Ancient Greece and the Formation of the Western Mind The origins of these people (the Greeks… also called “The Hellenes”) is a mystery The origins of these people (the Greeks… also called “The Hellenes”) is a mystery However they are probably a mix of native tribes and the Indo-European invaders However they are probably a mix of native tribes and the Indo-European invaders In the second millennium BC, mainland Greece had centers of wealth and power that were not even known about until excavators discovered the gold masks, buried kings, and clay tablets covered in strange signs In the second millennium BC, mainland Greece had centers of wealth and power that were not even known about until excavators discovered the gold masks, buried kings, and clay tablets covered in strange signs

The palaces had been destroyed by fire The palaces had been destroyed by fire – Not only were the palaces destroyed, but so were the arts and skills that had created the wealth and most importantly the system of writing For the next few hundred years after the fires, the Greeks were illiterate and so no written evidence survives. For the next few hundred years after the fires, the Greeks were illiterate and so no written evidence survives. We call this “The Dark Age of Greece” We call this “The Dark Age of Greece”

One thing we do know about this time period is that it produced oral epic poetry that was the raw material for Homer’s two poems One thing we do know about this time period is that it produced oral epic poetry that was the raw material for Homer’s two poems The Iliad The Iliad The Odyssey The Odyssey These poems date from the 8 th century BC, which is the same century the Greeks learned how to write again These poems date from the 8 th century BC, which is the same century the Greeks learned how to write again

These poems became the basis of Greek education and of the whole culture These poems became the basis of Greek education and of the whole culture The characters served as models of conduct for later Greek generations The characters served as models of conduct for later Greek generations The Olympian gods retained the shapes and attributes written about by Homer The Olympian gods retained the shapes and attributes written about by Homer

The City-States of Greece The stories told in Homer’s poems are set in the age of the Trojan War, which dates to the 12 th century BC The stories told in Homer’s poems are set in the age of the Trojan War, which dates to the 12 th century BC This was a time of invasion and migration which caused the growth of many small independent cities in Greece This was a time of invasion and migration which caused the growth of many small independent cities in Greece

The cities of Greece never lost sight of their Hellenic heritage The cities of Greece never lost sight of their Hellenic heritage BUT they differed from each other in custom, politics, and even dialect (accents) BUT they differed from each other in custom, politics, and even dialect (accents) Their relations with each other were violent rivals and fierce competitors Their relations with each other were violent rivals and fierce competitors

These cities were constantly at war with one another in an effort to gain more productive land for growing populations. These cities were constantly at war with one another in an effort to gain more productive land for growing populations. In the 8 th and 7 th centuries BC, the landless Greeks founded new cities all over the Mediterranean coast In the 8 th and 7 th centuries BC, the landless Greeks founded new cities all over the Mediterranean coast Many of these new cities experienced a faster economic and cultural growth than the older cities of the mainland Many of these new cities experienced a faster economic and cultural growth than the older cities of the mainland

In the cities founded on the Asian coast, the Greeks adapted to their own language the Phoenician system of writing In the cities founded on the Asian coast, the Greeks adapted to their own language the Phoenician system of writing This is the language that the Roman alphabet and also our own was based off of This is the language that the Roman alphabet and also our own was based off of As literacy spread all over the Greek world, literary works were written on rolls of paper made from the Egyptian papyrus plant As literacy spread all over the Greek world, literary works were written on rolls of paper made from the Egyptian papyrus plant

Athens and Sparta By the beginning of the 5 th century BC, the two most prominent city-states were Athens and Sparta By the beginning of the 5 th century BC, the two most prominent city-states were Athens and Sparta Combined, these two city-states defeated the great Persian Army and inspired Greeks with a confidence that knew no bounds Combined, these two city-states defeated the great Persian Army and inspired Greeks with a confidence that knew no bounds

Athens During this time, Athens was a direct democracy During this time, Athens was a direct democracy Athenian democracy provided its citizens with a cultural and political environment that could not be matched in the ancient world Athenian democracy provided its citizens with a cultural and political environment that could not be matched in the ancient world There were limits on democracy: There were limits on democracy: – Resident aliens, slaves, and women could not vote – Women could not own property or hold office. They were expected to stay inside the house except for funerals and religious festivals. – Women were rarely seen by men other than their husbands or male relatives

Sparta Much different than Athens Much different than Athens Rigidly conservative in government and policy Rigidly conservative in government and policy Their citizens were reared and trained by the state for war Their citizens were reared and trained by the state for war Because of this, the Spartan land army was superior to any other in Greece Because of this, the Spartan land army was superior to any other in Greece They ruled a majority of the city-states They ruled a majority of the city-states

Athens and Sparta Even though these two cities came together to defeat the Persians… Even though these two cities came together to defeat the Persians… They became bitter enemies afterwards They became bitter enemies afterwards They eventually fought a great war against each other They eventually fought a great war against each other The Peloponnesian War The Peloponnesian War Began in 431 BC Began in 431 BC Ended in 404 BC Ended in 404 BC Resulted in the total defeat of Athens Resulted in the total defeat of Athens

The Decline of the City-State In the last quarter of the 5 th century the traditional basis of individual conduct was damaged. In the last quarter of the 5 th century the traditional basis of individual conduct was damaged. After their defeat by Sparta, Athenians began to feel more and more frustration with the man they’d been listening to for years After their defeat by Sparta, Athenians began to feel more and more frustration with the man they’d been listening to for years Socrates Socrates

Socrates used questions and answers to expose the illogicality of his opponents position, but never provided a substitute for the belief he had destroyed Socrates used questions and answers to expose the illogicality of his opponents position, but never provided a substitute for the belief he had destroyed His ethics were based on an intellectual basis and his constant questioning of the old standards in an effort to bring about new ones irritated people. His ethics were based on an intellectual basis and his constant questioning of the old standards in an effort to bring about new ones irritated people. The Athenians eventually got so sick of him, they sentenced him to death on a charge of immorality The Athenians eventually got so sick of him, they sentenced him to death on a charge of immorality

In the century following Socrates’ death, the once powerful city-states of Greece became politically and economically bankrupt In the century following Socrates’ death, the once powerful city-states of Greece became politically and economically bankrupt They fell to the power of Macedon in the north, led by King Phillip They fell to the power of Macedon in the north, led by King Phillip Greek liberty ended in 338 BC at the battle of Chaeronea. Greek liberty ended in 338 BC at the battle of Chaeronea. King Phillip’s son, Alexander inherited a powerful army as well as the political control of all Greece King Phillip’s son, Alexander inherited a powerful army as well as the political control of all Greece