Greece and Persia

1. Greece and Persia The Big Idea Over time the Persians came to rule a great empire which eventually brought them into conflict with the Greeks. Main Ideas • Persia became an empire under Cyrus the Great. • The Persian Empire grew stronger under Darius I. • The Persians fought Greece twice in the Persian Wars.

2. If You Were There… • You’re a great military leader and ruler of a great empire. You control everything in the nations you’ve conquered. One of your advisors urges you to force conquered people to give their customs. He thinks they should adopt your way of life. But another adviser disagrees. Let them keep their own ways, she says, and you’ll earn their loyalty. • Whose advice do you take? Why?

3. Cyrus the Great. • Cyrus the Great won independence for Persia from the Medes • Marked the beginning of the Persian Empire. • Cyrus conquered many people but let them keep their own customs. • This kept people from rebelling against his strong empire.

4. The Persian Army The army was composed of Immortals, which were 10,000 soldiers chosen for their bravery and skill. The army also had a cavalry, a unit of soldiers who ride horses. Cyrus used the cavalry to charge at and shoot enemies with arrows. This army was strong because it was well organized and loyal. Together the components of the army could defeat almost any enemy.

5. The Persian Empire grew stronger under Darius I. • Within four years of Cambyses’ death, a young prince named Darius I claimed the throne. • He killed all his rivals for power and then worked to restore order in Persia.

6. Persian Society • Darius organized the empire into 20 provinces, each led by a governor called a satrap. They collected taxes, served as judges, and put down rebellions. • He built many roads that connected various parts of the empire. • He also built a new capital, called Persepolis. • During his rule a new religion arose, called Zoroastrianism. • This religion taught that two forces were fighting in the universe: a good force and an evil force. • Darius expanded the empire by conquering the entire Indus Valley.

7. The Persians fought Greece twice in the Persian Wars. • Darius was angry that the Greeks had aided a revolt against the Persians, so he invaded Greece in a series of battles known as the Persian Wars. • Greece won these battles because it had better weapons and more clever leaders.

8. The Second Invasion of Greece • Years later, Xerxes I tried to conquer Greece again, this time joined by the Persian navy. • Battle of Salamis-Greeks destroyed the Persian Navy by attacking in a narrow strait • The Spartans slowed the Persian army at Thermopylae, giving Greece enough time to gain the upper hand and eventually beat the Persians at Plataea, ending the Persian Wars.

10. Sparta and Athens • The Big Idea • The two most powerful city-states in Greece, Sparta and Athens, had very different cultures and became bitter enemies in the 400s BC. • Main Ideas • The Spartans built a military society to provide security and protection. • The Athenians admired the mind and the arts in addition to physical abilities. • Sparta and Athens fought over who should have power and influence in Greece.

11. If YOU were there… Your father, a wandering trader, has decided it is time to settle down. He offers the family a choice between two cities. In on city, everyone wants to be athletic, tough, and strong. They’re good at enduring hardships and following orders. The other city is different. There, you’d be admired if you could think deeply and speak persuasively, if you knew a lot about astronomy or history, or if you sang and played beautiful music. Which city do you choose? Why?

13. The Spartans Build a Military Society Men in Sparta • Daily life in Sparta was dominated by the army • Boys were trained from an early age to be soldiers. • Spartan men reached full citizenship at age 30 and could then move back home, but they stayed in the army until they turned 60. • Courage, strength, self-discipline, and obedience were the most important qualities to have.

14. The Spartans Build a Military Society • Because men were often at war, women had more rights than other Greek women. • They ran the household and owned property. • They also received physical training and sometimes competed with men in sporting events. Women in Sparta

15. Government • Sparta was officially ruled by two kings who jointly led the army, but elected officials actually had more power than the kings. • Officials handled dealings between Sparta and other city-states. • Sparta’s government was set up to control the city’s helots, or slaves.

16. The Athenians Boys and Men in Athens • Sparta’s main rival in Greece was Athens. • Though they also worked to improve their bodies, they had to devote only two years to the army, from 18-20 years of age. • They learned to read, write, count, and sing. • Wealthy boys continued their education with a private tutor. • Boys from poor families usually became farmers.

17. The Athenians Girls and Women in Athens • Unlike boys, girls received almost no education, because men did not think they needed to be educated. • Athenian women had fewer rights than women in many other city-states; in fact, they hardly had any at all.

18. Sparta and Athens Fight over Power & Influence • Sparta and Athens worked together to win the Persian Wars. • After the Persian Wars, city-states joined an alliance, which historians call the Delian League. • Athens treated other members of the league unfairly and used league money to benefit Athens. • Sparta formed its own alliance, called the Peloponnesian League.

19. The Peloponnesian War • Sparta declared war on Athens, starting the Peloponnesian War. • The war lasted for ten years before they decided to call a truce. • The war started up once more when Athens tried to expand its empire. The Spartans won. • With the defeat of Athens, Sparta became the most powerful city-state in Greece. • Other city-states started to resent Sparta, leading to a period of war. • Control of Greece shifted from one city-state to another for years.

20. Alexander the Great • The Big Idea • Alexander the Great built a huge empire and helped spread Greek culture into Egypt and Asia. • Main Ideas • Macedonia conquered Greece in the 300s BC. • Alexander the Great built an empire that united much of Europe, Asia, and Egypt. • The Hellenistic kingdoms formed from Alexander’s empire blended Greek and other cultures.

21. If you were there… You are a soldier in the most powerful army in the world. In just eight years, you and your fellow soldiers have conquered an enormous empire. Now your general wants to push farther into unknown lands in search of greater glory. But you’re thousands of miles from home, and you haven’t seen your family in years. Do you agree to go on fighting? WHY or WHY NOT?

22. Macedonia Conquered Greece • Phillip was a brilliant military leader. • His soldiers fought as a phalanx with spears that were longer than the Greeks. • He also had a cavalry and archers supporting the phalanx. • When Phillip died(murdered), his throne and his plans were passed on to his son, Alexander. • Phillip II became king of Macedonia and targeted Greece for an invasion. • He beat Athens, and the rest of Greece agreed to make him their leader after seeing Athens’s defeat.

25. Alexander the Great • Alexander began his rule by ending the revolt in Thebes, setting an example to the Greeks not to rebel. • He then set out to build an empire and earned the name Alexander the Great. • He went on to conquer Egypt and was crowned pharaoh without a fight. • He then defeated Persia and became the ruler of the Persian Empire. • Alexander wanted to push into India, but his troops were exhausted and refused to go. He began the march home, but died from sickness before making it back to Greece.

27. Spreading Greek Culture • Alexander’s empire was the largest the world had ever seen. • An admirer of Greek culture, he worked to spread it throughout his empire. • He encouraged Greek settlers to move to the new cities he conquered. • These settlers passed along the language and culture of Greece. • Alexander also encouraged people to keep their own culture, so Greek and native customs blended. Historians call the culture Hellenistic, or Greek-like.

28. The Hellenistic Kingdoms • After Alexander died, his generals fought for power and divided the empire among themselves. • The three kingdoms were Macedonia and Greece, Syria, and Egypt. • Macedonia had the weakest government and had to put down Greek revolts. • Syria was weakened by rebellions. • Egypt, especially Alexandria, became a great cultural center. • Each empire was eventually taken over by the Romans.

29. Greek Achievements • The Big Idea • Ancient Greeks made lasting contributions in the arts, philosophy, and science. • Main Ideas • The Greeks made great contributions to the arts. • The teachings of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle are the basis of modern philosophy. • In science, the Greeks made key discoveries in math, medicine, and engineering.

30. The Greeks Contributions to the Arts. • Greek statues look as though they could come to life at any time, because Greek artists wanted to show how beautiful people could be. • Greek paintings are known for their realism and detail. • The Greeks made temples with rows of tall columns rounded in the middle so they appear perfectly straight. • The Parthenon was their most impressive temple. • The Greeks excelled at writing. • They created dramasand were the 1st to write about history.

31. The Teachings of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle • Socrates taught by asking questions, a technique we call the Socratic method. • He wanted people to question their beliefs and look for knowledge. • He was arrested and condemned to death for questioning the authority of the gods. .

33. The Teachings of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle • Plato had been a student of Socrates. • Plato created a school, the Academy, to discuss ideas. • He also wrote The Republic, whichdescribed his ideal society. • Aristotle was Plato’s student. • He taught about living life in moderation, or balance. • He believed moderation was based on reason, or clear and ordered thinking.

34. The Greeks and Science • Euclid spent his life studying mathematics, especially geometry. • Greek doctors studied the human body to understand how it worked. • Hippocrates was a Greek doctor known for his ideas about how doctors should behave. • Engineers like Archimedes made great discoveries, such as the water screw, which brought water to the fields.

36. Short Answer Questions • Why was Cyrus able to create and rule the largest empire the world had ever seen? • How did Darius I organize the Persian Empire politically? • Why did Persia want to invade Greece? • In a society organized such as Sparta was, why might women have more rights and responsibilities than in a society organized as Athens was? • What was the basic difference between life in Sparta and life in Athens? • How did Alexander help spread Greek culture throughout his empire? • Why do some people call Greece the birthplace of the Western world?