Greek history is the study of the diverse civilizations that emerged in the region of the Aegean Sea, notably the Minoan and Mycenaean cultures, and their eventual union into the seminal city-states such as Athens and Sparta, which laid the foundations for Western civilization. This period is characterized by extraordinary achievements in philosophy, art, politics, and science, with events such as the Persian Wars, the rise and fall of Alexander the Great, and the spread of Hellenistic culture shaping the course of history.