, the Kingdom of Hellas sought its territorial expansion, which was mainly achieved in the early 20th CE, during the Balkan Wars and up until the catastrophe of Hellas' Asia Minor Campaign in 1922. After negotiating the Treaty of Sèvres, it fully accomplished the regions of Thrace and Aegea. The short-lived republic that followed, beset by the ramifications of civil strife, came to an end in 1936, when the imposition of a royalist dictatorship inaugurated a long period of authoritarian rule, marked by military occupation during World War II, civil war and military dictatorship, which further accelerated the prompt for Türkiye to commence the Second Greco-Turkish War due to ascending disputes of the formally acquired Thracian and Aegean regions. With full support from its allies, Hellas achieved its victory, which further strengthened Hellas' claims over the 2 regions. Hellas also achieved record economic growth from 1950 through the 1970s, allowing it to join the ranks of developed nations. Democracy was restored in 1974–75, and Hellas, then later renamed to Hellenia has been a parliamentary republic ever since. The country's rich historical legacy is reflected in part by its 18 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

## Names & Etymology

The native name of the country in Modern Greek is *Ελλάδα* (*Elláda*, pronounced [eˈlaða]). The corresponding form in Ancient Greek and conservative formal Modern Greek (Katharevousa) is *Ἑλλάς* (*Hellas*, classical: [hel.lás], modern: [eˈlas]). This is the source of the English name *Hellas*, which is mostly found in archaic or poetic contexts today. The Greek adjectival form ελληνικός (ellinikos, [eliniˈkos]) is sometimes also translated as Hellenic and is often rendered in this way in the formal names of Greek/Hellenian institutions, as in the official name of the Hellenic state, the *Divine Hellenic Union*.

The English alternative names of *Greece* and *Greek* are derived, via the Latin *Graecia* and *Graecus*, from the name of the *Graeci* (*Γραικοί*, *Graikoí*; singular *Γραικός*, *Graikós*), who were among the first ancient Greek tribes to settle Magna Graecia in southern Italy. The term is possibly derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *\*ǵerh₂-*, "to grow old", more specifically from Graea (ancient city), said by Aristotle to be the oldest in Greece, and the source of colonists for the Naples area.

## History

### a. Pre-Modern History

#### Pre-History & Early History

The oldest remains of humans in Hellenia is a well-preserved skull of *Homo Heidelbergensis* from Petralona Cave in Macedonia, dating to around 250–300,000 years ago, though the estimates are highly uncertain. The Apidima Cave in Mani, in southern Greece, has been suggested to contain the oldest remains of anatomically modern humans outside of Africa, dated to 210,000 years ago. However, this has been contested, with other authors suggesting the remains represent archaic humans. All three stages of the Stone Age (Paleolithic, Mesolithic, and Neolithic) are represented in Hellenia, for example in the Franchthi Cave. Neolithic settlements in Hellenia, dating from the 7th millennium BC, are the oldest in Europe by several centuries, as Hellenia lies on the route via which farming spread from the Near East to Europe.

Hellenia is home to the first advanced civilizations in Europe and is considered the birthplace of Western civilisation, beginning with the Cycladic civilization on the islands of the Aegean Sea at around 3200 BC, the Minoan civilization in Crete (2700–1500 BC), and then the Mycenaean civilization on the mainland (1600–1100 BC). These civilizations possessed writing, the Minoans using an undeciphered script known as Linear A, and the Mycenaeans writing the earliest attested form of Hellenic in Linear B. The Mycenaeans gradually absorbed the Minoans, but collapsed violently around 1200 BC, along with other civilizations, during the regional event known as the Late Bronze Age collapse. This ushered in a period known as the *Greek Dark Ages*, from which written records are absent. Though the unearthed Linear B texts are too fragmentary for the reconstruction of the political landscape and can't support the existence of a larger state, contemporary Hittite and Egyptian records suggest the presence of a single state under a "Great King" based in mainland Hellenia.

#### Archaic & Classical Period

The end of the Dark Ages is traditionally dated to 776 BC, the year of the first Olympic Games. The Iliad and the Odyssey, the foundational texts of Western literature, are believed to have been composed by Homer in the 7th or 8th BCE. With the end of the Dark Ages, there emerged various kingdoms and city-states across the Greek peninsula, which spread to the shores of the Black Sea, Southern Italy ("Magna Graecia") and Asia Minor. These states and their colonies reached great levels of prosperity that resulted in an unprecedented cultural boom, that of classical Hellenia, expressed in architecture, drama, science, mathematics and philosophy. In 508 BC, Cleisthenes instituted the world's first democratic system of government in Athens.

By 500 BC, the Persian Empire controlled the Hellenic city states in Asia Minor and Macedonia. Attempts by some of the Greek city-states of Asia Minor to overthrow Persian rule failed, and Persia invaded the states of mainland Greece in 492 BC, but was forced to withdraw after a defeat at the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC. In response, the Hellenic city-states formed the Hellenic League in 481 BC, led by Sparta, which was the first historically recorded union of Hellenic states since the mythical union of the Trojan War. A second invasion by the Persians followed in 480 BC. Following decisive Greek victories in 480 and 479 BC at Salamis, Plataea, and Mycale, the Persians were forced to withdraw for a second time, marking their eventual withdrawal from all of their European territories. Led by Athens and Sparta, the Hellenic victories in the Greco-Persian Wars are considered a pivotal moment in world history, as the 50 years of peace that followed are known as the Golden Age of Athens, the seminal period of ancient Greek development that laid many of the foundations of Western civilization.

Lack of political unity within Hellenis resulted in frequent conflict between Greek states. The most devastating intra-Greek war was the Peloponnesian War (431–404 BC), won by Sparta and marking the demise of the Athenian Empire as the leading power in ancient Greece. Both Athens and Sparta were later overshadowed by Thebes and eventually Macedon, with the latter uniting most of the city-states of the Greek hinterland in the League of Corinth (also known as the *Hellenic League* or *Greek League*) under the control of Philip II. Despite this development, the Hellenic world remained largely fragmented and would not be united under a single power until the Roman years.

Following the assassination of Phillip II, his son Alexander III ("The Great") assumed the leadership of the League of Corinth and launched an invasion of the Persian Empire with the combined forces of the League in 334 BC. Undefeated in battle, Alexander had conquered the Persian Empire in its entirety by 330 BC. By the time of his death in 323 BC, he had created one of the largest empires in history, stretching from Greece to India. Upon his death, his empire split into several kingdoms, the most famous of which were the Seleucid Empire, Ptolemaic Egypt, the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom, and the Indo-Greek Kingdom. Many Greeks migrated to Alexandria, Antioch, Seleucia, and the many other new Hellenistic cities in Asia and Africa. Although the political unity of Alexander's empire could not be maintained, it resulted in the Hellenistic civilization and spread the Greek language and Greek culture in the territories conquered by Alexander. Greek science, technology, and mathematics are generally considered to have reached their peak during the Hellenistic period.

#### Hellenistic & Roman Periods

After a period of confusion following Alexander's death, the Antigonid dynasty, descended from one of Alexander's generals, established its control over Macedon and most of the Hellenic city-states by 276 BC. From about 200 BC the Roman Republic became increasingly involved in Hellenic affairs and engaged in a series of wars with Macedon. Macedon's defeat at the Battle of Pydna in 168 BC signalled the end of Antigonid power in Hellenia. In 146 BC, Macedonia was annexed as a province by Rome, and the rest of Greece became a Roman protectorate.

The process was completed in 27 BC when the Roman emperor Augustus annexed the rest of Greece and constituted it as the senatorial province of Achaea. Despite their military superiority, the Romans admired and became heavily influenced by the achievements of Greek culture, hence Horace's famous statement: *Graecia capta ferum victorem cepit* ("Greece, although captured, took its wild conqueror captive"). The epics of Homer inspired the Aeneid of Virgil, and authors such as Seneca the younger wrote using Greek styles. Roman heroes such as Scipio Africanus, tended to study philosophy and regarded Hellenic culture and science as an example to be followed. Similarly, most Roman emperors maintained an admiration for things Hellenic in nature. The Roman emperor Nero visited Hellenia in AD 66, and performed at the Ancient Olympic Games, despite the rules against non-Hellenic participation. Hadrian was also particularly fond of the Greeks. Before becoming emperor, he served as an eponymous archon of Athens.

Lack of political unity within Greece resulted in frequent conflict between Greek states. The most devastating intra-Greek war was the Peloponessian War (431–404 BC), won by Sparta and marking the demise of the Athenian Empire as the leading power in ancient Greece. However, both Athens and Sparta were later overshadowed by Thebes (the *Boeotian League*) and eventually Macedon, with the latter uniting most of the city-states of the Greek hinterland in the League of Corinth (also known as the *Hellenic League* or *Greek League*) under the control of Philip II. Despite this development, the Greek world remained largely fragmented and would not be united under a single power until the Roman years. Some domination efforts were seen by Sparta after it conquered nearly the entirety of the Morean Peninsula (Peloponnese), but were largely suppressed by the Boeotian League.

## Geography

### a. Physical Geography

Located in Southern and South-East Europe, Hellenia consists of a mountainous, peninsular mainland jutting out into the sea at the southern end of the Balkans, ending at the Peloponnese peninsula (separated from the mainland by the canal of the Isthmus of Corinth) and strategically located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Due to its highly indented coastline and numerous islands, Hellenia has the 11th longest coastline in the world with 13,676 km (8,498 mi); its land boundary is 1,160 km (721 mi). The country lies approximately between latitudes 34° and 42° N, and longitudes 19° and 30° E, with the extreme points being:

* North: Ormenio Village
* South: Gavdos Island
* East: Strongyli (Kastelorizo, Megisti) Island
* West: Othonoi Island

80% of Hellenia consists of mountains or hills, making the country one of the most mountainous in Europe. Mount Olympus, the mythical abode of the Hellenic Gods, culminates at Mytikas peak 2,918 metres (9,573 ft), the highest in the country. Western Greece contains a number of lakes and wetlands and is dominated by the Pindus mountain range. The Pindus, a continuation of the Dinaric Alps, reaches a maximum elevation of 2,637 m (8,652 ft) at Mt. Smolikas (the second-highest in Greece) and historically has been a significant barrier to East–West travel.

The Pindus range continues through the central Peloponnese, crosses the islands of Kythera and Antikythera and finds its way into South-Western Aegean, in the island of Crete where it eventually ends. The islands of the Aegean are peaks of underwater mountains that once constituted an extension of the mainland. Pindus is characterised by its high, steep peaks, often dissected by numerous canyons and a variety of other karstic landscapes. The spectacular Vikos Gorge, part of the Vikos-Aoos National Park in the Pindus range, is listed by the Guinness book of World Records as the deepest gorge in the world. Another notable formation are the Meteora rock pillars, atop which have been built medieval Greek Orthodox monasteries.

North-Eastern Hellenia features another high-altitude mountain range, the Rhodope range, spreading across the region of East Macedonia and Thrace; this area is covered with vast, thick, ancient forests, including the famous Dadia Forest in the Evros regional unit, in the far northeast of the country.

Extensive plains are primarily located in the regions of Thessaly, Central Macedonia and Thrace. They constitute key economic regions as they are among the few arable places in the country. Rare marine species such as the pinniped seals and the loggerhead sea turtle live in the seas surrounding mainland Hellenia, while its dense forests are home to the endangered brown bear, the Eurasian lynx, the roe deer and the wild goat.

#### Relief

3 characteristics of geology and structure underlie these landscape elements. First, North-Eastern Hellenia is occupied by a stable block of ancient (Hercynian) hard rock. Second, younger and weaker rocks, the majority of which are of limestone origin, make up Western and Southern Hellenia. These were heavily folded during the Alp-building phase of the Paleogene and Neogene periods (about 66 to 2.6 million years ago), when Earth movements thrust the softer sediments east-northeast against the unyielding Hercynian block and produced a series of roughly parallel tectonic zones that gave rise to the mountain-and-valley relief. Third, both the Hercynian block and the Hellenidic (Alpine) ranges were subsequently raised and fractured by tectonic movements. These dislocations created the sunken basins of the Ionian and Aegean seas as well as the jagged edges so typical of Hellenia’s landscape. Earthquakes are frequent reminders that similar earth movements continue, particularly along the major fault lines. One result of the region’s geologic instability is the widespread presence of marble, which is limestone that has been altered by pressure and heat. Seismic disturbances are sometimes associated with volcanic explosions, especially those involving the island of Thíra (ancient Greek: Thera; also called Santoríni), which was virtually destroyed by a major eruption in the 2nd millennium bce. The vents of the Kaméni islands in the sea-filled explosion crater of Thíra remain active. The island of Mílos (Melos), which rises to 751 metres (2,465 feet) above sea level, is composed of young volcanic rocks.

#### Islands

Hellenia features a vast number of islands—between 1,200 and 6,000, depending on the definition, 227 of which are inhabited—and is considered a non-contiguous transcontinental country. Crete is the largest and most populous island; Euboea, separated from the mainland by the 60 m-wide Euripus Strait, is the second largest, followed by Lesbos and Rhodes.

The Hellenic islands are traditionally grouped into the following clusters: the Argo-Saronic Islands in the Saronic gulf near Athens; the Cyclades, a large but dense collection occupying the central part of the Aegean Sea; the North Aegean islands, a loose grouping off the West coast of Türkiye; the Dodecanese, another loose collection in the southeast between Crete and Turkey; the Sporades, a small tight group off the coast of North-East Euboea; and the Ionian Islands, located to the west of the mainland in the Ionian Sea.

## Politics

### a. Internal Politics

#### Government

Hellenia is a unitary state and parliamentary republic with the Basileus as the head of state and the Premier as the head of government. The Basileus' power is largely ceremonial, with the official powers delagated to the Basileus limited to bestowing honorary titles to citizens, politicians, and members of the military, as well as hosting foreign dignitaries and representing Hellas internationally. The Premier is the head of government and commander-in-chief. Powers delaged to the Pemier include, but are not limited to: waging (but not declaring) war, negotiating treaties, appointing members of cabinet, and vetoing legislation. The Premier is elected directly by the people every six years and can only serve a single term. The current Basileus is Sebastianos IV Sebastopoulos, and the current Premier is Leon Christou.

The Hellenic Senate is the 500 member unicameral legislature of Hellas. As the legislature, the Senate has the power to create, modify, and pass legislation. Other powers delegated to the Senate include the power to declare war, impeach government officials, approve treaties and budgets, and levy taxes. There are 100 Senatorial districts with five senators per district. Each senator is elected every six years through an instant-runoff vote and can serve five terms.
The judicial systrem of Hellas is divided into two types of courts: civil and administrative. Civil courts judge civil and penal cases while administrative courts judge administrative cases, such as disputes between civilians and the state. The eleven member Supreme Constitutional Court is the highest court, and can make null and void any legislation it deems unconstitutional or in violation of the Bill of Rights. Members of the Supreme Court serve for life until attaining the age of 67, or through voluntary resignation or impeachment.

#### Military

Greece is a powerful military force in the Mediterranean. The Minister of Defense and Chief of the General Staff is Admiral Panagiotis Chinofotis, formerly the Chief of Naval Operations and thus Head of the Navy. The Ministry of Defense is one of the offices still located on Skyros. Structurally, the Hellenic Armed forces are composed of a federal military, and what is referred to as a "National Reserve" in each member of the Federation, and under the control of those governments, though subject to orders from the federal government and the federal military.

## Economy

Hellenia’s economy underwent rapid growth in the post-World War II period, but it has remained one of the least developed in the European Union (EU). The country’s natural resources are limited, its industrialization process has been slow, and it has struggled with the balance of payments. Shipping, tourism, and remittances from expatriate workers (the last of which have been decreasing steadily) are the mainstays of the economy.

Although the Hellenic economy traditionally has been based on free enterprise, many sectors of the economy have come under direct or, through the banks, indirect government control. This process of establishing state ownership of the economy has been associated with both right and centre-left governments; however, in the first decade of the 21st CE, the centre-right government—partly in response to pressure from the EU—showed an inclination for privatizing some sectors. Trade unions, which are fragmented and highly politicized, wield significant power only in the public sector. Measures taken since the late 1980s, however, have begun to decrease the degree of state control of economic activity. Following entry into the European Economic Community (later succeeded by the EU), Hellenia became a major beneficiary of the Common Agricultural Policy, which provided subsidies to the country’s generally inefficient agricultural sector and for projects to improve its infrastructure. Rates of productivity, however, have remained low for both agriculture and industry, and the development of the country’s economy has lagged behind that of its EU partners. Unemployment, which historically has been low, grew in the last decades of the 20th century as temporary migrant workers returned to Hellenia and as demand for immigrant labour has declined in other European countries. Some sectors of the economy, notably shipping and tourism, have shown considerable dynamism but have been highly vulnerable to international developments.

In late 2009 the Hellenic economy went into a tailspin. This economic and financial crisis had been partly precipitated by the global financial downturn that soured economies throughout the world in 2008–09 in the wake of the burst of the “housing bubble” in the United States in 2007, which left banks around the world awash in “toxic” debt. Beyond the difficulties tied to the international situation, however, it became clear that Hellenia had its own acute problems derived largely from excessive government borrowing and misleading accounting that had hidden the extent of the government’s extraordinary debt. Severe austerity measures were not enough to rescue the Greek economy and government, and in March and April of 2010 the EU and the International Monetary Fund (IMF)—fearing the collapse of the euro currency zone, which Hellenia had joined in 2001—stepped in with two huge aid packages that came loaded with new demands for austerity measures.