Classical Greece

1. Classical Greece

2. Classical Greece • Following the Persian War, Pericles takes control of Athens; stays in power for 31 years. • Known for high ethics, honesty, and being a great public speaker. • Pericles had 3 goals for Athens while he was in power: • Strengthen the democracy. • Expand the empire of Athens. • Beautify the city.

3. Strengthening Democracy • Pericles changed the laws regarding citizenship and democratic roles; decreased power of upper class. • In order to be an Athenian citizen you had to be: • 18 years old • Free male • Son of an Athenian father • Pericles changes law to: • 18 years old • Free male • Son of two Athenian-born parents

4. Strengthening democracy • Upper class were typically elected to public office before Pericles. • Elected people weren’t paid for their job. • Under Pericles, elected officials would be paid in order to give ALL (including poor class) a chance to serve.

5. Expanding Athenian empire • In order to protect themselves following Persian War, Greek city-state’s created Delian League. • Provided mutual protection. • Athens was heavily involved in creating league. • HQ on island of Delos (Reason for name). • Some city-states provided troops and ships; others just paid dues ($$) for protection. • Pericles took money & resources to create a powerful navy.

6. Expanding Athenian empire • Athens’ navy was best in Greece; used to take control of Delian League. • Fearing the Delian League money could be stolen, it’s moved from Delos to Athens. • With more power, Athens begins treating others in League as conquered people, not allies. • Eventually most city-states were under control of Athens, making it the Athenian Empire.

7. Beautifying Athens • Following Persian War, Athens is left in near-ruin. • To restore past glory of Athens, Pericles decides to rebuild parts of the city. • Money donated for Delian League is used to pay for rebuilding Athens instead. • League members begin to resist sending dues • Most ultimately do out of fear of being destroyed • Hatred begins to grow against Athens

8. Beautifying Athens • One rebuilt area of Athens was the Acropolis. • Important temples, buildings, & monuments built there. • One of the buildings built on the Acropolis was the Parthenon, a temple for Athena.

9. Homework #1 – 2/12/13 • What were the 3 goals of Pericles’ rule in Athens? • Under Pericles, how were elected officials treated differently? • What was the name of the league Athens was heavily involved in creating? • What did Pericles use to help rebuild Athens? • What was the name of the temple built for Athena?

10. Peloponnesian War • Athens & Sparta both want to be the dominant city-state of Greece. • Sparta had long been the dominant military power, but Athens had created a naval empire (using Delian League-funded navy). • Many city-states in Greece resent Athens for using Delian League to create the Athenian Empire. • Those city-states that tried to break away from Delian League were punished by Pericles.

11. Peloponnesian War • Sparta declares war on Athens in 431 B.C., starting the Peloponnesian War. • Both sides have strengths & weaknesses: • Athens Navy = strength Athens Army = weakness • Spartan Army = strength Spartan Navy = weakness • Sparta wants a war on land; Athens wants a war on water. • Fighting lasts for 10 years before a truce is agreed upon. • Neither side follows peace agreement though.

12. Peloponnesian War • Athens attacks a Spartan ally to cut off Sparta’s supply route, restarting the war. • In order to defeat Athens, Sparta allies with Persia to gain a strong navy. • With Persia’s naval help, Sparta begins to defeat the Athenian navy and begin winning the war. • In 404 B.C., Athens surrenders to Sparta, ending the 27 year conflict.

13. Peloponnesian War • War claims thousands of Greek lives; city-states and crop fields lay ruined following the war. • All Greek city-states are weakened either economically or militarily. • Most struggle to survive independently following the war. • A new threat emerges in the north as King Philip II takes control of Macedonia. • Was looking to aggressively expand his new kingdom.

14. Homework #2 – 2/13/13 • When does Sparta declare war on Athens? • What is the military strength of Athens? • What is the military strength of Sparta? • How long does the Peloponnesian War last? • What was the new threat to Greece following the Peloponnesian War?

15. Classical Greece • While Greece recovered from the war, Philip II took control of Macedonia (north of Greece). • Philip was a prisoner in Thebes as a teenager and studied how the Greek military worked. • Philip used Greek ideas such as: • Professional army • Military formations (phalanx) • Use of cavalry • New weapons (catapult, battering ram, etc.)

16. Classical Greece • Once Philip conquered Macedonia, he focused on taking over Greece. • As Philip marched south, he used his plan of deceit to take over Greece: • He allied with one city-state and then ally with their enemy. • He would begin wars between both city-states and take them over once they finished fighting each other. • Greek city-states were too disorganized or weak to fight off Philip; he ruled ALL of Greece by 338 B.C.

17. Classical Greece • As he overtook the Greek city-states, Philip would take Greek soldiers and use them in his army. • He prepared for an attack against Persia in 336 B.C., but was assassinated at his daughter’s wedding. • Philip’s 20 year-old son Alexander would take over the throne and the quest to rule the world.

18. Classical Greece • Alexander took over his father’s (Philip II) empire, looking to expand into Persia. • Before Alexander could attack Persia, Thebes revolted against him. • News of Philip’s death spread; Thebes tried to oust Macedonian rule by rebelling. • Alexander destroyed the city, killing 6,000 Thebans and enslaving 30,000 others. • Other Greek city-states too afraid to rebel after Thebes.

19. Classical Greece • After winning in Thebes, Alexander turns his attention to Persia, attacking Anatolia & winning easily. • Instead of continuing east in his pursuit of the Persian empire, Alexander turns south, headed for Egypt. • Egyptians, tired of Persian rule, help Alexander defeat Persians. • Even name Alexander their pharaoh after freeing Egypt from Persian rule.

20. Classical Greece • Alexander finally reached the royal capitol of Persia, Persepolis, quickly taking that city over. • By 331 B.C., Alexander controlled the entire Persian Empire. • After conquering Persia, ¼ of the known world was owned by one man, Alexander the Great.

21. Classical Greece • Alexander pushes further east into central India, hoping to conquer much of central Asia. • His troops refuse. • Alexander, after 11 yrs. of fighting, headed back home owning nearly a ¼ of the world. • On his way back to Macedonia, Alexander dies of fever in Babylon at age 32.

22. Classical Greece • Following his death, Alexander’s empire is divided among 3 military generals in his army. • Alexander left behind 2 lasting legacies: • Blending of cultures • City of Alexandria • Throughout Alexander’s empire, he practiced and taught cultural acceptance. • He and his generals adopted Persian customs; married Persian women to ease tensions.

23. Classical Greece • Alexandria was a city in Egypt started 332 B.C. centered around the idea of education. • Those wanting to become educated moved to Alexandria to study with the world’s best scholars. • The world’s first library was built in Alexandria. • Contained literary works from Greece, Persia, Egypt, Hebrew.

24. Homework #3 • What country was Philip II king of? • What did Philip use to get Greek city-states under his control? • Where was Philip II assassinated? • Who took over Philip’s kingdom after his death? • Who helped Alexander defeat the Persians in Egypt? • Where does Alexander die and how old was he? • What were the two lasting legacies of Alexander and his empire? • Where was the world’s first library built?

25. Classical Greece • Ancient Greece passed along 5 legacies that influenced culture into present day: • Literature/Fables/Poetry • Drama • Democracy • Socratic Questioning • Science, Math, & Technology

26. Literature/Fables • Besides myths about their gods, Greeks also had fables & poems about heroes. • Epics were long, book-like poems telling the story of a Greek hero. • The most famous epic was The Iliad & The Odyssey written by a blind poet named Homer. • Iliad - story of Achilles and the Trojan War. • Odyssey - story of Odysseus and his travels back from Trojan War.

27. Literature/Fables • Fables* were also popular in Greek literature. • * - Short story involving animals that taught a moral lesson. • Fables are still used in today’s society to teach children life lessons. • The most popular fables were Aesop’s fables. • Tortoise & the Hare

28. Drama • Dramas (plays) in Greece were typically performed at religious festivals at various city-states. • Dramas were sponsored by wealthy citizens and performed by selected actors. • Awards given at festivals for best dramas performed. • There were 2 types of Greek dramas: • Tragedy • Comedy

29. Drama • Tragedies were: • written about downfall of an important character • ended seriously/sadly • focused on topics such as love, hate, & war. • Aeschylus was the best known writer of Greek tragedies.

30. Drama • Comedies were: • humorous, dramatic plays • ended happily • focused on topics such as politics, important people, & ideas of the time. • Aristophanes was the best known writer of Greek comedies.

31. Socratic Questioning/thinking • As early as 600 B.C., Greek thinkers began trying to explain the world around them with reason, not myths. • This study of basic truths of knowledge, values, & the world came to be known as philosophy. • One of the greatest philosophers in Greek history was Socrates. • He encouraged Greeks to examine their lives through question after question. • This question-answer style is known as Socratic Method.

32. Socratic Questioning/Thinking • Socrates was placed on trial for causing rebellion among young Greeks. • Socrates simply stated he was helping Athens by helping people question their values and actions. • Jury disagreed; sentenced him to death. • Socrates is “executed” in his cell by drinking hemlock juice.

33. Classical Greece • Although Socrates was killed for his beliefs, his ideas still lived on through his students. • Plato was one of Socrates’ closest friends and one of his best students. • Plato wrote a book of conversations between he and Socrates, using those as teaching points. • Plato opened a school (The Academy), which stayed open nearly 900 years.

34. Classical Greece • One of Plato’s best students was Aristotle, who opened his own school (Lyceum). • Both Plato and Aristotle explored philosophical questions and worked on many of Socrates lessons. • Aristotle also spent 3 yrs. tutoring Alexander the Great. • Studies into different scientific and mathematical concepts led to a higher learning in Greece. • Astronomy, physics, and geometry all advanced under Greek scholars.

35. Homework #4 • What 5 legacies did Greece leave for future cultures? • What two types of dramas were performed in Greece? • What type of drama was Aeschylus known for writing? • What type of drama was Aristophanes known for writing? • Who was sentenced to death for “helping Athens question their values and actions”? • What is the Socratic Method? • Who was Socrates best student and closest friend? • What is the Academy and who opened it? • Who was Plato’s best student? • What is the Lyceum and who opened it?