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The Greeks
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Geography
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Mountainous, rocky soil, dry climate
Coastal – several deep/navigable harbors
Meant that
1. Greeks would never unite into one nation
2. Group of independent city-states (polis)
3. Economy based on trade by sea
(maritime) rather than farming
Athens vs. Sparta:
A Tale of Two City-States
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Athens
1. coastal
2. colonized to increase food supply
3. emphasized knowledge, culture, art, &
education
4. first to develop
democracy
Sparta
1. agricultural
2. conquered others
& enslaved
3. emphasized strict
discipline/military
4. monarchial form of
govt.
Greek Culture
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Religion
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Polytheistic/ Anthropomorphic
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Mt. Olympus (Zeus, Hera, Athena, etc)
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Mythology
Architecture
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Classical (balanced, simple geometric forms,
domes, arches, columns, elegance)
Contributions
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Government – direct democracy
 Virtue of citizenship  responsibilities
Philosophy
 Love of Wisdom
 Big 3 –
1. Socrates (“Know Thyself”)
2. Plato (The Republic) – pol. Science
3. Aristotle (scientific method/ system of
classification)
Contributions
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Theatre
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Olympics
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First to present plays (tragedies/comedies)
Used to socially instruct
Games to honor Zeus
Athletes as heroes to Greeks
Language
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Prefixes (geo-, philo-, demo-, astro-, etc.)
Suffixes (-cracy, -ology, -graphy, etc.)
Ancient Greece
The Romans
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Geography
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Mountainous (in areas) but very fertile valleys
Coast is treacherous with few good harbors
Meant that
1. Romans were farmers
2. Would eventually unite as one people
Early Government
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Monarchy  Republic
Republic would last approx. 500 yrs.
Conquerors of the Mediterranean
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United all Rome, then united whole Italian
peninsula
Conquered its neighbors
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Spain, Gaul (France), Britanny (England),
Germany, Egypt, and Carthage (No. Africa)
The Punic Wars – Rome vs. Carthage
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By 200 B.C., Rome is master of Med. Sea area
From Republic to Empire
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Around 47BC Julius Caesar becomes
emporer beginning the Roman Empire
which would last another 500 years.
Rome – The Empire
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First 5 Emperors – “Good Emperors”
 Empire greatly expanded its borders
 Government was efficient and just
 Benefits to all citizens
1. system of roads to connect empire
together
2. unified system of law for all
3. sound economy (coinage of money,
manufacturing, & agriculture)
4. Kept peace & order (Pax Romana)
5. Civic welfare (museums, libraries, educ.)
Fall of Rome
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Government Instability
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Assassinations – no definite method of
succession established
Weak leadership – Emperors known for their
insanity, immorality, and greediness
Economic troubles
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Small independent farmers driven from their
land – forced into the cities
Became part of the “mob” – homeless/jobless
Fall of Rome
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Economic Troubles
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Government develops welfare state to avoid revolt
(“Bread & Circuses”)
Lack of manufacturing due to high inflation
Borders to hard to maintain – trade declines
Outside Invasions
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Germanic tribes (in north) envied Rome’s wealth and
advantages
Began attacking on the frontiers/ sacked Rome – 476
AD
Contributions
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Government – Republic
 Makes democracy possible for large pop.
Rule of Law
 Twelve Tables – all laws written down to
protect the rights of lower classes (Plebeians)
 Roman Senate worked to pass laws with
Emperor
Engineering – roads, aqueducts, concrete,
domes, classical architecture
Contributions
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Religion
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Adopted Greek deities at first, but renamed
Later adopted Christianity as official religion of
the Empire (approx. 300 AD)
Conclusion
The Western world (Europe/Americas) is built
upon the ideas, knowledge, & practices of the
Classical Civilizations of Greece & Rome.
Ancient Rome