Fun Greek Facts
Did You Know?
• The Roanoke Greek Festival prepares and cooks ALL OF ITS FOOD from SCRATCH?
• The Ancient Athenians were the first humans to develop democracy?
• The Greek Alphabet is the forerunner of the alphabet we use in English today?
• Ancient Greek children slept in whicker baskets until they were seven years old?
• Ancient Greeks ate dinner while lying on their sides?
• Greek was the language of education in the Roman Empire?
• Greek food today, with slight variation (such as the addition of the tomato after 1500 AD), is about the same as it has been for over 2000 years?
• Greeks consume more olive oil per capita than any other group of people?
• Greek dance is actually very easy – all you have to do is follow along?
• The length of Greece's coastline is estimated at 9,300 miles; America's coastline is estimated at 11,800 miles. The land area of Greece is slightly smaller than Alabama?
• The yo-yo is the second oldest known toy in the world (only the doll is older), and was born over 3,000 years ago in the days of ancient Greece?
• Greek is one of the few European languages where the word NO does not have any sort of “N” sound?
• If a word has a “ph” in it, it is probably Greek?
