1. The Civilization of the Greeks4
The Civilization of the Greeks

2. I. Early Greece 1. Geography
Ancient Greece most consisted of a mountainous peninsula jutting out into the Mediterranean Sea
Over 2,000 Islands in the Aegean and Ionian Seas
The sea was to Greece what rivers were to Egypt and Mesopotamia
It was said that the Greeks did not live on the land but around the sea
The Greeks became master ship builders due to sea trade Minoan Crete, B.C.E.

3. 2. Minoan Crete 2000-1450 BCE Minoan Crete (Island), 2000-1450 B.C.E.
Lost until rediscovered by archeologist Arthur Evans in 1900, who named it “Minoan” after Minos, a legendary king.
Palace Knosssus
Traded as far as Egypt
Collapsed due to natural disaster? Invaded?

4. Ancient Greece (c. 750 – 338)

5. 3. Greek City-States: Mycenae
Although not much of the site remains today, Mycenaean civilization erected several fortified palace complexes on these hills in the fifteen century B.C.E.

6. Indo-Europeans, and first entered Greece aroudn 1900 BCE
Powerful monarchies and fortified palaces, a
Trojan War?
Maybe invaded 1100s BCE

7. 4. Dark Ages 1100-750 BCE Populating declined
New Greeks: The Aoelians and Dorians
Iron replaced Bronze, adopted Phoenician alphabet
Homer wrote Iliad and Odyssey (aristocratic heroes)

8. 5. The Greek City-States 750-500 BCE
A. The Polis: City or town-for use of govt/religion 1. Citizens (free males) had rights 2. Had an acropolis as well as agora 3. A New Military System (included hoplites in phalanx formation. B. Colonization and Trade 1. Large numbers of Greeks left

9. 6. Colonization and the Rise of Tyrants
A. Colonization
1. Gulf between rich and poor, overpopulation, and trade
2. Founded as a polis
3. Cultural diffusion
4. Trade and commerce
B. Tyrants
1. A tyrant was someone who came to rule by unconstitutional ways in 7th and 6th centuries B.C.E.
2. Support came from the new rich from trade and industry who opposed the old aristocracy
3. Poor peasants becoming indebted to the landholding aristocrats
4. Tyrants favored merchants and traders
5. Extinguished by end of 6th century B.C.E.
Ended the rule of aristocratic oligarchies
Opened the door to open participation by the citizens

10. 7. Sparta (800 to 600 BCE)
A. Conquered neighboring Laconia and Messenia
Helots (a type of serf)
B. Reforms by Lycurgus (maybe a King)
Military society (boys trained at age 7 on up)
Women (exercised, remained fit, more freedom)
C. Government
Two kings share power with the gerousia (council of 28 elders over the age of 60 serving for life)
Apella – assembly of all male citizens
Ephors-group of five men (supervised education and conduct of youth)

11. 8. Athens Established about 700 B.C.E.
1. End of the 7th century B.C.E., farmers sold into slavery for not paying debts
B. Solon (c. 640-c. 560 B.C.E.)
B.C.E. canceled all debts, outlawed new loans based on human collateral, freed people who had fallen into slavery for debts
2. Did not initiate land redistribution
C. Pisistratus seize power in 560 B.C.E. and pursued policies to aid trade
D. Cleisthenes seized power in 508 B.C.E.
Creates Council of 500 that was responsible for the administration of foreign and financial affairs
Athenian assembly had final authority in passing laws
Creates the foundation of Athenian democracy

12. The Parthenon
The Parthenon, which dominated the Acropolis of fifth century B.C.E. Greece and the Athens of today, represents the glory that was Greece in the age of Pericles.

13. 9. The Challenge of Persia
A. Darius ( B.C.E.)
Unsuccessful revolt of Ionian cities, helped by Athenian Navy
Darius outraged by revolt so attacks the mainland Greeks
Battle of Marathon, 490 B.C.E.
Darius looses war
B. Xerxes ( B.C.E.)
Invasion of Greece, B.C.E.
Spartan league and Athenian navy
Battle of Thermopylae, 480 B.C.E.
Battle of Salamis, 480 B.C.E.
Battle of Plataea, 479 B.C.E.

14. 10. The Growth of an Athenian Empire in the Age of Pericles
Delian League formed B.C.E.
Under the leadership of Athens, the Persians attacked and virtually all Greek city-states in the Aegean freed
Athens comes to control the League and forbids any state to withdraw
Pericles
Expanded democracy at home and an empire abroad
Elected to generalship 30 times between 461 and 429 B.C.E.

15. 11. The Great Peloponnesian War and the Decline of the Greek States (431-404 B.C.E.)
Sparta and allies v. Athens and allies
Athens stays behind its walls and Sparta ravages the land of Attica
Plague in 429, B.C.E., takes Pericles
Battle of Aegospotami, 405 B.C.E.
Surrender of Athens, 404 B.C
Effects of the wars

16. Classical Greece
©2004 Wadsworth, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Thomson Learning™ is a trademark used herein under license.

17. 12. Culture of Classical Greece
History
Greek Drama
Tragedy
Comedy
The Arts: The Classical Ideal
Architecture
Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian columns
Temples
Parthenon
Sculpture
Subjects of male nudity
Proportional and life-like

18. Theater at Epidaurus
The acoustics at this great outdoor theater at Epidaurus are so clear that a whisper on stage could be heard from any of its 14,000 seats.

19. 13. The Greek Love of Wisdom
Philosophy meant “love of wisdom”
Socrates ( B.C.E.)
Socratic method
Goal of education was to improve the individual
Questioned authority
Plato (c B.C.E.)
The Republic
The Academy
Aristotle ( B.C.E.)
Politics
Importance of his ideas on Western thought

20. 14. Greek Religion Was necessary for the well-being of the state
Mount Olympus
No body of doctrine or focus on morality
Festivals
Oracle of Apollo at Delphi

21. 15. Daily Life in Classical Athens
150,000 citizens, 43,000 of which were adult males who exercised political power
Economy based on agriculture and trade
Family the central institution
Women kept under strict control
Male homosexuality a prominent feature

22. 16. Rise of Macedonia and the Conquests of Alexander
Philip II ( B.C.E.)
The Battle of Chaeronea
Assassinated in 336 B.C.E.
Alexander the Great ( B.C.E.)
Persian Empire
Battle of Granicus River, 334 B.C.E.
Battle of Issus, 333 B.C.E.
Battle of Gaugamela, 331 B.C.E.
Persepolis, 330 B.C.E.
Alexander in India, 327 B.C.E.
Death of Alexander, 323 B.C.E.

23. The Conquests of Alexander the Great

24. 17. The Legacy of Alexander
Hellenistic Age (“to imitate Greeks”)
Destruction of Persia
Benefits Greek engineers, intellectuals, merchants, administrators, and soldiers
Political unity based on monarchy
Culture
Art, architecture, language, literature
Cities

25. 18. The Hellenistic Kingdoms
Four Hellenistic kingdoms emerged
Macedonia under the Antigonid dynasty
Syria and the east under the Seleucids
Attalid kingdom of Pergamum in western Asia Minor
Egypt under the Ptolemies
Greeks and Macedonians formed the new ruling class
Hellenizing an urban phenomenon
Greeks and Macedonians colonists provided a pool for civilian administrators and workers
Agriculture and trade
Agriculture was central to Hellenistic economy
Trade and commerce experienced considerable expansion

26. The World of the Hellenistic Monarchs
©2004 Wadsworth, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Thomson Learning™ is a trademark used herein under license.

27. 19. Culture in the Hellenistic World
Greeks provided sense of unity
Hellenistic era was time of accomplishments
Scholars
Art
Golden Age of Science
Separation of science and philosophy
Archimedes ( B.C.E.)
Philosophy
Athens still the center of philosophy
Epicurus ( B.C.E.)
Zeno ( B.C.E.) and Stoicism

28. The World According to Erathosthenes
©2004 Wadsworth, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Thomson Learning™ is a trademark used herein under license.

29. Discussion Questions
How did geography and the sea help to shape Greek culture?
Compare and contrast the city-states of Sparta and Athens. How would you explain their divergent development?
What did “democracy” mean to the ancient Greeks? What groups were excluded from Athenian democracy?
How would you explain the rise of kingdoms and the demise of independent city-states during the Hellenistic period?