Written records reappeared after the Dark Ages of Greece. The earliest extant inscriptions and vase paintings, with writing on them, shows us that the alphabet was introduced to the Greek world around 800 BC, the Archaic Period. The Pre-Classical Period is also known as the Age of Tyrants. Powerful individuals came to rule the majority of the city-states by overthrowing the existing regime in a military coup. The word ‘"tyrant", comes from the Greek ‘tyrannos’, has strongly negative overtones. In Greek times, the term had both negative and neutral connotations.

Pisistratus of Athens, was a visionary, who did much good for his city. He established festivals that united Athenians culturally, boosted their economy by creating a market for Athenian export and stabilized "Attic" coinage. It was widely respected throughout the Mediterranean world. But he was a tyrant, that took the power by force and violence. He used his position to better the lives of his fellow townsmen in general. He remained in power until his death in the early 520’s BC. His sons managed Athens as well, but were eventually ousted. The contributions of Pisistratus laid the groundwork for the next century, the rise of Athene as a prominence in the Classical Greece.

By the sixth century, Greece was part of a trade network spanning the Entire Mediterranean. Laconian pottery has been found as far afield as Marseilles and Carthage to the west, Crete to the south and Sardis to the East.

Coinage was invented in Lydia, around 650 BC. Greek communities quickly adopted it, the older system of bullion remained in use. The island of Aegina began its "turtle" coins before 550 BC, from their it spread to Athens. Most of these coins were small and mostly used within the community that issued them. The images on the coins, initially changed rapidly. Some were the symbol or image of an important deity in the city, in many cases their meaning was obscure and rather chosen without special reason.

The introduction of writing played a great role in the advancement of law. It entailed in the beginning little more than the codification of already existing customs. Athens had two great lawgivers: Draco about the 600’s BC and Solon around 580 BC. Both have left their imprint on English. "Dranonian" means "extremely harsh or punitive" and "Solon" means "Politician". Solon was appointed archon (= ruler) and mediator in 593 BC. He was credited with abolishing slavery for debtors, and establishing limits on who could be granted Athenian citizenship. He replaced noble birth as a qualification for office with income. The thetes (= poor) could not hold offices, although they could attend the Assembly and the law courts. The richest class (= pentakosiomedimni) were the only people to become treasurer and possibly archon. Solon reduced the powers of the archon by giving citizens the right to appeal, their case was judged by the Assembly.

Circa 650 BC, a new kind of poetry began to spread across the Greek world. The poems were shorter, livelier and focused on modern life and love instead the glorious past. The singers of the poems often accompanied themselves on the lyre, a stringed instrument that was plucked to create certain harmonies. This sort of poetry came to be known as lyric poetry. By 600 BC, lyric poetry ruled the ancient Greek entertainment scene. The musical verse were in great demand with the public. The analogy of lyric poetry and rock music is not altogether off-base. The success of lyric poetry was similar as rock today (2021). Greek lyric poets were the rock stars in their time and were idolized and imitated. The beginnings of Greek tragedy also knows its roots in this period. The competition at the Great Dionysia, in the 530’s BC.

In the end of the Pre-Classical Age, these centuries of Greek civilization are one of the great revolutionary periods in human history. The following Classical Greece period was even more magnificent.

Around 560 BC, Sparta began to build a series of alliances with other Greek states, which became the Peloponnesian League. The alliances had a dual purpose of preventing the cities of the League from supporting the Helot population of Messenia, and of helping Sparta in its conflict with Argos, one of the major powers in the Peloponnese.