1. Ancient Greece in a Nutshell
Crash Course #1

2. Physical Geography of Greece
The landscape is rocky and mountainous
Communication and transportation is difficult
Cities developed independently of one another
A single great empire is impossible!

3. The Polis
Polis – (city-state) designated city and its surrounding countryside
The polis can be governed as a monarchy, aristocracy, oligarchy, tyranny, or democracy – you name it!
Athens, Sparta, Thebes, and Corinth are among the most powerful polis

4. Democracy v. Oligarchy
Greek democracies were really expanded oligarchies
Many Greeks saw democracies as unstable and violent
Oligarchies allowed for social mobility and gave passive civil rights on all citizens
Outsiders are excluded from citizenship
Both allow for strong identification with city state by citizens – I smell nationalism!

5. The Archaic Age (800-500 BC) A Tale of Two Cities
Sparta
Sparta is an oligarchy ruled by 2 kings and 28 Elders
Conquest is means of economic and agricultural survival
Strong military society
Athens
Aristocracy rules
Civil unrest common among economically dependent farmers and the aristocracy
Society emphasizes education and philosophy

6. More on Athens
Draco establishes the first Athenian Law Code (621 BC) – now everyone knows the law!
Solon freed debt slaves and opened the aristocratic assembly to all citizens (594 BC)
Cleisthenes set up a form of representative democracy by setting up local demes (gov’ts) to connect to the central government – creating a local voice

7. The Classical Period (500-338 BC)
Pericles made Athens a cultural center of learning and creativity
Sophocles and Euripides created plays and dramas
Socrates analyzed human society and developed new questioning techniques geared towards analytical thinking
Plato believed the truth lay in the world of ideas
Aristotle put emphasis on the material world

8. Persian Wars
Athens decided to help the Ionians rebel against Persia. Persia gets mad and wants revenge
Persia begins an all out invasion of Greece – they think Greece would make a nice addition to their empire

9. The Battles
Battle of Marathon
Battle of Thermopylae
Battle of Salamis

10. Wars = Alliances
Persian Wars forced Greek city-states into military alliances
The alliances worked so well, they decided to formalize it after the war as a defense.
The Delian League – naval alliance against Persia

11. Getting Greedy
The Athenians took control of the Delian League and turned it into a vehicle for building an empire (for themselves)
The league was used as a way to exert control and force tributes
Needless to say, the other city states weren’t thrilled

12. Peloponnesian War
Tired of the Delian League, Sparta and some friends go after Athens, sparking a huge civil war
Macedon sees this happening and sees it as a golden moment to invade – Greece is left weak and unstable from their war.
Greece falls to Philip of Macedon

13. Hellenistic Greece
Alexander the Great (Philip’s son) lays claim to the empire. He gets busy and expands and expands and expands
As a result of expansion Greek cities become connected with other cities
Greek culture spread to the Mediterranean and Asia

14. Hellenistic Philosophy
Two Schools of Philosophy Develop:
Epicureanism – moderation, self-discipline, and a quiet life
Stoicism – civic virtue, devotion to duty, acceptance of one’s lot in life

15. Ups and Downs
Trade and international commerce flourish through new communication and transportation networks
After Alexander’s death the empire is broken up into pieces among his generals
Monarchies eventually take over the splintered pieces