What was one similarity and one difference between the Assyrian and the Persian Empires?

On Island of Crete. Grew rich through trade with Greece, Phoenicia, Egypt, and Asia Minor. Knossos was capital. Civilization declined (ca B.C.E.) due to eruption on the Island of Santorini.

Dominated by the city of Mycenae. Collapse led to “dark ages” in Greece (ca B.C.E.).

Disconnected terrain prevented uniting under one government. Had independent local governments, called poleis (polis). Politics resembled Indian politics in the tendency of regional fragmentation.

Sparta was a military society. At seven, boys were raised to be soldiers. They suffered physical abuse, lack of food, and ridiculed for weakness. Served in the military or reserves until age 60.

Patriarchal society. Of all the ancient societies, Spartan women enjoy the fewest restrictions Education Own property Not secluded in their homes. Married men close to their age. (Created by female Whapster )

Society relied on helots, slaves, to do agricultural labor. They were captives of raids on their neighbors.

Government was an oligarchy, shared power between two kings. Belief that top-down government power was necessary for a stable and prosperous society. Social life was tightly controlled.

Solon, created a “direct democracy”, government where all citizens could vote directly on laws in a large assembly (594 B.C.E.). Unique feature of classical Greek political systems was the idea that free male citizens could run the affairs of state.

Social Stratification Like First Civilizations, societies of the classical era were patriarchal in organization.

Believed to be intellectually inferior, women had few rights: –Excluded from government service and from voting. –Could not own property. –No education. –Had to be accompanied by a man outside the home.

The growth of democracy in classical Athens was accompanied by the simultaneous growth of slavery on a massive scale.

Rocky and mountainous land discouraged easy farming. Depend heavily on seagoing trade.

Hellenistic society registered special advances in science. Archimedes discovered the usefulness of the lever, and developed the Water Screw, to lift water from a lower elevation to a higher elevation.

Hero; father of mechanical engineering. Discovered the principle of steam power. The Greeks knew about steam power, but never used it for practical purposes. Why?

Homer wrote two epic poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey (ninth century B.C.E.). Philosophical ideas flourished in Athens. Greek philosophy is noted for its emphasis on logic and questioning of received wisdom, without relying on the gods?

A distinctive feature of Greek thinking was a confidence in human reason. Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle all emphasized Greek rationalism.

Socrates emphasized asking questions to systematically clarify ideas and understand them became known as the “Socratic Method.” Describing himself as “that gadfly which god has given the state and all day long and in all places... arousing and persuading and reproaching you” Like Jesus, he was sentenced to death by states which felt threatened by their teachings.

Plato opened school called the “Academy.” Students taught to question the nature of ideas (good, evil, justice, and beauty). Wrote “dialogues,” teachings presented as discussions between Socrates and his pupils. “The Republic,” describes the ideal society ruled by philosopher kings who ruled by the concept of justice and ethical values.

Greeks sought to define a single source of order and meaning in the universe. Aristotle, best known for his ideas about ethics. Avoid extremes in behavior. This moderation was called the “Golden Mean.”

Emphasized “empiricism,” gaining knowledge through observation and evidence of the senses, not intuition or religious beliefs. “Aristotelian Logic,” the science of the formal principles of reasoning. Greek scholarship has influenced the world because its texts were not lost but translated into Arabic and stimulated Muslim intellectuals.

Art was three-dimensional, admiration of the human body. Naked art = Greek art! Egyptian Art Greek Art

Polytheistic Religion based on a set of myths. These stories, not teachings of ethics, expressed their ideas about right and wrong behavior. Contact with Persians and Egyptians made religion more syncretic (combining ideas from different sources).

Theater was a religious function, and civic duty. Plays on myths. Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides, wrote tragedies (dramas about death, war, and mans relationship with the gods).

“Prometheus Bound” story of Prometheus stealing fire from Zeus, and suffers eternal punishment. “The Trojan Women” story of Athenians slaughtered of war captives.

Religion was connected to architecture. The “Parthenon” (in Athens), commissioned by Pericles, symbolize the “Golden Age” of Greece. Columns on all sides and topped by a slanted roof. A panel on top had friezes illustrating Greek myths.

Athletic competitions were held every four years to honor the gods (Olympic games). Wars between cities were halted during this time, known as the peace of Zeus. The games created a feeling of “Greekness”.

Established colonies (8 th century B.C.E.). Colonies were independent, but shared culture with its home city-state. Colonization led to the spread of Hellenic (Greek) culture throughout the Mediterranean.

That concludes The Greeks. Any questions before the quiz on the next slide?