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.