Classical Greece: 2,000 BC – 300 BC

1. Classical Greece: 2,000 BC – 300 BC • In ancient times, Greece was NOT a united country • It was a collection of separate lands • The Indo-European group that moved to India were the Aryans • The Indo-European tribe that settled in the Greek main lands were the Mycenaeans • Settled around 2,000 B.C.

3. The Mycenaens dominated Greece from about 1600 – 1000 B.C. • Were extremely wealthy due to the trade routes they set up through out the Mediterranean Sea • Interacted with many cultures

4. Some time in 1500 B.C., the Mycenaens came into contact with the Minoan civilization. • The Minoans influenced the Mycenaens in many ways. • Language • Writing • Art *The combination of these two Greek civilizations formed the foundation of Greek culture*

5. During the 1200’s, the Mycenaeans fought a ten year war against Troy. • Troy was an independent trading city located in Anatolia • According to legend, the Mycenaeans besieged Troy in order to save Queen Helen • It is said that she was kidnapped by a Trojan Prince.

6. For many years, historians believed that the Trojan War was fictional • Archaeologists in Turkey proved that the stories of this war were based on real cities. • Further excavations proved that events of the war actually took place. • Do not know the actual reason why the war happened

7. Not long after their victory in the Trojan War, the Mycenaean civilization collapsed • Raiders and Vandals attacked and burned down many of the Mycenaean cities. • A new civilization of Greeks moved into the war torn country side. • The Dorians

8. The Dorians were far less advanced than the Mycenaeans. • When the Mycenaean empire collapsed, so did the trading economy Effected all Greek civilizations • There was almost no record keeping during the Dorian Age (1150 – 750 B.C.) • This means that there is little information about the time period.

9. Due to the lack of writing, the Greeks learned about their history through spoken word. • Storytelling • According to tradition, the greatest storyteller of the time was a blind man named Homer Not this Homer 

10. Homer is believed to have been alive and popular between 700 – 750 B.C. • Homer composed epics • Narrative poems that praised heroic deeds • The story of the Trojan War was the focus of Homer’s greatest epics • The Iliad

11. The heroes of the Iliad were warriors • Achilles vs. Hector of Troy • Homer always talked about arete in his epics arete means virtue, value, and excellence • Greeks could display arete on the battlefield or in athletic contests • Olympics

12. The Greeks developed a rich set of myths and traditional stories about their gods. • The works of Homer and another epic, Theogony by Hesiod are the sources of much Greek mythology. • The Greeks used myths to explain the unexplainable • Nature  changing of seasons and weather • Human passions

13. The Greeks gave their gods human feelings. • Love, hate, and jealousy • They lived forever  Immortal • Most of the Gods had purposes and responsibilities • Lived on Mount Olympus Examples: Apollo- medicine, music, truth Aphrodite- love, beauty, lust Ares- war Athena- reason, strategy, wisdom Hades- underworld, wealth Hermes- thievery, mischief Zeus- King of Gods, God of thunder

14. During the Dorian age, Greek civilizations experienced a decline. • Two things changed life in Greece • 1. Dorians and Mycenaeans alike began to identify less with the culture of their ancestors • More with the area in which they lived • 2. The methods of governing areas changed.

15. By 750 B.C., the polis was the fundamental political unit. • A polis was made up of a city and its surrounding countryside • Included many villages • Most poleis were fewer than 10,000 citizens • Usually held city meetings on the hilltop acropolis meeting place

16. Greek city states had many different forms of government. • Monarchy: A single person runs the government; usually a king or queen • Aristocracy: Wealthy landowning families. • Oligarchy: A government ruled by a few powerful people

17. In many of the Greek city-states, repeated clashes occurred between rulers and the common people. • Powerful and wealthy nobles sometimes seized control of the government by appealing to common people for support. • These rulers were called tyrants. • Looked upon as leaders who would work for the interests of the ordinary people • Often set up programs for the people  jobs and housing

18. Democracy begins • In 621 B.C., a nobleman named Draco developed a legal code based on the idea that all people living in Athens were equal. • Draco’s code was harsh against criminals • Enforced debt slavery. • People worked off debts as serving as temporary slaves.

19. In 594 B.C., a man named Solon came into power and outlawed slavery in Athens • Solon organized all Athenian citizens into four social classes according to wealth. • All citizens, regardless of class, could participate in political decisions and meetings. • Also, he started a law that any citizen could bring charges against wrongdoers.

20. Around 500 B.C., the Athenian leader Cleisthenes introduced further reforms to laws in Athens. • Broke up the power of the nobility by organizing citizens into ten groups based on where they lived instead of wealth. • He increased the power of the assembly by allowing all citizens to submit laws for debate. • Created a council of Five Hundred men • This council proposed laws and reviewed decisions

21. Cleisthenes’ changes to the Athenian government allowed citizens to participate in a limited democracy. • There was a catch to the democracy! • Remember the 500 people chose to be in the council? • Excluded slaves and women only property owners