Ancient Greece
Dec 13, 2015
Ancient Greece
An Introduction
Greek city-states were isolated from each other both physically and culturally.Greece had many islands.Large seafaring community.
John Green: The
Persians & Greeks
(start at 5 min)
The Dark Age
1100 BCE – 750 BCEName comes from fact that ‘few records exist’Iron workingPossible no writing system used
The Dark Age: Homer
b. 13-8th century BCEauthor and poetepic poetry: long poems about heroesThe Iliad and The OdysseyUsed as historical documents
City Life
Polis: city-stateAcropolis: fortified area on a hill; refuge or religious center (temples)Agora: market
City Life: Citizenship
Men – citizenship, rightsWomen & Children – citizenship, NO rightsSlaves, laborers, aliens – no citizenship
City Life: Government
Democracy: a government by the people or rule of manyOligarchy: rule by the few
The Spartans
800-600BCESpartan: highly self-disciplinedIn army from age 20-60Lived in barracks, not at homeWomen lived at home, had more freedom
The Spartans
Oligarchy with 2 kings and assemblyNo visitorsNo travelReject philosophy, literature, and the artsThe ART of WAR most important
The Spartans
Socratic Seminar: Watch the videos on Sparta and take notes (1 side total for all 3)
Read the articles “8 Reasons It Wasn’t Easy Being Spartan” & “Sparta Reconsidered: Spartan Women” and highlight information
Write 6 questions (2 comprehension and 4 opinion)
Come prepared to discuss and show all 4 parts
“Spartans”
“Deconstructing History: Spartans”
“Spartans: Implements of Death”
Tuesday 10/13
Athens
7th C. – city-stateOligarchy ruled by aristocratsFarmers sold into slavery when debts not paid
Athens
5th C. BCE ~300,000 peopleCouncil of 500 (affairs of state, treasury, laws)Foundation for democracy
Classical Greece
500-338Foundation of Western society
Pericles
495-429Statesman, oratorAthenian politicsDirect democracy: every male citizen voted on the issues (NOT a representative democracy)Poor citizens could hold office
“Birth of Democracy
”
The Peloponnesian War
“The Peloponnesian War” by artist Jeffrey Lewis
2 parts: Athenian Empire & SpartaWar – 431Athens falls (~404)
Greek Arts, Drama, Philosophy
“concerned with expressing eternal ideals – reason, moderation, balance, and harmony” (p43)
Greek Arts: sculpture
“Greek Sculpture”
Focus on the human formMale nudesRelaxed, self-assured, fit‘ideal beauty’Bronze and marble
Greek Arts: sculpture
Winged Victory/Nik
e190
Venus de Milo
~120
Greek Arts: architecture
Temples with statues and treasuries (for gifts)Columns
Greek Arts: the Parthenon
“Deconstructing History:
The Acropolis”
Built 447-432Dedicated to Athena
Greek Drama
Comedies: mocking satire against powerful men
Tragedies: “love, loss, pride, the abuse of power and the fraught relationships between men and gods” (“The Different…”)
Catharsis: to release or purge emotions Aristotle, Poetics
“Typically the main protagonist of a tragedy commits some terrible crime without realizing how foolish and arrogant he has been. Then, as he slowly realizes his error, the world crumbles around him.” (“The Different…”)
Chorus: narrators, guides, commentators
Greek Drama: Sophocles
400sGreek playwright – tragediesOedipus Rex
Greek Philosophy
Philosophy: organized system of thoughtSocrates
Plato
Aristotle
Alexander the Great
Greek Philosophy: Socrates
“Socrates – Questioning Philosopher”
470-399 BCESculptorLeft no writingsTeaching method: “a q&a format to lead pupils to see things for themselves by using their own reason” (p44)
We have knowledge in us; just need to unlock it
“The unexamined life is not worth living.”
Greek Philosophy: Socrates
Accused of having subversive views
Sentenced to death (hemlock poison)
Did not resist
Greek Philosophy: Plato
428-347 BCEStudent of SocratesFounded the ‘Academy’Wrote a lot; The Republic (about government)
‘Ideal State’ = perfect society1st-philosopher kings2nd- warriors3rd- masses
Believed in equality for the sexes as far as jobs/education
Greek Philosophy: Aristotle
384-322 BCEStudied at The AcademyFoundation of nearly all Western philosophy
Many interests: science (biology, marine biology, meteorology) philosophy
Tutored Alex the GreatWhen Alex died, anti-Macedonian party accused of Aristotle of impiety, he fled, and he later died of disease
“Aristotle”
Macedonia
Kingdom to the north of GreecePhillip II wanted to unify the two nationsDefeated the Greeks in 338Assassinated
Alexander The Great
“Alexander the Great: Mini Bio”
356-323 BCEKing at age 20Military geniusProbably disliked because of cruel behaviorClose to Mother (like who else…)
Alexander The Great
“Alexander the Great: Creating
the Legend”
Alex didn’t automatically get throne after Phillip’s death
Had to conquer the north firstSouthern Greek city-states began to think life w/o Macedonian leader would be better
Alex went to Thebes and slaughtered ~6,000 Thebans killed~30,000 sold into slaveryThebes burned to the groundOther city-states pledged allegiance to Alex
Alexander The Great
“Alexander the Great:
Rise to Power”
AsiaEgyptCreated AlexandriaDefeated the Persians“King of Babylon, King of Asia, King of the Four Quarters of the World”
Alexander The Great
“Alexander the Great:
Mysterious Death”
IranIndiaArmy got mad when he recruited many Persian soldiers and married officers to Persian womenAt 32, died – malaria?
Alexander The Great
“Alexander the Great and the
Situation…” at 2 mins
“…amazingly good at being a dead person.” (John Green)
Hellenistic Era
Hellenistic: to imitate GreeksGreek colonistsSpread culture through art, architecture, science, philosophy, etc.Sculpture spread
Hellenistic Era
3 main dynasties after Alex’s death Syria & PersiaPtolemy in EgyptGreece & Macedonia
MonarchiesVery Greek in manorSpoke a common languageEmphasis on education: Archimedes (Pi); Euclid (geometry)
Ended with a defeat of Marc Antony’s army in 31BCE
Hellenistic Era
Works Cited
"Alexander the Great." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 07 Oct. 2015. <http://www.biography.com/people/alexander-the-great-9180468>.
"Alexander the Great." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 07 Oct. 2015. <http://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/alexander-the-great>.
“Aristotle." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 07 Oct. 2015. <http://www.biography.com/people/aristotle-9188415#teaching>.
Biography.com Editors. "Homer Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 06 Oct. 2015. <http://www.biography.com/people/homer-9342775#legacy>.
"Greek Sculpture." Ancient History Encyclopedia. Ancient History Encyclopedia, n.d. Web. 07 Oct. 2015. <http://www.ancient.eu/Greek_Sculpture/>.
"Hellenistic Greece." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 07 Oct. 2015. <http://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/hellenistic-greece>.
"Plato." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 07 Oct. 2015. <http://www.biography.com/people/plato-9442588#final-years>.
Schrader, Helena P. "Sparta Reconsidered - Spartan Women." Sparta Reconsidered - Spartan Women. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Oct. 2015. <http://elysiumgates.com/~helena/Women.html>.
"Socrates." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 07 Oct. 2015. <http://www.biography.com/people/socrates-9488126>.
"The Different Types of Greek Drama and Their Importance." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 06 Oct. 2015. <http://www.pbs.org/empires/thegreeks/background/24c.html>.