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Mountains impeded communication and allowed the creation of independent city-states Did not prohibit creation of a single Greek culture The Sea Natural harbors and limited arable land encouraged the Greeks to turn to the sea
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Mountains • impeded communication and allowed the creation of independent city-states • Did not prohibit creation of a single Greek culture • The Sea • Natural harbors and limited arable land encouraged the Greeks to turn to the sea • Allowed the Greek city-states to develop trade networks and establish colonies
Minoan civilization flourished on the Island of Crete (2000-1500 BCE) • Bureaucratic monarchy • Trading Society- King was chief “entrepreneur” • Major palace at Knossos • Contact with developing Mycenaean culture on Greek mainland • Fall of Minoan civilization due to Mycenaeans and natural disaster Palace at Knossos
Minoan Trade- Major trade with Egypt, Mesopotamia, mainland Greece, and Mediterranean colonies
Linear A The yet to be deciphered written language of the Minoans
Heinrich Schliemann • Excavations of Troy and Mycenae • Growth of archaeology
Indo-European people - invaded the Greek peninsula • Began to form city-states by 1600 BCE • The Mycenaeans (after the leading city, Mycenae) dominated the Aegean Sea from 1500-1200 BCE • Cities were built on hills for protection.
The Mycenaeans waged war against Troy for dominance in the Aegean • The Mycenaeans - conquered by the Dorians • Iron weapons versus bronze weapons
Linear B The written language of the Mycenaeans
Linear A Linear B
Period between the fall of the Mycenaeans and the rise of the city-states (1150 - 800 BCE) • No written records • Simplified political patterns - village communities led by kings (tribal leaders) • Little to no trade (no word for merchant)
800-600 BCE – growth of independent city-states • Despite independence, a single Greek culture was established. • Greek culture characterized by • single written language based on the Phoenician alphabet • Shared polytheistic religion • Regular celebrations including the Olympics.
Greek alphabet evolved from Phoenician alphabet • Phoenician alphabet lacked vowels (likewise Hebrew and Arabic) so the Greeks invented them. • Reading and writing became so simple that literacy became widespread.
Colonization • The emergence of the city-states was sparked by revival in trade and increasing literacy • Colonization movement began due to population pressures • Colonization centered on Italy and Sicily
Warfare • Warfare changed from horses and chariots (nobles) to infantry and the phalanx (commoners). • This shift from noble warriors to farmer warriors caused political shifts • Phalanx - tight battle formation of hoplites. • Hoplite – armored Greek citizen soldier
Polis (city-state) –concept that most influenced the lives of Greeks • Greeks believed they had certain rights and obligations as citizens. • Government varied from city-state to city-state • Allcitizens were expected toserve in the government.
Acropolis - each city-state built a temple to its patron god on the highest hill (acropolis) • Agora - open area used as a meeting place and for markets • Ostracism - the forced exile of a citizen for ten years. 6,000 vote minimum needed The Agora in Athens today
Oracle at Delphi – temple for Apollo where a priestess (oracle) foretold the future • Became a place for pilgrimage
Greek architecture • Indirectly influenced by Egypt • Greek columns • Doric - used mostly on mainland Greece • Ionic - used mostly in Greek colonies • Corinthian - used most by the Romans Doric Ionic Corinthian
Large territory (1,060sqm) • Large mineral deposits and good harbors • Diverse commercial state • Strong in the arts: literature and sculpture • Strong in philosophy: Socrates and Plato • Established numerous colonies • Use of slavery The Acropolis in Athens
Women in Athens • Women secluded in the home • Producing children the primary role – interval of one child every two years • Life expectancy 36 years • Girls married at 14 to older husbands • Marriages arranged – dowry • Household duties menial • Women seen as inferior – not worthy of a relationship
Government included oligarchy, tyranny, and democracy • Move towards commercial estates impoverished small farmers creating social unrest • Solon instituted reforms giving poor greater voice in government Solon
Social conflict led to rule of Pisistratus (tyrant) • Renewed conflict led to rule by Clisthenes who instituted democratic reforms (assembly, vote) • Democracy- mob rule? Socrates thought so! Why? Socrates
Imperialist phase - Athens dominated Greece through Delian League (trade alliance) • During its peak of power, Athens was led by Pericles, an aristocrat. • Pericles increased democratic institutions Pericles
Descended from Dorian invaders • Militaristic state built on the slavery (serfdom) of the Helots • Male children raised by the state • Mandatory military service at age 7 • Married men - age 30 could live at home but eat at mess • Females raised by wives • Spartan women had more freedom than women in other city-states • Disdained the arts; masters of the art of war Spartan Hoplite
Government • Two Kings (to act as military leaders) • Council of Elders (28 + 2 kings). Proposed motions to be voted on by assembly. • Citizen Assembly (about 8,000) • Panel of Magistrates (5). Replaced annually by assembly vote. Performed day-to-day business. • System emphasized equality among the citizens (8,000 out of about 400,000)
Greek colonies absorbed by Persian Empire when Anatolia conquered by Cyrus (546 BCE) • Ionian Revolt – Greek colonies revolt with aid from city-states Athens and Eretria • Persians under Darius destroy Eretria and march on Athens The Persian army on the move
Persians defeated at Battle of Marathon • Darius’ son, Xerxes, invades Greece • Greek city-states unite under Spartans to resist Persians • Battle of Thermopylae Battle of Thermopylae – The Three Hundred Spartans
Athens sacked by Persians • Persian navy destroyed at battle of Salamis • Persian army routed at battle of Plataea • Athens led naval alliance (Delian League) against Persia and liberated Greek colonies Emperor Xerxes watches his defeat at the Battle of Salamis
431-404 BCE • Causes: quarrels over colonies and fear of Athenian economic dominance • System of alliances: Athens especially needed allies along waterways due to dependence on food and timber imports. • Pericles: strategy to remain behind walls and supply Athens through its navy • Spartans laid waste to area around Athens but could not penetrate its walls.
Outbreak of plague within Athens’ city walls around 430 BCE - caused death of one quarter of the population • Pericles himself succumbed to plague in 429 BCE • Allies deserted Athens. • Defeat of Athenian navy forced Athens to surrender A Greek Trireme
Athens Note city walls, walls protecting road to port, walls protecting port
End result of the Peloponnesian War – Spartan victory but all Greek city-states greatly weakened. • Greece could not withstand invasion by Macedonians under Philip II. • Greece became part of the Macedonian Empire
With murder of Philip II, Alexander became emperor • Alexander loved Greek culture- tutored by Aristotle • Embarked on conquest of Persian Empire • Conquered Persia, Egypt, and attacked India • Attempted blending of Greek and Persian cultures through forced intermarriages
Took on the trappings of a Persian emperor – alienated many in his army • Established Greek cities throughout empire • Died in Babylon in 323 BCE at age 33 • Successors carved up empire • Hellenistic Age established Alexander the Great
Who would be Alexander’s successor? “Hoti to kratisto” Greek for “to the strongest” • Alexander’s generals divide up the empire • Generals established despotic dynasties and ruled as semi-divine • Greek city-states established throughout the Middle East • Hellenistic – from the Greek Hellenes meaning “Greek” - the blending of Greek and Middle eastern culture
Cassander Lysimachus Seleucus Chandragupta Ptolemy Original division of Alexander’s Empire by his generals (yellow)