THE GLORY OF GREEK

CIVILIZATIONClassical Greece

2000B.C. – 200 B.C.

THREE AEGEAN CIVILIZATIONS What direction is the Aegean Sea from

Greece? 2000-1100 B.C. Three major civilizations

prospered in the area around the Aegean SeaMinoans on the island of CreteThe Hellenes on the mainlandThe Trojans on Troy

On the coast of Asia Minor

MINOANS 1700 B.C. – 1400 B.C. Located on the Island of Crete which is in

what direction from Greece? The term Minoan comes from the name

Minos, a legendary king of Crete. Crete had poor soil and good harbors

Much of their wealth came from trade Ships carried goods throughout the lands

Gold, Silver, jewelry, swords, and ivory carvings No large army – instead built a powerful

navy to keep sea free from pirates

MINOAN CULTURE Made clay vases, bronze daggers, gold

cups, and other luxury items Minoans had indoor plumbing with

drains Were skilled at Boxing and Bull Jumping

Most impressive city = Knossos (on the island of Crete)

THE FALL OF THE MINOANS Decline of this civilization has no known

causeSome believe that Hellenes invaded Crete

sometime between 1450 and 1350 B.C. It is known however that the Hellenes

on mainland Greece had opened direct trading with Egypt and Syria and that such trade would not have been possible if the Minoan navy had still controlled the seas

THE TROJAN WARS After the fall of Crete, the Hellenes

turned their power in other places They expanded their trade into the

black Sea Region As time passed, these people came into

conflict with the people who lived in the city-state of Troy

Between 1200-1180 B.C. two Trojan wars were fought

WHAT IS THE TROJAN WAR?

A Greek poet named Homer created a long poem about the wars ILLIADThought to be based

on oral or spoken poetry

THE ILLIAD The Trojan Wars started after Paris, a son of

the King of Troy, kidnapped Helen, the beautiful wife of a Greek King. An army of greek heroes, including Achilles and Odysseus, sailed to Troy to rescue Helen. The great battle between Achilles and Hector, prince of Troy, in which Hector is killed, is a high point of the poem. The Greeks finally defeated the Trojans and destroyed Troy

Based on Heinrich Schliemann, Troy as described by Homer, really did exist

THE FALL OF THE AEGEAN PEOPLES Dorians Came in after the fall of Troy when all

other Greek city-states were fighting each other

They didn’t write anything down so the Greeks fell into what is known as the Dark Ages

THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF ATHENS

The Classical Age

HIGHEST POINT OF DEVELOPMENT Began around 500 B.C. Because of the geography, the Greeks DID

NOT create one Nation – instead they created many city-states also called POLI Independent of one another

Each was governed as it’s citizens viewed bestMonarchy – ruled by a kingAristocracy – ruled by noblesOligarchy – ruled by wealthy merchants and

landowners Athens chose Democracy

Ruled by the people

ATHENIAN DEMOCRACY http://

www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/worldhistory/athens/

Athens was different from all others – they had democracy

http://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/worldhistory/democracy/

MALES VS FEMALES Males began preparing for their role in the

democratic government at 18 Public pledge to defend Athens and Gods After training for 2 years – enter into active military

Only after they served in military could they then vote

After 30 he could serve on the Council of 500 This supervised the army, the navy, and financial

affairs Could also serve on jury (6000 people) Could also be elected to serve as one of the Ten

Generals They led the armed forces of Athens

Not all people could practice in the democracyWomanSlaves or prisoners of warResidents who were not born in Athens

Athens is therefore ruled by a MINORITY not a MAJORITY

EDUCATION IN ATHENS Boys were educated to serve the city

Grammar Singing and musical instrument Geometry, astronomy, geography, and public

speaking Also trained the body

Participated in sports Wrestling, swimming, running, and throwing the

javelin and discus Girls

Taught to be good wives and mothers Weaving, household management, and the care

of children Married between age 14 and 16

CULTURE What is culture? What does it mean to have culture or to

be cultured?

Arts and Sciences Talented people came to Athens to learn

– what does this tell us about the culture of Athens?

Artists, architects, sculptors, dramatists, philosophers, mathematicians,

GREAT MINDS OF ATHENS

Socrates

Plato

Aristotle

SOCRATES

PLATO

ARISTOTLE

DRAMATISTS Wrote plays called Tragedies

AeschylusSophoclesEuripedes

Wrote comediesAristophanes

HISTORIANS Herodotus

Wars between Greeks and Persians Thucydides

Peloponnesian War

SPARTAThe Military State

SECOND MOST IMPORTANT CITY-STATE

Cared little about democracy or the arts Most of their interests were around

military matters Government became organized around

600 B.C. Strongest military power in all of Greece

Ignored all other city-states

GOVERNMENT Elected two kings every 9 years A council of elders and an assembly of free

Spartans advised the king Council of elders = 28 men over the age of 60 Assembly of free Spartans = men over age 30

Ephors held real power This was a committee of 5 people elected every year

by the assembly Closely watch the actions of the king Control education Supervise slaves

Spartan people only lived to served the needs of the government

WAYS OF LIFE All males are professional soldiers

Spent childhood training for the military Most of adult life in the army

All boys, starting at age 7 moved away from home to a military training camp Here they were taught how to be good Spartans

Men required to marry at the age of 30 in order to start having a family This gave the government more soldiers!

Men stayed in the military and did not live at home with their wives until after they were 60 years old

SPARTAN WOMEN Received no formal education Taught to be healthy mothers Had more legal rights then other woman

in other city states Had legal rights equal to men

SPARTAN CITIZENS Not allowed to participate in trade or

manufacturingPeople who were not citizens did this for the

Spartans Spartans owned farms

Helots = non Spartan slavesHelots do all of the work on the farms

Mainly agriculture with very little trade

Very, very harsh life

THE PERSIAN AND

PELOPONNESIAN WARS

During 5th century B.C. – The Greek city-states are defeated twice by the Persian empire

Greeks tried to fight the Persians The unite under the leadership of Athens

They defeat the Persians

However, now all of the city-states begin to fight one another

Disaster for all of Greece

CONFLICT WITH PERSIA 522B.C. – Persian empire controls Middle

EastThis includes many Greek City-States in Asia

Minor Darius = King of Persia City-States in Greece rebel against Persia in

499Athens sends ships to help – this angers Darius

Darius decides to conquer Greece and punish Athens

To defend themselves, Athens and Sparta form an alliance

MARATHON 490 B.C. Athenian army defeats the Persians

The Persians outnumbered the Athenians

Runner was sent 25 miles to report the victoryThis is why we run marathons =)

Darius is forced to withdraw from Greece

Xerxes = Son of Darius of Persia

480 B.C. – Xerxes attacks Greece

Persian forces outnumbered the few hundred Spartans

Persians capture Athens and set fire to it

BUT the Athenians fight back at sea and defeat the Persian navy in a battle at Salamis Persians leave for home a year later

This victory saves the freedom of the Greek City-States To prevent further attacks by Persia the city states

organize themselves into a lose alliance called the Delian League

THE AGE OF PERICLES460-429 B.C.

Glory and power come to Athens Pericles leads Athens

Makes a beautiful city Temples and other buildings

ParthenonHonored Athena

Wrote new laws that made the government even more democratic

Called the Golden Age of Greece

PELOPONNESIAN WAR

Athens tries to use the Delian League to build an empire It didn’t work because the city-states were forced

to pay taxes and give land to AthensLed by Sparta the others rebelled

431-404 B.C. = Sparta and Athens are fighting to determine who would control the Peloponnesian PeninsulaThis is southern GreeceSparta wins this and gets the Peloponnesian

Peninsula They end democratic government in other city-states

But Sparta is very weak

City state of Thebes, with help from Persia, defeats Sparta But the other city-states won’t accept Thebes as

the ruler

All other city states are destroying themselves

King Phillip II of the kingdom of Macedonia take powerHe unites the city-states by force and Greece and

Macedonia become one kingdom

THE RISE OF MACEDONIA

AND HELLENISTIC

AGE

King Phillip II of Macedonia was murdered after conquering GreeceHis son = Alexander the Great, he becomes

king

Alexander the Great leads Greece into a new Era called the Hellenistic Age

THE MACEDONIANS Country North of Greece Most people are herders and farmers

Little interest in learning King Phillip prevents them from killing one

another Unifies the people as a nation Creates a powerful army Teaches them to fight in large, heavily armed

formations called phalanxes Phillip wants them to have the culture of

the Greeks He brings Aristotle to Macedonia to give his

son an education

After he conquered Greece, Phillip organizes the city-states into the Hellenic LeagueOnly Sparta is not a member

The city-states could govern themselves as long as they gave Phillip military support

Phillip’s dream was to conquer the great Persian empire – but he was murdered before he could accomplish this

Instead, his son, Alexander the Great does

HELLENISTIC AGE 334 B.C. – Alexander the Great begins

his conquest of the Persian Empire Also takes over Egypt, the Middle East,

and the Indus River Valley

By 324 B.C. Alexander the Great rules over one of the largest empires

HELLENISTIC CULTURE Alexandria of Egypt develops into one of the

most important cities of the entire empire Major learning and trading center

Those who settled in the area were encouraged to marry Persians, Egyptians, Syrians and others who were native This begins to unite the cultures

Very wealthy cities Amazing temples, government buildings,

and theaters

Scholars, artists, scientists, and merchants all venture here to expand their minds

DEATH OF ALEXANDER 323 B.C. Alexander dies at the age of 33 His great empire is divided among his

strongest generals who makes themselves kingsMacedoniaSyriaEgypt

City-States are independent again

The culture remained and grew and was picked up by the Roman civilization as they gained more and more power by 200 B.C.

GREEK HERITAGE Olympic games which originated in

Athens Drama Architecture Philosophy Geometry Physics

Most important = democracy It has shaped many of the great nations of

the world, including ours