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Ancient Greece- Part 1
Greece: The Location
Greece is European country, located within the basin of the Mediterranean Sea
To the east of Greece is a part of the Mediterranean called the Aegean Sea, home of many
Greek islands
Beyond the Aegean lies a small portion of Asia, known as Asia Minor
Greece is made up of two peninsulas:
•The Balkan Peninsula is home to the city-state Athens
•The Peloponnesus peninsula is home to the city-state Sparta
The rival city-state of Troy is located in Asia Minor
To the north of Greece is their mountainous neighboring kingdom, Macedonia
Greece: The Geography
Greece is mostly a mountainous peninsula jutting out into the Mediterranean Sea along with a
collection of islands.
Greece's geography directly shaped its traditions and customs.
The sea was like a liquid highway helping Greek sailors travel and trade with other societies.
75% of Greece is covered in mountains. These mountains made it difficult for Greece to unite.
Unable to unite politically they developed into independent city-states.
Greek Colonization
Because Greece has little arable (farmable) land, the Greek people were always looking for
more land to live on and farm
This led the Greeks to colonizing many of the islands of the Mediterranean
As the Greeks spread out across the Mediterranean, so did their culture, which is called
Hellenistic (based on “Hellas”, Greece’s name in Greek)
Along with the culture, the Greeks spread commerce, and their use of coins over barter
Greek Mythology
The Greeks, like nearly all of the civilizations before them, developed a polytheistic religion
Much like the Sumerians, their polytheistic gods were the reason for natural phenomenon:
thunder, rain, lightning, floods, earthquakes
Greek gods and goddesses had very human qualities- human emotions like love, hate, and
jealousy
Often times, the Greeks believed, the Gods would interact and influence the lives of mortal
Greeks
Greek Gods and Goddesses
While the Gods and Goddesses of Greece had human-like qualities, they could live forever.
The myth said that the Gods lived atop Mount Olympus, and were ruled by the King of the
Gods, Zeus.
Zeus had a wife, Hera, and brothers, sisters, and children that were also gods, each with their
own power
Like other polytheistic religions, you would pray to the God able to help you with your
particular need
Gods and Goddesses You Must Know
Zeus- king of the gods and ruler of Mount Olympus
Hera- Wife of Zeus; protector of marriage, families, children, and the home.
Apollo- god of the sun, truth, intelligence, music, and poetry.
Athena- goddess of wisdom
Aphrodite- goddess of love and beauty
Artemis- goddess of wildlife and hunting
Western Civilization
Ancient Greece is considered to be the start of Western Civilization
Western Civilization is basically considered the history, culture, art, philosophy, ethics and
government of Europe. (Eastern Civilization would be the same, but for Asia and China)
Much of Ancient Greece has found its’ way into our Western culture, including our books, art,
and buildings