Chapter 8 Ancient Greece Section 1 Notes Geography and the Early Greeks

Geography Shapes Greek Civilization Mainland Greece is a peninsula Large peninsula with smaller peninsulas sticking off of it Rugged coastline Mountains run nearly to the sea Small mountain valleys and coastal plains are the only flat land.

Physical Map of Greece The green areas are the flat lands The darker the brown, the higher the mountains. Nearly all of Greece is covered by mountains.

Mountains and Settlements People settled on the coastal flat lands & the flat lands along the rivers edge. The rugged mountains and rough seas separated small communities from each other.

Mountains and Settlements Each town formed their own government Formed their own way of life These isolated communities spoke had a common language and gods The Greek people did not see themselves as belonging to the large, single country of Greece. They considered themselves to be citizens of their individual city-state just as if it were a country all it’s own.

Seas and Ships Travel by land was difficult The Greeks turned to the seas that surrounded them The Mediterranean to the south The Ionian to the west The Aegean to the east The seas gave them Food Transportation Trade Routes

Seas and Ships Greeks became skilled ship builders & sailors They sailed to Asia Minor Egypt Islands of the Mediterranean Islands of the Aegean These travels brought other foods and products to Greece They also brought new ideas from other cultures

Trading Cultures Develop The Minoans and the Mycenaeans were two of the earliest cultures of Greece The Minoans did not speak the Greek language, so historians do not consider them to be Greeks The Mycenaens were the first to speak the language and are considered to be the first Greeks

The Minoans Built and advanced civilization on Crete Spent much time at sea Among the best shipbuilders in their time Exported wood, olive oil, pottery Imported copper, gold, silver, & jewels

Bull Leaping Bull leaping or bull fighting was both a sport and a religious ceremony. Don’t try this at home.

The Palace One of the largest cities on Crete was Knossos. A great palace was located there - the Palace of Knossos where the legendary King Minos lived.

The Labyrinth The palace had a network of paths through which it was difficult to find one’s way. Labyrinth means double ax so the palace was called the “House of the Double Ax.” In this labyrinth, it is said, lived a Minotaur - a beast that was half man and half bull.

The Minotaur

Every year for nine years, seven youths and maidens came as tribute from Athens. These young people were also locked in the labyrinth for the Minotaur to feast upon. When the Greek hero Theseus reached Athens, he learned of the Minotaur and the sacrifices, and wanted to end this. He volunteered to go to Crete as one of the victims. Upon his arrival in Crete, he met Ariadne, Minos's daughter, who fell in love with him. She promised she would provide the means to escape from the maze if he agreed to marry her. When Theseus did, she gave him a simple ball of thread, which he was to fasten close to the entrance of the maze. He made his way through the maze, while unwinding the thread, and he stumbled upon the sleeping Minotaur. He beat it to death and led the others back to the entrance by following the thread.

The Minoans Crete was a great place for trade Dangerous volcanoes on the island 1600s a volcano erupted The ash and tsunami from the volcano may have helped end the Minoans

The Mycenaeans Built towns and fortresses on mainland Greek Largest fortress was Mycenae Decline of Minoans allowed them to take Crete & become the major traders of the eastern Mediterranean

Where did they come from? The Mycenaeans came from the grasslands of southern Russia to the lowlands of Greece. They traded with and learned much from the Minoans.

The Mycenaeans Set up colonies in N. Greece and Italy Did not feel trade needed to be peaceful Attacked other kingdoms (Including Troy)

Trojan War/Homer’s Iliad The Mycenaeans went to war with Troy because Troy was controlling a trade route and unfairly taxing ships going from southern Russia to Greece.

The Iliad About 500 years later, a blind Greek poet, Homer, told the story of the Trojan war - but not quite exactly as it happened.

Homer’s version The Trojan prince Paris fell in love with Helen, the wife of the Mycenaean king. He kidnapped her, taking her to Troy. The Mycenaeans followed to get her back. After ten years of fighting, Odysseus suggested they build a large wooden horse and place their best soldiers in it. Then the rest of the Mycenaeans returned to their ships and sailed away.

When the Trojans saw the horse and the soldiers leaving, they thought it was a gift and pulled it into the city. Once out of sight, Odysseus turned the ships around and began to sail back toward Troy. During the night, the soldiers inside the horse climbed out, opened the gate and let the returning soldiers into Troy.

What happened. . . The Mycenaeans killed the king of Troy and burned the city. Then they returned to their homes with Helen.

Greeks Create City-States The Greeks of the Dark Age left no written history Everything we know is from archaeological findings

End of Mycenaean Civilization Mycenaean society fell apart when Europe invaders destroyed cities Greece fell into a Dark Age.

Greeks Create City-States 300 years after Mycenae falls the Greeks start forming groups for protection These groups become city-states (polis) The beginning of Greek’s Classical Age is marked by the creation of these polis Some where ruled by an Aristocratic Monarchies, others tried rule by the people…Democracy is born!

Life in a City-State Greek cities often built around a fortress (acropolis) The fortress was usually on a hill The town around the fort was surrounded by walls for more protection.

Life in a City-State Not everyone lived inside the walls During wars women, kids, elderly took shelter inside the safety of the walls The men formed the army

Life in a City-State Life centered around the agora Farmers traded with craftsmen Served as a meeting place Political and religious meetings

Life in a City-State City-states provided security Also gave people an identity People did not consider themselves to be Greeks, they took their identity from their city state. They were Spartan, Athenians, etc… People were EXPECTED to participate in the affairs of the city-state such as government, and the economy (When I say people, I mean the men, sorry ladies!!)