Ancient Greece: History Chapter 5

Early Greeks The Minoans Lived on the island of Crete Major polis: Knossos Sailors and traders Advanced civilization Plumbing arts

Early Greeks Minoan civilization declined. Why? Natural disasters Earthquakes, tidal waves Volcanic eruption on Thera- changed weather and destroyed crops Conquered by the Mycenaeans

Early Greeks Mycenaeans Warlike Built a fortress at Mycenae (my-see-nee) Constant warfare destroyed Mycenaean civilization

Other Polises Sparta Warlike Conquered nearby peoples; these became slaves called helots Helots were farmers and servants Gave Spartans time to devote to military training Spartans emphasized physical fitness and good health

Sparta Boys trained for warfare; girls trained to be strong mothers At age 20 young men became hoplites, or foot soldiers

Athens Center of culture and learning Birthplace of democracy Rival of Sparta

Athenian Democracy Democracy means “rule by the people” Athenian rulers Draco wrote laws that punished lawbreakers harshly Gives us the word Draconian Solon gave all Athenian men rights to sit on juries and participate in governing assemblies; only wealthy men could hold office Cleisthenes reformed Athens’ gov’t Divided Athens into 10 tribes; each tribe elected 50 men to serve on a Council of 500 who made laws

Athenian Democracy Who could participate in Athenian democracy? Free men born in Athens who had finished military training – 10 % of population No women, children, immigrants In the assembly, all members voted directly – direct democracy

Other Greek Polises Thebes Corinth Thessaloniki Byzantium Miletus Ephesus Sardis

Persian Wars 400s B.C. – Persian Empire controls much of Western Asia

Persian Wars (490 B.C.) Persian Empire controlled some Greek city-states, who had rebelled Athens and other polises gave aid to Greek rebels, but Persia won Persian king, Darius the Great, wanted to punish Athens for supporting the rebellion- he brought an army to invade Greece

Persian Wars (490 B.C.) Persians attacked at Marathon, near Athens Athens won the battle Legend of the Marathon runner- a soldier ran 26 miles from Marathon to Athens to announce the Greek victory Basis for today’s marathon races Battle of Marathon showed that the mighty Persian army could be defeated

Persian Wars (479 B.C.) Darius’ son, Xerxes, wanted to finish what his father started Athens called for help from other Greek city-states; Sparta came to their aid

Persian Wars (479 B.C.) Battle of Thermopylae Greeks met the Persians at Thermopylae to give Athens time to evacuate and prepare defenses 300 Spartans, 900 helots, 1200 other Greeks fought to the death against 200,000 Persians Thermopylae a symbol of courage against overwhelming odds

Persian Wars (479 B.C) The Athenians later defeated Persians in naval battle at Salamis and land battle at Plataea The first time Greeks had stopped fighting and worked together to defend each other Persians never attacked Greece again

Peloponnesian War After Persian Wars, Athens and Sparta most powerful city-states in Greece Athens entered a Golden Age of arts and culture Golden Age: a period of peace, prosperity, and great achievement

Peloponnesian War Golden Age of Athens Athens had to rebuild after the war with Persia New temples built on the Acropolis Parthenon- temple to Athena Beautiful sculptures and monuments Rebuilding led by Pericles, one of Greece’s greatest statesmen

Peloponnesian War The Delian League Greek city-states formed a defensive alliance against Persia called the Delian League Athens was most powerful and important member Athens controlled the League and would not allow other members to leave

Peloponnesian War Sparta led the rebellion against Athens Sparta led its own alliance, the Peloponnesian League war broke out in 431 B.C.

Peloponnesian War For many years, neither side could win Athens had a strong navy Sparta had a strong army Plague in Athens led to a truce in 421 B.C. 415 B.C.- Athens attacked a Spartan ally Sparta destroyed Athenian navy Athens surrenders in 404 B.C.

Peloponnesian War

End of Greece’s Golden Age Sparta couldn’t maintain control of Greece City-states quarreled and fought Eventually all of Greece was conquered by Macedonia