The Glory of Greek Civilization

1. The Glory of Greek Civilization Classical Greece 2000B.C. – 200 B.C.

2. 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 Sea • Minoans on the island of Crete • The Hellenes on the mainland • The Trojans on Troy • On the coast of Asia Minor

3. 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

4. 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)

5. The fall of the Minoans • Decline of this civilization has no known cause • Some 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

6. 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

7. What is the Trojan War? • A Greek poet named Homer created a long poem about the wars • ILLIAD • Thought to be based on oral or spoken poetry

8. 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

9. 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

10. The accomplishments of Athens The Classical Age

11. 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 best • Monarchy – ruled by a king • Aristocracy – ruled by nobles • Oligarchy – ruled by wealthy merchants and landowners • Athens chose Democracy • Ruled by the people

12. 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/

13. 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

14. Not all people could practice in the democracy • Woman • Slaves or prisoners of war • Residents who were not born in Athens • Athens is therefore ruled by a MINORITY not a MAJORITY

16. 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

17. 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,

18. Great minds of Athens • Socrates • Plato • Aristotle

19. Socrates

20. Plato

21. Aristotle

22. Dramatists • Wrote plays called Tragedies • Aeschylus • Sophocles • Euripedes • Wrote comedies • Aristophanes

23. Historians • Herodotus • Wars between Greeks and Persians • Thucydides • Peloponnesian War

24. Sparta The Military State

25. 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

26. 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

27. 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

28. 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

29. Spartan citizens • Not allowed to participate in trade or manufacturing • People who were not citizens did this for the Spartans • Spartans owned farms • Helots = non Spartan slaves • Helots do all of the work on the farms • Mainly agriculture with very little trade • Very, very harsh life

30. The Persian and Peloponnesian Wars

31. 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

33. Conflict with Persia • 522B.C. – Persian empire controls Middle East • This includes many Greek City-States in Asia Minor • Darius = King of Persia • City-States in Greece rebel against Persia in 499 • Athens sends ships to help – this angers Darius • Darius decides to conquer Greece and punish Athens • To defend themselves, Athens and Sparta form an alliance

34. Marathon • 490 B.C. • Athenian army defeats the Persians • The Persians outnumbered the Athenians • Runner was sent 25 miles to report the victory • This is why we run marathons =) • Darius is forced to withdraw from Greece

35. 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

36. The age of Pericles460-429 B.C. • Glory and power come to Athens • Pericles leads Athens • Makes a beautiful city • Temples and other buildings • Parthenon • Honored Athena • Wrote new laws that made the government even more democratic • Called the Golden Age of Greece

39. 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 Athens • Led by Sparta the others rebelled • 431-404 B.C. = Sparta and Athens are fighting to determine who would control the Peloponnesian Peninsula • This is southern Greece • Sparta wins this and gets the Peloponnesian Peninsula • They end democratic government in other city-states • But Sparta is very weak

40. 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 power • He unites the city-states by force and Greece and Macedonia become one kingdom

41. The rise of Macedonia and Hellenistic Age

42. King Phillip II of Macedonia was murdered after conquering Greece • His son = Alexander the Great, he becomes king • Alexander the Great leads Greece into a new Era called the Hellenistic Age

43. 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

45. After he conquered Greece, Phillip organizes the city-states into the Hellenic League • Only 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

46. 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

47. 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

48. 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 kings • Macedonia • Syria • Egypt • 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.

49. 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