Unit 2: Ancient Greece

1. Unit 2: Ancient Greece Ms. Willia

2. Warm-Up Question • What do you think of when I say “Greece”?

3. Ancient Greece • The Greek city-states, especially Athens, developed cultural innovations that are still used today which transformed Greece into a “classical civilization”

4. Ancient Greece • After the river valley era, a number of classical civilizations developed in the Mediterranean and in Asia • The first major classical civilization was ancient Greece • Classic cultures created high levels of achievement in art, science, & technology that impacted future ages

5. Ancient Greece • Europe’s earliest major culture was the Minoan civilization of Crete • largest of the Greek islands • Minoan culture was strongly influenced by Egypt • Minoan civilization is the source of the Greek myth about the hero Theseus who entered the labyrinth (a maze) and slayed the Minotaur

6. Ancient Greece • Identify 1 geographic feature & propose how it might impact the culture of Greece

7. Ancient Greece • Mountains covered about 75% of Greece which divided the people & made unifying the Greek people nearly impossible

8. Ancient Greece • Greece is a mountainous and rocky peninsula with little good farmland, but its long irregular coastline and numerous islands provided fine harbors • Greek people were able to: • make a living by fishing and trading • establish colonies • dominate trade in the eastern Mediterranean and Black Seas • Greek communities isolated by mountains developed into independent self-governing city-states that often fought one another • leading city-states were: • Sparta- strong military government • Athens- the present-day capital of Greece

9. Ancient Greece • The Greeks developed independent city-states, called polis, within each valley & its surrounding mountains

10. Ancient Greece • Despite their lack of unity, the Greeks shared some common characteristics: • Greeks shared the same language • Greek writing was influenced by the Phoenician alphabet & became the basis for Latin

11. The Iliad and the Odyssey • 2 epic (meaning long and heroic) poems by Homer • The Iliad takes place during the Trojan War when the Greeks used a large wooden horse with soldiers hidden inside to defeat the defenders of Troy in Asia Minor • The Odyssey recounts the adventures of the hero Odysseus who had to overcome many obstacles during his 10-year voyage home from the war in Troy • These poems are the first literary works of Western Civilization • In both poems, reason and wisdom are more powerful than physical strength • The heroes of Greek myths served as models of excellence for the ancient Greeks

12. Greek Gods • Greeks were polytheistic & believed that the gods were immortal but had human qualities; Religion became the basis for Greek mythology • Zeus- King of the gods • Athena- Goddess of wisdom • Aphrodite- Goddess of love • Apollo- God of sun & music • Ares- God of war • Hades- God of underworld • Hera- Goddess of family • Poseidon- God of the seas

13. Greek Gods • People emulated the Gods’ behavior • Anthropomorphic • Influenced peoples’ actions • Gods lived on Mt. Olympus • Each God controlled a specific part of the universe

14. Greek Military • Each city-state had citizen-soldiers • A new method of fighting emerged called “phalanx” • A massive formation of heavily armed foot soldiers that moved in unison

15. Ancient Greece • Most Greek city-states had an agora that was the center for trade & government • City-states had an acropolis, a temple on a hill dedicated to a sacred god

16. Athens • The Greeks established the polis: • an association of free male citizens who served as the soldiers who defended their city-state from attack • managed the government • chose leaders to govern the city-state for a limited period of time, often a year • Most of the Greek city-states did not have democratic governments, and even in Athens, citizens were a minority of the population because women, slaves, and foreign-born persons did not qualify as citizens.

17. Ancient Greece • Despite similar language & religion, the Greek polis were very different from each other, especially how they were governed • Some polis had a monarchy, a gov’t ruled by a king • Some polis had an aristocracy, a gov’t ruled by elite nobles

18. Ancient Greece • Some polis like Sparta had an oligarchy, a gov’t ruled by a small group of citizens • Some polis like Athens had a direct democracy, a gov’t ruled by citizens who vote on decisions

19. Athens • It is the place where democracy was born • Only those with both parents born in Athens could have citizenship • Athens had a direct democracy: all male citizens had the right to attend the Assembly and a vote. • met 40 times a year • No elections, leaders chosen by drawing lots • Member of 500

20. Athens • “Our constitution is called a democracy because power is in the hands not of a minority but of the whole people. We alone regard a man who takes no interest in public affairs not as harmless, but as a useless character.” -Pericles’ 431 B.C.

21. Athenian Wealth & Culture • Athens had a direct democracy in which both rich & poor citizens could vote & hold public office

22. Athenian Wealth & Culture • Pericles had Architects built the Parthenon to honor the goddess Athena • goddess of wisdom and war and the patron goddess of Athens • The Parthenon is the main building on the Acropolis • It is one of the most influential buildings in the history of Western architecture • Served as a model for important buildings in much of the world including the Lincoln Memorial in the United States

23. Athenian Wealth & Culture • Artists created realistic sculptures • Theater had both comedies & tragedies

24. Athenian Wealth & Culture • Philosophers Socrates, Plato, & Aristotle questioned assumptions & the use of logic to find answers to questions

25. Humanism • Humanism= • reason was the true source of knowledge and that a wise person was the best person; reason, not emotion, should rule our lives • Ancient Greeks considered human beings to be the center of existence • Philosophy and arts of classical Greece were more concerned with the value of human beings on earth • can be seen in Greek art that portrayed the human body realistically • Greek humanism emphasized order in daily life, nothing in excess, a balance between extremes known as “The Golden Mean” • In school, for example, both the body and the mind were trained. • Greek humanism would help shape the Renaissance and the Enlightenment in Europe 2,000 years later

26. The Three Great Greek Thinkers

27. The Three Great Greek Thinkers: SOCRATES • “…the unexamined life is not worth living.” • “Socratic Method” • question & answer approach; helped people recognize they didn’t have all the answers! • “Know thy self”… • Self-examination leads to correct behavior and ethical living.

28. The Three Great Greek Thinkers: SOCRATES • Socrates on Trial- • Seen by many to not believe in the gods • Feared that he was corrupting the minds of the youth! • He is found guilty and put to death! A scapegoat…

29. The Three Great Greek Thinkers: SOCRATES • Encouraged his students to question accepted wisdom including government policies. • Socrates did not leave behind written works • his philosophy was carried forward by his student, Plato

30. The Three Great Greek Thinkers: SOCRATES • How does it depict this famous man? • Noble, dignified & forceful. • He is ready to meet his death but not before he speaks his mind! “The Death of Socrates” Painted in France in 1787

31. The Three Great Greek Thinkers: PLATO • Author of The Republic • No family or personal property; common good government • Yet the government should regulate every aspect of its citizens lives • Philosopher king should rule • Plato warned that clever leaders could easily manipulate citizens who knew little about the important issues of the day • Started a school called The Academy

32. The Three Great Greek Thinkers: ARISTOTLE • Student of Plato • Wrote Politics • Supports family & personal property • A government that features three social classes • Favored a single, strong ruler • Taught Alexander the Great

33. Sparta • Military Society • Government: • led by two kings and 20 counselors • largest and most sophisticated army in the known world • Forbade: • trade, travel and free speech! • Needed army to control slave (helot) population • Outnumbered 20 to 1 • Control lasted over 250 years

34. Sparta • Army governed life • What did it mean for a man? • Trained in military • Started at age 7 • Marry at 20 but live in barracks • Retire at 60 • 53 years of service! • Males can vote at 30

35. Spartan Differences • Spartan society focused on military strength, not freedom & learning • Spartan men served in the military until 60 years old • Boys began military training at age 7 • Women ran family estates while men trained or fought

36. Athens vs. Sparta • Athens & Sparta competed for influence in Greece & developed a strong rivalry that eventually led to the Peloponnesian War • Sparta defeated Athens, but the war weakened the Greeks

37. Closure Activity • Where would you rather live: Athens or Sparta? Why?

38. Warm-Up Question • What are the top 3 Greek innovations? Explain how our world is better because of these 3 achievements.

39. The Phoenicians • What does this map reveal about the Phoenicians?

40. The Phoenicians • What were they famous for? • Invented the alphabet

41. The Phoenicians • Persian Empire under Darius, 521-486 B.C.E.

42. Persian Rule • Divided into twenty provinces • ruled by a Persian satrap or governor • Persian control: • building and patrolling the royal roads • use of secret agents • Why were the Persians successful rulers? • willing to adapt to local circumstances, to learn from those with experience, and to utilize the skills of non-Persians

43. Persian Wars • Greek wealth & innovation made it a target to outside invasion • Centered in present day Iran, the Persian Empire stretched from the Middle East to India • From 493 B.C. to 479 B.C., Persian kings Darius & Xerxes tried (but failed) to conquer the Greeks in the Persian Wars

44. Persian Wars • The threat of the powerful Persian empire united the Greek city-states. • Around 500 B.C. Greeks were attacked by the Persians • Greeks joined together to fight Persians • 3 Persian Wars (499-479 BCE) • Battle of Marathon- Greeks repelled a larger invading force of Persians • legend says a Greek soldier ran nearly 26 miles from the battlefield to Athens where he died after delivering news of the victory • This legend is the basis for the modern marathon foot race

45. Persian Wars • Impact of the Persian Wars: • Athens emerged as the most powerful city-state. • Athens used the Delian League (alliance of 150 city states) to create an Athenian empire. • With Pericles as its leader, Athens enters into its Golden Age!

46. Peloponnesian Wars • After the Persian Wars, the Greek city-states, led by rivals Athens & Sparta, fought each other in the Peloponnesian Wars • The Peloponnesian Wars left the Greeks weak & open to invasion

47. Peloponnesian Wars

48. Peloponnesian Wars • Causes: • Sparta formed the Peloponnesian League • Sparta and Athens rivaling for supremacy… • 27 year war ensues • Pericles brings all the people into the city • He depends on the navy, high walls and food supplies to string out the war

49. Peloponnesian Wars • Effects: • Persia gained control of many city-states • Defeated democracy in Greece • Sparta would eventually fall to Persia • Athen’s cultural influence continues

50. Macedonia • In 338 B.C., King Philip II of Macedonia attacked & conquered the Greeks, but he died soon after • Macedonians viewed themselves as Greeks & shared much of their culture; King Philip II hired Aristotle to tutor his son Alexander