Page:General History of Europe 1921.djvu/100

 5 6 General History of Europe where a tribe of Cretans called Philistines founded a nation which proved very dangerous to the Hebrews. Palestine is still called after the Philistines, of which the word "Palestine" is a later form. By 1200 B.C., therefore, the splendid ^Egean towns and their wonderful civilization had been completely destroyed by the incoming Greek barbarians. The jEgean civilization, the earliest that Europe had gained, thus almost disappeared. But many of the ^geans had not fled. Remaining in their old homes, they feebly carried on the old ^Egean industries, and these formed part of the foundation on which the barbarian Greeks were destined to build up the highest civilization of the ancient world. These ^Egeans mingled with their Greek conquerors and produced a mixed race, the people known to us as the Greeks of history. Although some of the -flgeans survived, they lost their language; Greek, the language of the conquerors, became the speech of this mixed race. 81. Origin of Greek Kingship and of the Greek City-State. For a long time the Greek tribes remained a barbarous people continuing to tend their flocks and herds as of yore. But grad- ually each tribe settled down, gave up its nomad life, and began farming, although for hundreds of years their cattle continued to form their chief source of wealth. Villages were built, and the former nomad leaders were succeeded by "kings," who ruled over the tribes. In course of time a group of villages would grow together and merge at last into a city. It is - important to note this, for the city became the only nation which the Greeks ever had. Each city-state was a nation ; each had its own laws, its own army and gods ; and each citizen felt a patriotic duty toward his own city and no other. Overlooking the city from the heights in its midst was the king's castle, the "citadel" or "acropolis." There were soon hundreds of such Greek city-states. Indeed the entire ^Lgean world came to be made up of such tiny nations. It was while the Greeks were thus living in these little city- kingdoms that Greek civilization arose, especially during the period from noo to 750 B.C.