Ancient Greece

Geography of Greece Greece is a mountainous peninsula

about the size of Louisiana. The mountains and the sea were the

most important geographical influences on Greece.

Geography Cont. Greece has many ports, inlets, and

islands. The Greeks became seafarers. They sailed into the Aegean, the

Black and the Mediterranean Seas, making contact with the outside world and spreading colonies and trade throughout the Mediterranean area.

The Minoan Civilization By 2800 B.C.E., a Bronze Age

civilization called the Minoan civilization was established on Crete.

The Minoan civilization flourished between 2000 and 1450 B.C.E.

The Polis Is a Greek city-state The first Greek polis was Mycenae The term Mycenaean comes from

Mycenae, a fortified site in Greece The Mycenaean civilization thrived

between 1600 and 1100 B.C.E., reaching its height between 1400 and 1200 B.C.E.

Life in Mycenae Mycenae was made up of an alliance

of powerful monarchies. Monarchy- a government ruled by a

king or queen Mycenaeans had a warrior culture. Their murals show the typical

occupations of a warrior aristocracy--hunting and fighting.

THE POLIS By 750 B.C.E., the polis, meaning

Greek city-state, became the central focus of Greek life.

Our own word politics comes from the Greek word polis.

The polis was a town, city, or village serving as a center where people met for political, economic, social, and religious activity.

ACROPOLIS The main gathering place was usually

on a hill, topped with a fortified area called the acropolis.

This was a refuge and sometimes a place for religious or other public buildings.

Below was the agora, an open area for assembly and for a market.

Athens Is Considered Greece’s greatest city Was the birthplace of democracy Democracy- government controlled

by its citizens, either directly or indirectly

Athens’ population exceeded 300,000 by the 5th century B.C.E.