Greek tribes enter present-day Greece since 1900 BC. The first (primitive) state structures in Greece are established from 1400 BC on. The first city states are formed in ca 900 BC and around 754 BC Sparta becomes the leading Greek state, followed in 720 BC by Athens as second leading Greek state. Since that time most of the Greek polities are aligned with either Athens either Sparta. Athens has generally democratic structures, Sparta is ruled in a authoritarian way. In the upcoming centuries Greece is dominated by wars between Athens and Sparta and between these cities and Persia.

From 346 BC Macedon rules over Greece, whereby Macedon develops into an Hellenic kingdom. In 197 BC Greece liberates itself from Macedon, but in 146 BC Greece becomes the Egian province of the Roman Empire. After the division of the Roman Empire (the West- and the East-Roman Empire) in 395, Greece becomes the centre of the East Roman Empire. When the East Roman Empire collapses in 1204 present-day Greece becomes ruled by states like Genoa, Venice and the Latin Empire. The East Roman Empire revives in 1261 after the occupation by the Latin Empire of Nicea (one of the succeeding states of the old Empire) of Constantinopel. The East Roman Empire is incorporated in 1453 into the Ottoman Empire. From that time on Greece is under Ottoman rule.

In 1821 a independence war starts, which is concluded in 1830 when Britain, England, France and Russia force the Ottoman Empire to grant Greece its independence. The newly independent state becomes the Kingdom of Greece in 1833. In the upcoming period (until 1913) more parts of the Ottoman Empire are incorporated into Greece as are in 1864 the British protectorate of the Ionian Islands. Parliamentary forms of government are introduced in 1875. In this parliamentary monarchy the leading party becomes the liberal Neoteristikon Komma. Its leader, Charilaos Spiridonou Trikoupis, is for long times prime minister, rotating with Alexandros Koumoundouros, Theodoros Pangaiou Deligiannis and other leaders of the conservative Ethnikon Komma (National Party, EK). When Trikoupis steps down as liberal leader, Georgios Theotokis becomes the liberal prime minister in this rotation.

In 1910 Eleftherios Venizelos, leader of the new liberal Komma Fileleftheron (Liberal Party, KF) becomes prime minister for the first time. This liberal leader will dominate Greek politics for the upcoming decades. In 1912 Athos becomes the Autonomous Monastic State of Ayion Oros with autonomy inside Greece and in 1913 Crete becomes part of Greece. Venezilos steps down in 1915. Greece enters World War I in 1917 on the side of the allies. Venizelos is prime minister again, which he remains until 1920. After the war Greece takes part in the allied occupation of Turkey, where still many Greeks live. In 1921 the Greek army is defeated by Turkish forces. In a forced exchange of populations, more than 1.3 million Christian refugees from Turkey pour into Greece, creating enormous challenges for the Greek economy and society. Greek politics, particularly between the two world wars, involves a struggle for power between monarchists and republicans. Greece is proclaimed the Greek Republic in 1924. This makes Greece a parliamentary republic. At that time Venizelos is prime minister (for a short time) again. He is also prime minister from 1928 to 1932 and in 1933. He is seven times prime minister. The conservatives do not have a clear leader, and in this way the premiership - when in the hands of the conservative Laïkon Komma (People's Party, LK) or other parties, alternates quickly.

When the Kingdom of Greece is restored, the king allows in 1936 Ioannis Metaxas to establish a dictatorship. Between 1941 and 1945 Greece is occupied by Germany. After the German withdrawal, the principal Greek resistance movement, which is controlled by the communists, refuses to disarm. A banned demonstration by resistance forces in Athens in 1944 ends in battles with Greek government and British forces. Continuing tensions leads to the outbreak of full-fledged civil war in 1946. First the United Kingdom and later the United States give extensive military and economic aid to the Greek government. In 1949 army forces the remaining insurgents to surrender or flee to Greece's communist neighbors. The insurgency results in 100,000 killed, 700,000 displaced persons inside the country and catastrophic economic disruption. This civil war leaves deep political division in Greek society between leftist and rightist forces.

During this period Greek has very much short ruling governments. Only the government of Themistoklis Panagiotou Sophoulis of the KF (1947-1949) lasts longer than one year. In 1948 the Dodecanesos is incorporated into Greece. Greece becomes a member of NATO in 1952. In 1952 conservative parties come to power, which leads to more stable governments. In 1952 Alexandros Leonidou Papagos of the Ellinikos Sinagermos (Hellenic Rally, ES) becomes prime minister, succeeded after his death in 1955 by Konstantinos Georgiou Karamanlis. He founds the Ethnikon Rizopastiki Enosis (National Radikcl Union, ERE). He governs with short interruptions until 1963. That year the liberal Enosis Kentrou (Centre Union, EK) of Georgios Andreou Papandreou is elected: he becomes prime minister until 1965. It was followed by a succession of five unstable coalition governments.

After an army coup in 1967 Greece becomes a military dictatorship. In 1967 a group of colonels led by Georgious Papadopoulos seize power in a coup d'etat. Civil liberties are suppressed, special military courts are established and political parties are dissolved. Papadopoulos dismisses the king in 1973 and establishes the Greek Republic, of which he becomes president. Following an uprising of students in 1973 Dimitrios Ioannides replaces Papadopoulos and tries to continue the dictatorship. His attempt in 1974 to overthrow Archbishop Makarios, the president of Cyprus, brings Greece to the brink of war with Turkey, which invades Cyprus and occupies part of the island.

The junta topples and after new elections the newly organized conservative Nea Dimokratia (New Democracy, ND) becomes the largest party and its leader, Konstantinos Karamanlis, becomes prime minister. In a 1974 referendum the monarchy is rejected and Greece becomes the parliamentary democratic Greek Republic. The ND wins the elections of 1977. In 1980 Karamanlis is succeeded by Georgios Ioannou Rallis. Greece joins the European Communities (renamed European Union in 1993) in 1981. The same year he loses the elections and Andreas Georgiou Papandreou of the Panellino Socialistiko Kinima (Pan-Hellenic Socialist Movement, PASOK) becomes prime minister. He is succeeded in 1989 by Tzannis Petrou Tzannetakis of the ND. In 1990 the conservatives win the elections and Konstantinos Kiriakou Mitsotakis of the ND becomes prime minister. Due to internal rifts the ND loses the 1993 elections and Papandreou can form a new PASOK government. Due to an illness, Papandreou resignes in 1996 and is replaced by Konstantinos Georgiou Simitis. He is confirmed in the elections of 1996 and 2000.