1. Ancient Greece
Chapter 5

2. Geography
Land & islands, many miles of coastline, inlets, bays, deep harbors
Seas – Aegean, Mediterranean, Ionian
Poor resources on land (couldn’t farm)
Led to increased sea travel, trade, imports

3. Geography Land - very mountainous (Mt. Olympus)
Difficult to unite under one government, divided the people, became fiercely independent
Climate – moderate (Mediterranean) temperature, led to outdoor activities – shopping, civic meetings, athletics, interaction

5. First Greeks Minoans from Crete
Wealthy traders, large homes, fancy clothes, jewelry
Ended by earthquake, volcano, tidal wave?

6. Mycenaeans Mycenae – built on steep hills
Fortified with stone walls, bronze age
Trojan War (1200 BCE)
Greek kings attacked Troy in Asia Minor
Greek’s wife stolen by Trojan man
Archaeological evidence that this was true

7. Dorians 1200 BCE – 800 BCE Mycenaean civilization collapsed
From North of Greece came with iron weapons
Little skill, less advanced
Trade and progress stand still
Skill of writing lost
Dark Ages

8. Homer Blind poet Depended on spoken word (bards – storytellers)
Wrote long epics – ideals of heroism, excellence , courage, honor
Interested in individuals; heroes compete for glory
The Iliad and The Odyssey (750 BCE) about the Trojan War

9. Early Greek Leaders
Draco – 621 BC - codified Athenian laws provided severe punishments (“draconian” = harsh or severe)
Solon – 594 BC – canceled land mortgages, freed people enslaved for debt, allowed male citizens to serve on juries, granted commoners right to vote in Assembly

10. Leaders cont.
Cleisthenes – 508 BC – expanded democracy by extending citizenship; began practice of ostracism – banishing any citizen deemed dangerous to the state
Pericles – 461 BC – popular leader; opened government to all men, paid salaries to public officials – The Age of Pericles or The Golden Age – height of democracy; art, science, trade, manufacturing thrived

11. Types of governments in Greece
Monarchy – one-man rule (king)
Aristocracy – rule by a small group of nobles
Oligarchy – rule by few
Tyranny – rule by one man who seized power, favored by some people (unlike today’s definition)
Democracy – rule by the people

12. Athens Polis - city-state (basic political unit)
Acropolis – hill, central meeting place
Agora – below hill, open place for meetings
Citizens - those who took part in govt.
Hoplites – heavily armed infantry soldiers
Phalanx – marching formation shoulder to shoulder
Only sq. mi. city state; literally could see whole of state from the Acropolis (ideal democracy? – US founders
Aristocracy 600 BC (Draco’s Law Code – harsh, ie “draconian”)
Pisistratus – tyrant ( BC); extended rights to soldiers
Cleisthenes – begins democratic refroms
Council of 500 (1 yr.); committee of 50 (36 days)
Generals (Strategos) elected – 10, command rotated
ostrakon – piece of broken pottery;person could be exiled for 10 years; removes tyrants, civil war chances

13. Athens cont. Democratic society
The Assembly was the major political body
All male citizens belonged; all were equal & had freedom of speech
Jury system for court cases
Had to educate sons - participate in govt.
2 years military service at age 18

14. Military society & aristocracy Harsh life
SPARTA
Military society & aristocracy
Harsh life
Invaded other cities to fulfill needs; greatest warriors in Greece
If a child was born sickly or deformed, they were left in hills to die
a.oligarchy
b. 10 or 20 to 1 slaves – helots (serfs)
c. “Spartan” = harsh discipline & toughness
d. Women also trained athletically
e. Encouraged to steal food & sweets (daring & cunning)
f. Flogged annually; survived? Soldier & citizen
g. Soldiers forbidden gold, silver, or trade. S. led Peloponesian League

15. Sparta
At age 7, boys were sent to military; at 60 they could retire; girls got rigorous physical training also
Women strong and fit to become mothers
Suspicious of new ideas - NO CHANGE
Sparta lagged far behind other cities in economic development

17. Persian Wars 499 BC Persians control largest empire
Darius attacks Greece at (1) Marathon
Greeks outnumbered but win battle
Pheidippides ran from Marathon to Athens (26 miles) to announce victory – died; modern day “marathon”
Minor defeat for Persia but showed they could be beaten

19. Greek hoplite (soldier)-6th c. BC

20. Persian Wars 480 BC-Xerxes, son of Darius, invades
Sparta leads the Greeks (united)
To delay Persia, the Spartans slow them at (2) THERMOPYLAE (a mountain pass)

21. Persian War cont.
Greeks lose (betrayed) & Athens burned; all Spartans die
Greeks lure Persian navy into the shallow waters of (3) SALAMIS - Greeks victorious
(4) PLATAEA – war finally ends

22. Leonidas & the Spartans hold the Persians at Thermopylae pass

23. Battle of Salamis, 480 BC

24. Persian War: Turning Point
End of Persian expansion west
Persians don’t conquer Europe
Ushers in the Golden Age of Athens Classical age begins – art, literature, commerce flourish
Greek city-states maintain their independence; Athens dominates

25. Golden Age of Athens Pericles led Athens in this period (461 BC)
Delian League – defensive alliance; Athens led
Athens stood for all that was the best in Greek civilization
Deeply committed to democracy; Assembly

26. The Agora

27. Classical Greece Writers Philosophers Pottery Olympics Religion
Historians
Sculpture
Architecture

28. Philosophy – “Love of Wisdom”
Socrates – used questioning method (Socratic method)
Examine one’s life
Convicted of corrupting youth; killed (drank hemlock)
Plato – Student of Socrates ( BC) started The Academy
The Republic – first book on political science (did not favor democracy )

30. Philosophy cont.
Aristotle ( BC) wrote on philosophy, science, & govt.
Tutored Alexander the Great.

31. History
Herodotus – “father of history” – described the Persian invasion; embellished with fable and superstition; not very accurate
Thucydides – accurate account of Peloponnesian War; eyewitness accounts; facts

32. Theatre Dramas, outdoor amphitheatres Tragedies: Comedies:
Aeschylus – Agamemnon; Persian Wars; gods provided justice
Euripedes – Medea, criticized war, prejudice, greed
Comedies:
Aristophanes – satirized political leaders

33. Architecture
Parthenon – most famous; temple to Athena (Wisdom) atop the Acropolis in Athens
Use of columns – Doric, Ionic, Corinthian (elaborate, curly)

34. Science and Math Pythagoras – important principals of geometry
Hippocrates – father of medicine, attributed disease to natural, not superstitious causes
Hippocratic Oath – uphold medical standards – do no harm

35. The Olympics 776 BC; held every 4 years
Athletes traveled to Mt. Olympus to honor Zeus
Glory in athletic competition
Pentathlon most important event (5) – long jump, javelin, discus, foot race, wrestling
Men only (naked)
Prize – honor and fame for your c-s

36. Religion – The Greek Gods
Lived on Mt. Olympus (12)
Were immortal
They were “human-like” – fought, had human weaknesses
Oracles to worship the gods

38. Democracy
GREECE
Direct Democracy – citizens were members of legislature
Citizenship based on Athenian ancestry
Women denied political rights
Slavery permitted
U.S.
Representative Democracy – citizens elect representatives
Citizenship based on American birth or naturalization
Women – equal rights
Slavery prohibited

39. Peloponnesian War (431 BC-404 BC)
Series of battles between Athens and Sparta
Sparta eventually wins (military superiority)
Greece weakened over next century by fighting
Growing power to the North, Macedonia goes unnoticed
End of classical Greece

40. Alexander the Great
Philip II of Macedonia, Alexander’s father, had conquered most of Greece by the time of his death
336 BC-Alexander from Macedonia (north of Greece) becomes King (age 20)
334 BC-Alexander invades Persian empire & wins major victory in Asia Minor

43. Alexander the Great
Conquered Syria, Palestine, Egypt – founded Alexandria
331 BCE – defeated Persians again and ended Persian rule
327 BCE – Wants to reach Indus River – after 3 years his men say no more
323 BCE – Dies at age 32

44. Alexander the Great
Global view – believed non – Greeks were equal; encouraged men to marry Persians
Hellenistic – mix of Greek and Middle Eastern culture
Alexandria, Egypt – key city; home to poets, scholars, writers, scientists, philosophers; great library
Built temples, baths, theatres, statues, etc.

45. Contributions - Hellenistic
Eratosthenes – believed earth was round
Archimedes – pi, lever and pulley
Epicurianism (philosophy) – humans were free to follow self-interest, pursuit of pleasure and happiness
Stoicism – live in harmony with god; daily problems would not disturb you, bear whatever life offers (stoic)
Sculpture – Colossus of Rhodes 100 ft. bronze