Golden Age is a term used by the Greek poet Homer to describe a remote period of the past that he considered more civilized and enlightened than his own. Homer had no written records of such a period. But he might have been acquainted with the traditions of the wonderful Mycenaean and Minoan civilizations that had flourished hundreds of years before his time.
Many historians have applied the phrase Golden Age to the period when a nation reaches its highest peak of development, particularly in art, architecture, literature, or science. For example, the period from about 477 to 431 B.C. is sometimes called the Golden Age of Greece. During that period, which began long after Homer’s time, Athens reached great heights in sculpture, architecture, and drama. Many other nations also enjoyed eras that have been described as their Golden Age. These eras include the following:
Egypt,
the Golden Age of Literature, 2200-2050 B.C.; the Golden Age of Wealth and Empire, 1500-1375 B.C.
Rome,
27 B.C.-A.D. 14, the Age of Augustus.
Mexico,
1440-1520, the reign of the Montezumas.
Spain,
the Golden Age of Art and Literature, mid-1500’s to late 1600’s.
England,
1558-1603, the reign of Elizabeth I.
France,
1640-1740, the reigns of Louis XIV and Louis XV.
