A period known as the "Dark Ages" hit Greece, lasting until 800 BC This was the beginning of an unstable Greece where “agriculture was in a state of disarray , trade was almost non-existent and there was a general decline in the arts” (Dubois 4). The Dark Ages ended when the rise of the city-states was introduced, marking the beginning of the Archaic Period. “Each city-state had its own system of government, industry, commerce, and culture” (Dubois 5). Important city-states included Athens, Thebes, Sparta, and Olympia. These city-states were also the birthplace of the world's first democracies. These influences have affected the way the Greek government functions