By: Cord Roberts

 Cycladic is a group of about 200 islands located east of the Greek mainland in the Southern Aegean Sea.  Minoan culture began on the large island of Crete in about 700 B.C..  The Mycenaean Culture takes its name from the city Mycenae.  The Trojans from 2990 B.C., had thick walls surrounding the City.

 In about 300 B.C. the Cycladic culture began on the 200 islands.  Minoan, Historians named this culture in honor of Minos, the king of Crete in Greek mythology.  By the 1500’s B.C. the Mycenaean’s had become the dominant culture in the area.  The Trojans farmed, raised horses, and herded sheep.

 For hundreds of years the Greek City-States fought over land and trade.  Beginning in the 500 B.C.’s, a common enemy brought the Greek people together for a time.  During that century the Persians built a huge empire that included Assyria, Babylonia, Egypt, and the Greek City-states in Asia Minor.  King Darius 1 turned his soldiers toward the Greek Mainland.

 All though the Persians had more soldiers, the well trained Athenians managed to defeat them.  Legends about the battle tell of a messenger who ran all the way from Marathon to Athens to report the amazing victory.  Athletes re-create this run in the marathon, a race that covers a distance that covers 26 miles.

 The development of Classical Greek civilization began with the rise of city-states.  City-States were formed as people living in neighboring villages joined together to protect themselves from outside dangers.  Many of the groups built walled forts for safety during enemy attacks  Each fort was usually built on a hilltop (acropolis).

 The city-state of Athens was located on Attica, a part of the Balkan Peninsula northeast of the Peloponnesus.  After the Dark Age, Athens was ruled by an aristocracy, or a small group of leaders from wealthy landowning families.  Solon the King of Athens, divided the people of Athens into classes based on wealth instead of birth.  Athens was the first democracy of the world.

 The city-state of Sparta, however, had an inland location on the Peloponnesian Peninsula.  It’s inland location caused Sparta to develop a military economy.  People in Sparta led simple lives of hard work and physical activity.  Spartan society was made up of three classes.

 MAKING OF A EMPORER  Alexander was born in 356 B.C, in Macedonia  Both of his parents wanted to pass their son the love of Greek culture.  They hired a Greek philosopher named Aristotle.  Like his teacher, Alexander was interested in many subjects.

 BUILDING OF AN EMPIRE  With the Greek city-states under his control, Alexander turned to completing his fathers plan to attack the Persians.  Alexander led an army of 35,000 soldiers form southern Europe to Asia Minor to attack the Persian Empire.  He captured 4 Empires including : Chaeronea, most of the Greek Peninsula, Granicus, Gordium, Gaugamela, and Persepolis.

 END OF THE GOLDEN AGE  Alexander the Great ruled a wide area, but he wanted still more land.  Alexander led his army east from Persia into Bactria.  Alexander married the Bactria princess Roxanne.  Alexander and his army were on the move again.

 HIS LEGACY  Alexander the Great and his army came into contact with many different cultures.  Alexander’s rule and period of Alexander’s rule and several centuries after his death are known as the Hellenistic, or “Greek-like,” Age.  Like the Golden Age, the Hellenistic Age was a time of achievement in Greek Civilization.