Ancient Greece

ANCIENT GREECE1750 B.C. – 133 B.C.

Early People of the Aegean Minoans: 1750-1500 B.C.- developed

on the island of Crete, named after Minos, a legendary king of Crete.Success based on trade not conquestKnossos: rulers lived in this palace. It

housed rooms for the royal family, banquet halls, workshops for artisans. Walls covered with frescoes

Early People of the Aegean Mycanea: 1400-1200 B.C.- developed on

Greek mainland before taking over Cretesea traders, lived in separate city-states on the

mainlandTrojan War: 1250 B.C.- Mycanea vs. Troy Troy-(rich

trading city in present day Turkey), Troy controlled straits connecting the Mediterranean and Black Seas.

Legend of the Trojan War: Trojans kidnapped the wife of a Greek king and the Greeks went to rescue her, fought for ten years to get her back. Finally Troy was seized by the Greeks and burned down

The Age of Homer Homer: 750 B.C.- blind poet

who wandered village to village passing on oral accounts of heroic deeds. Responsible for two great epics. Iliad: story of Achilles, the

mightiest Greek warrior. Odyssey: story of Odysseus and

his return home to his wife Penelope after the Trojan War.

Iliad and Odyssey: display the values of honor, courage, and eloquence

Ancient Greece Geography has a huge influence on

Greek way of life.Mountains cover ¾ of Greece – results in

city-states organization, rather than centralization

Bad conditions for growing grain, market agriculture emerges

The Rise of Greek City-States Different city states developed with

different ideas:Sparta: great military, aristocracy rule, large

slave population, but very little arts or cultureAthens: democracy and advancements in

philosophy, education, trade, science, architecture, drama, and history

Athens Democracy Athens/American Democracy:

Athens:Citizens participate directly (direct

democracy)Only male citizens (born in Athens) could

voteAmerica:Citizens elect people to make laws

(representative democracy)All citizens can vote

The Persian Wars By 500 B.C., Athens had emerged as

the wealthiest Greek city-state Persians: empire stretching from Asia-

Minor to the border of India.`Greek city-states: Ionia in Asia MinorThough under Persian rule-still self

governing499 B.C.- Ionian Greeks rebelled against

Persian rule- Athens sent ships to help them

Persian Wars Persians soon crushed the rebellion but

Darius, ruler of the Persians, was upset with the Athenians role in the uprising.

Marathon: Darius sent troops to punish Athens, landed near MarathonAthenians - heavily outnumbered, outmatched,

overran the Persians and forced them to retreat back to their ships.

Pheidippides - Athenian, ran from Marathon to Athens proclaiming “We are victorious” died upon arrival

The Marathon Race is named after this event.

Persian Wars Darius: died before another attack was

made Xerxes: (son of Darius) 480 B.C.- sent

much larger force to conquer GreeceAthens- Sparta & other city-states supportThermopylae- Spartans led by Leonidas, held

out bravely but were defeated by the Persians, Persians then marched south and burned Athens (the city was empty)

Persian Wars, cont’d.Greeks defeated Persians at the strait of

Salamis, and later on land in Asia Minor, ending the Persian invasion of Greece

Delian League: Athens and alliance with other greek City-States

Athens – Age of Pericles Pericles – 460 -429 B.C. –under

his leadership, Athens thrived economically and the gov’t became more democratic.Direct democracy (6,000 members

required to decide important issues) - Stipend, Jury, Ostracism

Pericles’ Funeral Oration- one of earliest and greatest expressions of democracy

Pericles – turned Athens into cultural center of Greece

Peloponnesian War Peloponnesian League: formed by Sparta

and other city-states to counter the Delian League

Peloponnesian War -431 B.C.- fighting broke out between Athens and Sparta. Soon all of Greece was involved. fighting lasted 27 yearsAthens geographic disadvantage: Sparta inlandPlague in Athens – 1/3 of population lost,

including Pericles

Peloponnesian War War Ends: 404 B.C.- with the help of

Persian navy, the Spartans captured Athensended Athenian domination of Greek worldDemocratic government sufferedFor the next century, fighting plagued the

Greek world

Greek Philosophers Socrates: Athenian

philosopher, we most know about him from his student PlatoSocratic Method – pose a series

of questions and asked students to evaluate their answers

“Know Thyself” seek truth and self-knowledge

Put on trial at age 70, jurors sentenced him to death, he drank the hemlock(deadly poison)

Greek Philosophers Plato: distrust of democracy

after the death of SocratesSet up the Academy (school in

Athens)Emphasized the importance of

reasonThe Republic – Plato described his

vision of an ideal state. Ideal society: workers to produce, military to protect, and philosophers to rule

Greek Philosophers Aristotle: Plato’s most

famous studentAnalyzed all forms of

governmentThought democracy could

lead to mob ruleFavored rule by a single and

strong rulerLeft writings on politics,

ethics, logic, biology, literature, and many other subjects

Art, Architecture, and Drama Parthenon – an example of Greek

architecture (tall columns and sloping roof)

•Greek Sculpture: valued order, balance, and proportion. Wanted to depict the ideal human form

•Poetry and Drama: Tragedies and Comedies

Art, Architecture, and Drama

Alexander the Great 336 B.C. – 323 B.C. King of Macedonia upon

death of his father Great warrior who conquered

Persia, Egypt, and reached India

Hellenistic – Greek like Supported assimilation –

blended Greek styles with Egyptian, Persian, and Indian

Greek traditions spread to Asia and Africa