1. The Civilization of the Greeks4
The Civilization of the Greeks

2. Early Greece Importance of geography in Greek history Sea
Topography (Map 4.1)
Minoan Crete, B.C.E.
Height between 2000 and 1450 B.C.E.
Knossus
Sudden and catastrophic collapse around 1450 B.C.E.
Mycenaean Greeks, B.C.E.
Flourished between 1400 and 1200 B.C.E.
Indo-European / warrior people
Agememnon
Mycenae torched about 1190 B.C.E.

3. Ancient Greece (c. 750 – 338)

4. Mycenae
Although not much of the site remains today, Mycenaean civilization erected several fortified palace complexes on these hills in the fifteen century B.C.E.

5. The Greek Dark Age (c. 1100-c. 750 B.C.E.)
Collapse of agricultural production
Migration east across the Aegean Sea
Ionian Greeks
Two other major groups
Aeolian Greeks
Dorians
Homer
Iliad
Odyssey
Heroic values form the core of aristocratic virtue

6. The Greek City-States: (c. 750 – c. 500 B.C.E.): The Polis
The polis is a small but autonomous political unit in which all major political, social, and religious activities are carried out in a central location
Acropolis and Agora
Citizens, non-citizens, and responsibilities
Military system
Hoplites (heavily armed infantrymen) formed into phalanx
Political and military repercussions

7. Colonization and the Rise of Tyrants
Gulf between rich and poor, overpopulation, and trade
Founded as a polis
Cultural diffusion
Trade and commerce
Tyrants
A tyrant was someone who came to rule by unconstitutional ways in 7th and 6th centuries B.C.E.
Support came from the new rich from trade and industry who opposed the old aristocracy
Poor peasants becoming indebted to the landholding aristocrats
Tyrants favored merchants and traders
Extinguished by end of 6th century B.C.E.
Ended the rule of aristocratic oligarchies
Opened the door to open participation by the citizens

8. Sparta Southwestern Peloponnesus
Conquered neighboring Laconia and Messenia
Helots (a type of serf)
Reforms by Lycurgus
Military society
Women
Government
Two kings share power with the gerousia (council of 28 elders over the age of 60 serving for life)
Apella – assembly of all male citizens

9. Athens Established about 700 B.C.E.
End of the 7th century B.C.E., farmers sold into slavery for not paying debts
Solon (c. 640-c. 560 B.C.E.)
594 B.C.E. canceled all debts, outlawed new loans based on human collateral, freed people who had fallen into slavery for debts
Did not initiate land redistribution
Pisistratus seize power in 560 B.C.E. and pursued policies to aid trade
Cleisthenes seized power in 508 B.C.E.
Creates Council of 500 that was responsible for the administration of foreign and financial affairs
Athenian assembly had final authority in passing laws
Creates the foundation of Athenian democracy

10. The Parthenon
The Parthenon, which dominated the Acropolis of fifth century B.C.E. Greece and the Athens of today, represents the glory that was Greece in the age of Pericles.

11. The Challenge of Persia
Darius ( B.C.E.)
Unsuccessful revolt of Ionian cities
Attacks the mainland Greeks
Battle of Marathon, 490 B.C.E.
Xerxes ( B.C.E.)
Invasion of Greece, B.C.E.
Spartan league and Athenian navy
Battle of Thermopylae, 480 B.C.E.
Battle of Salamis, 480 B.C.E.
Battle of Plataea, 479 B.C.E.

12. The Growth of an Athenian Empire in the Age of Pericles
Delian League formed B.C.E.
Under the leadership of Athens, the Persians attacked and virtually all Greek city-states in the Aegean freed
Athens comes to control the League and forbids any state to withdraw
Pericles
Expanded democracy at home and an empire abroad
Elected to generalship 30 times between 461 and 429 B.C.E.

13. The Great Peloponnesian War and the Decline of the Greek States (431-404 B.C.E.)
Sparta and allies v. Athens and allies
Athens stays behind its walls and Sparta ravages the land of Attica
Plague in 429, B.C.E., takes Pericles
Battle of Aegospotami, 405 B.C.E.
Surrender of Athens, 404 B.C
Effects of the wars

14. Classical Greece
©2004 Wadsworth, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Thomson Learning™ is a trademark used herein under license.

15. Culture of Classical Greece
History
Greek Drama
Tragedy
Comedy
The Arts: The Classical Ideal
Architecture
Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian columns
Temples
Parthenon
Sculpture
Subjects of male nudity
Proportional and life-like

16. Theater at Epidaurus
The acoustics at this great outdoor theater at Epidaurus are so clear that a whisper on stage could be heard from any of its 14,000 seats.

17. The Greek Love of Wisdom
Philosophy meant “love of wisdom”
Socrates ( B.C.E.)
Socratic method
Goal of education was to improve the individual
Questioned authority
Plato (c B.C.E.)
The Republic
The Academy
Aristotle ( B.C.E.)
Politics
Importance of his ideas on Western thought

18. Greek Religion Was necessary for the well-being of the state
Mount Olympus
No body of doctrine or focus on morality
Festivals
Oracle of Apollo at Delphi

19. Daily Life in Classical Athens
150,000 citizens, 43,000 of which were adult males who exercised political power
Economy based on agriculture and trade
Family the central institution
Women kept under strict control
Male homosexuality a prominent feature

20. Rise of Macedonia and the Conquests of Alexander
Philip II ( B.C.E.)
The Battle of Chaeronea
Assassinated in 336 B.C.E.
Alexander the Great ( B.C.E.)
Persian Empire
Battle of Granicus River, 334 B.C.E.
Battle of Issus, 333 B.C.E.
Battle of Gaugamela, 331 B.C.E.
Persepolis, 330 B.C.E.
Alexander in India, 327 B.C.E.
Death of Alexander, 323 B.C.E.

21. The Conquests of Alexander the Great

22. The Legacy of Alexander
Hellenistic Age (“to imitate Greeks”)
Destruction of Persia
Benefits Greek engineers, intellectuals, merchants, administrators, and soldiers
Political unity based on monarchy
Culture
Art, architecture, language, literature
Cities

23. The Hellenistic Kingdoms
Four Hellenistic kingdoms emerged
Macedonia under the Antigonid dynasty
Syria and the east under the Seleucids
Attalid kingdom of Pergamum in western Asia Minor
Egypt under the Ptolemies
Greeks and Macedonians formed the new ruling class
Hellenizing an urban phenomenon
Greeks and Macedonians colonists provided a pool for civilian administrators and workers
Agriculture and trade
Agriculture was central to Hellenistic economy
Trade and commerce experienced considerable expansion

24. The World of the Hellenistic Monarchs
©2004 Wadsworth, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Thomson Learning™ is a trademark used herein under license.

25. Culture in the Hellenistic World
Greeks provided sense of unity
Hellenistic era was time of accomplishments
Scholars
Art
Golden Age of Science
Separation of science and philosophy
Archimedes ( B.C.E.)
Philosophy
Athens still the center of philosophy
Epicurus ( B.C.E.)
Zeno ( B.C.E.) and Stoicism

26. The World According to Erathosthenes
©2004 Wadsworth, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Thomson Learning™ is a trademark used herein under license.

27. Discussion Questions
How did geography and the sea help to shape Greek culture?
Compare and contrast the city-states of Sparta and Athens. How would you explain their divergent development?
What did “democracy” mean to the ancient Greeks? What groups were excluded from Athenian democracy?
How would you explain the rise of kingdoms and the demise of independent city-states during the Hellenistic period?