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Chapter 4
Classical Greece
p. 128-161
Athens Builds an Empire
• Delian League formed to defend the Greek states
in case Persia attacked again
• Created by Aristeides
• Each state signed a defence treaty with Athens
and agreed to pay tribute towards maintaining a
common fleet
• Athens provided all the officials and commanders
of the league
• Treasury and meetings were held at the
sanctuary of Apollo on the island of Delos
Delian League
• Was originally voluntary, but soon became forced
• Kimon moulded the League into an effective
force to fight the Persians – beat them in 467 BCE
• After this success, Pericles of Athens freed the
Greeks on the island of Cyprus and helped in a
revolt in Egypt
– Persians wiped out the Greek fleet on the Nile
– In 454 BCE, Pericles moved the treasury to Athens 
League now an empire controlled by Athens
Pericles and Democracy
Pericles and Democracy
• Athens enjoyed its greatest period of wealth and
power (30 years) under Pericles
• Democracy
– Every citizen could speak and vote on every piece of
legislation in the Assembly
– Every citizen had an equal chance to hold public office
(except general)
– All law cases were decided by juries of between 201 and
1501 people
– All civic offices elected for 1 year terms and candidates
selected by a lottery – even Pericles was elected annually
to the Board of Generals
– Was paid to be on the Council, juries, and civic offices
Rivalry Between Sparta and Athens
• Kimon had diffused the rivalry between Sparta
and Athens, then in 462 BCE, Sparta asked for
help from Athens during the Helot Revolt, but
when the Athenians arrived, Sparta refused
their help
– Kimon had convinced the Athenians to help, but
when Sparta refused, he was ostracized and
Pericles rose to power
Athens vs. Sparta
• During the leadership of Pericles, Athens tried to
build up a land empire
• Threat to Sparta
• Increased tensions between Athens and Sparta
• In 445 BCE, signed a 30-year peace treaty
• Sparta led the Peloponnesian League in central
Greece
• Athens held the coast and islands in the Aegean
Differences Between Athens and
Sparta
Sparta
• Land power
• Conservative, oligarchic
government
• Backwards in terms of
trade, wealthy, and culture
• Sought leadership to
protect itself and its
interests, not for wealth,
power, or expansion
Athens
• Sea power
• Democracy
• Leader in culture
• Progressive, wealthy,
trading nation
• Expanded its empire for
power and wealth
The Peloponnesian War
Causes
• Many Greek cities resented Athens’ domination
of the Delian League
– Some revolted against Athens
• Sparta and Athens were long time rivals
• Sparta led the Peloponnesian League to oppose
the Delian League
Athens strategy
• Naval power
– Surround Sparta by
sea
– Prevent food and
supplies from
reaching
Peloponnesian
League
Sparta Strategy
• Sparta had a
strong army
– Surround
Athens and
prevent it from
raising food
around the city
• Did not have a
navy until the
end of the War
Stalemate
• For much of the war, neither side could gain
the upper hand over the other
• With a few short period of peace in between,
it lasted 30 years
Plague
• Athens was
severely weakened
when a plague
broke out
• It killed almost 1/3
of the population
including Pericles,
Athens’ able leader
Syracuse Expedition
 The Athenians made a
huge mistake in 416 BC,
they invaded Sicily to
conquer Sparta’s ally,
Syracuse.
 They hoped to destroy
the Spartan’s food supply
 They were surrounded
and annihilated
The war ends
• Syracuse weakened the Athenians, but they
held out for over 10 more years
• The Spartans finally conquered Athens in 404
– Athens had to give up its navy and empire
– Athens had to follow Spartan foreign policy
Aftermath
• Athens was the strongest, now Sparta
• Much of Greece lie in ruin
• Greece was severely weakened economically
and militarily
• Greek culture slowed
Thucydides
• Wrote History of the Peloponnesian War
• Fought in the war as an Athenian
commander
• Refused to help the Athenians near
Amphipoli in 424 BCE, which ruined his
military career went into exile
• Lived to see the end of the war, though
his book ends mid-sentence in the year
411 BCE
The Classical Moment
Literature
• During the rule of Pericles, Athenian society
reached a cultural peak
• Playwright SophoclesAntigone
• Playwrights Aeschylus and Euripides homed to
improve their world by examining serious issues
like the basis of justice and the status of women
• Comic playwright, Aristophanes, wanted to
change the world by making fun of it
– In Lysistrata, he had the women refuse to have sex
with their husbands until the men ended their war
Architecture
The Parthenon
• Most celebrated building is the Parthenon, built during the
rule of Pericles
• Was to show off wealth and power of Athens
• Designed by Pheidias and Ictinus
• Temple to Athena – inspired by Greek victory of the
Persians
• Skills used were learned 200 years earlier in Egypt
• Most of the magnificent sculpture now in the British
Museum
• Depicted mythological battles
• In the cella was a 12 m statue of Athena made of ivory and
gold on a wooden frame
Statues in Parthenon
Statue of Athena (Reproduction)
The Road to Persia: Alexander the
Great
• After Peloponnesian War, Sparta, with Persian
support, tried to dominate other Greek states
 new alliances made
– Corinth joined with Athens
– Thebes defeated Sparta and assumed Greek
leadership (371-362 BCE)
• Ended with the death of general Epaminoandas
• New power would dominate – Macedonia
Philip of Macedon
• Macedonians spoke
Greek
• Farmers and shepherds
• Behind in wealth and
culture
• Several kings united the
Macedonians and
brought them success in
battle
– Key figure was Philip the
Great
Philip the Great
• Had been a hostage in Thebes for 3 years
• Learned battle tactics there
• Defeated the southern Greeks at the Battle of
Chaeonaea in338 BCE  first time all mainland
Greeks united under single leader
• Before he could turn on the Persians, Philip was
assassinated by one of his own officers at a
wedding celebration
• Archaeologists may have found his elaborate
tomb at Verginia in northern Greece
Alexander the Great
• Became king at 20
• Student of Aristotle
• One of the most successful military
leaders of all time
• In 334 BCE, set out to defeat the
Persians
• Conquered the Near East all the way to
India – never returned to Europe again
Alexander’s Empire
How did Alexander do it?
• Only had 35 000 foot soldiers
• Macedonian army represented the ultimate in
improved Greek warfare
• Army led by commanders all devoted to Alexander
• Persian king Darius, lead by force and was a despot
• Once Alexander defeated the Persian foot soldiers,
the others lost their will to fight
• Battle of Gaugamela on 1 October 331 BCE was the
final defeat of the Persians
Eastward ho
• Alexander was not satisfied with taking over the
Persian empire, so he forced his army against
several other empires, and ended up in India
• Wanted to reach the Indian Ocean, but realized
he needed to be able to govern this huge empire
• Tried to make the Greek culture and language a
unifying force
• Respected the customs and laws of the peoples
he conquered
• Unfortunately, Alexander died of an illness before
his 33rd birthday (323 BCE)
Legends About Alexander the Great
• Many legends about Alexander the Great,
including a few about his birth and about his
solving of the Gordian knot
– Extraordinary events occurred on the day of
Alexander’s birth that foretold his greatness
– Was told whoever could unravel the Gordian knot
would rule the world cut through the knot with
his sword
• Legends usually have an element of truth
The Hellenistic Age
• Death of Alexander separates the Classical Age (480323 BCE) from the Hellenistic Age (323-31 BCE)
• Greek culture became the common culture through the
Near East
• Teachers, soldiers, craftsmen, artists, writers, and
merchants went to the newly conquered lands to find
fame and fortune
• Alexander founded over 70 cities
• Greek became the language of the educated class and
Greek literature and arts were the epitome of
perfection
Division of Alexander’s Empire
• Divided by three generals into three kingdoms
– Seleucus took over Asiatic part of empire Seleucid
dynasty
– Ptolemy took over Africa (Egypt and Libya) 
Ptolemaic dynasty – last one being Cleopatra
– Antigonus took European portion, including Greece
and Macedonia Antigonid dynasty
– Smaller kingdoms like Pergamon and Rhodes were
involved in feuds and were eventually taken over by
Rome in 31 BCE
– Macedonia became a Roman province in 148 BCE
City-states
•
•
•
•
Was stability in the city-states
Maintained independence in their internal affairs
Democracy still the method of government
Wealthier citizens gained more power and the
average citizen lost interest in participating in
government
• Two leagues were formed – Aetolian and
Achaean – to counter the influence of great
powers
– Were no match for Rome, however
Citizens, Slaves, and Foreigners
• In census of Athens in 317 BCE, Demetrius of
Phaleron, governor found
– 21 000 citizens (men only)
– 10 000 metics (foreigners)
– 400 000 slaves
• Due to large number of people captured during
Alexander the Great’s campaigns
• Slave dealers also rescuing abandoned babies
Continued
• Only men could be citizens
• Women couldn’t vote, hold office, or own
property, but had protection within the family
• Metics had to pay taxes and contribute to the
city, but could not vote, hold office, or own
land
• Slaves had no rights
– Not a crime to abuse or kill a slave
– Could gain their freedom from their masters
Greek Culture
Greek Philosophers
Greek Philosophers
Philosophers – “lovers of wisdom”
Sophists
– “workers of wisdom”
– Teachers
phileo = love
sophia = wisdom
If sophia = wisdom and moron = fool, then a sophomore is a “wise fool.”
Thales of Miletus
636-546 B.C.
• Earliest known philosopher
• Studied Egyptian and
Babylonian astronomy and
mathematics
• Believed that the universe was
controlled by fixed laws
• Basic element – water.
• Got rich with olive presses!
The Three Most Famous Philosophers
Socrates
Plato
Aristotle
Socrates
469 - 399 B.C.
•
•
•
•
Critic of the Sophists
Encouraged students to think
Left no writings – skeptical
Dialectic method
• Conversational
• Based upon reason and logic
• Popular among the youth
• a “gadfly” in Athens
• Placed on trial for impiety and
corrupting the youth
• Was executed in 399 – drank poison
hemlock
Socrates
469 - 399 B.C.
“The unexamined
life is not worth
living.”
- Socrates -
Socrates
469 - 399 B.C.
Socratic Method:
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
Admit ignorance.
Never rely on tradition.
Continuously question.
Formulate your own opinions.
Test your opinions with others.
Socrates
469 - 399 B.C.
• Socrates’ dialectic method was a
departure from earlier
philosophers.
• Earlier philosophers were
interested in the nature of the
universe and basic elements.
• Socrates’ approach was more
rigorous and was the forerunner of
logic.
• Most famous student: Plato
Socrates
469 - 399 B.C.
“The unexamined life is not worth living.”
Plato
427 - 347 B.C.
• Preserved and perpetuated
the work of Socrates
• Most important source of info
on Socrates
• Founded the Academy
• Wrote dialogues
– Universal Forms was a recurring
theme
– The Republic – most important
dialogue
“Those things which are
beautiful are also difficult.”
Aristotle
384 - 322 B.C.
• Most famous student of Plato
• Most famous teacher of
Alexander the Great
• Developed Logic as a field of
study
• Devised a complex system of
classification
– Used in biology
• Views on Government
Aristotle
384 - 322 B.C.
• Views on Government
• 3 Good Governments:
– Monarchy
– Aristocracy
– Democracy
• 3 Bad Governments:
– Tyranny
– Oligarchy
– Mob Rule
Aristotle
384 - 322 B.C.
• “All things in moderation”
• “Man is by nature a
political animal.”
Art and Architecture
• First to show three dimensions on a flat surface by
using different shades of colour to give the illusion of
depth
• Used foreshortening – making near objects look bigger
than distant ones
• Aimed to produce not only real-looking pictures, but
ideal ones
• Reflected the ideal – young, harmonious proportions,
calm expression
• Sculptors also concentrated on producing the ideal
form
– Often sculpted nudes
Art
Architecture
• Greek architecture was refined
by elaborating on existing
styles
• Public money was spent on
non-religious buildings such as
theatres, stadiums, and public
buildings
• Rich individuals used buildings
to display their wealth
• Knew how to build arches and
vaults out of stone
Medicine
• Greek equivalent of hospitals found in the
sanctuaries of the healing god, Asclepius
• Usually located out of the city, near the source
of clean, cool spring water
• Used potions, ointments, healthy diets,
exercise, and surgery
• Usual cure for disease was to sleep in a special
hall at the sanctuary and wait for a dream
about the god to work a cure
Hippocrates
460-377 B.C.
• Founded a school of medicine
• Rejected that sickness comes
from the gods
• Careful observations of
symptoms
• Acute
• Chronic
• “Holistic” healing
• Hygiene
• Diet
• Curative powers of nature
• The Hippocratic Oath
Sexuality
•
•
•
•
•
Homosexuality was part of life in Ancient Greece
Homosexuality was out in the open
Many relationships between older men and young goys
Homosexuality a common theme in poetry
Finest unit in Theban Army – the Sacred Band – was
composed of pairs of homosexual lovers as it was
believed that they would fight harder to save their
beloved
• Female homosexuality was less common, but found in
the poetry Sappho of Lesbos lesbianism
Science and Technology
Pythagoras
582-500 B.C.
• The universe could only be
understood through numbers.
• Sun, moon, and earth revolved
around a central fire.
• Each planet produces a tone!
• Famous for the Pythagorean
Theorem: a2 + b2 = c2
Pythagoras
582-500 B.C.
c2
a2
b2
• Pythagorean Theorem: a2 + b2 = c2
Protagoras
485 - 410 B.C.
•
•
•
Most famous of the Sophists
Believed that reason and
knowledge should be used to
achieve a comfortable, safe, and
happy life.
Teachings to equip citizens for life in
the polis:
1.
2.
3.
4.
•
Public speaking – oratory and rhetoric
Politics
Grammar – language
The art of being respectable
Plato named one of his dialogues
after him.
Democritus
460? - 360 B.C.
• Developed the atomic theory.
• Taught that the universe was
formed out of chaos through
the joining of atoms of like
shape and size.
• Atoma = indivisible particles.
• “the laughing philosopher”
Euclid
c.300 B.C.
• One of the most prominent
mathematicians
• Wrote The Elements
• Widely used till about 1903.
• 2nd only to the Bible in numbers of
translations, publications, and
study
• Greek – Arabic – Latin
• Said to Ptolemy: “There is No
Royal Road to geometry!”
Archimedes
287 - 212 B.C.
•
•
•
•
•
Greek mathematician – Geometry
War machines and other devices
Theory of buoyancy - “Eureka!”
Law of the lever
Archimedean screw
Archimedean Screw
Modern application of the Archimedean Screw
The Role of Women
• Very sparse evidence on the role of women
• In Athens, women lived sheltered lives, and rarely
ventured out, even to go shopping
• Spun cloth, but didn’t sell it
• In Athens, more than 40 priesthoods were held
by women, and some festivals and rituals were
led only by women
• Women were expected to be wives and mothers,
hidden in the home, unless visiting neighbours or
participating in festivals, weddings, funerals, etc
Women’s Legal Rights
•
•
•
•
•
Did not vote
Couldn’t hold office
Couldn’t own land
Exception was Sparta, where she could own land
Mainly through the imagination of Greek men that
women made a contribution to literature and art
• After 400 BCE, nude statues of women appeared
and women were allowed to participate in
important athletic competitions (not the Olympics)
Daily Life in Classical Athens
• Don’t worry about this section
Greek Religion
• Important gods lived on Mount Olympus
• Built sanctuaries and temples for these gods
• Gods though to have human forms and
characters
• In exchange for honouring the gods, people
expected the gods’ blessings or avoid
punishment.
Myths and Legends
• See the other powerpoint handout on
Mythology for this information
Temples, Oracles, and Curses
• Temples were houses for the gods and were
symbols of wealth and power of the community
• Virtually all rituals took place around altars
outside the temples
• The sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi became famous
because the oracle was seen as reliable
• The normal way to address the gods was through
prayers, accompanied by gifts, but you could also
cast spells and put curses on people
Festivals
• The Olympic Games were part of a five-day
festival in honour of Zeus
– Athletic contests were held on the second and
fourth days of the festival, and on the afternoon of
the third day
– The first, third, and fifth days were given over to
processions, sacrifices, and prayers to Zeus
Religion and Political Life
• Were generally tolerant of other religions
because Greek religion didn’t have rigid rules
• But some exceptions:
– In 414 BCE, a number of wealthy young men of
Athens were tried and executed on the charge of
impiety
– Socrates was executed in 399 BCE after being
found guilty of corrupting the youth of Athens and
introducing new gods
– No separation of church and state
Trade and Coinage
• Trade of any distance or in any bulk
product was carried out by ship
because the geography of Greece
was not good for travel
• Phoenician ships first visited Greek
shores during the Dark Ages for
trading purposes
• Trading was risky, as ships were
expensive, and the ships could be
captured by pirates or destroyed by
storms
Trade and Coins continued
• The most common items shipped to and from
Greece included
– Grain from south Asia, Sicily, or Egypt in exchange for
Greek olive oil and wine
– Luxury goods like glass, alabaster, perfumes, and ivory
from Phoenicia and Egypt in exchange for Greek silver
or white marble
– Timber and pitch for shipbuilding from the North
Aegean in exchange for Greek olive oil and finished
goods like pottery, furniture, jewelry, or textiles
Trade
• Traders, along with mercenaries were the major force
for spreading Greek culture abroad before the time of
Alexander
• Traders brought back new goods and ideas
• Foreigners also came to visit and then live in Greece
• Trade began by bartering, but this got onerous
• People began to stamp chunks of metal as being worth
a certain amount, and then government began to do so
• First mints in the 7th century BCE in Lydia and Eastern
Greek states, but the idea quickly spread.