Ancient Greece B.C.E.

Questions for Today How does family form change with change from hunting gathering society to more permanent settlements? What was the basis for citizenship in Athens Greece? What are some characteristics of medieval towns? How did trade help to spread the plague? What is a ‘demographic transition’?

Geography Greece is a peninsula about the size of Louisiana in the Mediterranean Sea. It ’ s very close to Egypt, the Persian empire (includes Turkey) and Rome.

Greek geography Greece is mountainous Greek communities often times developed independently because of the mountains, thus they were diverse As a result, they fought each other a lot.

Technology results from necessity Since Greek coastal cities were sandwiched between the ocean and the sea, they developed an awesome navy for trading and fighting.

Technology results from scarcity All cities need fresh water. This is a Greek aqueduct, basically a brick water pipe. The first aqueduct was Assyrian, but most ancient societies had them.

Terracing saves water and soil in mountainous environments

Greek Inventions The Greeks invented dice.

The Greeks were the original Olympiads. Their scientists studied the best way to perform sports

Greek Invention The Greeks invented the crane.

Greek Architecture Greeks invented arches and columns. This obviously took advanced mathematics.

More Greek Architecture

Greek Military This is a catapult, a Greek invention. It could throw 300 pound stones at walls and buildings

Greek Military This is a hoplite, a Greek infantry soldier. Hoplites were middle-class freemen who had to pay for their own weapon and shield.

Greek Military This is a phalanx. Soldiers get in a tight box. They each have a large shield and a 9 foot long spear.

Flamethrower!!!!!

Greek religion was polytheistic.

The Greeks were POLYTHEISTIC and did not all worship the same gods. Some small villages worshiped the main gods and their own village gods. There were hundreds of Greek gods (perhaps around 1,000). Some of the most famous gods were Zeus, Hera, Apollo, Artemis, Poseidon, Aphrodite, Athena, Demeter, Hermes, Ares, and Hades. ZEUS surpassed all other gods in spirit, wisdom and justice and his wife HERA was the queen of the gods.

SACRIFICES to please the gods were a major part of every Greek's religion. Most gods preferred an animal sacrifice -- generally a DOMESTICATED ANIMAL like a chicken, goat or cow. When an animal was sacrificed, it was burned on top of an altar. After it was fully cooked, it had to be EATEN ON THE SPOT -- usually before nightfall. These sacrifices were the property of the god, and had to be eaten in his presence. This was especially important because the ancient Greeks believed that the god's spirit was within the animal sacrificed, and by eating the animal, the worshippers CONSUMED HIS POWER. In this way, they strengthened the connection between man and god.

The POLIS (city-state) consisted of a city and its surrounding plains and valleys. The nucleus of the polis was the elevated, fortified site called the ACROPOLIS where people could take refuge from attack. With the revival of commerce, a TRADING CENTER developed below the acropolis

Four major TYPES OF GOVERNMENT evolved in ancient Greece: Monarchy (rule of a king) limited by an aristocratic council and a popular assembly. Oligarchy (rule of the few) arising when the aristocratic council ousted the king and abolished the assembly. Tyranny (rule by one who ruled without legal authority) riding to power on the discontent of the lower classes. Democracy (rule of the people), the outstanding political achievement of the Greeks.

Democracy Ancient Greece was the birthplace of democracy.

Political: Athens was the first democracy. Democracy: type of government where people vote. Well, actually, Athens was a direct democracy where people vote on everything. The U.S. today is a representative democracy, where we vote for people to make decisions for us.

Direct participation was the key to Athenian democracy. In the Assembly, every male citizen was not only entitled to attend as often as he pleased but also had the right to debate, offer amendments, and vote on proposals. Every man had a say in whether to declare war or stay in peace. Basically any thing that required a government decision, all male citizens were allowed to participate in.

Remember! If you think the U.S. is so much better... Some southern states did not let African Americans vote until the 1960s (Voting Rights Act 1965) Women could not vote in the U.S. until 1920 (19 th Amendment) Eighteen year olds could not vote until the late 1970s.

Political terms All of Greece wasn ’ t a democracy. Most of Greece was a monarchy a type of government ruled by a king or queen. At right is Pericles, a good king of Athens.

Ancient Cities: 1000 B.C. to A.D. 300 Despite their many differences, stemming from their various histories, cultures, locations, ancient imperial centers shared several important structural characteristics: repository of knowledge, power, wealth, and control in ancient world. Euripedes “may all “first requisite to happiness is birth in a great city” notions of government, religion, civilization, family, and country closely intertwined for the ancients with the concept of the “city”

Physical Features Ancient City Physical features of the ancient cities – constructed with an eye toward public life: temples for worship, markets for commerce, theaters for entertainment, and for a (plural of the Latin for him) for debate/discussion. Built environment a reflection of nature of government: highly centralized/militaristic. Ancient Greece partially planned, main roads converging on marketplace /temple. Every city fortified, surrounded by walls, contain one or more forts located in a high place (Acropolis) Like Athens center of Rome contained plazas, markets, public buildings such as the Forum and Coliseum;

Social patterns in Ancient Cities Social patterns – substantial wealth available only to elite, gain access to benefits that society would have to be a member, which in most cases meant being a citizen, but access to membership was restricted. There was limited by gender; men had full access to legal rights, women badly limited or no access to citizenship and few property rights. Second, membership limited by descent.

Social patterns …. Ancient civilization used patrilineal descent systems, male children inherit father’s positions, including property and social obligations. Precapitalist economy no wage labor so no working class; small artisan class produce necessary items for household consumption. Real engine of the economy production of public goods and services/slave labor. Slaves by definition were excluded from participation in political and economic system despite constituting three- fourths of population in Athens at its peak in fifth century BC.

Sparta Sparta was an isolated city-state that was culturally and politically different from Athens. Sparta was an oligarchy, government ruled by a few. They had 2 kings. During the Peloponnesian Sparta sacked Athens.

Sparta Spartan society was obsessed with war. Boys were sent to military school at a young age. Boys who are born deformed are left to die on mountainsides

Athens Athenians were tough but were encouraged to engage in activities like art, philosophy, music.

Classical Greece Persian Wars 492 BC – 449 BC The Persian Wars: Persia vs. Athens Athens helps a revolt in Ionia against the Great Persian Empire For revenge Persians land in marathon to defeat Athenians Athens Crush the Persians This starts the Persian War

Despite being outnumbered the Greeks defeat Persia In effect Athens grows into a great Empire Athens expands it empire abroad and flourishes into a democracy Age of Pericles- Direct democracy

Pericles Pericles was the leader of creating democracy in Athens. He had many buildings constructed. Pericles had the Parthenon and the Acropolis built.

The Peloponnesian War ( B.C.) Nearly all of Greece was polarized between two alliances.

The Great Pelloponnesian war BCE Who: Athens against Sparta Why: Both wanted to be the most powerful and Sparta thought Athens was getting too much power Sparta has stronger army Athens has better Navy and more money War last about 25 years After an epidemic Athens is defeated by Sparta Its walls were torn down, the Athenian Empire was destroyed, and the war ended. *Effect: city states grow weaker and Macedonia becomes great empire too close to Rome

The Great Pelloponnesian war The Peloponnesian War weakened the Greek city-states and ruined cooperation among them. These internal struggles caused the Greeks to ignore the growing power of Macedonia (north of Greece), an oversight that cost the Greeks their freedom. This will lead us into the Hellenistic Age when Alexander the Great takes over.

In 334 B.C., ALEXANDER THE GREAT, leader of the country of Macedonia to the north, conquered the Greeks and started what is called the HELLENISTIC AGE. Greece unwillingly remained under Macedonian control until the Romans conquered both Macedonia and Greece around 140 B.C.

Alexander the Great Alexander was not from Athens, but Macedonia. Alexander was a brilliant military strategist. His favorite book was Homer ’ s Iliad

Alexander conquered the Persian empire and controlled the largest empire the world has ever seen.

OwlTeacher.com The Legacy of Alexander Although Alexander’s empire did not last, he had unleashed changes that would ripple across the Mediterranean world and the Middle East for centuries. –Alexander’s most lasting achievement was the spread of Greek culture. –Across the empire, local people assimilated, or absorbed, Greek ideas. In turn, Greek settlers adopted local customs.

What happens when cultures collide?

Alexander spread Hellenistic culture throughout Asia. Hellenistic is a fancy word for Greek. Alexander spread Greek technology and ideas throughout his empire

The Roman Coliseum has a strong Hellenistic influence.

What buildings in the USA have a Hellenistic influence?

Lincoln Memorial

Any questions before the quiz?

Greece Quiz 1.What is Greece ’ s political contribution to the political world (especially the United States)? 2. How did geography influence Greece ’ s economy and military technology? 3. How did Hellenistic ideas spread throughout Asia? 4. Describe an example of how necessity brings about technological change. 5. Define monarchy 6. Define oligarchy