Classical Greece and Rome

Review questions Name the two most important city-states in Ancient Greece and describe their political systems Name the characteristics of Greek and Roman architecture Who was Rome's opponent in the Punic Wars? What was Rome's political system before it became an empire? Name the 3 most important Greek philosophers

People and Places Pericles Alexander the Great Julius Caesar Constantine Athens Sparta Rome Carthage

Beginnings of Greece RVC influence on islands like Crete by 2000 B.C.E Greece taken over by Indo-Europeans by 1700 B.C.E Crete influenced Mycenae(featured in Iliad) Destroyed by more Indo-Europeans around 800 B.C.E

Greece overview Geography matters for city-states Each city-state had different government Linked by trade, Olympics(Owl house always won), Phoenician language Colonies in places like south Italy Cooperated to defeat Persians

Fall of Greece After victory over Persia was the Golden Age Ended by the Peloponnesian Wars(431-404 B.C.E) Macedonian kings expanded First Philip II, then Alexander Hellenism in places like Alexandria

Alexander's Empire

Rise of Rome Originally a monarchy beginning around 800 B.C.E, then aristocratic republic by 509 B.C.E Expanded over all of Italy Victory over Carthage in three Punic Wars(264-146 B.C.E) Civil wars between generals, eventually Julius Caesar victorious, then assassinated Augustus Caesar first emperor in 27 B.C.E Prosperity until death of Marcus Aurelius in 180 C.E

Ruin of Rome Slow decline until final fall in 476 C.E Economic and population loss Constantine and Diocletian tried to reverse tide Government no longer effective Army relied on foreigners Destroyed by nomads

Politics-Greece Rule by strongmen was common Upper-class idea of active citizenship In Athens general assemblies met every 10 days for direct democracy Only citizens could participate Judges and other executives chosen Other city-states like Sparta had aristocratic assemblies

Politics-rome Originally a republic with elected magistrates Two consuls had executive power in the Senate Dictators in times of crisis Oratory was important Writers like Cicero wrote extensively about different political forms and participation

Politics of an empire Senate became meaningless Local autonomy prevailed Fair and reasonable law above all Bread and circuses Tolerance of all religions except sometimes Christianity Emphasis on conquest

Religion Same gods, different names Gods were like a soap opera, inspiring a great literary tradition Left people dissatisfied causing mystery religions Thinkers like Aristotle said don't be like the gods Upper-class searched for other ethical systems, like the Stoic idea of inner moral independence

Christianity Began in Roman province Judea Used Rome's roads Scapegoats Refused to place state first Used by Constantine to unite

Philosophy Socrates said to question conventional wisdom to improve the soul Plato said that reason could understand True, Good and, Beautiful Seeking rationality in the universe

Science The Greeks got a lot wrong Example would be Ptolemy Geometry excellent under Euclid and Pythagoras Romans just preserved but were great engineers Greeks on ships, Rome on roads

Architecture Greece Rome Columns Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian Brightly painted Great engineers Domes on rectangular buildings Villas built around central courtyard Both loved monumental architecture

Architecture Examples Greece Rome

Written Arts Realism and about gods In theater invented tragedy and comedy Writers like Sophocles preferred tragedies Literary epics for both Poetry more important in Rome

Visual Arts Sculpture important for both, less innovation by Rome Realistic but beautiful Excellent ceramics Rome known more for athlectics

Economy Most were farmers who were often free Later in times of decline became tenants Tough soil led to olive/grape farming, which caused debts Also reason for colonies Trade very important(state regulated grain) Trade outside Mediterranean but imbalanced

Slavery Slaves were for grunt work or servants Occasionally tutors Came from conquered peoples Elaborate ways to justify No need for agricultural improvements

Family Patriarchy though women had vital roles Female infanticide Eventually family courts Not as bad as China

Overall, though the Classical Mediterranean did not produce the lasting civilization of China or India or have the same practical outlook, the ideas of Greece and Rome are still important today, as you can tell by visiting Washington D.C.