Ancient Greece Chapter 4 Sec. 1-4

Location Location Location Greece is at the southern end of the Balkan Peninsula. Greece is surrounded by the Adriatic Sea in the west and the Aegean Sea in the east. The coastline is rough and the region is mountainous

The soil is rocky and farming is at a subsistence level. Greeks made a living through sea trade. Greeks were influenced by other cultures with whom they traded including Phoenicia.

Buildings They became started building using Arches Royal Tomb (Tholos) so-called Treasury of Atreus, c. 1300-1250

The Lion's (Lioness) Gate, Mycenae, c. 1250

City States Greece was a collection of city- states about 800 BC Each polis developed independently, with its own form of government, laws and customs

Infrastructure Polis built around high area, called acropolis Acropolis used as fortification It included temples, ceremonial spaces Agora: public marketplace http://www.history.com/videos/ancient-wonders-on-greeces-acropolis#ancient-wonders-on-greeces-acropolis

http://www.history.com/videos/ancient-wonders-on-greeces-acropolis#peracles-builds-the-parthenon

The Acropolis in Athens

Agora

Acropolis in the background

Sparta militaristic Sparta conquered the Messenians, and made them virtual slaves known as Helots http://www.history.com/videos/spartans-deconstructed#spartans

Over time the Helots outnumbered the Spartans 8-1. After a helot uprising, Sparta relied on its military to maintain control.

Spartan education began at the age of 7 for both boys and girls Spartan education began at the age of 7 for both boys and girls. It included tough physical training for both Men were expected to serve in the army Women were expected to raise children for the polis. Spartans valued duty to the polis, strength and discipline above all

The Theatre at Sparta, Greece

Athens became democratic Wealthy rulers (aristocrats) and poor farmers struggled for power

Direct Democracy rule based on citizen participation Majority vote decided actions of the city state. Only male citizens could vote. Athens 461 B.C. practiced democracy.

Persian Wars 499-450 BC

First Invasion 490 B.C.- Persians under Darius and an army of 25,000 attacked the Greeks The Greeks won victory at Marathon and the Persians withdrew http://www.history.com/videos/the-peloponnesian-war#engineering-an-empire-peter-on-the-battle-of-marathon http://www.history.com/videos/battle-of-thermopylae-king-xerxes-master-plan#battles-bc-battle-at-marathon

Battle of Marathon

Pheidippides After the Athenians defeated the Persians at the Battle of Marathon the Greeks sent this young runner to go to Athenians to tell the people there to not give up without a fight. The city was feeling defenseless. The distance was 26 miles and 385 yard. Pheidippides told the Athenians that “Victory is ours” and then collapsed and died.

Second Invasion 480 B.C. Persians led by Xerxes invaded by land and sea. The Persians won a victory at Thermopylae with the help of a Greek traitor. Greeks won victories on land at Plataea and at sea at Salamis. Athens was burned, yet survived http://www.history.com/videos/battle-of-thermopylae-king-xerxes-master-plan#battle-of-thermopylae-king-xerxes-master-plan http://www.history.com/videos/battle-of-thermopylae-unfolds#battle-of-thermopylae-unfolds

Salamis

Delian League 140 City-states joined together for self defense against a possible Persian attack. Athens soon came to dominate the rest of the league

Golden Age of Athens

Peloponnesian War Many Greeks resented Athens domination of the Delian League splitting Greece. Sparta and others formed the Peloponnesian League 431 BC war breaks out between the two and lasted 27 years

When Spartan troops get to close to Athens, Pericles will move everyone into the walls of Athens Over crowding leads to the break out of the plague killing thousands including Pericles.

Athenian domination ended with the war, but they were still the cultural center. The city-states will continue to do battle until Macedonia conquers them in 359 BC

Socrates Emphasized the idea of Reason Developed the Socratic Method Instead of writing books he sat in the town square and asked people about their beliefs Put on trial and found guilty of “corrupting the city’s youth” Accepting the law he drank hemlock What we know about Socrates comes from his student Plato

Plato Did not trust democracy after death of Socrates Fled to Athens, upon his return he opened the Academy Through rational thought people could discover unchanging ethical values, recognize perfect beauty, and learn how best to organize society Wrote The Republic- describes the ideal society

Aristotle Plato’s most famous student Analyzed all forms of government and found good and bad examples of each Suspicious of democracy Favored rule by a single strong and virtuous leader “Golden Mean” Politics- Summary of governments and how government should be run