Ancient Greece

Geography Located in Southern Balkan Peninsula and on small rocky islands in Aegean Sea Mild climate; rainy winters & hot summers- suitable for some types of farming VERY Mountainous – serves 2 functions –Protects Greece from invasions –Isolates Greeks from one another (Greeks will have same language & religion, but will NEVER be united under 1 single government)

Early Greek Civilizations Minoans ( BCE) –1 st Greek-like civilization, located on island of Crete –Ruins of Minoan capitol of Knossos found in 1900 by British archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans –Seafaring people, many merchants (traded throughout Med) Spread their ideas and beliefs to others –Polytheistic – main god was goddess Earth Mother –Greatest king was King Minos

Mycenaeans –Took over after Minoan decline (some overlap) –Ruins discovered on Greek mainland by Heinrich Schliemann in late 1800s –Influenced by Minoans, had same religion & similar society –More artisans & more organized gov’t than Minoans –Overtake by Dorians (invaders from the North) Greece enters Dark Age Legendary Writing –The Iliad and The Odyssey composed, credited to blind bard known as Homer –Stories based on Trojan War between Greece/Mycenaeans & city of Troy in 1200s BCE

New Societies City states begin to emerge from “Dark Ages” between BCE Greek city-state –Called a polis; usually included city & surrounding villages, orchards, fields, etc. –Acropolis – fortified hill in middle of city Had temple to local patron deity Agora- area used to carry out local affairs –Citizens could vote, hold office, own property Most residents not citizens (many slaves) –Women had little or no political/legal rights

Greek Society Trade & Economics –Each polis had colony in Mediterranean; used for grain & food –Economy based on barter until 500s BCE (Lydians & coins) –Had relatively advanced textiles and pottery Politics –City-states were ruled at first by kings, but lose power in 700s BCE –Many switch to gov’ts run by aristocracy –In 500s BCE, several switch to democracy (including Athens) –2 most famous & powerful city-states were Sparta & Athens

Sparta Founded by descendants of Dorians Patron god Apollo No colonies; just invaded, conquered & enslaved others Slaves try to revolt in 650 BCE –200,000 Helot slaves vs. 10,000 Spartan warriors –Takes around 30 years to fully suppress revolt –Leads Sparta to change society- COMPLETELY focus on military Spartan Military Society –Infants examined at birth; healthy lived, weak killed –Spartan boys start military school at age 7 –Stay in school until age 20 – then join a company (retired at 60) –Spartan men married around age 30 –Women married around 19; could own property & express opinions Gov’t has 2 Kings (ruled jointly); Assembly (all adult males) & Council of Elders (28 men over age 60) No trade, little wealth, little intellectual achievements

Athens N.E. of Sparta; descendants of Mycenaeans Patron goddess Athena Gov’t began with Kings, switches to democracy –All citizens participated (males only) –Most not citizens in beginning, but definition of citizen expands over time- more allowed to participate More focused on education –Most intellectual advancements come from Athens –3 major philosophers all from Athens (Socrates, Plato, & Aristotle) Men had required military service of 2 years (age 18) –After required service, you could choose to continue in military or choose a different career

Greek Philosophers Socrates –1 st of the great philosophers; born poor –Attracted to process of learning –“Socratic Method” –Sentenced to death for “corrupting the youth of Athens”; drinks hemlock juice and commits suicide Plato –Born an aristocrat, attracted to Socrates’ teachings –Continues Socrates’ teachings after his suicide –opens academy –Wrote several works; most famous was The Republic Aristotle –Last of 3 great philosophers –Studied under Plato; tutors Alexander the Great –Creates his own school (Lyceum) –Syllogism- system of presenting an argument to test its logic

Persian Wars Persians conquer great C/S of Ionia in 546 BCE –Ionia revolts w/ help from Athens in 499 BCE (revolt fails) –Persia seeks revenge on Greece for interfering King Darius I attacks Greece in 490 BCE –Sparta doesn’t help (religious festival) –Athens leads fight against Persians at Plains of Marathon –Legend says Greeks only lost 192 men (Persia lost 6400+) King Xerxes returns to attack Greece in 480 BCE –Brings 200,000+ soldiers and supply ships –Sparta has another religious festival, but sends 300 men including King Leonides (Delphi oracle) –Battle of Thermopylae (Spartans delay Persians) –Sea Battle of Salamis Smaller Greek ships out maneuver larger Persian ships –Persians leave and never return to attack

Peloponnesian War Threat of Persian Invasion remains after Salamis Athens convinces most of Greek C/S to ally (not Sparta) Delian League formed (led by Athenian Pericles) –D.L. frees Ionia from Persia; rids Mediterranean of pirates –Pericles misuses DL money, builds up Athens (Parthenon) –DL becomes Athenian empire Sparta becomes leader in anti-Athenian alliance Off and on war between Sparta & Athens from BCE –Athens holds its own against Sparta –Sparta builds navy with help from Persians (in exchange for Ionia) –Plague strikes Athens, killing 1/3 of population Athens finally surrenders when Sparta lays siege to Athens

Alexander the Great Sparta & Athens weakened after war; Macedonia gains power in 360s BCE under Philip Philip assassinated in 336 BCE, son Alexander takes over Some resistance from Greek C/S –Alexander crushes revolts & brings Greeks under his control (Thebes) Alexander attacks Persians, defeating them by 334 BCE Empire is expanded to Egypt, Middle East, even to India Alexander dies in 323 BCE from disease; generals fight over empire causing it to quickly fall Known as beginning of Hellenistic Age (spread of Greek culture to Middle East & India)