of seven months, he was assassinated, and Dari'us was elected sovereign. It was the army of the latter that invaded Greece, and was defeated at Mar'athon. The history of Persia, from this time till the overthrow of the monarchy, is much connected with that of Greece.

6. Darius was succeeded by his son Xerxes I., who made the second great invasion of Greece, and suffered a series of defeats, with immense losses. He left the empire to his son Artaxerx'es I., who had a long and peaceful reign,

7. The other two principal sovereigns were Artaxerx'es II., during whose reign Xen'ophon made the famous retreat with 10,000 Greeks, and Dari'us Codom'anus, the last sovereign of ancient Persia. The latter was defeated by Alexander, and with his death the ancient Persian empire terminated.

B.C.

KINGS OF ANCIENT PERSIA.

[The figures denote the commencement of the reign of each ]

B.C.

525. Xerxes II.

524. Sogdianus.

523. Darius Nothus.

504. Artaxerxes Mnemon.

358. Artaxerxes III. Ochus.

337. Arses.

336. Darius Codomanus.

GREECE.

SECTION I.

Greece-the Country and the People.

1. Greece, the most celebrated country of antiquity, was of very inconsiderable extent, scarcely exceeding in size the half of the state of New York. It was bounded on all sides by the sea, except on the north, where it bordered upon *Macedo'nia and Epi'rus. Its general aspect is rugged, but its climate is highly propitious; and no other country of antiquity was so favorably situated for holding commerce with other ancient nations.

2. This country occupies but a speck on the map of the world, yet it fills a space in the eye of taste and philosophy, incomparably greater than the mightiest empires that have overshadowed the earth. The inhabitants were renowned above all other ancient nations for genius, learning, and attainments in the arts; and they have been the teachers of all succeeding ages. Whatever, therefore, relates to Greece, is rendered peculiarly interesting by numerous associations.

3. Greece comprised numerous small, independent states, which were more commonly designated by the name of their chief city, than by that of the country or province. These states differed from each other in their forms of government, and the character and manners of the people. But, for their mutual defence, they were united in a confederacy by the council of the Amphic'tyons, as well as by a common language and religion, and by various public games, to which, in time of peace, they all resorted.

4. The only form of government in Greece, in the early ages, appears to have been limited monarchy; but, in process of

* Greece, in its most extensive sense, included Macedonia and Epirus, countries anciently inhabited by a people of similar origin, language, and religion, but not recognized by the Greeks as a part of their body, principally on account of their less advanced civilization, and because they retained the rude monarchy of early ages, while Greece was divided into small republics. The Greeks also established colonies in Thrace, Asia Minor, Italy, Sicily, &c., so that they were widely spread over territories beyond the limits of the country which is properly styled Greece.

time, monarchy was abolished, and republican forms were everywhere prevalent.

5. The history of these little republics is calculated to awaken perpetual and powerful interest. They underwent many revolutions, and were frequently engaged in war with each other, as well as with foreign nations; so that their history presents scenes continually new and shifting, and abounding in those strange and sudden reverses which agitate and interest the mind of man.

6. Greece was called by the natives Hellas, and the inhabitants Hel-le'nes; but, by the poets, they were often called Dan'ai, Pelas'gi, Argi'vi, Achi'vi, Acha'i, &c. The original inhabitants, generally considered as the descendants of Javan, the son of Japhet, were extremely barbarous, living in caves and huts, feeding upon acorns and berries, and clothing themselves with the skins of wild beasts.

7. In this state of hopeless barbarism was Greece, when it was visited by a colony of Egyptians under Cecrops, and another of Phoenicians under Cadmus, who have the fame of bringing to the country the first rudiments of civilization

SECTION II.

The History of Greece divided into Periods.

1. The history of Greece may be distinguished into two general divisions:-1st, the period of uncertain history, extending from the earliest accounts of the country to the first war with Persia, in the year B. C. 490; 2d, the period of authentic history, extending from the Persian invasion to the final subjugation of Greece by the Romans, B. C. 146.

2. The first period, according to the most generally received chronology, reckoning from the foundation of Sig'yon, the most ancient kingdom of Greece, comprises the space of about 1600 years. This long succession of ages is involved in obscurity and fable. There are no records relating to it that really deserve the name of history; and the accounts which have been given of its events were drawn up by writers who lived long after the transactions of which they treat, and who possessed few materials for authentic history.

3. This period may be distinguished into four subdivisions, which are marked by some peculiar historical features: the

1st, reaching from the earliest accounts of Greece to the Trojan war, B. C. 1184, a period which may be termed, by way of eminence, the fabulous age: the 2d, extending from the expedition against Troy to the death of Homer, a period generally called the heroic age, of which the only history is contained in the poems of the Il'iad and Od'yssey: the 3d, comprising the space of time from the death of Homer to the death of Lycurgus, a period which has been denominated the era of revolutions, of which scarcely any species of history exists the 4th, reaching from the death of Lycurgus to the first invasion of Greece by the Persians, a period which has been styled the era of traditionary history, possessing a considerable degree of credibility.

4. The second general division, the period of authentic history, extends from the first invasion of Greece by the Persians to its final subjugation by the Romans, a period of 344 years. The history of this portion is luminous and connected beyond that of any other portion of pagan antiquity, having been recorded by writers of the greatest ability, who were contemporary with the events which they relate, and many of whom bore a distinguished part in them.

5. This period also may be divided into four parts, distinguished rather by political than historical characteristics: the 1st, reaching from the Persian invasion, B. C. 490, to the commencement of the Peloponnesian war, a period of 59 years, the era of Grecian unanimity and triumphs: the 2d, extending from the beginning of the Peloponnesian war to the accession of Philip of Macedon, B. C. 360, a period of 71 years, the era of civil wars and intestine commotions among the states of Greece: the 3d, reaching from the accession of Philip to the death of Alexander the Great, B. C. 324, a period of 36 years, distinguished by the entire ascendancy of Greece, or rather of Mac'edon, over Persia: the 4th, extending from the death of Alexander to the final subjugation of Greece by the Romans, B. C. 146, a period of 178 years, the era of degeneracy, turbulence, and ineffectual struggles for independence. During the greater part of this period, the destinies of Greece were directed by foreign influence, and were placed successively under the protection of Macedonia, Egypt and Rome.

SECTION III.

Fabulous Age: Foundation of Cities and Institutions ‹
Argonautic Expedition.

1. The fabulous age comprises the period of the foundation of the principal cities, the commencement of civilization, the introduction of letters and the arts, and the establishment of the most celebrated institutions of the country.

2. Siç'y-on, the most ancient city, is said to have been founded by Ægi'alus; Argos, by In'achus, the last of the Titans ; Ath'ens, by Ce'crops, an eminent legislator, with a colony from Egypt; Thebes, by Cadmus, a Phoenician, who is said to have first introduced letters into Greece; Corinth, by Sisyphus ; Mycena, by Per'seus; and Lacedæ'mon, by Lelex.

3. Some of the memorable events of this period were the deluges of Og'y-ges and Deucalion; the institution of the Olympic, Isthmian, Pyth'ian, and Nemean games; of the laws of Minos in Crete, the court of Areopagus, the Eleusin'ian mysteries, the Oracle of Delphi, and the council of the Amphic'tyons. This period also embraces the marvellous exploits of Hercules, The'seus, and other fabulous heroes.

4. The first great enterprise recorded of the Greeks was the Argonautic expedition, the account of which appears to partake much more of fable than of history. It was commanded by Jason, the son of the king of Iol'chos, accompanied by about fifty of the most illustrious young men of Greece: among these heroes were Her' cules, The' seus, Castor and Pollux, Orpheus, the physician Esculapius, and the astronomer Chi'ron.

5. They sailed from Iol'chos, in Thessaly, to Col'chis, on the eastern shore of the Euxine sea; and they were called Argonauts from their sailing in the ship Argo, which is said to have been the first sea vessel ever built. This famous voyage, which was probably a piratical expedition, is commonly represented to have been undertaken for the purpose of recovering the golden fleece of a ram, which originally belonged to their country. The fleece is pretended to have been guarded by bulls that breathed fire, and by a dragon that never slept.