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Warring City-States
Section 2
p. 115-119
1. The polis was the fundamental political unit in ancient Greece. The Agora is the public center of a citystate. The Acropolisis he highest point in elevation in a Greek city-state.
2. Some city states had a monarchy, rule by a king, queen, or royal family. Some had an aristocracy, rule by a small group of landowning wealthy families. Others had an oligarchy, rule by a few powerful people.
3. A New Kind of Army Emerges
During the Dorian Age only the rich could afford expensive bronze weapons and shields. Iron weapons are cheaper than bronze.
4. Foot soldiers were called hoplites. Their fighting formation was called the phalanx. It became the most powerful fighting force in
the ancient world
5. Powerful individuals called tyrants gained control of the government by appealing to the government and discontented.
6. Unlike other Greek city-states, Sparta built a military government. Sparta conquered Messenians around 725 BC
7. Each year the Spartans demanded Spartans of the helots yearly crop. Around 600 BCE the Messenians revolted. Messenians
outnumbered the Spartans 8 to one.
8. Two groups governed Sparta, An Assembly – all free adult males. A Council of Elders proposed laws on which the assembly
voted. Five elected Ephors carried out the laws passes by the Assembly. Two kings ruled over Sparta’s military
9. Military training for men began at age 7. Boys left home and moved into barracks. Girls could not vote, but had more rights than
women in other Greek city-states.
10. Athenians avoided the power struggles between rich and poor by starting a democracy, rule by the people. Only free adult males
counted as citizens and were allowed to vote. Slaves made up 1/3rd of the population.
11. In 621 BCE Draco wrote the first Greek legal code. It addressed debt slavery in which poor farmers worked as slaves to pay
debts. Solon outlawed debt slavery.
12. Pisistratus seized power in 546 BC after the death of Solon. He became one of Athens first tyrants. Cleisthenes reorganized the
Assembly to break up the power of the noblity. He created the Council of 500, they were chosen by lot and proposed laws.
Only 1/5th of Athenians were actual citizens who could vote
13. The Persian Wars began in Ionia on the coast of Anatolia where Greeks had established colonies.
Persians conquered the area in 520 BC.
14. The Persian fleet carried 25,000 men across the Aegean and landed at Marathon. The Greeks charged and defeated the Persians.
6400 Persians and 192 Athenians were killed. A runner was sent from the battle sight to take message back to Athens. Pheidippides
ran the distance, delivered the message, then collapsed and died
15. Thermopylae and Salamis -- Xerxes – son of Darius tried to crush Greece
Greeks were divided about what to do. At the battle of Thermopylae, a narrow mountain pass, the outnumbered Greeks fought for
three days before a traitor told the Persians about a secret path around the cliffs. 300 Spartan soldiers were killed
16. Salamis was a sea victory for Athens. Xerxes watches as 1/3rd of his fleet is sunk. The remainder of the Persian army is defeated
by Spartans at the Battle of Plataea in 479 BC
Consequences of the Persian Wars
17. Athens used its powerful navy to control the other members of the Delian League.