Chapter 4

1. Chapter 4 Section3

2. Wars Brought About Change To Ancient Greece • Objectives • How did the Greeks end the threat of conquest by Persia? • Why did the city-states fight among themselves? • Whose military conquests helped to spread Greek culture through Asia?

3. I. Wars with Persia Threatened the Greek City-States • First challenge came from the Persian Empire • The Persians conquered the Greek colonies of Asia Minor in 500’s BC • Darius I was the emperor of the Persian Empire, he wanted to go after Greece itself • 492 BC Darius forms a huge army and navy and headed toward Greece

4. By 490 BC the Persian army had defeated many city states and was 25 miles outside the city of Athens • Miltiades (mil TY uh deez) head of the Athenian army led a charge against the Persians, thought greatly outnumbered they led a fierce attack which surprised the Persians • Over 6000 Persians died, and only 192 Greeks

5. The defeat caused Darius to retreat back to Persia • After the victory at Marathon the Greeks sent a soldier back to Athens with news that they had won • When he got to Athens he cried out Nike – which means victory. • Then he tumbled to the ground dead of exhaustion – today the 26 mile race is called a marathon in memory of the Greek runner.

6. 10 years later the Persians tried another attack this time with Darius’ son King Xerxes (ZERK seez) led the way • B/C of a Greek traitor, the Persians defeated the Greeks, they burned Athens and looted the city • The Greeks did get some revenge – they destroyed the Persian navy and once again the Persians retreated to Asia, this time never to return

7. II. Athens Entered A Golden Age • Greek victory over the Persians was largely due to Athens • In years after the Persian Wars, Athens entered a period known as the Golden Age of Athens. • It became the leader of the city-states • Under Pericles, the Athenians rebuilt their city

8. The Parthenon was built at this time • Fearing another Persian invasion the Athenians built a strong wall around the city • Pericles wanted to unite wanted to united the Greek city-states into an organization for defense – this was called the Delian League • Members of the league contributed money ships and soldiers to protect Greece

9. Athens provided the most money and soldiers • As time went on the city-states began to argue about the goals of the league • Athens which paid the most share wanted the most power • Soon wars broke out • And cities like Sparta who were not members of the league feared Athens power.

10. They formed their own league and attack Athens • This started a series of wars known as the Peloponnesian Wars • In the end Sparta defeated Athens but badly weakened both city states • Sparta tried to unify and rule Greece like Athens had done • City-states fought back and attempts to unify failed as did the Golden Age.

11. III. Macedonia Conquered Greece and Lands Beyond • To the north of the Greeks was the Macedonians. Distantly related to the Greeks, but didn’t have the advanced culture of the Greeks • After Peloponnesian Wars, they had a more united government • Led by King Phillip II, they became a dangerous neighbor

12. Phillip II believed he could united all the Greek city-states • Learned the importance of a strong army when he was a hostage in the Greek city-state of Thebes • He made his infantry and cavalry into strong fighting forces • He began to slowly defeat the Greek city-states • Demosthenes – Athenian orator feared Phillip II

13. He felt the Greek city –states should unite against Phillip II • His attempts failed. • Phillips’s armies overran Greece • All city-states except Sparta were under his control • He planned on putting together a plan to conquest Persian, but he was assassinated before he could do so. • Alexander the Great – Phillip’s son

14. Alexander the Great was taught by the Greek teacher Aristotle to love culture and learning. • Alexander was also a master of military skills as well • At 21. He became the ruler of Macedonia and Greece. • In 334BC he led 35,000 soldiers to Persia and won victory after victory • By 331BC he controlled all the Persian Empire

15. His victories united both the eastern and western worlds • The mixing of these cultures created what is called a Hellenistic culture • After he died, in 323BC the empire divided into 3 parts each led by one of Alexander’s generals

16. Greeks Tried A New Experiment in Government • Greeks city-states began to fight against their new ruler and among themselves • By 100’s BC a new power the Roman Empire, had defeated and absorbed the city-states • Several of the city-states joined the Achaean League which was a Federation

17. Federation – form of government in which smaller parts agree to give up some of their powers to stronger central government • Which means while each city-state in the Achaean League kept control of its own affairs, a central government had the power to tax and raise an army • Achaean League did not last long, however it was the basis of how the United States was formed and its style of government • U.S is a Federation

18. They could not make contracts or buy or sell anything, borrow money or sue • They could not even inherit her husbands property after he died • They wore veils at religious services • Spent most of their time in the women’s quarters of the home • In 450 BC, a woman names Aspasia opened a school for young women and it was well attended

19. Gradually, over time the women of Greece started to play a more active part in the culture and the communities