Unit 2 – Classical Civilizations

1. Unit 2 – Classical Civilizations 600 B.C.E. – 600 C.E.

2. Cosmopolitan • Adjective • Familiar with and at ease in many different countries and cultures. • "his knowledge of French, Italian, and Spanish made him genuinely cosmopolitan" • synonyms: worldly, worldly-wise, well travelled, experienced, unprovincial, cultivated, cultured, sophisticated, suave, urbane, glamorous, fashionable, stylish • Including people from many different countries. • "immigration transformed the city into a cosmopolitan metropolis" • synonyms: multicultural, multiracial, international, worldwide, global • "the student body has a cosmopolitan character" • Having an exciting and glamorous character associated with travel and a mixture of cultures. • "their designs became a byword for cosmopolitan chic"

3. The Classical Age • Civilization advanced and became increasingly formalized • Governments became centralized • Small tribes and states would become unified into large empires • Governments would establish large and complex bureaucracies • Expand on Code of Laws • Roman Law, Legalism

4. Common Features • Patriarchal family structures • Classical civilization valued male authority within families, as well as in most other areas of life. • Agricultural-based economies • Despite more sophisticated and complex job specialization, the most common occupation in all areas was farming. • Expanding trade base • Their economic systems were complex. • Trade routes connected them by both land and sea. • Focus on interregional conquest

5. Qin & Han Dynasty Persian Empire Greek City-States Teotihuacan Roman Empire MayanEmpire Hellenistic Empire Phoenicia Maurya & Gupta Empire Moche Major Civilizations & Empires

6. The Silk Road • Modern day Turkey to China • Indian Ocean • India, Eastern Africa, & Southwest Asia (Middle East) • Trans-Saharan Trade • From south of the Sahara to the Mediterranean • Sub-Saharan Trade • Networks south of the Sahara Desert

7. Trends in Empires: Environmental Concerns • Classical civilizations often damaged their local environments • Soil erosion, desertification • Many classical harbors were abandoned due to silting • Ephesus (modern Turkey) • Forests were cut down to build cities, never replanted • Led to a lack of resources

8. Trends in Empires: Collapse • Overgrowth • Empires became too big to manage • Internal Fighting • Civil wars and revolts • Invasions • Outsiders pressure the borders of large empires • Huns & Goths • Decline of values • Core values of empires change, eroding unifying characteristics

9. The Persian Empire

10. Mesopotamia • Mesopotamia was ruled by the Babylonians until 539 B.C.E. • Conquered by the Persians (Medes) • Persian Empires • Located in modern Iran • Extends from Egypt to India

11. Achaemenid Empire • Cyrus the Great • Conquered and united peoples in Persia, Fertile Crescent, Anatolia • Ended the Babylonian Captivity of the Jews • Nicknamed him “the Great”

12. Darius • Introduced standard coinage, weights and measures • Postal service • Calendar (from Egypt) • Law code • Created the Satrapy • What are the Satraps?

13. Achaemenid Empire • Satraps – royal governors • Satrapies – regions/states • Persians allowed conquered people to maintain rule and customs • Punished revolt • Paid tribute to the king • Also controlled by a military ruler

14. The Royal Road • 1600 mile road that encouraged trade • Helped Defense • Stables every 25 – 30 miles • A letter could go from one end to the other in a week

15. Zoroastrianism • Prophet Zarathustra 628-551 B.C.E. • Ahura Mazda – The Creator • Two opposing forces • SpentaMainyu - Progressive mentality • AngraMainyu - Destructive Mentality • Good vs. Evil/White Lightness vs. Darkness • People are the creations of the good god and have free will • Magi – class of priests who absolved sins • May have influenced Judaism & Christianity

16. The Fall of the Persian Empires • Achaemenid Empire will fall as a result of Alexander the Great • Uses revenge as a pretense for invasion • Battle of Gaugamela (10/1/331 B.C.E.) • Effectively ends the Achaemenid Empire • Seleucid Empire (312 B.C.E. – 63 B.C.E.) • Hellenistic Empire founded by Alexander’s generals • Parthian Empire (247 B.C.E. – 224 C.E.) • Able to consistently defeat Rome • Sassanid Empire (224 C.E. – 651 C.E.) • Will end as a result of the Muslim invasions

17. The Mediterranean Sea • Phoenicia, Carthage, Greek City-States & Roman Empire • These regions are considered the foundation of western civilization • Exist from c. 2,000 B.C.E. to about 500 C.E. • Influenced nearly every part of modern society

18. Classical Greece

19. Greek Geography • Located on peninsulas and islands in the Aegean and Mediterranean Sea • Mountainous, not a great agricultural region • Main agricultural products • Good harbors led to extensive sea trade • Barter led to trade with money • Poor geography led to early conquests and strong military

20. Classical Empires • Mycenaean Greece • 1600 B.C.E. – 1100 B.C.E. • Bronze-age Greeks • Early cities: Mycenae, Athens, Thebes • Site/time of Homer’s Epics • Will end with Dorian conquests, becomes classical Greece • Minoan (Crete) & Phoenician civilizations influenced Greece through trade • Phoenician alphabet

21. Polis • A city and the surrounding countryside that is controlled by a single government • Greece was not one nation, made up of city-states known as Polis • Shared language, culture, and religion • Consisted of 3 groups • Citizens (adult males) • Free people with no political rights • Noncitizens – slaves • Major Polis • Sparta • Military and agriculture center • Athens • Naval & Cultural Center • Corinth

22. Mythology • Greeks were polytheistic • Greek gods possessed Human failings • Remains a part of western culture and language (a Herculean effort)

23. Polis - Athens • Political, commercial, & Cultural center • All citizens were expected to participate • First “Democracy” • Athens progressed from monarchy to aristocracy (rule by elites) to democracy • Effort led by Draco and Solon • Slavery allowed time to participate in civic life

24. Persian Wars (499 B.C.E. – 449 B.C.E.) • Before Athens emerged as a democracy, Persia tried to invade • Independent city-states unified to defeat the Persians • Most famous battles • Marathon, 490 B.C.E., Greeks win • Thermopylae, 480 B.C.E., Persians win • Xerxes – Persian King • Battle of the 300 • Salamis, 480 B.C.E., Greeks win

25. Golden Age • Persian Wars led to unification of Greece under the leadership of Pericles • Pericles oversaw the rebuilding of Athens and the construction of the Parthenon • The Delian League • Union of Greek city-states

26. Golden Age • Philosophy • Truth can be determined through rational thought and careful observation • Virtue and Goodness leads to inner peace • Most important Philosophers • Socrates (c. 470-399 B.C.E.) • Plato (c. 428-347 B.C.E.) • Aristotle (c. 384-322 B.C.E.)

27. Peloponnesian War • Athens used Delian league’s navy to create an Athenian empire • Athens vs. Sparta • Trade dispute with Corinth led to war • Athens – stronger navy • Sparta – stronger army • Plague ravaged and devastated Athens • Sparta did not destroy Athens • Weakened Polis and led to the Macedonian conquest of Greece - end of Greek Golden Age

28. Greek Legacies • Greeks will establish colonies around the Mediterranean, influence later cultures • Drama • Comedies and tragedies • Math • Archimedes, Euclid, Pythagoras • Medicine • Hippocrates • Architecture • Doric, Ionic, & Corinthian columns • Homer – Iliad & Odyssey

29. Alexander the Great • Took over from Philip II of Macedon, his father • Conquered the known world from Greece to India • Wanted to go further, his troops refused • Dies at age 33 (possibly murdered) on return trip • After his death, Alexander’s empire was divided into many states • Antigonid (Greece & Macedon) • Ptolemic (Egypt) • Selucid (Persia/Bactria & Anatolia)

30. Hellenistic Age • Hellenism • Culture, ideals, and patterns of life of Classical Greece • Alexander’s empires were run under a uniform code of laws and trade rules • Greek Philosophy of Stoicism was popular • Focus on rationality • Destructive emotions resulted from errors in judgement • Mystery Religions were also popular • Idea of a paradise in the afterlife

31. Hellenistic Age • Ptolemy, Astronomer, proposed the Geocentric theory of the solar system. • Remains popular in Europe until the Renaissance • Alexandria (Egypt) • Library & museum

32. The Roman Republic & Empire

33. Rome • Italian/Latin Peninsula • Protected in the north by the Alps • Protected from large scale invasion by large seas on all sides

34. Rome – Society & Religion • Three main classes • Patricians – land owning noblemen • Plebeians – all other free men • Slaves • Religion • Polytheistic • Many Gods & Goddesses were of Greek descent • Still recognized today • Cupid • Jupiter • Mars

35. Patrician vs. Plebeians • Patricians were granted special status in Rome • Legislative bodies gave Patricians over-representation • Given status as priests • Were often landowners & farmers • Took advantage of those who worked their land • Plebeians grew resentful and worked to gain power • Often gained wealth and power surpassing some Patrician families

36. Rome: Government • Rome begins as a Monarchy • Aristocrats establish a Representative Republic in 509 B.C.E. • Senate – Patricians • Assembly – Patricians and eventually Plebeians • Consul – two elected annually by the Assembly

37. The Twelve Tables • Twelve Tables – codified Roman law • Iron tables posted in the Roman Forum that listed laws and punishments • Legal ideas in Rome • Innocent until proven guilty • Right of a defendant to confront their accuser • Judges could set aside unfair laws

38. Family Life • Pater familias • Family life is centered on the father’s line • Women did have considerable influence on family life, own property • Women were often named after family name • Slavery was important • Up to 1/3 of population • Freedom was a realistic option • Better life in cities than free men in country • Could be treated in any fashion the owner wished

39. Roman Arch

40. The Punic Wars (264 – 146 B.C.E.) • Carthage vs. Rome • 1st – control over Sicily • 2nd – Hannibal led his army across the Alps with Elephants • 2nd – Rome attacked Carthage and forced Hannibal to retreat & defend • 3rd – Rome attacked Carthage, destroyed it and burnt it to the ground • Salted the earth, killed all the men, sold women and children into slavery • Rome used its new power to take over Greece and conquer Macedon • Rome become the most powerful civilization in the Mediterranean

41. Collapse of the Republic • Causes: • Overpopulation in cities • Devaluation of currency, high inflation • Rise of armies loyal to their general • Political infighting, led to a weak Senate • First Triumvirate – forms secretly • Pompey • Crassus • killed by Parthians • Julius Caesar

42. Julius Caesar • Caesar given control of Gaul (France) • Invades Rome and begins a Civil War against Pompey and senators • Caesar wins, becomes “Dictator for life” • Julius Caesar assassinated in 44 B.C.E.

43. The 2nd Triumvirate • Second Triumvirate forms after Caesars death • Octavian • Marc Antony • Lepidus • Work together to unite Rome • Second Civil War between the Second Triumvirate • Octavian wins, takes the name Augustus Caesar • “First Citizen” • Actually, Emperor for life

44. Pax Romana • The Roman Peace • C. 200 years of relative peace & safety within the Roman Empire • 27 B.C.E. to 192 C.E. • Construction projects • Bridges, aqueducts, roads • Pantheon, Coliseum, & Forum built • Increased trade via the Silk Road • Connects Rome to Asia • Common coinage, civil service, and secure travel for merchants • Empire at its geographic zenith – center of the world • Arts & literature flourished

45. Notable Rulers of Rome • Augustus – First emperor • Caligula – 3rd emperor, notable for insanity • Made his horse a senator • Claudius – 4th emperor, flew under the radar, good ruler • Nero – 5th emperor, Fire of Rome, not his fault • Not as bad as typically portrayed • Hadrian – conquered north into Britain • Marcus Aurelius – warrior philosopher

46. The Revival of Rome • Emperor Diocletian divides empire into East & West in 284 C.E. • Recentralizes Roman infrastructure • Civil war erupts after Diocletian’s retirement

47. Fall of Rome • Constantine • Wins civil war • Battle of the Milvian Bridge • “Under This Sign You Will Conquer” • Became Roman emperor • Constantinople • Built at Greek site of Byzantium • Eastern capital • East remains strong, renamed Byzantine Empire • West weakens

48. Decline & Fall of Rome No single cause Internal decay External pressure, barbarian invasions Too large Bad leaders Epidemics Moral decline Lead

49. Western Rome & Invaders • Invaders in the west • Emperors will try and bribe the Barbarians • Visigoths • Germanic people placed on borders to serve as buffers • Visigoths eventually attack and sack the city of Rome in 410 • Attila the Hun • Attacked the borders • 476 C.E. – Last Roman Emperor, Romulus Augustulus • Deposed by the Gothic king, Odoacer

50. Classical China