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Ancient Greece

Ancient Greece. Geographic Features. Part of the Balkan Peninsula Eastern Med./Aegean Sea Divisions between Attica & Peloponnesus Crete, 1000’s of islands Mountainous & rocky Natural divider Limits agriculture Sheep & goats Olives & grapes. The Minoans. 2600-1100 BCE

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Ancient Greece

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  1. Ancient Greece

  2. Geographic Features • Part of the Balkan Peninsula • Eastern Med./Aegean Sea • Divisions between Attica & Peloponnesus • Crete, 1000’s of islands • Mountainous & rocky • Natural divider • Limits agriculture • Sheep & goats • Olives & grapes

  3. The Minoans • 2600-1100 BCE • 1600-1500, Golden Age • Named for King Minos • Crete • Capitol, Knossos • Discovered by Sir Arthur Evans • Merchant Seafarers • Influences in Mainland Greece, Egypt, & the Levant • Borrowed from neighbors • Bull worship, Minotaur • Women’s social status

  4. Continued • Disappearance • 1400 BCE • Theratic volcanic eruption on Santorini • Plague of Darkness in Egypt • Earthquakes/Tsunamis • “Atlantis” • Maybe have become the “Sea People” • Replaced by the Mycenaean Culture

  5. Mycenaean Culture • Indo-European people group • Greek speaking culture • “Linear B” writing • Dominates Aegean Sea from 1400-1200 BCE • Rise of City-State civilization • Seafaring/exploration, odds with neighbors • Troy, Trojan War- 1250 • Replaced by the Dorians • 1100-900 BC, “Greek Dark Ages” • Abandonment of cities, collapse of the “Bronze Age”

  6. History Meets Legend • Troy • City-State in Modern Turkey • Controlled vital Black Sea trade routes • Legendary fighting over Helen of Troy • 1870’s-Amateur archeologist Heinrich Schliemann • Discovers site, “Priam’s Treasures” • Signs of fighting & burning • Sent to Germany, stolen by Soviets after WWII

  7. Continued • Homer • App. 750 BCE • Blind poet and bard • Odyssey & Illiad • Heroic tales revolving around Trojan War & aftermath • Reflects life during Greek Dark Ages • Odysseus the swineherd • Existence questioned

  8. The Trojan War of Myth • Begins with a Beauty Pageant • Aphrodite, Hera, & Athena • Paris chosen as judge • Promised most beautiful woman, Helen • Two sides • Greeks • Menelaus (Helen’s husband), Agamemnon, Ajax, Achilles, Odysseus, & Clytaemestra (Helen’s sister) • Trojans • Priam (King of Troy), Hecuba (Priam’s queen), Hector, Cassandra, Laocoon, Aeneus

  9. The Greek Dark Ages • Barbarian Dorian invaders • Greek speaking • Violent • Loss of learning and culture • Indigenous populations face a choice • Flee to Ionia, Aeolia, or Doris • Hide in the mountains • Become enslaved

  10. Return of Greek Culture • Rise of the “Polis” • Greek word for city • City-State reappears • Borrowed from previous cultures & neighbors • Ionian Greeks begin using Phoenician alphabet • Colonial Exploits • Spain, Italy, Egypt • Known as the Archaic Period

  11. The City-State • Central admin. center/Surrounding Region • Hallmarks • Fortifications • Agora • Acropolis • Entertainment venues • Temples • Small population, freemen • Responsibility to the State

  12. Continued • Kingships arise w/ noble support • Aristocracy eventually seizes control • “Aristos”, the best • Military power and money • Iron weapons • Developed highly trained citizen soldiers • Phalanx • Increase in trade sees rise of Merchant class • Formation of an oligarchy

  13. Sparta • Largest of Greek city-states • Over 5000 square miles of territory • Settled by Dorian in Peloponnesus • Enslaved local population- Helots • Strict social order • Infanticide the norm • Development of soldier/mother culture

  14. Continued • Governance • 2 Kings • Council of Elders • Citizen Council • 5 Ephors (daily maintenance) • Male Citizens • Age 7, begin training • Age 20, could marry/must live in barrack • Age 30, could join Assembly • Always connected to military life

  15. Continued • Female Citizens • Rigorous exercises & preparation for motherhood • Submission to male authority • Distinctions • Could inherit property • Open access to society • Isolationist mentality • Limit on travel, trade, & wealth

  16. Athens • Leadership moves from kingship to democracy • Participation limited to land holding males • Discontented populace • Rise of Solon (638-558) • 594, voted in as Archon (magistrate) • Reforms • Ended debt slavery • Opened government positions • Granted citizenship to foreigners • People’s Assembly gains stronger voice • Increased trade in olive oil and wine • Success limited

  17. Rise of the Tyrants • Gained power by force • Members of the aristocracy • Appealed to populace to support rise • Limited success with reforms • 546 BCE • Monetary and land aid for farmers • State sponsored building projects • 507 BCE • Greater citizen involvement w/ Council of 500 • Rise of a legislative body

  18. The Olympic Games • Celebration of Zeus • 776 BCE, the First • Athletic events • Olympia, Greece • Open to all eligible males • Representative of City-States • Olympic Truce • Lauded as heroes • Olive leaf wreaths or crowns • Political tools • Ended in 393 CE • Theodosius I

  19. Cultural Unit • Religion • Polytheistic • Mt. Olympus, Zeus • Oracle of Delphi • Cultural Superiority • Felt non-Greeks were barbarians • This feeling helped unify Greece against a new Eastern threat

  20. The Persian Wars • Threat ended decades of infighting • Persian expansion brings Ionian Greeks under their control • Mid-6th Century • 499- Ionian Revolt led by city of Miletus • Appealed for Athenian aid • Greek defeat

  21. Continue • 490- Darius I lands troops at Marathon • Retaliation for Athenian aid at Miletus • Outnumbered Greeks defeat Persians • 204 Greek deaths to 6400 Persians • Athenian leader Themistocles urges building a navy • Darius’ son, Xerxes returns in 480 • Unification of Athens & Sparta • Battle of Thermopylae • King Leonidas of Sparta, 300 Spartans • Greek Defeat

  22. Persian Foes • Darius I or the Great, 550-486 • Led Persia at Imperial Height • Iron fisted ruler • Improved infrastructure, created Satraps • Xerxes I or the Great, 519-465 • Son of Darius, traditional husband of Esther • Built pontoon bridge connecting Asia & Greece • Famous of “whipping the sea” • Assassinated by his own bodyguard, Artabanus

  23. Continued • Persian forces march to Athens • Sack/burn an empty city • Citizens evacuated to Salamis • Battle of Salamis • Greek navy defeats Persian forces • Persians pushed out of Greek territory

  24. Rise of the DelianLeague • 478 BCE • Greek sense of uniqueness lead to alliance • Based on the island of Delos • Athens becomes power base • Seizes control of treasury • Moves money to Parthenon • Used alliance finances to rebuild city/expand navy • Used forces to keep members in line • Rise of the “Athenian Empire”

  25. Pericles • 494-429 BCE • Democratic reformer • Saw importance of citizen participation • Responsible for the movement of the Treasury • Companion of a foreign woman, Aspasia • Athens becomes cultural & artistic center

  26. Peloponnesian War • Anti-Athenian sentiments sees rise of Peloponnesian League • 431, Athens vs. Sparta • 27 year conflict • Geography helps Spartan cause • Inland city prevents Athenian naval attack • Sparta attacks Athens • Refugee influx leads to outbreak of plague • Claims life of Pericles

  27. Continued • Aided by Persia, Athens is defeated in 404 • Greek influence continues through region declines in importance • Rise of a new power in the North • Macedonia

  28. Rise of Macedonia • Philip II • Admirer of Greek culture • Takes throne in 359 • Considered practically barbaric by Greeks • At least 7 wives • Employed Aristotle as tutor for his children • Brings Greece under Macedonian influence • 338- Assassinated by his bodyguard

  29. Continued • Alexander • Claims throne after Philip’s death, age 20 • Mother Olympius moves him to the throne • Accomplished solider, popular • Sights on Persia, launched invasion in 334 • Worked his way across 2000 mile Persian Empire • Ended campaign in India, 326 • Troops pushing to return • Returned to capitol of Babylon having never lost a battle

  30. Dies at age 32 of fever • Natural causes or poison? • Declining health and mourning of death of companion, Hephaestion • Empire divided among heirs and generals • Cassador takes Greece • Seleucus I Necator in Persia • Ptolomy I Sotar in Egypt

  31. Legacy of Alexander • Spread of Hellenism from Greece to India • 12 cities established in his name • Alexandria, Egypt • Cultural center • Vital trade hub • Marvels • Pharos- 440 foot tall lighthouse • Library of Alexandria • Changes for Women • Educational opportunities open • Political influence • Wives- Roxana, Stateira II, & Parysatis II • Cleopatra VII of Egypt

  32. Greek Culture • Philosophy • “Lovers of Wisdom” • Obsession w/ reason & rhetoric • The art of skillful speaking • Conflicted w/ established ideas (religion) • Socrates, 470-399 • Critic of the Sophists • Professional teachers • Socratic method of questioning & analysis

  33. Seen as threat to Athenian youth • At 70 tried and found guilty • Corrupting the youth • Executed by poison • Plato, 428-347 • Student of Socrates • “The Republic” • Rejected democracy • State should dictate • Society of workers, soldiers, ruling educated elite • Sought use of talented women • Promoted communal living

  34. Aristotle, 384-322 • Student of Plato • Concerned w/ mob rule in democracy • Promoted a single ruler of virtue • “The Golden Mean” • Est. the Lyceum • Basis of modern universities • Zeno, 490-430 • Stoicism • Accept what life gives you, felt all people were morally equal • Epicurus • Epicurean philosophy of leading of life of simple pleasure • Good/pleasure vs. Bad/pain

  35. Greek Literary • Poetry • Homer’s epics, Sappho’s love & beauty, & Pindar’s victorious athletes • Drama • Theatres a part of any Greek city • Plays meant to be preformed only once • Tragedies • Tied to religion • Presented moral and social issues • Weaknesses in the human condition • Ex. Aeschylus, Sophocles, & Euripides

  36. Comedies • Mock the everyday/satire of politics • Ex. Aristophanes • Mathematics & Astronomy • Pythagoras- formula for right triangle side calculation • Euclid- father of modern geometry • Aristarchus- theory that solar system was heliocentric • Eratosthenes- calculated circumference of the Earth

  37. Other Greek Achievements • Herodotus- Father of history/historical writing • Hippocrates- Studied causes and cures of illnesses, Hippocratic Oath • Archimedes- Mastered the lever the pulley

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