1. A Review of the Classical Civilizations of Greece and Rome
Classical: a period marked by vast contributions to arts and sciences

2. Before Classical Greece & Rome…
Minoans
Island of Crete in Aegean Sea
Empire based on trade
Palace complex at Knosses
Advanced building & art
Sudden & catastrophic collapse

3. Mycenae Powerful monarchs Fortified palaces Warrior aristocracy
Homer’s Illiad and Trojan War

4. After the Minoans and Mycenaeans…
Dorians invaded Mycenae from north causing many Mycenaeans to flee to Asia Minor-Dark Ages
The Ionian city states were established on coast of Asia Minor
Greeks became known as Hellenes after this point in time

5. After the Dark Ages…
Prosperity increased which resulted in population growth
Population growth resulted in not enough land to raise crops such as wheat and barley to feel the larger population

6. What Could They Do?
Greek city-states decided to start colonies to raise the crops (mainly wheat) they needed
Colonies were established all around the Mediterranean and Black Seas. These colonies would then send back wheat and barley to the mainland.

7. But Wait! There’s More!
As more colonies were established (about 250!) more land became available in Greece for cash crops
Olives and grapes were the most important cash crops in Greece
The production of cash crops increased trade

8. And That’s Not All…
Since plenty of food was now available and with trade increasing, many people were able to specialize, becoming craftsmen and artisans
More craftsmen and artisans meant more products available for trade…and this also increased trade!

9. Greek City-states City-state-polis Athens Sparta
Limited & direct democracy
Sparta
Warrior society

10. The Ionians (and Cyrus the Great) Started It!
Greek city states in Ionia (Asia Minor) revolted against Persian rule
Mainland Greeks sent help but were defeated by the Persians

11. Battle of Marathon
Persian king, Darius I, decided the Greeks needed to be punished for helping the Ionians revolt
He sent ships and men to Marathon, about 26 miles from Athens
Athenians outnumbered 20,000 to 10,000, but defeated the Persians
Athenians attacked with infantry, no horsemen, surprising the Persians Persians killed. Led by Miltiades and Callimachus, the Greeks advanced down the slope in a running charge against the Persians. As they made their way through the barrage of arrows released by the Persian archers, the Greeks sought to engage in hand to hand combat. The Persian center held, but both the flanks gave way. Within one hour’s time, the Persians were defeated. When trying to account for the overwhelming Greek victory, historians consider the fact that the Greeks fought in a straight ahead formation while the Persians were accustomed to skirmishing, or fighting on the flanks. Pheidippedes was the Greek runner who rant to Athens with news of the Greek victory and then died of exhaustion.

12. Battle of Thermopylae
Spartan King Leonidas with 300 Spartans and about 7,000 other Greeks held the Persians off for three days at this mountain pass.
After the Greeks were betrayed, Leonidas sent the other Greeks back while he and the 300 Spartans stayed to hold the pass as long as they could

13. Battle of Salamis
After the Persians defeated the Greeks at Thermopylae, the proceeded to Athens.
Athenians had already deserted the city.
Persian and Greek navies met at Salamis where the Persians were defeated
Persians burned Athens. Thermisticles was Athenian leader who led battle against Persian navy. Xerxes had succeeded his father Darius I. The Greeks had the trireme ship that had been developed in the ten years since the battle of marathon. The Athenian fleet had evacuated most of the people, bringing them to the island of Salamis. Xerxes had his throne placed on a hill overlooking the bay where the battle was fought. His fleet of over 1000 galleys entered the bay and confronted the Greek fleet of 370 triremes. Battle lasted all day, Greeks won because they used fire to set Persian ships aflame and since they knew the waters better were able to outmaneuver their opponents in close ship to ship fighting.

14. And Now, They Fight Each Other…
The Peloponnesian War began after Athens formed the Delian League and became very powerful under Pericles
Sparta formed an alliance against Athens and even allied with Persia to defeat the Athenians in 404 BCE
The war lasted 25 years

15. Greek City States Defeated by Philip I
By the end of 25 years of fighting the Greek city states had weakened each other
This allowed King Philip of Macedon to conquer them
Philip planned on attacking Persia but was assassinated before he could do so

16. Alexander Creates an Empire
Philip’s son, Alexander, picked up where Philip had left off
He conquered Persia and created the largest empire know up until that time

17. Hellenism
As Greek culture spread with Alexander and his army it was adopted and blended with Egyptian, Persian, and Indian cultures
The blending of these cultures resulted in the Hellenistic Era

18. Greek Contributions
Philosophers:
Socrates
Plato
Aristotle

19. Socrates Believed in individual’s ability to reason.
“The unexamined life is not worth living.”
Questioned authority, which led him into trouble.

20. Accused and convicted of corrupting Athenian youth by teaching them to question and think for themselves.
Sentenced to die by drinking a poison.

21. Plato A student of Socrates. Wrote The Republic.
Distrusted democracies.
Believed an ideal state included “philosopher kings” at the top, followed by warriors and the masses at the bottom.

22. Aristotle A student of Plato. Wrote Politics.
Determined that monarchies, aristocracies, and constitutional governments were best forms of governments.

23. Rome’s Beginnings
Rome began as several villages established by the Latins
Latins were conquered by Etruscans in 680 BCE
The Etruscan king was overthrown by Latins in 500 BCE, who swore that they would never again be ruled by a king.
Latins established a republic. At first, the patricians held most power in government, but eventually the plebians gained rights.
Seven villages on seven hills.

24. Rome Expands Expansion successful because: Skillful diplomacy
Well-disciplined army
Generous to defeated enemies

25. Roman Republic 500 BCE-31 AD

26. Punic Wars
Rome attacked Carthage’s colony in Sicily, beginning a long period of confrontations between the two superpowers of the Mediterranean

27. Rome Continues to Expand
BCE-1st Punic War against Carthage
BCE-2nd Punic War-Hannibal invades Italy through Alps
Battle of Cannae-40,000 Romans wounded/died
Romans attack Carthage to get Hannibal out of Italy
Roman army of 80,000 infantry and 7,000 cavalry encountered Hannibal’s 40,000 infantry and 10,000 cavalry. Hannibal’s strategy was to encircle the Romans, thus trapping them. The Roman pushed Hannibal’s infantry backwards and at a crucial moment Hannibal’s cavalry appeared on both flanks and then made its way to the Roman rear to completely encircle them. Romans were jammed in so tightly that many of them could not swing their swords. Only 8000 Romans managed to fight their way out of the trap, but a great majority died.

28. Carthage Destroyed
rd Punic War-Rome totally destroys Carthage

29. Civil Wars BCE
100 BCE-Growing gap between rich and poor, but Rome continues to expand
44 BCE-Rome controls the Mediterannean-called “Mare Nostrum” or “our sea”
Julius Caesar assassinated
1st and 2nd Triumvirates battle for control in civil wars (Marcus Antony, Cleopatra, Octavius)

30. The Empire Begins
31 BCE-End of the Republic when Octavius declares himself “Augustus” or “Honored One”

31. Roman Empire 31 AD-476 AD 41-54 AD-Claudius adds Britain
Empire is at it’s largest during rule of Trajan

32. Pax Romana 96-180 AD 96-180-Pax Romana
Ends with death of Marcus Aurelius

33. Roman Contributions: Cicero-philosopher, statesman
Had great influence on ideas on justice, law and liberty found in American founding documents
Proposed natural law, that human nature included reason which could be used to discover justice which was the basis of law.

34. Cicero believed that civic virtue was important and he worried that the loss of virtue was the source of Rome’s difficulties.

35. More Contributions… Engineering: roads, bridges, aqueducts
Rule of law (12 Tables), justice
SPQR means the Senate and the Roman people. It refers to the government of the Roman Republic and is used as an official emblem of Rome. Also known as the Senate and the people of Rome. Stands for Senatus Populsque Romanus. Dates back to 509 BC. The insignia disappeared in 19 BC.

36. Beginning of the End

37. 300 years of slow decline
293 AD-Diocletian divides empire

38. Constantine builds a new capital and names it Constantinople
The eastern half of the empire remains strong and continues to flourish
The Western half of the empire, however, struggles

39. Fall of the Roman Empire
Economic causes
Large empires are expensive
Declining population (wars, invasions, plague)
Fewer people meant higher taxes (costs were not going down)
Many lost land and moved to cities
“Bread and circuses”

40. Economic Woes

41. Social causes
Lost values of loyalty and duty
Many non Romans in government and military
Wealthy less interested in providing leadership

42. Political causes Empire too large Capital moved to Constantinople
Civil War (cost money and lost lives)

43. Military causes
Invasions of Vandals, Angles and Saxons, Huns, Visigoths

44. The Visigoth leader, Odoacer, overthrew the emperor and proclaimed himself king in 476 AD