Ancient Greece: An Introduction

Warm Up!!! 1.What advantages/disadvantages do mountains provide areas? 2.What is a city-state? 3.Why do civilizations/countries need governments?

Geographical Impact Greece includes the mountainous peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea and the approximately 1,400 islands in the Aegean and Ionian Seas.

The uneven terrain caused numerous issues: –Made land transportation and communication difficult –Only 20% of the land was farmable –It was not suitable for irrigation –Not able to support large populations –Desire for more living space motivated them to seek colonies. Greece lacked natural resources (timber, precious metals, and arable farmland) - needed to trade with other areas.

The development of Greek civilization was shaped by the nearby seas - Mediterranean, Black, Aegean, and Ionian. –Became great sailors. –Within sailing distance of Egypt and Mesopotamia. –This trading led to the cultural, technological, natural resource, craft exchanges. –Led to a shift away from the barter system (trading one good for another) to a monetary system.

Mountains covered ¾ of the land, which made it difficult to unite politically. –Established small, local, independent communities with little interest in cooperating with each other. –Created natural defenses.

Early Civilizations Minoans: –Emerged on the island of Crete around 2000 BCE. –First civilization in this area. –Brought ideas from Egypt and Mesopotamia. –Depended on trade. –Destroyed around 1450 BCE.

Mycenaeans: –E–Early Greeks on the mainland. –C–Conquered by Northern invaders - Dorians, which started the Greek Dark Ages ( BCE).

Rise of the City-States By 750 BCE, Greece was dominated by city-states (polis) that included the major city and the surrounding countryside (numerous villages). –H–Had approximately 20,000 people.

–Citizens could take part in government. Included free, landowning males Gathered at the fortified hilltop (acropolis) to conduct business. Women had very few rights and slaves had no political rights.

As a result of overpopulation and the need for more arable land, many city-states turned to colonization. City-states unified by language, culture, and religion, but not politically. Different forms of government emerged throughout Greece in the different city-states: –Monarchy –Aristocracy –Oligarchy –Direct Democracy

Rise of the City-States (cont.) Monarchy: State ruled by a king. Rule was hereditary through the king’s family. Some rulers claimed divine right - their power to rule comes from the gods. Example - Mycenae Aristocracy: State ruled by the nobility. Rule is hereditary and based on landownership. Social status and wealth support rulers’ authority. Example - Athens (594 BCE)

Rise of the City-States (cont.) Oligarchy: State ruled by a small group of citizens. Rule based on wealth. Ruling group controls the military. Example - Sparta Direct Democracy: State ruled by the citizens. Rule based on citizenship (free, landowning male). Majority rule makes decisions. Example - Athens (461 BCE)

Greek Religion Greek religion is known as mythology, based on exciting stories that offered explanations of natural phenomena, human qualities, and life events rather than moral guidance and an afterlife. Mythology was expressed in epic poems - the Iliad and Odyssey Polytheistic (belief in many gods) - gods walked the earth with men who were concerned most with keeping the various gods happy.

Important Greek Gods Hera: Wife of Zeus, protector of marriage Zeus: Leader of the gods

Important Greek Gods (cont.) Athena: Goddess of wisdom and poetry Apollo: God of sun and poetry

Important Greek Gods (cont.) Aphrodite: Goddess of love Poseidon: God of the seas

The Role of Gods Gods were the center of Greek life with each city dedicating itself to one god or goddess (Athens = Athena). –It was important to keep the gods happy. –Built temples and had festivals to honor them. Starting in 776 BCE, Greeks got together every four years in Olympia for a sports festival to honor Zeus.

Peloponnesus Peninsula Dardanelles Sparta Troy Greek Hotspots

Greek Hotspots (cont.)