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The Pre-Greeks Aegean Civilization. 4 Sections of Aegean World Minoan - Crete. - Mycenaean – Greek mainland. - Trojan – Asia Minor. - Cycladic – islands of the Aegean Sea. Classical Greece. Let’s talk about geography first – Yay!!. - peninsula is mountainous – leads to….
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The Pre-Greeks Aegean Civilization 4 Sections of Aegean World • Minoan - Crete - Mycenaean – Greek mainland - Trojan – Asia Minor - Cycladic – islands of the Aegean Sea
Classical Greece Let’s talk about geography first – Yay!! - peninsula is mountainous – leads to… … development of fiercely independent city-states - rocky soil limits large scale agriculture and leads to… - miles of coastline & islands leads to… …overseas colonization … seafaring & trading mentality
Classical Greece Development of the Polis - Greek civilization begins revival with introduction of Phoenician alphabet Polis – “fort” or “refuge” - politics, policy, metropolis, police, etc. Four common characteristics (besides independence) Small size – Athens is smaller than RI Small population – Athens at its height was 40,000 citizens Acropolis – “high city” with temples and administrative buildings Agora – marketplace for public gatherings
Classical Greece Evolution of Greek governments - Monarchy – rule by one with hereditary rights - Oligarchy – rule by few - nobility - Tyranny – rule by one with no hereditary rights - Democracy – rule by the people Age of Kings (1000-700 BCE) • little is known of this period • many wars among poleis • some limits on power of kings through aristocratic councils – known mostly through Homer’s epics – Homeric Age
Classical Greece Rise of the Nobles or Oligarchs • around 700 BCE, nobles in many poleis began to seize more power • become more powerful through debt slavery • military power through cavalry Age of Tyrants (700-500 BCE) • tyrants replace oligarch promising reforms • defend poor against excesses of aristocracy • end struggles for political power among nobles • encourage trade • pass just laws • eventually became tyrannical (harsh & unjust)
Classical Greece Finally – Popular government or Democracy • begins in Athens • rule by citizens limited to male landowners • Is this really democracy?? • Solon – bans debt slavery • Peisistratus – redistribute lands • Cleisthenes – begins Assembly and Council of 500 – direct democracy
Classical Greece – the 2 ideals Athens – Democracy & Culture Sparta – the Military Which way of life makes more sense?
Ancient Athens • center for arts, learning, and culture • birthplace of democracy • home to ancient world’s most famous philosophers, politicians, etc. • build powerful empire stretching across Aegean Sea • height reached under Pericles – Age of Pericles or Golden Age of Athens
Athenian Government Direct Democracy – laws passed by all citizens • Assembly all citizens; pass laws • Council of 500 – 50 representatives from 10 tribes – present laws • very few people were citizens landowning men over age of 18 estimates ~ 30-40,000 eligible voters out of population of 200-300,000 • boys enter military training for 2 years at age 18 expected to be ready when needed • philosophy, art, drama, literature, architecture
Ancient Sparta • it’s all about their military • weak infants left out to die • age 7, boys enrolled into military training • harsh, cruel training to produce tough soldier • girls are trained to be physically fit – to produce strong infants • enter army at age 18 and stay until 60 • government 2 kings, 5 ephors, Council of 30 • helots slaves from original conquered population • outnumbered citizens 7 to 1 • cruel & harsh to slaves
Classical Greece The Unification of Greece – Persian Wars Who were the Persians? • efficient & effective conquerors • roads • administrators • tolerant • Cyrus the Great – 550 BCE • conquered Ionian city-states 546 - rebellions break out in 499, supported by Athens • Persia uses rebellions as excuse to conquer all of Greece • many poleis unite to repel invasions in 490
The Persian Wars 490 Battle of Marathon • Athenians outnumbered by Persians 10 to 1 (may have been only 2 to 1) • great victory for Athens • Persian king Darius 480 Battle of Thermopylae • Spartan army of 300 with 7000 Greeks hold 200,000 Persians for three days • heroic defense • Persians led by Xerxes, Spartans led by Leonidas
The Persian Wars 480 Battle of Salamis • naval battle • Xerxes v. Themosticles • Persian fleet tricked into small bay where Athenian navy has advantage • half of Persian fleet is destroyed • Xerxes retreats 479 Battle of Plataea • decisive battle • combined Greek army defeats remnants of Persians • Persia is no longer a threat
The Persian Wars Results 1. Unification of many Greek city-states 2. Great sense of pride and accomplishment 3. Feeling of Athenian superiority 4. Development of Athenian Empire • Athens was on “top of the world” • Sparta withdraws to isolationism • invited city-states to form a defensive league Delian league • more than 140 city-states joined
Aftermath of Persian Wars & the Peloponnesian Wars - by 465 BCE, the Persian threat is over but Athens does not allow city-states to leave - used treasury of the Delian League to build the Parthenon • moved treasury to Athens • insisted all criminal cases be tried in Athens • interfered in internal affairs of other city-states • transform Delian League from alliance to Athenian Empire • caused resentment turn to Sparta
The Peloponnesian Wars Sparta formed Peloponnesian League to combat Athenian aggression • commercial rivalry between Corinth & Athens sparks war in 431 BCE - Sparta’s hope for victory army’s ability to besiege Athens and destroy its outlying fields - Athens’ hope for victory navy’s ability to bring in needed supplies and harass its enemies’ coast - war takes bad turn for Athens in 429 w/ typhus outbreak which kills 1/3 of the Athenian population including Pericles - lack of strong leadership is devastating for Athens
The Peloponnesian Wars - war drags on until 404 BCE and total defeat of Athens by Sparta - Athens forced to 1.) tear down defenses around city 2.) give up overseas colonies 3.) swear allegiance to Sparta - Sparta will become dominant and ruling city-state of Greece in immediate aftermath of the war - Sparta proves to be an inept ruling state and will be overthrown by league led by the city-state of Thebes in 371
The Peloponnesian Wars - brings disaster for Greece leads to disunity and division - city-states decline in population • devastates fields and orchards particularly the olive orchards of Athens - rising unemployment many young men emigrate to Persia & join their army as mercenaries - lose ability to govern themselves - lose faith in democracy and free political discussion as Greece turns back towards tyranny • city-states unable to resist new invaders – the Macedonians in the 350s