Height of Minoan Civilization of Crete BC 1400 BC Minoans Disappear Mycenaean Civilization develops 1250 BC Trojan War: Helen or economics? 1100 BC Greek Dark Ages “Dorian Invasion” 750 BC Life of Homer Bull of Knossos

Blind poet Retold/had written down The Iliad & The Odyssey Other stories & hymns as well Gives us: Description of gods Details of life Important values Greek Religion Polytheistic Mt. Olympus Gods took on human qualities Stories help explain the natural world

Geography Issues: Islands Mountains

City- States— Individual kingdoms or govs within a city City- States— Individual kingdoms or govs within a city “Polis” “Polis”

The political, religious, and social center of the city Acropolis: high city Agora: market place

Persian Empire, B.C.

Persia too strong, Greeks rebel At first—Grk city-states are weak b/c not united Eventually unite Defeat Persian army after 50 years of fighting Battle of Marathon—1 st major victory Battles of Thermopylae—Grks outnumbered, 300 Spartans fend off Persians in support of the other Grks Battle of Salamis—Naval Battle, Persian downfall Athens emerges as major power in Greek World Create Delian League (alliance of Grk City- States) Pericles leads them into a “Golden Age”

Athens v. Sparta Sparta resents Athens’s Power Sparta stronger military power Plague breaks out in Athens Kills 1/3 population Sparta allies with Persia Athens is defeated Weakens Greece again