Very Ancient Greece
A Russian-language personal channel about the Minoans, Mycenaeans, ancient Greece and Rome: long, lively posts about finds, myths and ruins, with detours into poetry.
What it is
"Very Ancient Greece" (Очень Древняя Греция) is a personal Telegram channel about the history and culture of the Minoan and Mycenaean civilisations, ancient Greece, Rome and the wider classical world. It is written in Russian by one person in the first person, and the bio says plainly that the author does not buy ads and has no wish to sell the channel. There is a separate chat for discussion.
Why we picked it
Posts are long and not daily, but each one reads like a small essay. News that a Mycenaean settlement and merchants' tombs were found on the site of ancient Smyrna opens with lines from Joseph Brodsky's "Letters to a Roman Friend" about a merchant from Asia, and then unfolds into a story you want to finish. A post about a festival on Santorini drifts into the volcano and the memory of its eruption. A piece on Aphrodite and seashells ends up in Renaissance architecture; the author mentions she teaches the history of architecture and design herself.
The comments are part of the charm. The author admits the discussion is sometimes better than the post, as when a reader who studies ancient ruins shared his photos from Baalbek. It feels less like a feed and more like a small club.
Where to start
- Read the post about the Mycenaean tombs at Smyrna to see how new finds are handled here.
- Look for the piece on Aphrodite, shells and the Renaissance, about how antiquity lives on in later art.
- Open the comments under the Baalbek photos.
- Join the chat if you want to ask or argue.
Who it's for
People who loved Greek myths as kids and now want to know what archaeology says about them. Travellers heading to Greece, Crete or Turkey. History students and anyone who likes good non-fiction in small portions. You will need Russian or a translator.
Quick answers
Do I need to know much about antiquity? No. Posts are written for a curious reader, and terms are explained along the way.
Are there ads? The bio says the author does not buy advertising and is not selling the channel.
How often does it post? A few times a week or less, since the posts are long.
