1. Greek City-States
Politics and Society

2. Characteristics of City-States (Polis)
Around 800 BCE the polis (poleis) begin to form
Allowed people to diversify in occupations
The towns become walled cities
Each city-state had a guardian deity
Ex. Athena= Athens
They communicated with gods through oracles
Oracle of Delphi
730 BCE many city-states adopted the Phoenician alphabet and added vowels.
Governed by landowning families

4. Sparta Ruled by a military aristocracy
Granted rights to the citizens
Social Hierarchy:
Citizen Soldiers- decedents of original Spartans
“Dwellers around”- decedents of first conquered peoples. Could own land, were craftsmen's, and traders. Could not vote
Helots- slaves, lowest group, worked on the farms of citizens.
Women had more freedom. Ran estates but could not vote
Young children trained to become soldiers
Oligarchy:
Governed by a group of elders in conjunction with two kings
Each group had a limited veto power (except slaves)

6. Athens Formed a democracy over a 100 years or more
507 BCE- direct democracy established
All men above 20 could join the assembly (governing body)
Women were not citizens and could not become soldiers
120,000 slaves
Skilled slaves lived with their masters
Other worked in the fields and silver mines
Athens was in direct competition with Sparta
Athens was a commercial center

8. Persian and Peloponnesian Wars
Much of what is known of these wars come from the writings of Herodotus. A Greek historian
Persian Wars:
Greeks vs. Persians (Darius and Xerxes)
1st Greek Victory at battle of Marathon (490 BCE)
Thermopylae- Stand of 300 Spartans against thousands of Persians. Persians sack Athens after this
Salamis- Naval battles that helps bring victory to the Greeks
Delian League formed in 478 BCE (falls apart after the Persian Wars)
Peloponnesian Wars: BCE
Athens vs Sparta
Sparta defeats Athens in 404 BCE
Both city-states decline during this time

10. Pericles Most famous Athenian statesman Aristocrat
Wanted citizens to participate in assemblies to select officials and pass laws