1. Glory of Greek Civilization The sanctuary of Dodoni was as spiritual place in ancient Greece. It was the oldest of the Greek oracles and ancient people traveled great distances in order to consult the priests who foretold the future. Outside the temple of Zeus the priests gathered under the sacred Oak tree and listened to the sound of the leaves as they shivered in the breeze and glimpsed at the future. People from the entire known world would make the pilgrimage in ancient times in order to consult the future- telling Oak tree and to attend cultural festivals that took place regurarly at Dodoni The rocky hill of the Acropolis ("topmost part of the city") rises to 156 meters in the middle of the Attica basin. Three of its sides are sheer and its top can only be reached from the west. On top of the Acropolis there is a large (300 x 150 meters) space. On its slopes there have been springs of drinking water since antiquity. This naturally fortified rock was an easily defended site and invited settlement as early as the Neolithic age (3000 BCE). By degrees, the hill began to be transformed into what was primarily a place of worship. In the Archaic period, the Acropolis became firmly established as the sanctuary of Athena. In the mid- 5th century BCE, Pericles persuaded the Athenians to begin a grand program of new building work in Athens that has come to represent the political and cultural achievements of Greece. The work transformed the Acropolis with three contrasting temples and a monumental gateway. The Theater of Dionysus, on the south slope, was developed further in the 4th century BCE and the Odeion of Herodes Atticus was added in the 2nd century CE.AcropolisTheater of Dionysus

2. I. Three Aegean Civilizations 1. Trojans- N. Mainland 2. Hellenes-Central Mainland 3. Minoans-Island of Crete

3. II. Wealth of Minoans 1. Minos a. “Great King of Greece” a. “Great King of Greece” b. Minoans b. Minoans -live on the island of Crete -live on the island of Crete c. Mineral wealth c. Mineral wealth -gold, silver -gold, silver -swords -swords d. Excellent Navy d. Excellent Navy -protection -protection e. Capital = Knossos e. Capital = Knossos f. Bull = Sacred f. Bull = Sacred -symbol of life & fertility -symbol of life & fertility

4. III. Fall of the Minoans 1. Theories a. Invaded by Hellenes a. Invaded by Hellenes -mainland Greeks -mainland Greeks b. Volcano eruption b. Volcano eruption 2. Benefit to Hellenes a. Open Mediterranean trade a. Open Mediterranean trade -Egypt & Syria -Egypt & Syria -Financial gain -Financial gain 3. Sir Arthur Evans’ discoveries a. Ruins of Knossos a. Ruins of Knossos b. Important info about b. Important info about prehistoric Minoans prehistoric Minoans