Download Introduction to Ancient Greece

Introduction to Ancient Greece
World History, Fall 2013
Grease!
Wait! No, I mean Ancient Greece!
NO! Not ancient Grease, Ancient
Greece!
Greek Influences
• Birth of Western Civilization
– Europe and all the countries Europe influenced
– Language, art, science, math, government,
medicine, architecture
Geography
• Around 20% of total land area is islands.
• 80% of total land area is hilly/mountainous
• Isolation – mountains create many small
pockets of settlement
• 8500 miles of coastline – naturally became
sailors
Greek Timeline
• 2800-2000 BC – Minoans, island of Crete. Knossos
main city.
• Mycenae (Mycenaeans) 1600-1100 BC
– First major Greek kingdom
– Attacked Troy (in modern Turkey) 1250 BC (??)
– Heinrich Schliemann 1870s
• Greek Dark Ages – 1100-750 BC
– Caused by collapse of Mycenae ~1100
– Few remaining records except the epic poems of Homer
Homer – Poet of the Dark Ages
• Iliad and Odyssey –
Epic Poems
• Achilles – Trojan War
• Odysseus – voyage
home
• Values – courage,
honor, arête (excellence
proven through struggle)
Rise of City States
• City-State (Polis) central focus of Greek life by
750 BC
• Age of culture, refinement - polis
• Classical period, 500-323 BC, marked by
rivalry between Athens and Sparta
Greek Commonalities
• One’s polis gave a sense of identity and each
individual believed they owed loyalty to their
polis.
• Greeks shared:
– Language.
•All non-Greek speakers = barbarians.
– Religion
– The Olympics
– Common non-Greek enemies.
Greek Government
• Until the 700s BC  monarchy each polis had its own kings.
• The kings were overthrown by
aristocrats, powerful – rich – owned
most of the land.
Greek Government
• 700s BC, tyrants overthrew the aristocracy.
They formed an oligarchy  small, rich elite
• In 621 BCE, archon Draco created Athens’s
first written laws. Harsh and severe with the
death penalty given for even minor offences.
• In 594 BCE, archon Solon outlawed slavery
for debt. Introduced ideas of equality 
democracy.
Sparta
• Highly militarized society
• Subjugated peoples: helots
– Serfs, tied to land
– Outnumbered Spartans 10:1 by 6th c. BCE
• Military society developed to control threat of
rebellion
• Austerity the norm
15
Spartan Government
• Two hereditary kings.
• A Council of Elders: 28 male wealthy
aristocratic citizens over the age of 60.
Proposed laws and headed criminal court.
• Assembly of all men over 30. Accepted or
rejected proposed laws.
• The five ephors: the real executive power
oversaw all other levels, elected by all the
people
Building the perfect
soldiers…
• Ages 7-18, military barracks. Reading, writing,
music training & military training
• Ages 18-20, focus on military training only
• Marriage, but no home life until age 30
• Ages 20-60 served as Spartan soldiers
• Girls received strict physical training, basic
education and musical training
• Some relaxation of discipline by 4th c. CE
Athens & Sparta