The Greeks

1. The Greeks

2. Minoans • Around 2,000 B.C.E. the Minoan civilization developed on the Mediterranean island of Crete • They were influenced by the Egyptians and the Phoenicians, but they were very different in many ways • At Knossos they build lavish palaces with plumbing and drainage systems for their rulers – these palaces indicate a very sophisticated society • We know a great deal about the Minoans from the frescoes they painted • They developed a style of writing called Linear A, which uses symbols to form syllables.

3. Gradually Crete became the center for Mediterranean trade • About 1700 B.C.E. an earthquake destroyed the Minoan society • The Cretans rebuilt their palaces, but their wealth attracted foreign invaders • By 11000 B.C.E. the Minoans had been taken over by invaders

4. Mycenaean • About 2,200 B.C.E. an Indo-European group of nomads settled the Greek peninsula • The Mycenaeans emerged in present day Greece and transformed Linear A to Linear B. • They expanded their influence and ventured beyond Greece to Sicily, southern Italy, and Crete • About 1,200 B.C.E. they became involved in a struggle with the city of Troy in Anatolia • This war was the source of Homer’s Iliad • After 1,100 B.C.E. the Mycenaean civilization fell into decline • Between 1,100 and 800 B.C.E. is known as the Dark Ages

5. Archaic Period 800 – 480 B.C.E. • With no central authority the Greeks developed independent city-states • Unlike the Chinese or Persians the Greeks did not develop a centralized state – they preferred poleis • These poleis became the centers for population and trade • By the end of the dark Ages several had emerged as large and powerful • Most notably Athens and Sparta

6. Sparta • Sparta, located in the Peloponnesus, used their prisoners as helots, or slaves, and these slaves soon outnumbered the Spartans. • The helots were not chained but they were not free either • The role of the helot was to provide the Spartans with a constant food supply • Due to this, the Spartans were forced into a life dictated by military stature to ensure their power and minimize the chance of slave revolts.

7. The Spartans maintained a simple, austere lifestyle • They did not accumulate wealth, nor did the women wear jewelry • Success in Spartan society came from military endeavors and heroism • Boys left their families at seven to live in military barracks • At 20 they became soldiers and remained soldiers until they retired • At 30 they could leave the barrack and live with their wife

8. Athens • Both Athens and Sparta grew rapidly. However, Athens was dominated by a government for the people and was not driven by discipline and sacrifice like the Spartans • The political process was limited to a small number of the people, making their democracy very different than modern day democracies. • Only a few adult males could participate in politics and not all Athenians were citizens • Gradually, to ease social problems more people were allowed to participate • Democracy– Demos (People) and Cracy (Rule)

9. With a limited amount of farmland the Athenians were forced to use the sea and establish colonies • Athenians prospered because of trade which made the wealthy even wealthier • Gradually the aristocrats purchased all the small plots of land • Poor people who fell into debt could sell themselves into slavery to pay off the debt • With a growing population and increasing social problems Athens was forced to address the problems debt and land shortages

10. Solon • Athens grew very rapidly, as did the gap between the rich and poor. • In response, Solon negotiated a compromise that cancelled all debts of poor farmers and outlawed the process of selling yourself into slavery, but he let the aristocracy keep their land • He also gave the lower class more political rights, setting examples for future peoples • He allowed any person with enough time the opportunity to participate on the councils – in reality only the wealthy had the spare time! • Eventually commoners did receive payment for participation in the government

11. Classical period 480 – 323 B.C.E. • Solon’s reforms help move Athens towards a democracy, but the greatest changes would be made by Pericles • Pericles was an aristocratic leader committed to democratic ideals. He appointed hundreds of ordinary people to government positions. • He was the leader of Athens from 443 B.C.E. until his death in 429 B.C.E. • Under his leadership Athens flourished

12. Greek Expansion • The Greeks grew rapidly and thus branched out across the Mediterranean, often staying close to the sea. • They exchanged ideas on the coastal waterways through trade. • This had a huge effect on the rest of the world as Greek ideologies and language spread throughout the world.

13. The Persians • The Persians had also created a large empire in Anatolia and felt threatened by the Greeks. • Darius, a Persian king, sent a force to destroy the Greeks but was defeated at the Battle of Marathon. • His successor Xerxes also set out to destroy Greece, but after he successfully burned Athens he was defeated at the Battle of Salamis.

14. The Delian League • After the Persian War Athens was supremea) strong navyb) democratic institutionsc) excellent cultural lifed) prosperous trade • Sparta withdrew returned to isolationism • Athens assume control of the Delian Leaguea) liberate Ionian citiesb) be prepared for war • Athens supplied 200 shipsOthers paid cash

15. Other city-states that protested were punished by Athens • Pericles even used Delian League money was used to build the Parthenon in Athens • The situation continued to get worse until several of the poleis combined to fight back

16. The Peloponnesian War • The two powerful leaders were Athens and Sparta. • The war started in 431 B.C.E. but neither side could gain an advantage • Athens controlled the seas and could continually supply the city – Sparta controlled the land but could not force the Athenians to fight • Sparta lay siege to Athens and in 404 B.C.E. a massive plague hit the city, the Athenians was forced to surrender. However, the Spartans soon realized that their government was not well suited to oversee such a large area.

17. Philip of Macedonia • Philip II rose to power in 359 B.C.E., building up the military to make himself the undisputed king of the Macedonians. • He was power hungry and soon attacked the Greek city-states one by one. Slowly, they fell and all of Greece was under the control of Macedonia.

18. Alexander the Great • After the assassination of Philip II, his son, Alexander succeeded him as king. • Alexander loved Greek culture and had been tutored by Aristotle • He soon amassed an empire from Macedonia to the Himalayas in India, controlling Egypt, Greece, and Persia. • After taking his troops to India he was forced to return when they mutinied and refused to go any further • In 323 B.C.E. Alexander died at the age of thirty-three • He had created the greatest empire the world had seen

19. Hellenistic Age 323 – 30 B.C.E. • Alexander had spread Greek culture and influence as far as India and opened the door to the Hellenistic Age • After his death the empire was divided into three large states • Antigonid – Greece and MacedoniaPtolemaic – EgyptSeleucid – the Persian empire

20. Greek Rationale Thought • Thales - water was the source of all things • Empedocles - earth, air, water, fire • Democritus - atoms • Heraclitus - constant motion theory • Pythagoras - all things were mathematical relationships • Protagoras - “man is the measure of all things” • Movement away from the supernatural

21. Hippocrates of Cos - Father of Medicinestressed observation and experimentationtreated the symptoms • Sophists - turned from the natural to the humanitinerant teacherslectured on rhetoric and composition

22. Socrates • Socrates, a famous philosopher, employed the Socratic method in which he asked his pupils questions, making them think to gain the answer. • Not a sophist - stonemason • Basic views of western philosophy • “The unexamined life is not worth living” • Arrested for corrupting the youth and not believing the gods • Socrates believed in arete - excellence • Socrates committed suicide by drinking hemlock

23. Plato • Student of Socrates • Founded the academy • Disliked democracy • Wrote republic • “Good life”

24. Aristotle • Student of Plato • Tutored Alexander the Great • Good man-good life • Moderation in all things • Wrote Politics - polis • Systemization of knowledge • Theories lasted until the 17th century

25. History • Herodotus - Father of History, wroteHistory of the Persian War • Thucydides - more analytical and honest

26. Greek Society • Greek trade relied heavily on wine & olive oil because these grew easily in areas with little fertile soil in the mountains. • The Olympic games, first held in 1896, were a huge part of the culture, allowing individuals to maintain their identity.

27. Women were not really free • They had to raise children and manage the house • Men spent their time at the gymnasium • Divorces and marriages arranged by males • Girls were not usually educated at the Academy • Boys also had two years of military service • sound in mind and body

28. Religion • The Greeks were polytheists • Elements of nature were represented by gods • Unlike the Egyptians the Greeks did not worry about life after death • Greek deities had human form and had to deal with human emotions such as love • The gods often fought each other in heavenly battles

29. Slavery • Slavery was very popular in Greek society. • They were highly prized, especially those with educated backgrounds. • Though slaves were not considered citizens, they could purchase their own freedom and petition for citizenship.