Ancient Greece – city-states After 750 BCE evolved a unique version of city-state Called polis-major city or town and surrounding countryside City built on 2 levels: Top of hill stood acropolis (high city) Marble temples dedicated to different gods and goddesses Flatter ground below lay walled city

Different governments evolve Monarchy- first form of government, ruler of polis Aristocracy- nobles were also military defenders and over time won power from the king Oligarchy- new middle class emerged, challenged nobles and dominated some city-states

Sparta: A warrior society Dorian invaders settled and built city of Sparta Set up brutal system of strict control Boys started training for lifetime in military at age 7 Women were expected to produce healthy sons for army Sparta isolated themselves from other Greeks Patron god: Ares

Athens Discontent spread throughout Athens Slowly moved toward democracy People appointed Solon archon (chief official) Limited democracy: only citizens could participate Citizenship was restricted to land owning men Boys attended school if they could afford it  learned to read write, study music, memorized poetry, and studied public speaking

Philosophers Socrates: Athenian stonemason and philospher, wrote no book, Socratic method Put on trial and sentenced to death penalty Plato: Socrates student, rejected Athenian democracy and left for 10 years Came back and created school called Academy where he taught reason Aristotle: Plato’s most famous student set up school called Lyceum

Art and architecture Monuments Sculptures Displayed perfect balance Most famous: Parthenon Temple built on acropolis in Athens dedicated to Athena Developed new style Showed natural forms, life like Most perfect form

Gods and Goddesses 12 main Olympian gods: Zeus, Poseidon, Hera, Athena, Aphrodite, Ares, Apollo, Artemis, Hestia, Hermes, Hephaestus, Hades Zeus and Hera are king and queen of gods Many myths were created about the gods and goddesses to explain events and everyday happenings

Literature Greek Comedy Tragic Drama Often based on popular myths and legends Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides 3 famous playwrights Tragedies were plays that told stories of human suffering, usually ended in disaster Humorous plays that mocked people or customs Almost all surviving were written by Aristophanes

Recording history Herodotus known as “Father of History” Collected information and visited places before recording information Wrote about Persian war- clear bias to Greek side Thucydides tried to be fair to both sides Wrote about Peloponnesian war Both set standards for future historians: importance of research and avoiding bias

Persian Wars Athens defeated Persians at Marathon Afterwards asked other Greek city states to join the fight against Persia Persians came back, defeated small Spartan force Athenians brought the fight on water, defeated Persians again

Delian League Athens emerged from Persian wars as most powerful city-state Organized alliances with other Greek states Called Delian League after Delos Athens used its power to create an Athenian empire

Athenian Democracy Under Pericles Athens was a direct democracy Citizens take direct role in day to day govt affairs Believed all citizens regardless of wealth or social class should be able to participate Began giving stipends to men participating in Assembly and governing Council

Jury Athenians also served on juries Could have hundreds or thousands of jurors Citizens over the age of 30 were chosen by lot to serve for a year

Ostracism Could vote to banish public figures they saw as threat to democracy Person with largest votes against him was ostracized Person would have to live outside city, typically for period of 10 years

Peloponnesian War Many Greeks hated Athenian rule Spartans broke away with other enemies to form Peloponnesian League Athens could not attack Sparta with navy Ended Athenian domination of Greek world While Greeks battled amongst themselves Macedonia began to rise