======Ancient Greece======
=====Location Information=====
  * **Type:** Historical Civilization / Magical Community
  * **Location:** Southern Europe
  * **Owner/Residents:** Ancient Greek wizards and witches (e.g., [[Herpo the Foul]], [[Circe]]), various magical creatures ([[Centaurs]], [[Chimaeras]])
  * **Key Features:** Foundational site for branches of the [[Dark Arts]], origin of numerous magical creatures, early site of wizard-creature relations.
=====Description and History=====
Ancient Greece holds a significant, albeit often dark, place in the history of the wizarding world. It was a region where a number of powerful magical individuals and creatures thrived, and its legacy has had a lasting impact on magic through the centuries.
The most infamous wizard to emerge from this era was [[Herpo the Foul]], an Ancient Greek [[Dark Wizard]] and a Parselmouth. He is credited with several heinous magical inventions that would plague the wizarding world for millennia. Most notably, [[Herpo the Foul]] successfully bred the first [[Basilisk]] by hatching a chicken egg beneath a toad. His research into the darkest of magics also led him to create the first known [[Horcrux]], a vile object used to achieve immortality.
The region was also home to a vast number of magical creatures, many of which are known today from Greek mythology. These include the ferocious [[Chimaera]], the riddle-loving [[Sphinx]], the proud [[Centaur]], the noble [[Griffin]] and [[Hippogriff]], and the immortal [[Phoenix]]. The powerful witch [[Circe]], famed in Muggle mythology for turning sailors into pigs, was a real historical figure who lived on the island of Aeaea and is commemorated on a [[Chocolate Frog Card]] (video game).
Interactions between wizards and magical beings in Ancient Greece were not always peaceful. According to the [[Centaur]] [[Firenze]], the wizards of this era often misunderstood and feared [[Centaurs]], suggesting a history of conflict or mistrust between the two races. Despite this, it is known that Ancient Greek wizards were advanced in some areas of magic, possessing knowledge of [[Animagi]] transformations long before the practice was formally studied or regulated by bodies like the [[Ministry of Magic]].
=====Role in the Story=====
While the main events of the [[Harry Potter]] series do not take place in Ancient Greece, its historical legacy is a constant undercurrent. The actions of [[Herpo the Foul]] are directly responsible for two of the primary threats [[Harry Potter]] faces: the [[Basilisk]] in the [[Chamber of Secrets]] and [[Lord Voldemort]]'s immortality, achieved through the use of [[Horcruxes]]. [[Hermione Granger]]'s research into [[Herpo the Foul]] proves critical to understanding how to defeat [[Voldemort]].
Furthermore, numerous creatures of Greek origin play pivotal roles in Harry's journey. [[Fluffy]], the three-headed dog guarding the [[Philosopher's Stone]], was obtained by [[Rubeus Hagrid]] from a "Greek chappie," and is a clear magical counterpart to the mythological [[Cerberus]]. Harry also faces a [[Sphinx]] in the [[Triwizard Tournament]] maze, rides the [[Hippogriff]] [[Buckbeak]] to safety, and is saved multiple times by [[Albus Dumbledore]]'s [[Phoenix]], [[Fawkes]]. These encounters firmly root the magical world of the present day in the myths and legends of Ancient Greece.
=====Behind the Scenes=====
  * The name **Herpo the Foul** is likely derived from the Greek verb //herpo// (ἕρπω), which means "to creep" or "to slither," a fitting etymology for a Parselmouth who created the king of serpents.
  * J.K. Rowling drew heavily from Greek mythology when creating the magical bestiary for her world. Many creatures are taken directly from these ancient legends with little modification, grounding the wizarding world in a familiar mythological framework.