Ancient Greece I • 2000 BC to 449 BC
Feb 23, 2016
Ancient Greece I• 2000 BC to 449 BC
SOL Standards Essential Questions
• How did mountains, seas, islands, harbors, peninsulas, and straits of the Aegean Basin shape Greek economic, social, and political development and patterns of trade and colonization?
• How did mythology help the early Greek civilization explain the natural world and the human condition?
• What impact did Greek mythology have on later civilizations and the contemporary world?
• How did democracy develop in Athens?
• How did Sparta differ from Athens?
• Why were wars with Persia important to the development of Greek culture?
Location of Greece• Greek Peninsula in Europe and on Asia Minor
• On the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas
Greek GeographyTroyAthensSparta MacedoniaAegean SeaBlack SeaMediterranean
Sea
•Mountainous Terrain
Trojan War• Fought over control over the Dardanelles: Dardanelles: Strait linking the Mediterranean
(Aegean) and Black Seas
Homer• Poet credited with composing the epics
The Illiad and The Odyssey
•Epics: narrative poems celebrating heroic deeds
•Stories were passed down orally
The Illiad• Tells of Trojan War and the warriors Achilles of Greece and Hector of Troy
The Odyssey• Tells of Odysseus’ adventures on his ten year
journey home from Troy
Odysseus meets the sirens
City- States• Mountainous Terrain led to the formation of
independent city-states
The Greek City State
• Model of Athens
•Polis- city and its surrounding countryside•Acropolis – high city with temples to the gods
The Greek Polis• Greek cities were designed to
promote civic and commercial life
Rebuilt Greek Marketplace (Agora)
Greek Trade• Greece was
dependent on trade for grain due to limited arable (farmable) land
• Trade spread Greek culture
Greek Money
• Increased trade led to a switch from barter to a money economy
Greek Colonies• Greeks set up colonies around the
Mediterranean due to overpopulation and the search for arable (farmable) land.
Greek Mythology• Polytheistic Religion
• Explained natural phenomena, life events and human qualities
Greek Gods and Goddesses
• Serve as symbols in and images in Western literature, art, monumental architecture, and politics
Zeus and Hera
Chief GodGod of Thunder
Wife of ZeusGoddess of Marriage
Apollo and Artemis• Twins
God of the sun, light, logic, and music
Goddess of the moon, hunting, and wild things
Athena and Aphrodite
Goddess of LoveGoddess of War and Wisdom
Athens• Developed the world’s first (limited)
democracy
Stages of Athenian Government
Monarchy
Rule by one person, a king or queen
Aristocracy
Rule by a small group of wealthy land owners
Stages of GovernmentTyranny Democracy
Rule by one person, a tyrant, who seizes power
Rule by the people
Tyrants
• Seized power• Made laws and
worked for reforms which led to democracy
Draco and Solon
Draco• The first Greek legal
code• Jury system• Harsh laws – most
crimes punishable by death
• Began debt slavery
Solon• Allowed all
citizens to debate in the assembly
• Allowed all citizens access to court system
• Outlawed debt slavery
Citizens• Free adult males
(one-fifth of the population)
• Women, foreigners, and slaves had no political rights
Slaves
• 1/3 of the people living in Athens were slaves
• The labor of slaves gave many citizens time to participate in government.
Slave girl dancing to entertain guests
Duties of the Citizen• Citizens of Athens were expected to
participate in government
Public Debatein Athens
• Citizens debated laws before voting on them
• Citizens were expected to skilled public speakers
Direct Democracy• Ordinary citizens
were able to vote on all laws and other major decisions and their votes are counted directly
Sparta• Located on the
Island of Peloponnessus
• Conquered nearby city-state and forced the people to work for the state
Social Structure1. Ruling families
who owned the land
2. Free non-citizens (artisans and merchants)
3. Helots – peasants; little more than slaves.
Spartan Government
• Oligarchy: Government ruled by a few powerful people
• Council of Elders• 5 elected ephors• Assembly of citizens
Oligarchy
•Council of Elders
Spartan Society• Militaristic and
aggressive• Valued duty,
strength, and discipline
Persian Wars• Greece vs. Persian Empire
• 499 – 449 BC
Persian Wars• The Persian Wars united Athens and
Sparta against the mighty Persian Empire
Battle at Marathon• Though heavily outnumbered, Greeks
defeated the Persians• Pheidippides ran 26 miles to tell Athenians not
to give up their city
Victory at Salamis• Athenian ships
trapped and rammed the Persian fleet in this narrow strait.
Results of the Persian Wars• Greece wins and
preserves its independence
• Athens experiences a Golden Age and continues innovations in government and culture.