1. Classical
Greece
Classical Greece

2. Geographic Influence Sea Land Climate
Proximity promoted trade among the various city states
Land
Mountains isolated the valleys; this fostered independence
Climate
Not too hot or cold; allowed for the growing of crops for trade

3. 3 Groups in Control of Greece
Mycenaens
Ancient Greece
Dorians
The Athenians and Spartans
Macedonians
Alexander the Great

4. Ancient Greece
Mountains divided the Greeks into independent city-states, like Athens & Sparta
Access to the sea increased trade & cultural diffusion (sharing ideas) with other cultures

5. The Greek city-states, especially Athens, developed cultural innovations that are still used today which transformed Greece into a “classical civilization”

6. Greek wealth & innovation made it a target to outside invasion; From 493 B.C. to 479 B.C., Persian kings Darius & Xerxes tried (but failed) to conquer the Greeks in the Persian Wars

7. The Persian War Persia versus Greece
The wars started when King Darius of Persia wanted to conquer the Greek peninsula.
Through unity and effort, the Greeks defeated the powerful Persia.
Sparta and Athens played a large part in this victory.
This victory gave city-states a new sense of confidence and freedom.
Athens gained prominence because the victory gave the city - state wealth and power.

8. Persian War

9. Major Persian War Battles
Marathon (490 BCE)
26 miles from Athens
Thermopylae (480 BCE)
Sparta
Military based city state
Valued duty, honor, strength, and discipline
Spartan Training
300 Spartans at the mountain pass
Because of Athens’ success, begin Golden Age

10. Golden “Age of Pericles”: 460 BCE – 429 BCE

11. Pericles - 3 Goals for Athens
He wanted to strengthen the Athenian democracy
He wanted to strengthen the Greek Empire
He wanted to bring glory back to Athens
He introduced direct democracy to Athens

12. Democracy
The direct cause of Athenian democracy was fear of peasant revolts.
An important feature to Athenian democracy was that it increased the number of paid officials.
Athenian democracy and the Golden Age ended by military defeat.

13. Peloponnesian War Sparta hated Athens
Athenian rise in power and wealth after the Persian War.
Athens and Sparta both wanted war
because they thought they had a great advantage at winning.
The war lasted 27 years.
Athens = sea power
Sparta = geographical advantage
Sparta could not be easily attacked from the sea. Athens plagued by disease and defeat lost its wealth and power to Sparta which caused political change in the city-state.

14. Peloponnesian Wars

15. The Peloponnesian Wars left the Greeks weak & open to invasion
After the Persian Wars, the Greek city-states, led by rivals Athens & Sparta, fought each other in the Peloponnesian Wars

16. In 338 B.C., King Philip II of Macedonia attacked & conquered the Greeks, but he died soon after
Macedonians viewed themselves as Greeks & shared much of their culture; King Philip II hired Aristotle to tutor his son Alexander

17. King Alexander of Macedonia
Alexander was only 20 years old when he became king of Macedonia:
But he proved to be ambitious & a brilliant military strategist
Once in power, Alexander began to expand his empire

18. The Empire of Alexander the Great
Alexander began his conquest by crushing a Greek revolt in Thebes; He ordered the death of 6,000 people & sold everyone else into slavery; His brutality convinced other Greeks not to rebel.
Alexander set his sights on the Persian Empire & began his attack by conquering Egypt; Egyptians viewed Alexander as a liberator

19. The Empire of Alexander the Great
In 331 B.C., Alexander attacked & defeated the mighty Persian army led by King Darius III
Alexander destroyed the capital of Persepolis
Alexander led his army to conquer India; After taking the Indus River Valley, Alexander’s troops begged him to return home after 11 years away from their homes while conquering the empire

20. The Empire of Alexander the Great
By 323 B.C., Alexander had conquered a massive empire & began plans to govern & unify his kingdom, but he fell ill & died at the age of 32
By the spring of 323 B.C., Alexander and his army had reached Babylon. Restless as always, Alexander announced plans to organize and unify his empire. He would construct new cities, roads, and harbors and conquer Arabia. However, Alexander never carried out his plans. He became seriously ill with a fever and died a few days later. He was just 32 years old.

21. Alexander left behind an important legacy: He spread Hellenic (Greek) innovations & culture throughout his empire
In each territory he conquered, Alexander left behind a Greek-styled city named Alexandria

22. Alexandria in Egypt was the most significant of these cities & best represented Hellenism (the spread & blending of Greek culture )
Alexandria became the center for Hellenistic culture & trade for the Mediterranean world
Alexandria had a museum & library that preserved Greek, Egyptian, Persian, Indian cultures & attracted scholars for centuries

23. Alexandria Egypt

24. When Alexander died without an heir, his empire was divided among his top 3 generals
Alexander's empire was the largest of the classical era, but it was short-lived (13 years) & was never unified or governed

25. Summary of Alexander the Great:
He was a military genius & well educated
His interest in Greek history & culture as well as Persian, Egyptian, & Indian ideas led to a vibrant new culture, Hellenism, that shaped future civilizations
But, his empire did not last long enough to compete with future empires, such as those ruled by Rome and the Mongols

26. Closure Activity
Which emperor was “greater”: Darius of Persia —OR— Alexander of Macedonia?
Give 3 reasons to explain your answer

27. Socrates “ The unexamined life is not worth living”.
Believed that absolute standards existed for truth and justice.
One should question their moral character.
Love him or Hate him.
Sentenced to death for “corrupting the youth of Athens”

28. Plato Student of Socrates Studied human behavior
Wrote the 1st book on political science – “ The Republic”
Believed more in the state of man than the individual
Felt that service to the community more important than personal goals
Too much freedom led to social disorder
Only the most intelligent and best educated citizens should participate in government

29. Aristotle Influenced the basics of logical thinking
Wrote “Politics”- a book that analyzed the advantages and disadvantage of political structures in the Greek city – states
Government should be balanced between monarchy, aristocracy, and democracy
Middle class should be in power because they knew how to command and obey

30. Alexander the Great
20 years old when he became ruler of Macedonia and Greece
Taught by Aristotle
Taught about everything in the Greek world
Wanted to defeat the Persians because of earlier invasion of Greece
Defeated the Persians and created the largest empire of it’s day.

31. Alexander the Great

32. Alexander the Great Wanted to unite Europe and Asia
Blended Persian and Greek culture
Hellenism
Alexander never saw his true dream come true because he became ill and died of fever at the age of 33.

33. Alexander the Great in Persia

34. Alexander’s Empire

35. Break up of Alexander’s Empire