1. The Many layers of Ancient Greece

2. Minoans and Mycenaeans
Civilized the island of Crete
Sea-Farers, trade with Egypt
Developed extensive road networks and lavish villas
Crete conquered by Mycenaeans

3. Mycenaeans
1900 BCE people moved from Crete and started inhabiting mainland Greece
Had a dominant Navy
Development of Gods like Zeus-
Heavy influence on Greek religion and mythology
Were destroyed by the Dorians from the North ca BCE

4. Trojan War Mythologized war between Mycaenean Greece and Troy.
Evidence exists for the destruction of Troy around 1180 BCE.
After the war, the Mycaenean civilization is weakened and is overtaken by the Dorian’s
Greek city states fall into the hands of Tyrant kings till 500’s CE

5. Burning of Troy

6. Dark Ages 1100 BCE-500 BCE Little is known Culture was destroyed
Earlier civilizations became myth, played into the development of the rich pantheon of Greek Gods

7. Classical Age 800 BCE - 323 BCE Begins with the writings of Homer
Built the Acropolis , the Olympic stadiums, theaters and the Temple of Apollo at Delphi
Athens expels its last King
Democracy
Direct Democracy
Olympics played between
the city states
Philosophers- Socrates, Plato and Aristotle most well known
Ended with the death of Alexander the Great

8. Athens Education and literature Slavery and Gender inequality
Xenophobia
Worshipped Athena- Goddess of Wisdom, reason, and the arts.
Idea of athiesm/ agnosticism arises in Athens
Democracy- (only 1/3 of the population voted)
Philosophy becomes a major influence over government and society

9. Sparta Oligarchy Strong Military tradition-
Boys left home at 7 and trained till 20 to become soldiers
Women were more valued than in Athenian society and encouraged to be physically fit to create strong men.
Huge slave class
Highly religious and dutiful society Worshipped Ares (war god) and Artemis (Goddess of the hunt) as well as Apollo and the Oracle at Delphi

11. The Oracle at Delphi A woman was chosen to live in the temple of Apollo , was thought to converse with the Gods. Incredibly influential, Greek leaders made state decisions based on her advice, which was often incredibly vague.

13. Persian Wars
499 BCE BCE
Athens helped a revolt by Ionian Greeks on the Anatolian Peninsula against Persia
Persia offered peace
Terms to city states
Rejected by the Greeks
City-States unify under the
Threat of Persian domination
Athens offered a strong Navy
Sparta had strong infantry
Several battles fought, eventually
The Greeks were victorious- Battle
Of Marathon was the major victory
After the wars, Athens takes control
of a more unified Greece,
except Sparta who remained
Independent and became the
Main rival of Athens

18. Peloponnesian War By 431, the other city-states of
Greece were fed up with
Athenian domination and excesses
Began a 30 year internal war
Pitted city states against each other in two more or less unified sides: Spartan alliances and Athenian alliances
Ended with the victory of Sparta over Athens by 404 BCE

20. Peloponnesian War Aftermath
The wars dramatically weakened the city states
This weakened, yet semi-unified state allowed for Phillip of Macedon to conquer all of Greece in 346 BCE- Father of Alexander the Great
Essentially, By invading Greece in the first place, the Persians created the conditions for their own destruction by the Greeks under Alexander the Great.

21. Debate Sparta vs. Athens
The two most powerful city states of Greece were often pitted against each other, first as a cultural rivalry, and then in battle during the Peloponnesian wars.
In your city-state group, read through the hand out on your respective culture. Follow the guidelines on the debate hand out to determine which city-state was superior.