The culture and spirit of Greece had once conquered major parts of modern Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Africa through the empires and colonies built by different Greek city-states notably Athens, Miletus, Ionia, Knossos, Corinth, and the kingdom of Macedon (not to be confused with the recently formed Slavic country in the Balkans). Here are 25 ancient Greek cities that occupied an astonishing 19 countries of the modern world. However, the Greek historian Dionysius of Halicarnassus wrote that Aeneas, the famed Trojan hero, visited Bouthroton after he fled the destruction of Troy, but such facts haven’t been verified yet and Aeneas’s status remains that of a mythological figure. The present archaeological site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The citizens became known throughout the ancient world for their excessive wealth and luxurious lifestyle, and slaves did all the manual work and labor in the city. Sybaris was also known for its diverse cuisine and innovative culinary arts because the local cooks and bakers invented many new dishes and desserts that were ahead of their time. The city would keep its name for almost the next thousand years, until AD 330 when Constantine the Great decided to rename it after himself, Constantinople, and make it the capital of the Byzantine Empire (named after the city’s former name, Byzantion), which was the predominantly Greek-speaking part of the eastern half of the Roman Empire in Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages. Greek culture, religion (the Greek Orthodox Church), and language would remain dominant in Constantinople until its fall to the Ottomans in 1453, finally ending Greek cultural dominance after over two thousand years. It is the only city in the world located on two continents, Europe and Asia. If you enjoyed these ancient greek cities, were confident you are going to love these 25 Incredible Cities Lost In Time.
