ANCIENT GREECE

1. ANCIENT GREECE Ancient Greeks contributed to many things we enjoy today… Theater The Olympics Concepts of Democracy Architecture

2. Geography • Included southern parts of Europe’s Balkan Peninsula • Mountains make up ¾ of mainland Greece • Fertile plains are between the mountains and the sea. • Many seaports along the coast, no place in Greece is more than 50 miles from the sea. • Many people used the sea for a living, fishing, trading, even piracy. • Mountains isolated and protected Greece • Mountains limited travel and communication; therefore Greece was never united under one government but did have one language and religion. • Mild climate, rainy winters mild/dry summers allowed for many outdoor activities, classes, meetings and outdoor theater.

3. Minoans • Knussos, Crete • King Minos • Minoans had the classic curled hair, wore jewelry, were fond of dancing and sports, such as boxing. • Women had higher status than in other ancient civilizations • More goddesses than gods in Minoan religion, the chief deity on Crete was the Great Goddess or Earth Mother • Minoans were sea traders, who reached as far as Egypt and Mesopotamia. • By 2000 BCE Minoan fleets dominated the region in trade as well as protection from pirates. • Ships guarded Crete against attack; therefore their cities had no wall for protection. • Minoan Civilization peaked in 1600 BCE and collapsed 250 years later. • 2 theories, great tidal waves or most likely invasion from the Mycenaean’s

4. Mycenaeans • Indo-Europeans came to the Balkan Peninsula in 2000 BCE. • Kingdoms centered around a royal fortress built on a hilltop; stonewalls circled the fortress, which gave shelter during times of danger. • Nobles lived outside of the walls on estates. • Slaves and tenants worked the lands of the estates. • Palaces houses government offices as well as production facilities. • Artisans created clothes, tanned leather, made jars for olive oil and wine, bronze weapons and shields.

5. Mycenaeans Con’t • Taxes were collected and records were kept of each person’s wealth. • Taxes were collected in the form of wheat, livestock and honey. • Mycenaean’s adopted much of Minoan culture; ship building, navigation by the sun, worship of the Earth Mother. • By the 1600’s Mycenaean’s conquered the Minoans and controlled the entire Aegean region.

6. Mycenaeans Con’t • 1100 BCE Internal fighting destroyed the fortresses and led to invasion and takeover by the Dorians, who came in from the north, with iron weapons. • The take over by the Dorians led to what has become know as the “dark age”. • Sea trading stopped; poverty rose, writing and other skills were lost. • Thousands fled to Ionia on the west coast of Asia-Minor. • By 750 BCE, the Ionians reintroduced culture, crafts and skills of their homeland, therefore a new Greek civilization emerged, with Mycenaean settlements • Hellenic, named for the original Greek people, this civilization flourished from 700BCE to 336 BCE.

7. Homer and the Greek Epics • Homer, principal figure of ancient Greek literature; the first European poet. • Wrote the Iliad and the Odyssey, set during and after the Trojan War. • Both were used to teach Greek values such as: • Pride in Greek heritage • Love of Nature • Importance of husband/wife relationship • Tender feelings • Loyalty between friends • Taught to always strive for excellence and meet with dignity what fate has in store.

8. Gods and Goddesses • Ancient Greeks thought that the gods explained why people acted as they did. • Believed that gods caused things to happen, seasons, storms, etc. • Greeks did not fear their deities like other ancient peoples did. • Greeks placed importance on the worth of the individual, therefore had self-respect and approached their deities with dignity, not fear. • Their gods were humanized, behaved like humans, married, had children, were jealous of each other, fought with each other and played tricks http://www.crystalinks.com/olympians.html

9. Festivals • Greatest of festivals was a held every 4 years, it was an athletic contest held “…For the greater glory of Zeus” Poems were read and competitions were held. • Festival held in the city of Olympia thus these contests became the Olympic Games.

10. Polis • Greek city-state, city, and surrounding area. • Center of the city was the Acropolis or fortified hill with a temple on top of a local deity. • Agora was at the bottom of the hill, this is where citizens, those who were allowed to take part in government, met for public affairs.

11. Polis Con’t • Citizens had rights and responsibilities • Vote, hold office, own property, in return they had to serve in government and protect the city. • Slaves and Foreign born could not be citizens • Women had no legal rights. • The polis established colonies to aid in food production and trade, colonies kept contact with the parent city. • 600 BCE, traders started to use coin currency instead of bartering, later cities took on minting of money.