1. THE CITY-STATES OF ANCIENT GREECE

2. The first major classical civilization was ancient Greece
After the river valley era, a number of classical civilizations developed in the Mediterranean and in Asia
The first major classical civilization was ancient Greece
Classic cultures created high levels of achievement in art, science, and technology that impacted future ages

3. Impact of Geography on Greece: How might Greece being located on the Mediterranean Sea impact Greek culture?

4. Impact of Geography on Greece: How might Greece’s mountainous terrain affect Greek culture?

5. EARLY GREECE 3000-1100BC Minoans (Island of CRETE) 3000-1100 BC
Mycenaeans (Mainland Greece) BC

6. Lived on the island of Crete & traded in Mediterranean region
Known for labyrinth palace at Knossos
Frescoes show scenes of Minoan life and religion
Flourished from BC

10. Indo-Europeans from central Asia
Intermarried with native Hellenes on mainland
Set up kingdoms on the Greek Peninsula around hilltop fortresses
Mask of Agamemnon

11. Adopted Minoan customs
Said to have fought in legendary Trojan War
Setting of Greek Myths & Homer’s epics
Flourished BC
German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann discovered Troy in 1873

13. The Greek people were divided into independent city-states (called polis) within each valley and its surrounding mountains
Geography Shapes Greek Life
The Land Rugged mountains covered about three-fourths of ancient Greece. The mountain chains ran mainly from northwest to southeast along the Balkan Peninsula. Mountains divided the land into a number of different regions. This significantly influenced Greek political life. Instead of a single government, the Greeks developed small, independent communities within each little valley and its surrounding mountains. Most Greeks gave their loyalty to these local communities. In ancient times, the uneven terrain also made land transportation difficult. Of the few roads that existed, most were little more than dirt paths. It often took travelers several days to complete a journey that might take a few hours today. Much of the land itself was stony, and only a small part of it was arable, or suitable for farming. Tiny but fertile valleys covered about one-fourth of Greece. The small streams that watered these valleys were not suitable for large-scale irrigation projects. With so little fertile farmland or fresh water for irrigation, Greece was never able to support a large population. Historians estimate that no more than a few million people lived in ancient Greece at any given time. Even this small population could not expect the land to support a life of luxury. A desire for more living space, grassland for raising livestock, and adequate farmland may have been factors that motivated the Greeks to seek new sites for colonies

14. Greek Culture
Despite their lack of unity, the Greeks shared some common characteristics:
Greeks shared the same language
Greek writing was influenced by the Phoenician alphabet and later became the basis for Latin
Greeks were polytheistic & believed that the gods

15. Greeks were polytheistic and believed that the gods were immortal, but also that they had human qualities; religion became the basis for Greek mythology
Zeus King of the gods
Athena Goddess of wisdom
Aphrodite Goddess of love
Apollo God of sun & music
Ares God of war
Hades God of underworld
Hera Goddess of family
Poseidon God of the seas
Aphrodite The sensual goddess of Love and Beauty
Apollo The youthful god of the Sun and the Music
Ares The fierce god of War
Artemis The wild goddess of the Hunt
Athena The sophisticated goddess of Wisdom and Arts
Demeter The natural goddess of the Harvest
Dionysus The joyful god of the Wine
Hades The gloomy god of the Underworld
Hephaestus The ill-favored god of Metallurgy
Hera The mature goddess of the Family
Hermes The cunning god of the Trade
Hestia The calm goddess of the Hearth
Poseidon The moody god of the Seas
Zeus The heavenly King of the Gods and ruler of mankind

16. Greek city-states had an agora (a massive marketplace) that was the center for trade and government
Most Greek city-states had an agora that was the center for trade & government
the gods
City-states had an acropolis, a temple on a hill dedicated to one of the sacred gods or goddesses

17. Differences Among Greek City-States
Despite similar language and religion, the Greek polis were very different from each other, especially in how they were governed
Geography Shapes Greek Life
The Land Rugged mountains covered about three-fourths of ancient Greece. The mountain chains ran mainly from northwest to southeast along the Balkan Peninsula. Mountains divided the land into a number of different regions. This significantly influenced Greek political life. Instead of a single government, the Greeks developed small, independent communities within each little valley and its surrounding mountains. Most Greeks gave their loyalty to these local communities. In ancient times, the uneven terrain also made land transportation difficult. Of the few roads that existed, most were little more than dirt paths. It often took travelers several days to complete a journey that might take a few hours today. Much of the land itself was stony, and only a small part of it was arable, or suitable for farming. Tiny but fertile valleys covered about one-fourth of Greece. The small streams that watered these valleys were not suitable for large-scale irrigation projects. With so little fertile farmland or fresh water for irrigation, Greece was never able to support a large population. Historians estimate that no more than a few million people lived in ancient Greece at any given time. Even this small population could not expect the land to support a life of luxury. A desire for more living space, grassland for raising livestock, and adequate farmland may have been factors that motivated the Greeks to seek new sites for colonies

18. Differences Among Greek City-States
Some polis had a monarchy, a government ruled by a king

19. Differences Among Greek City-States
Some polis had an aristocracy, a government ruled by elite nobles
Practiced in Corinth

20. Differences Among Greek City-States
Some polis like Sparta had an oligarchy, a government ruled by a small group of citizens

21. Differences Among Greek City-States
Some polis like Athens had a direct democracy, a government ruled by citizens who vote on decisions

22. The powerful Greek city-states Athens and Sparta represented the greatest differences among polis
Athenian society focused on wealth and culture:
Athens had a direct democracy in which both rich and poor citizens could vote and hold public office

23. Athenian society focused on wealth & culture
Architects built the Parthenon to honor the goddess Athena; the Greeks were known for beautiful buildings whose style can be seen in many modern buildings in several countries

24. Athenian society focused on wealth & culture
Artists created realistic sculptures
Theater had both comedies and tragedies

25. The society of Sparta focused on military strength, not freedom, art, and learning (like Athens)
Spartan Daily Life From around 600 until 371 B.C., Sparta had the most powerful army in Greece. However, the Spartan people paid a high price for their military supremacy. All forms of individual expression were discouraged. As a result, Spartans did not value the arts, literature, or other artistic and intellectual pursuits. Spartans valued duty, strength, and discipline over freedom, individuality, beauty, and learning. Since men were expected to serve in the army until the age of 60, their daily life centered on military training. Boys left home when they were 7 and moved into army barracks, where they stayed until they reached the age of 30. They spent their days marching, exercising, and fighting. They undertook these activities in all weathers, wearing only light tunics and no shoes. At night, they slept without blankets on hard benches. Their daily diet consisted of little more than a bowl of coarse black porridge. Those who were not satisfied were encouraged to steal food. Such training produced tough, resourceful soldiers. Spartan girls also led hardy lives. They received some military training, and they also ran, wrestled, and played sports. Like boys, girls were taught to put service to Sparta above everything—even love of family. A legend says that Spartan women told husbands and sons going to war to “come back with your shield or on it.” As adults, Spartan women had considerable freedom, especially in running the family estates when their husbands were on active military service. Such freedom surprised men from other Greek city-states. This was particularly true of Athens, where women were expected to remain out of sight and quietly raise children.

26. Spartan boys left the home at age 7 and lived in an army barracks
Until the age of 30, they trained, exercised, and fought
Spartan men stayed involved with the military until age 60

27. This system produced tough, skilled soldiers; the Spartans were taught to put military service above everything, even family

28. Spartan women ran the family estates while the men were training or fighting
This was different from other Greek city-states, where women had little role in society
The women were also taught to value service to Sparta above family; they would often say to sons and husbands before they went off to war: “Come back WITH your shield… or ON it.”

29. The Spartans showed their strength during the wars with Persia

30. Persia Athens and Sparta came together to defeat the Persian invaders.
The Persians had already taken over Asia Minor.
The Greek city-states in Asia Minor had revolted against the Persians.
Persian King Darius wanted to seek revenge for the revolt.
The Persian army landed on the land of Marathon, 26 miles from Athens.
An outnumbered Athenian army attacked and defeated the Persians.
The Persians returned to Asia.
Darius dies and Xerxes takes over Persia.

31. Xerxes Xerxes wanted to invade all of Greece.
Many Greeks looked to the Spartans for advice and help.
Themistocles led the Athenians and built a large Navy.
The Athens fleet had 200 ships.
Xerxes led 180,000 Persian troops and thousands of ships/ supply ships.
The Spartans, Athenians, and other city-states came together to beat the Persians.

32. Battle at Thermopylae It is located on the path to Athens.
If this path is blocked then they
cannot destroy the city-state.
7,000 Greeks, 300 of them were Spartans,
held off the Persians for 2 days.
A traitor told the Persians about a mountain
path as an alternate route.
Athens abandoned their city.
The Greek ships defeated the Persians even though they were outnumbered
A few months later, the Greeks all came together once again and formed the largest Greek army and beat the rest of the Persians at Plateaea, NW of Athens.

33. In the Battle of Thermopylae, a small Spartan force of only 300 soldiers (supported by some soldiers from other states) managed to hold off the Persian invaders and inflict terrible losses
Even though the 300 soldiers were all killed, their actions inspired the various Greek city-states to work together and defeat Xerxes

34. Where would you rather live: Athens or Sparta? Why?
Cloure Activity
Where would you rather live: Athens or Sparta? Why?

35. This rivalry would lead to conflict
Athens and Sparta worked well together against Persia, but after that war, they competed for influence in Greece
This rivalry would lead to conflict

36. The Athenian Empire
Athens eventually took over the leadership of the entire Greek world.
Pericles, an Athenian politician expanded the empire abroad and democracy flourished at home.
This time period is called ‘classical’ Greece also called the Age of Pericles.

37. Age of Pericles
He created a direct democracy- a system of government in which people participate directly in government decision making through mass meetings.
Every 10 days, the assembly met near
the Acropolis.
They passed laws, elected public officials,
made decisions about war and foreign affairs.
Pericles made it possible for poor citizens to
take part in assemblies but they had to pay a
certain amount of $ to officials.
Athenians practiced ostracism- process of temporarily banning ambitious politicians from the city by popular vote.
Pericles also began to rebuild cities which were destroyed by the Persian War.

38. Economy Based on farming and trade.
Grains, vegetables, and fruit.
Grapes= wine, Olives= oil
All of them could be exported for $money$
Sheep, goats= wool, milk
Nearby port= exporting and importing making Athens the largest trade center in the Greek world.

39. Family Consisted of husband, wife, children
Considered other relatives and slaves members of family
The family’s purpose was to produce more children which
created more citizens.
Women who were citizens could participate in religious festivals but was otherwise excluded from public life.
They were expected to remain at home, out of sight
If they left the house they needed to have a companion
She was expected to be a good wife, and raise children
Preserving the family’s lineage.
She did housework or supervised her slaves doing the household chores.
They could not own property and could not hold jobs.
They married around 14 or 15 and did not receive a formal education.

40. Peloponnesian War
After the Persian War, the Greek empire was divided into two major areas:
The Athenian Empire, Spartan Empire + its supporters
Athens and Sparta had built two very different societies and they did not tolerate how the other lived.
Sparta feared the growing power of Athens and multiple disputes finally blew up into a huge war.
War strategies:
Athens planned to remain behind the city’s protective walls and receive supplies from its colonies and navy.
Sparta surrounded Athens and wanted them to send out their army to fight.

41. The War continued…
Pericles knew that the Spartans could beat the Athenians in battle.
1st winter of the war, Athens held a public funeral to hone those who died in combat.
2nd year of the war, a plague broke out and killed
1/3 of Athens’ population.
Pericles died the following year.
The war lasted about 25 years and ended when Athens lost its navy in the battle at Hellespont and surrendered.
Athens, Sparta, and Thebes struggled to dominate and ignored the growing power of Macedonia to the North.

42. The Peloponnesian War left the weakened Greece open to be conquered, which is what happened when Macedonia invaded