Ancient Greece

Greek Geography• Mount Olympus• Mountainous with small

plains & river valleys• Warfare devastated Greek

society• Aegean, Mediterranean, and

Ionian Sea• Greeks were seafarers

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/world_maps/world_pol495.jpg

• NC • Greece

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• Mt Olympus

Ionian Sea

•Troy

•Knossos

Greek Civilization

• Minoan civilization established on island of Crete 2700 B.C.

• Complex civilization- very advanced- running water, language (linear A)

• Importance of the Bull• 1450 B.C. Minoans were

invaded by Mycenaeans

http://ejmuybridge.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/bulldance1.jpg

Bull Jumping

Greek Civilization

• Mycenaean civilization prospered around 1400 B.C.

• Powerful monarchies• Wrote in Linear B• Tholos tombs• Warrior society• Large commercial network-

occupied mainland, Crete, and many islands

Linear B Writing

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http://www.historywiz.com/beehivetombs.htm

Tholos Tombhttp://www.historywiz.com/beehivetombs.htm

Greek Civilization

• Mycenaeans conquered Crete• States began fighting one

another–Natural disasters wiped out farm

land– Invaded by Sea People/ Dorians

• 1100 B.C. civilization collapsed

• 1100 – 750 – Dark Age – few records exist

King Agamemnon of Mycenaeans

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Dark Age

• Few records exist, written or otherwise

• Expanded to Asia Minor- Ionia– Looking for good farmland

• Increase of agriculture, trade• Rise of Iron Age– Replaced Bronze Age

Greek Civilization• Greeks adopted Phoenician

alphabet• Epic poem – long poem that

tells the deeds of a great hero

• Homer– The Iliad and The Odyssey

• Mycenaeans and the Trojan War

The Poet, Homer

Greek Polis• 750 B.C. polis – Greek city-

state, was focus of Greek life• Acropolis – fortified

gathering place on top of a hill

• Agora – open area that served as a place where people could assemble, also a market

Athenian Acropolis

Greek Military

• Conflict between city-states began–Created need permanent army

• Hoplites – heavily armed infantry

• Led to new styles of fighting

Hoplite

Ancient Greece

• Phalanx – rectangular shoulder to shoulder military formation

• Between 750 – 550 B.C. Greeks began to expand

• Byzantium – modern day Turkey

• Spread throughout the Mediterranean

Phalanx Formation

Phalanx Formation

Greek Governments

Tyranny

• Ended aristocrats rule in many states

• Seized and maintained power by force

• Support from wealthy merchants who wanted political change

• Fell by 6th Century BC

Oligarchy

• Rule by a few

• a.k.a Aristocracy

• Large and wealthy landowners

• Controlled economy

• Many fell at the hands of tyrants

Greek Governments

Democracy • Government by the people or

rule by many• End of tyranny allowed people

chance to participate in government

• First major polis to adopt was Athens

Sparta

• Oligarchy, military state ruled by 2 kings

• Helots – captured people made to work for Spartans

• Super strict rules, laws, and social structure

• Closed off to the outside world

Athens

• Unified in 700BCE• Draco- 621BCE-

– first lawgiver, to end murder- uses harsh punishment- Draconian

• Solon- given 1 year to fix Athens– Becomes known for "giving the law a conscience“

• Peisistratus took control, followed by son

• Cleisthenes takes over in 510BCE– Created a council of 500

• Start of Democracy

Alliances

• Peloponnesian League–Headed by Spartans– Corinth, Argos, Elis

• Delian League– A.k.a. Athenian League–Massive alliance, including many

islands and towns across Aegean Sea

–Different contributions

Persian Wars

• Persia took over Asia Minor and Ionia

• Darius seeks revenge, and attacks Athens

• Athenians defeat Persians at Marathon in 490BC

• Xerxes vows revenge

King Darius of Persia

Persian Wars

• Greece prepares for attack• Athenians built up navy,

Spartans led defensive league

• Xerxes invades– Thermopylae – 300 Spartans– Athenians abandon city, form army

to win

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ancientgreekmapsandmore/486481344/

Thermopylae

Marathon

Salamis

Athenian Empire

• Athenians formed an defense alliance against Persians

• Golden Age of Greece • Age of Pericles• 461 – 429 B.C.

Age of Pericles

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Age of Pericles• Direct democracy- expanded

political involvement • Ostracism – banning politicians

by vote • Economy based on farming &

trade• Women were ignored, expect

in religious festivals

The Olympics

• The first Olympic games were held in 776BCE

• Greatest festival of sports• Held at Olympia every four

years

Boxing

Equestrian

Horse Riding

Discus

Javelin

Running

Chariot R

acing

Wrestling

Religion

• Mt. Olympus– 12 Gods/ Goddesses

• Believed spirits went to underworld

• Rituals – ceremonies/rites to please gods

• Oracle at Delphi

Architecture • The Acropolis• Geometric proportions• Symmetry

Erechtheum

Parthenon

Classical Greece- Art

• Greek sculpture

• Ideal beauty– Scientific

proportions• Pottery

http://www.ancientgreece.com/media/img/scul2.jpg

Classical Greece-Drama

• Greek tragedies • Aeschylus• Sophocles –

Athenian playwright – Oedipus Rex

• Euripides• Thucydides –

greatest historian of ancient world

http://www.greecepicturetour.com/pictures/dionysus-theater-from-acropolis.jpg

Classical Greece- Education

• 6th century – Pythagoras• Hippocrates “Father of

Medicine• Sophists – traveling

teachers who rejected speculation such as that of Pythagoras as foolish

Greek Philosophy

• Socrates• Know Thyself!• Question

Everything• Only the pursuit of

goodness brings happiness

• Socratic Method• Question and

answer, leads to students thinking for themselves

Greek Philosophy

• Plato – The Academy of Athens–Western philosophy and science

• Aristotle – Viewed as most influential thinker

of the Western world– Scientific method– Golden Mean- EQ

Peloponnesian War

• 431 B.C.• 405 Athens surrendered• Ruined chance of cooperation

among Greek cities• Thebes emerges• Ignored Macedonia to the

north

Rise of Macedonia

• By 5th century, Macedonia emerged as powerful kingdom

• 359 B.C.- King Philip II takes over

Macedonia

• King Philip II assassinated & left throne to his son, Alexander

• Alexander the Great invaded Persia

• Established Alexandria as Greek capital of Egypt

Greece

• Expanded to largest empire in world history, up to this point

• Monarchies became part of Alexander’s political legacy

Greece

• Hellenistic Era – imitate the Greeks

• Alexander’s empire fell apart after his death

• Greek cities of Hellenistic Era helped expand Greek culture

The Breakup of Alexander’s Empire

The Breakup of Alexander’s Empire

Hellenistic Era

• Alexandria was home to largest library

• Sculptures become more realistic

• Developed theory of sun at the center of the universe

• Calculated Earth’s circumference to within 185 miles

Hellenistic Era Philosophers

• Epicurus- Epicurians –Happiness is the chief goal in life– Looking for pleasure – Avoid politics

• Diogenes- Cynics – Avoid luxuries– Live a simple and humble life

Hellenistic Era Philosophers

• Zeno- Stoics –Nature is expansion of divine– True happiness is found in inner

peace and great achievements – Get involved in politics for the good

of all

• Most popular of the time

The & SciencesThe & Sciences

• Science: • Aristarchus - heliocentric theory.• Euclid - geometry• Archimedes – pulley, pi

Hellenistic Art

• Hellenistic Art:– More realistic;

less ideal than Hellenic art.

– Showed individual emotions, wrinkles, and age!

Laocoon and his sons