1. Mediterranean Society: The Greek Phase

2. Key Themes Trade and the interaction of cultures
Political culture and organizations
Cultural and intellectual developments

3. Early Development in Greek Society
Based on small, autonomous city-states which developed in isolation
Over time, however, city-states began to venture out into the Aegean and eventually Mediterranean seas which they used as a highway to link with the rest of the world.
Led to the spread of Greek goods, ideas, and values.

4. Minoan and Mycenaean Societies
Minoan Society
Developed in Crete c BCE, fell 1100 BCE
Developed written language (still undecipherable)
Traded olive oil, wine
Established Colonies
Mined Copper
Created beautiful frescoes, and built luxurious palaces and homes

5. Minoan and Mycenaean Societies
Known as the thugs of the Mediterranean
Traded with the Minoans, but eventually overpowered them
Adapted Minoan Language to fit their language and that that writing is also undecipherable.
Fought a war with the city of Troy (Iliad and Odyssey)
1100 BCE fell apart due to constant foreign invasion

6. The World of Polis Polis – City-State
Each Polis was its own economic, cultural, and political center, so a wide range of political institutions developed in Greece

7. The World of Polis
Sparta and Athens – Two most famous Greek Poleis (plural for Polis)
Sparta
Relied on military power to control the region and maintain public order
Relied on the original Peloponnesian people as slaves to cultivate the agricultural region.
Valued equality and social status was based on strength, discipline, and military talent
Women, like men, were expected to be strong as their role was to produce solid Spartan Soldiers

8. The World of Polis Athens Located in the region of Attica
Political structure based on democratic principles and citizen participation in decision making.
Citizens – Defined as free adult males.

9. Greece and the Larger World
The Polis prospered and expanded by establishing trading centers and colonies along the shores of the Mediterranean and Black Seas.
Expansion brought them into conflict with the Persians and contact with and eventual domination by Alexander the Great of Macedon
Expansion and Conquest resulted in immense commercial and cultural exchange from India to Egypt.

10. Greek Colonization
Growing population in the Polis spurred the growth of colonies all on the shores of the Mediterranean and Black seas
Had their own political, social and economic structures
Diverse trading centers for fish, fur, metals, honey, fold, amber, and slaves.
Each colony was instrumental in spreading Greek language and culture.

11. Conflict with Persia
War with Persia because of rebellion again Darius and Xerxes
Lasted for more than a century and Greeks eventually won
Delian League – Alliance between the Greek city-states formed during the Persian War.
Fell apart following the Persian War
Led to Peloponnesian War – A civil war between Greek city States

12. The Macedonians and the Coming of Empire
Located in Macedonia to the North of Greece, Philip II used the disagreements between Greek city states to over power Greece using win at all cost tactics.
By 338 BCE Philip controlled all of Greece and turned his attention to Persia
His son, Alexander took over after his mysterious assassination in 336 BCE

13. Alexander the Great
Ruthless and intelligent, he remains one of the great and complex personalities of history.
Won control of Ionia, Anatolia, Syria, Palestine, and Egypt, Persia, and eventually most of India.
Died in Mesopotamia at the age of only 33 in 323 BCE.
Conquests spread Greek and Macedonian traditions even further.

14. The Hellenistic Era
Time between Alexander’s death and the expansion of the Roman Empire
Alexander’s Empire divided into 3 large states:
Antigonid Empire – Included Greece and Macedonia
Ptolemic Empire – Included Egypt and parts of northern Africa
Seleucid Empire – Anatolia to Bactria
All three spread Greek cultural and religious ideals all across Europe, Africa, and Asia.

15. The Fruits of Trade: Greek Economy and Society
The challenges of Greek geography forced the early Greeks to depend on maritime trade.

16. Trade and Integration of the Mediterranean Basin
Geography of Greece made it well suited for grapes and olives.
Used their access to the Mediterranean to trade with grapes and olives with other regions of Asia, Africa, and Europe in exchange for food and other luxury items.

17. Family and Society Strong Patriarchal Society
Women only ventured outside home with chaperone or watchful servants.
Occasionally some women may work in or run a merchant shop
Priestess in a religious cult was the only public position open to women.
Women in Sparta enjoyed the most freedom

18. The Cultural Life of Classical Greece
Guided by principles of human reason.
Evident in the art, literature, and philosophy from this time period.
Even the written language they developed by adding vowels to the established Phoenician alphabet produced a flexible, easy-to-learn system for recording human speech.

19. Rational Thought and Philosophy
Three most significant scholars:
Socrates – Focused on questioning to uncover truths about human ethics and morality.
Plato – Known for theory on forms and ideas.
Aristotle – Rely on senses and reason to sort out the mysteries of the world.
Wrote extensively about the natural world as well as politics, ethics, and psychology
Influential in later Christian and Islamic thinking.

20. Popular Religion and Greek Drama
Philosophy not a part of popular culture
Most Greeks turned to the traditions of popular religion for guidance on proper behavior and understanding of human nature.
Polytheistic Religions used to explain natural phenomena and human problems
Lead to the Greek Dramas.

21. Hellenistic Philosophy and Religion
Hellenistic philosophers dealt with questions of the individual need for peace and tranquility.
Stoicism was the most significant of these Hellenistic philosophies; it taught the duty of people to aid others and lead virtuous lives.