1. The Minoans and Mycenaeans
Early Greeks
The Minoans and Mycenaeans

2. Minoan Artwork

3. Minoan Artwork
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4. Mycenaean Artwork

5. Mycenaean Artwork

6. Minoan Culture
Artwork: Peaceful, colorful, images of nature and animals, peaceful ocean scenes, blues
Found on the island of Crete in about 2700 B.C.
Traded throughout the Mediterranean
Traded gold, bronze, and olive oil
Volcano eruption likely ended the civilization
Built large cities and richly decorated palaces
Mixed copper and tin to make bronze
Used a decimal system based on the number ten to keep track of trade
Wrote on clay tablets using pictographs
Were skilled at making pottery, jewelry, and gold and bronze goods of all kinds

7. Mycenaean Culture Were Aryan tribes that moved into southern Greece
They were fierce warriors and traders who used good bronze weapons and armor
They set up trading colonies throughout the Mediterranean
Used Minoan ways and adapted them to fit their culture (especially art and writing)
The Mycenaean culture came to an end in about B.C. (because of a large earthquake)
Artwork was earth tone in color and depicted scenes of war

8. The Trojan Culture
Was centered in the ancient city of Troy in Asia Minor
Was found in present day Turkey
Trojans farmed and raised horses and sheep
The traded with the Mycenaean’s and other cultures
Many people believe Troy was invaded and destroyed by the Mycenaean’s around 1250 B.C.
According to the story, “The Odyssey” it took ten years for the Mycenaean’s to defeat Troy

9. City States and Greek Culture
Greece was divided into isolated city states
These city states often fought over the land between them
Goats, sheep, seafood, olives, and grapes were some of the most popular Greek foods
Athens and Sparta were two of the most powerful city states

10. Athens
Was based on Education and the arts (drama, art, and philosophy)
Athens had a very strong Navy
They had a majority rule democracy in which all free men had right to vote
Women had few rights in Athens
Athens became wealthy from protecting other Greek city states
Pericles strengthened the government by allowing more people citizenship rights

11. Sparta Had a culture based on military
Boys joined the military at age 7
Believed was education was for the weak
People were not allowed to have luxury items
The state owned everything
The government was an oligarchy
Defeated Athens in the Peloponnesian War
Surrounded Athens and cut off their supply lines
Was afraid that Athens would take over all of Greece

12. The Golden Age of Athens
Pericles was the leader of Athens during the Golden Age (elected leader in 460 B.C.)
Introduced pay for public officials
Allowed more people to take part in the government
Pericles was a patron of the arts
Arts flourished during this time (theatre-comedies and tragedies)
Scientists began to study nature and human life (Hippocrates showed that illness came from natural causes)
Hippocrates wrote a set of rules for doctors that is still followed today
Other innovations:
The circumference of a circle is always the length of the diameter times 3.14 (pi)
The Archimedes screw
Maps to navigate the sea
Simple machines to measure angles and distances
The Olympic games began in Greece
The Golden Age ended with the beginning of the Peloponnesian War and when a plague ripped through Athens

13. Alexander the Great
Took over the rule of Greece after his father (King Philip of Macedonia) was killed
Loved Greek culture and spread it throughout the region
His private teacher was Aristotle
Allowed conquered people to keep their customs and spread Greek culture as his empire expanded
Integrated Persian soldiers into his army
Married a Persian noble woman (Roxanne)
Defeated Porus and his army of elephants
Died at the age of 34 (mysterious death)

14. The Story of Greece
Persian invades and is defeated by Athens (led by Darius)
Persia invades again and is defeated by all of the Greek forces (led by Xerxes)
Athens has a strong navy and begins protecting all of Greece (and getting paid for it)
Sparta does not like the power and influence Athens is gaining
Sparta attacks Athens (Peloponnesian War) Sparta wins
King Philip takes over Greece
Alexander rules after his father
Roman Empire eventually conquers Greece

15. Greek Religion Polytheistic Many gods and goddesses
God and goddesses live on Mount Olympus
Zeus is the most powerful of the gods
Gods can change form and often interact in the life of humans
Gods controlled elements of nature