Geography Shaped Greek Life The sea shaped Greek civilization just as rivers shaped the river valley civilizations. Ionian, Aegean, Black Sea Unity, Trade, Travel Mountainous divided the land and caused many small communities to form. Slow travel/transportation of goods Little farmland/not suited for irrigation Small population Climate caused people to practically live outdoors.

20% arable land (suitable for farming) Greece lacked timber, precious metals and farmland

Early Greek Peoples - Mycenaeans Mycenaeans arrived around 2000 B.C.E Name from leading city, Mycenae. Well fortified walls, rumored to withstand any attack. Warrior-king ruled that dominated Greece to 1100 B.C.E.

Contact with Minoans! Led to value of seaborne trade. Adaption of writing system to the Greek language. Minoan art decoration on vases. Formed core of Greek religious practice.

The Trojan War – 10 years Mycenaeans vs. Troy, an independent trading city. The legend: Greek army besieged Troy because a Trojan prince had kidnapped Helen, the beautiful wife of a Greek king. Troy was captured by hiding soldiers in a hollow wooden soldier. Thought to be totally fictional. Recent studies in Turkey have given evidence the stories might have been based on real cities, people, and events. One of the last battle campaigns of the Mycenaeans. Mycenaean civilization would shortly collapse.

The Trojan War Mycenaean Greeks V. Troy (about 1200BC)

The Dorians Far less advanced people than the Mycenaean people. Suffered economic collapse and poor trade. Greeks lost the art of writing during the Dorian Age. No written records exist between 1150 and 750 B.C.E.

Epics of Homer Greeks learned through spoken word at the time. Homer – the great blind storyteller. Epics – narrative poems celebrating heroic deeds. The Iliad (provided backdrop for the Trojan War) The Odyssey People fell in love with Homer’s poetry, which helped define and unify Greek culture.

The Iliad’s warrior heroes:

Myth Creation Myths - traditional stories about Greek gods. Greeks attribute human qualities, like love, hate, and jealousy to their gods. Gods always fought and competed. Gods lived forever.

Greek Gods

Rule & Order Greeks did not develop political unity. Created the polis, or city-state by 750 B.C.E miles of territory Home to fewer than 10,000 people Acropolis – fortified hilltop where politics was discussed.

The Acropolis Today

Greek Political Structures Monarchy- ruled by kings Aristocracy- ruled by a few powerful nobles(landowners) Oligarchy- ruled by a group of powerful people Tyrant Rule - a leader representing the ordinary people. Not like today’s version!

Athens builds limited Democracy! Rule by the people – Democracy 621 B.C.E. Law of Draco – all rich and poor were equal under the law. Death was almost always the punishment for crimes. Solon’s reforms in 594 B.C.E. establish direct democracy!  All citizens participate in government  Only males were citizens  Outlawed debt slavery  Created 4 social classes  top 3 could hold office

Cont. Athenian leader Cleisthenes 500 B.C.E. reforms. Organized 10 groups by home location, not wealth. Created Council of 500 to propose laws. Chosen randomly. Citizenship was restricted. Athenian Citizen - Only a free adult male property owner born in Athens. Women, slaves, foreigners excluded with few rights at all.

Athenian Education Athenian Males  Sons of wealthy got formal education at age 7  Trained in logic and speaking for public debates.  Athletic training and military school  Citizenship duty – defending Athens!  Women, very little to do outside of family life

Sparta Builds a Military State Cut off from the rest of Greece by the Gulf of Corinth. Athens had democracy, Sparta had a military state.  Conquered Laconia & Messenia around 725 B.C.E.  Messenians became slaves and known as Helots.  Revolt against harsh rules of Sparta.  Sparta outnumbered 8 to 1, barely was victorious.  Vowed to dedicated themselves to making a strong city-state.

Spartan Government & Society Council of Elders 30 older citizens who proposed laws for the assembly. 5 elected officials carried out these laws. Two kings ruled over the military forces (oligarchy). Social Order – 3 groups Original region’s descendants, included ruling families Free noncitizens who worked in commerce/industry. Helots – bottom of society. Slightly better than slaves.

Spartan Daily Life From 600 until 371 B.C.E. – Sparta most powerful army Forms of expression were discouraged. No value for art, literature, or intellectual pursuits. Spartans value duty, strength, and discipline over freedom, individuality, beauty, and learning.

Spartan Boys Spartan Girls Males – life centered on military training. Boys leave home age 7, train until 30. Marching exercising, fighting, in all types of weather. Wore a light tunic and no shoes. Slept on hard blankets Dieted on nothing but a black bowl of porridge. Women physically conditioned to be healthy mothers  ran- wrestled- played sports  Women told men, “ come back with your shield or on it”  Women had more independence than Athenian women

The Persian Wars Persians control all of Middle East – and want more. Greek cities in Asia Minor rebel against Persians  Athens sent ship to help them Battle of Marathon – 546 B.C. Pheidipiddes Brings News!

Phalanx Formation most powerful fighting force in the ancient world

The Battle of Marathon 25,000 persians come across Aegean Sea landing at Marathon near Athens. 10,000 athens in phalanx formation awaited them. Persians had no training and were decimated by the Greeks. Persians fled battlefield, after losing over 6,000 men. Pheidipiddes runs 26 miles to share the news, “Rejoice, we conquer” and dies.

Xerces seeks out Sparta

Battle of Thermopylae Darius Son, Xerces, assembles huge force to crush Athens. Greeks were divided, some agreed to fight Persians. Xerces stomped through Greece, halted at Thermoplyae. Mountain pass, 300 Spartans and 7000 Greeks blocked him. Greeks stopped the advanced for 3 days. Betrayal Spartans held a stand while they let the Greeks retreat.

Xerces at Thermopylae

Battle of Salamis Athenians Defeat Persians at Salamis (naval battle) Athenians create Delian League  Alliance of 200 city-states  Delos: island in the Aegean Sea Athens becomes headquarters and the dominant power in Greece Athens enters the Golden Age Time of bursting creativity!