Download Greek Philosophers

Minoan Economy/Trade
• Based on the island of
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Crete in the
Mediterranean
Center of
Mediterranean
commerce (great
location)
Traded and colonized
throughout region
Minoan Writing
• Officials devised Linear A: writing system
where written symbols stood for syllables.
Used for keeping economic records
Minoan Art
• Vivid frescoes showing Minoans at
work/play
Mycenaeans
• Group settled in Mycenae on Greek
Peninsula (the Peloponnesus) from IndoEuropean origins
• Expanded influence over Greece and
eventually Crete
• Invasions in region created sense of
decentralized rule and chaos
Athens & Sparta
Greece’s 2 most powerful city-states
• Sparta:
– Absorbed neighboring areas, made conquered
peoples Helots (slaves)
– Helots outnumbered Spartans 10-1
– Sparta developed a strong military state to
prevent rebellions
– Most important things for Spartans –
discipline and military talent
Sparta and Athens
• Athens:
– Overcame challenges by turning to the world’s
first Democracy
– Broadened political participation by allowing
all free adult men to be citizens of the polis
• Meant they could participate in all affairs of the
state (through voting)
Solon & Pericles
• Great deal of tension between rich and
poor at this time.
• Solon:
– Made wealthy happy
• no forced redistribution of land.
– Made poor happy
• cancelled debts, outlawed debt slavery, & allowed people of
all wealth to participate in Athenian democracy
Pericles
• “High tide” for Athenian Democracy
• Gave office-holding jobs to commoners
• Public works projects for lower classes
• **Under Pericles – Athens enters into its
Golden Age: became the most vibrant
city-state, complete with scientists,
philosophers, architects and dramatists
Philip of Macedonia
• Philip II, King of Macedonia (to the north
of Greece) dreamed of taking control of
Greece.
People of Macedonia
• Lived in Mountain villages to the north of
Greece
• Spoke a language very close to Greek
• Thought of themselves as Greek
• King Philip’s army invaded and defeated
Greece at the battle of Chaeronea
– (Why would the Greek city-states be weak
and open to attack at this time?)
Alexander the Great
• King Philip II is
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•
assassinated at his
daughter’s wedding
Son Alexander
proclaims himself
King at age 20
Former student of
Aristotle
Alexander the Conqueror
• Alexander wants to
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•
follow his father’s
plan and invade
Persia
Scores major victories
at Granicus River and
Battle of Issus (now
controlled Anatolia)
Alexander turns down
offer to take western
third of Persian
Empire – he wants all
Alexander continues
• Ambitious Alexander marches to Egypt in
332 B.C.E. (Persian territory)
– Crowned Pharaoh, welcomed as liberator
– Founds city of Alexandria
Alexander then marches to heart of Persia
Conquers cities of Babylon, Susa, and
Persepolis – Captures HUGE treasures
Alexander refuses to stop
Conquering
• Alexander continues East
• 327 B.C.E. – Alexander marches to India
• Morale of the troops is very low (11 years
of fighting and 11,000 miles marched,
sickness, hardship, etc)
• After returning to Babylon, Alexander
announced plans to invade Arabia
• Very ill with fever, Alexander dies in
Babylon at the age of 33
The Legacy of Alexander
• Empire was divided up amongst Alexander’s 3
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strongest generals
Antigonus became King of Macedonia and Greek
city-states
Ptolemy seized Egypt and took title of Pharaoh
Seleucus acquired most of old Persian Empire
*****Blending of cultures occurs (The Hellenistic
World)
Greek Philosophers
• Most distinctive element of Ancient Greek
culture was their system of philosophy
• Philosopher: “Lover of Wisdom” – Those who
seek truth (esp. in art, literature, moral thought)
• Philosophers have two assumptions
– The universe is put together in an orderly way, with
absolute/unchanging laws
– People understand these laws through logic and
reasoning
Socrates
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Basic Historical Info:
470-399 BCE
Father of Greek philosophy
Teachings written down by student, Plato
• Beliefs:
• Typically led discussions; posed
questions (Socratic style)
• Living honest, honorable life trumps
wealth & fame
• Personal integrity & honor over all
• Legacy:
• Put on trial, sentenced to death
• Inspired future philosophers (esp. Plato
& Aristotle) with his view of ideal human
behavior
Aristotle
• Basic Historical Info:
• Student of Plato
• Teacher of Alexander the Great
• Beliefs:
• Wrote on physics of matter and vision of
the cosmos (natural world)
• Geocentric view of the cosmos
• Wrote on gender: “man is ideal form,
woman is inferior copy”
• Legacy:
• Was considered the “expert” on all-things
related to the natural world by future
Christian and Islamic theological leaders
• Beliefs were rarely challenged (even
incorrect ones) until 17th century.
Plato and Aristotle
• Plato was a student of
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Socrates
Wrote, “The Republic”,
which was a vision of a
perfectly governed
society
All people should be
either a farmer, artisan,
warrior, or in the ruling
class (smart philosophers
should rule)
• Aristotle
• Argued according to
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rules of logic
Basis for the scientific
method
Vision of the world
would be used by
European Christians
for years to come
Teacher of Alexander
the Great
Greek Religion
• Most Greeks didn’t follow the lessons of the
great philosophers. Instead, they turned to the
traditions of popular religion – Polytheism. Most
Greeks began by attributing supernatural powers
to the elements of nature such as the sun, wind,
and rain. Over time, these powers were vested
in deities whose stories illustrated the reasons or
causes for natural phenomena.
– Zeus and his subordinate court all performed duties
Greek Drama
• Greeks invented
drama and built first
theaters
• Stories about justice,
leadership, and duty
owed to gods
• Greek drama was
either Tragedy or
Comedy
Tragedy vs. Comedy
• Tragedy dealt with
serious topics like
love, hate, war, and
betrayal
• Often dealt with
tragic flaw of a
character or
personality defect
– Oedipus Rex by
Sophocles
• Comedy consisted of
funny situations and
crude humor
• Often included
satires, or works that
made fun of a subject
• Poked fun at customs,
politics, and
respected people
Greek Styles in Art
• The Greek Parthenon
• 23,000 sq. foot temple
built in traditional
style
• Inside held giant
statue of Athena –
goddess of wisdom
and protector of
Athens
• 38 feet tall
Greek Sculpture
• Showed graceful,
strong, perfectly
formed people
• Tried to capture grace
and ideal form of the
human body
• Perfect balance and
proportion is known
as Classical Art
Greek Knowledge / Learning
• Archimedes
– Father of modern
calculus
• Euclid
– Father of modern
Geometry
• Eratosthenes
– Mathematician,
geographer;
calculated
circumference of the
earth
• Claudius Ptolemy
– Refined Aristotle’s view
of the cosmos; also
refined world maps
Eratosthenes’ world map