1. Introduction to Ancient Greece

2. Importance of the Sea
“Greeks don’t live on the land; they live near the sea.”

3. Importance of Terrain
Mountains, rocky terrain + lack of arable farmland

4. Because of lack or arable land – they needed trading partners so they created colonies around the Mediterranean. This also helped spread Greek culture so that it was more easily preserved.

5. Historical Overview Ancient Civilization: Minoans & Mycenaeans
Mycenaeans taken over by illiterate warriors (the Dorians)
“Dark Ages” (400 years)
(Homer’s The Iliad and The Odyssey written at the end of the Dark Ages)
Classical Civilization
Begins with victory in Persian Wars
Ends with civil war called Peloponnesian War (weakened b/c of war > Greece is conquered by Alexander the Great)
Hellenistic Era
Alexander the Great spreads Greek culture across a huge empire
Greece conquered by the Roman Empire

6. Types of Government Oligarchy Rule by a small group of people Tyrant
Monarchy
Aristocracy
Oligarchy
Rule by a king/queen
Rule by wealthy nobles
Rule by a small group of people
Bottom right picture is of Peisistratos– an Athenian “tyrant” who reduced the power of the aristocracy and championed the poor.
Tyrant
A leader who gains complete control by appealing to the poor and unhappy
(Some tyrants are bad.)
(But some tyrants are good.)

7. Athenian Democracy
Created in response to aristocrats’ fear of a revolution by the people > created a limited democracy where:
All Athenian citizens could participate in government.
But… only 1/5 of Athenians were considered “citizens.”
Pericles (Leader during the Golden Age of Athens) > introduced direct democracy (expanded definition of “citizen”)

8. Sparta
Athens

9. Government Military oligarchy Why? Democracy Why? Sparta Athens
Fear of revolt by helots (conquered people)
Democracy
Why?
Fear of revolution by poor Athenians

10. Values
Sparta
Athens
Strength and honor
Imagination and curiosity

11. Role of Women
Sparta
Athens
Women managed family estates, sometimes involved in government
Why?
Women took no part in government or intellectual life
Why not?

12. Architecture

13. Theatrical Forms Tragedy Comedy Satyr
Masks were worn to exaggerate features and were adjusted for each form.

14. Athletic Competition

15. New Type of Warfare Thanks to the new invention of iron…
Instead of aristocrats (rich landowners) fighting each other on horseback, city-states create militaries of hoplites (foot soldiers) organized into a rectangular unit (phalanx) with shields for protection

16. Philosophy (Socrates, Plato, Aristotle)
Notes: Trial and death of Socrates is evidence of the growing distinction between “traditional”/rural values (based on mythology) and “modern”/urban ideas of natural science/agnosticism.