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It was not until the methodological and theoretical approach of the Ancient Greeks that physics in its modern form appeared, based upon mathematics and first principles rather than superstition.
Picking out the history of ancient physics can be difficult, mainly because it is extremely difficult to separate it from other fields such as astronomy, mathematics and alchemy. Science had yet to split into recognisable disciplines or even separate fully from theology and philosophy, so there was some overlap in the history of physics at this formative stage.
Greek civilization, by historical standards, was exceptionally stable, despite the squabbles between the city-states of Athens, Sparta and Thebes, amongst others. This stability and wealth allowed the arts and philosophy to prosper, with Homeric poets and talented playwrights sharing the intellectual sphere with some of the greatest philosophers that the world has ever known.
From theoretical mathematics, accurate astronomy and sophisticated philosophy sprang ancient physics, an attempt to explain the world and uncover the laws that governed the universe. The ancient Greeks believed that the universe was harmonious, perfect, and governed by elegant laws and equations, as laid down by mathematicians such as Pythagoras and Euclid.