1. Aim: Would I rather be Athenian, Spartan, or Persian?
Period 2: 600 BCE – 600 CE
NY State Standards 2, 3
Common Core Standards RS 1, 2, 5, 6, 9, WS 1, LSS 1, 2, 3

3. I Rise of the Greek City-States
1100 BCE the Dorians invaded Greece from the north and settled in the Peloponnesus ending the last of the Mycenaean age and plunging the region into a dark age.
By the 8th century BCE, Greek city-states (poli) began to emerge, by a large hill (acropolis) for protection. They remained mostly isolated due to Greece’s rugged mountains.
Greeks adopted the Phoenician alphabet.

4. II Athens Athens Acropolis Reconstruction
Athens, a Greek polis, was located in Attica, north of the Peloponnesus.
The highest part of Athens was the acropolis with marble temples for the Gods.
On flatter ground was the walled city with the agora (marketplace), theatre, public buildings and homes.
Athens Acropolis
Reconstruction

5. Athens Agora Reconstruction

6. Athenian Government
Athens was NOT always a democracy! Athens went through 4 stages of government. 1. Monarchy 2. Aristocracy: Ruled by land owned nobility 3. Tyranny: Cruel and oppressive government 4. Direct Democracy Democracy = demos (the entire citizen body) and kratos (rule). Any male citizen could participate in the main democratic body of Athens, the assembly. The assembly met at least once a month on the Pnyx hill in a space which could accommodate Any citizen could speak to the assembly and vote by holding up their hands. The majority won (direct democracy). 9 presidents, elected by lot and holding the office 1 time only, organized the voting. Issues discussed in the assembly included military and financial matters, organizing and maintaining food supplies, laws and trials, and diplomacy. The assembly could also vote to ostracize from Athens any citizen who had become too powerful or dangerous for the polis. In a secret ballot voters wrote a name on a piece of broken pottery (ostrakon).

7. Athens Continued… Solon
Cleisthenes
Solon
Pericles
Thucydides: "We alone consider a citizen who does not partake in politics not only one who minds his own business but useless".

8. Athenian Government Continued…
The Council of 500 citizens (1-2 years) supervised administrative committees and officials on behalf of the assembly.
Law courts of 6,000 jurors, and a body of chief magistrates (archons) could challenge decisions regarding ostracism, naturalization, and remission of debt.
This system was to ensure a degree of checks and balances, and to ensure each region was equally represented.
ostrakon

9. Hoplite Armor from Rhodes, date unknown
Athenian Military
Hoplite Armor from Rhodes, date unknown
The Hellenic (Greek) phalanx was used all around the Mediterranean – until the Romans invented something better. The phalanx was composed of 256 hoplite soldiers, and could theoretically move in any direction. But changing direction once in motion was nearly impossible.

10. Athenian Navy
Early in the 5th century BCE, Athens had the strongest navy in the Mediterranean. Triremes, the fast warships of the time, need men to row them, giving the poorer citizens a role in the city-state.

11. Athenian Education
Athenian boys studied the arts, science, philosophy, music and rhetoric (the art of public speaking). Because books were rare, students had to memorize and be able to recite almost everything that they learned.
Athenian women were mostly kept indoors, and had a similar status to slaves. Most were not educated, and needed permission from a male guardian to do almost anything.
“We keep hetaerae for the sake of pleasure, females slaves for our daily care and wives to give us legitimate children and to be the guardians of our households.” - Demosthenes
“A woman’s reputation is highest when men say little about her, whether it be good or evil.” – Pericles

12. Athenian Social Structure

14. This is Sparta!
By the 8th century BCE, the Spartans (descended from the Dorians) conquered the Peloponnesus. They turned the conquered people into helots (state owned slaves), who often outnumbered the Spartans 7 to 1! The helots did the farming and manual work.
Spartan government was led by 2 kings, a council of elders (who held more power than the King) and a general assembly.
Spartan boys started military training at 7, when they left home and entered the Agoge. Select older trainees were selected for the Crypteia; a secret police force who terrorized the Helots. At age 20, Spartan males became full-time soldiers, and remained on active duty until age 60.

15. Spartan Social Structure

16. Artemis, the Patron Goddess of Sparta
Spartan Women
Spartan women enjoyed more freedoms and power than women in Athens. While they played no role in the military, female Spartans often received a formal education. They engaged in athletic competitions, including javelin-throwing and wrestling. As adults, Spartan women were allowed to own and manage property. As helots took over most “domestic” duties Spartan women had more time for other activities. Married men under 30 were required to continue residing in communal barracks, and so had to sneak away at night to see their wives.
Artemis, the Patron Goddess of Sparta

17. A rare example of Spartan art
Sparta Continued…
“Spartans are willing to die for their city because they have no reason to live.”
A rare example of Spartan art

18. The Persian Empire 553 - 330 BCE

19. The Persians Continued…
A) The Achaemenid Dynasty which began the Persian Empire was founded in 550 BCE by Cyrus the Great. Persians are of Aryan descent. B) Policy of tolerance towards different religions and cultures
C) The Royal Road allowed easier access for their army and postal service!
D) The official religion of Persia was Zoroastrianism. Zoroastrians believe God has an evil rival. You must choose between good and evil.
E) 331 BCE the Persian Empire was conquered by Alexander the Great!
Aryans were Indo-European (“white”) nomads who conquered northern India.
Cyrus the Great

20. Persepolis, Iran

21. The Persian Royal Road
“There is nothing mortal which accomplishes a journey with more speed than these messengers, so skillfully has this been invented by the Persians…Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor darkness of night prevents them from accomplishing the task proposed to them with the very utmost speed. The first one rides and delivers the message with which he is charged to the second, and the second to the third; and after that it goes through them handed from one to the other, as in the torch race among the Greeks…” History of Herodotus 8.98

22. Cyrus the Great
Cyrus the Great is created and maintained the Achaemenid Persian Empire by blending diplomatic and military skills. He respected the culture, language and religion of subdued nations. He considered all nations equal in terms of their rights. Cyrus was the first king who put an end to slavery! While he himself was Zoroastrian, he did not impose Zoroastrianism on his Empire. The Persians called him father, the Greeks saw him as a worthy ruler and lawgiver and the Jews regarded him as The Lord’s anointed. He created the first humane, equal and religiously tolerant empire that consisted of a multitude of different languages, races, religions and cultures. It was the largest empire the ancient world had known, in three continents and 25 nations. It made possible the first significant and continuous contact between East and West. The Persian Empire was also the first system of Federal Governments in the world! There were many states that were run by smaller kings who were under the great king. Each State had autonomy of their own internal affairs, their educational system, local languages and even their own military forces! . It was a primitive form of Federalism. Persepolis only required absolute obedience to central government on international political and military affairs.

23. Women in the Persian Empire
Persian women enjoyed power, influence, and economic opportunities. They were involved in the military and owned businesses, and held the same jobs as men. Some women never married or had children, but this wasn't seen as a problem. However, Ancient Persian society was still patriarchal, and for the most part, men held higher positions than women. One of the reasons that Ancient Persians held women in high regard might have been their religion of Zoroastrianism, which saw men and women as equals.

24. The Persian Wars 492 BCE – 449 BCE
CAUSES
CONSEQUENCES
Due to poor farmland in mainland Greece, many Greeks moved to Ionia in Asia Minor (modern Turkey).
With the help of Sparta, Athens defeated Persia (who was then led by King Xerxes).
Persia under King Darius conquered Ionia. Not wanting to join the Persian army or pay taxes, the Ionian Greeks rebelled
As Persia was still a huge empire, it was still a threat to Greece. Therefore, the Greek city-states (poli) formed the Delian League, headed by Athens.

25. Help! The Persians conquered us in Ionia!

26. Following the Persian invasion, Athens sent a runner, Phidippedes, to Sparta to ask for help. Phidippedes ran 140 miles to Sparta, who told him they could not help yet due to a religious festival. (They did come to help after the festival) Phidippedes ran 140 miles back to the Athenians. When the Persians were retreating to their ships, Phidippedes then ran 26.2 miles to Athens, to warn the Athenians of a possible Persian attack by sea. According to legend, he dropped dead immediately after delivering his message! Also, while the film “300” was not entirely historically accurate, 300 Spartans did die at Thermopylae (near Athens), while holding off the Persians at a narrow mountain pass.

27. The Persian King Darius and his Son Xerxes were VERY ANGRY
On the top left is the Persian King Darius. His son Xerxes in on the bottom left. The film “300” version of Xerxes is on the top right.

28. The Peloponnesian War 431 BCE – 404 BCE
CAUSES
CONSEQUENCES
Pericles, a powerful Athenian, moved the treasury of the Delian League to Athens. He used some of the wealth to build the Parthenon and other buildings.
Pericles had the Athenians hide behind Athen’s defensive walls. A plague broke out and killed 25% of Athens, including Pericles.
Sparta and other Delian members felt Athens was now corrupt. They formed their own alliance; the Peloponnesian League.
Sparta and Persia won the Peloponnesian War.
Sparta formed an alliance with Persia against Athens.
Greece was now politically unstable.

30. Focus Questions
Fill in your Period 2 Civilization chart for Athens and Sparta.
Explain the evolution of Athenian democracy.
Compare Athenian democracy to American democracy today.
How did the role of women differ between Athens, Sparta, and Persia?
Would you rather live in Athens or Sparta at this time? Why?
Why do you think American history courses do not focus on the Persian Empire, aside from its role in the Greek wars?

31. Key Vocabulary Achaemenid Dynasty Oligarchy Acropolis Ostracism Agora
Peloponnesus
Archons
Peloponnesian League
Athenian Assembly
Peloponnesian War
Athens
Persian Empire
Attica
Persian Wars
Cleisthenes
Phalanx
Council of 500
Phoenician alphabet
Cyrus the Great
Polis
Dark Age
Royal Road
Darius
Solon
Delian League
Sparta
Direct Democracy
Trireme
Dorians
Tyrants
Draco
Xerxes
Helots
Hoplites
Ionia