ANCIENT GREECE By: Awab Hassan Gabir.

INTRODUCTION  Ancient Greece existed before 2 millenniums (2,000 years ago)  They had a great civilization and contributed in much of the philosophy and science known today.  The Ancient Greeks believed in legends and myths that involved gods.  They also invented the Olympic Games.

Map of Ancient Greece Map of Ancient Greece:

Ancient Greek food.  The Ancient Greeks ate bread, cheese made from goats milk, olives, olive oil, dried fish, figs, wine mixed with water.  They did not eat much meat but they did eat lots of fish.

Poor Ancient Greek families. IIn poor families, the women looked after the children, did all the housework, all the cooking and even worked to earn money as well.

Rich Ancient Greek families RRich families had slaves to do all the housework and looked after the children, so rich women probably got quite bored around the house all day with nothing to do.

Ancient Greek Women  Although the Greeks believed in some women gods, real women were not treated very fairly.  They were not allowed to make up the rules and laws and can not vote.

Getting Married  It was the father who decided who their daughters could marry, they wanted rich and successful husbands for their daughters to make a good family, the night before the girl got married, she had to burn all her toys.  The women can’t divorce their husbands, only the husbands can.

Athens  It was the capital state in Greece. AAthenian boys start school at the age of 7 years. AAthenian girls learn from their mothers and learn how to cook and how to make clothes.

Sparta  It was the second biggest Greek state.  Spartan boys go to military camp to learn how to fight in war.  Spartan girls learn how to fight too, but they don’t go to military camps.  Spartan girls also learn how to cook and make clothes.

Where do Ancient Greek Gods Live? AAncient Greeks believed that there were gods watching them. TThey believed that the gods lived in Mount Olympus, but they also believed that some of them lived elsewhere, like the sea and the underground.

Zeus  Zeus is the king of gods.  He is the god of lightning, thunder and the sky, he is famous of punishing the wicked and protecting the weak, he is also famous of making thunderbolts. Hera is the wife of Zeus.

Hades  Hades is the god of the underground, he is also tricky.  He makes sure that the underground is guarded by a three headed dog, he is also Zeus’ brother.

Poseidon  He is Zeus’ and Hades’ brother.  He is god of the horses and the ocean.  Greeks call him earth shaker, because he makes earthquakes.  He live in the ocean.

Ares  Ares is the god of war.  He is Zeus’ son.  He holds a spear and a shield.

Battle of Marathon  The Battle of Marathon was a war against the Persians and Athenians.  It was in the island of Marathon.  The Athenians won the battle.  A person called Phelidipidis ran from Athens to Sparta to ask for help.  He ran 26.2 miles that is now the length of the marathon today.  Sparta refused to help, because they were in the middle of a religious festival.  Phelidipidis gasped his last breaths while breaking the news of victory, he died of exhaustion.

Battle of Marathon Pictures of the Battle Of Marathon:

Troy  Troy was a city in Greece now in Turkey.  It had a war against Sparta for thousands of years after that by 1,000 years they became allies.  The war started, because Paris, prince of troy kidnapped Helen, wife of the king of Sparta.  Paris and Helen loved each other.  First the Greeks couldn’t beat the Trojans.  The Greeks made a fake defeat and left a huge wooden horse, inside the horse was some of the Greek soldiers.  The Trojans thought that the wooden horse was gift of their fake victory.

Troy  Troy made a party, when everybody was sleeping the Greek soldiers sneaked out of the wooden horse and destroyed Troy.  The greatest Greek soldier, Achilles killed Hector, brother of Paris. The wooden horse:

Olympic Games  They were played every 4 years.  It was invented in 776 B.C.  The games were boxing, running in full armor, horse racing, chariot racing, wrestling, pentathlon, discus, javelin, racing and long jump.  The winner gets the wreath of olive, and he will be well fed.  Men only can play and watch the Olympic Games.  The Olympic Games were a religious festival, in the honor of Zeus.  The games lasted for 5 days and all wars must be stopped during that period.

Amazing Fact about Ancient Greek Civilization  Ancient Greeks loved to make temples with high and beautiful pillars.  They made one of the 7 wonders of the world; the Acropolis.

Ancient Greek Alphabet