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Ancient Greece Chris Anderson Randolph-henry High School • What have the ancient Greeks given the world today? • ________________________ • ________________________ • ________________________ © 1998 Bernard SUZANNE http://plato-dialogues.org/tools/east_med.htm Last updated November 16, 1998 Black Sea Aegean Sea Troy Mycenae Crete Knossos Greek Beginnings • Geography—The Aegean Area • Ancient Greece was divided into 2 geographic parts o 1.) Mainland—Balkan Peninsula o 2.) Hundreds of small rocky islands in the Aegean Sea and Mediterranean Sea • 75% (3/4) of Greece’s land area is composed of short, rocky mountains • The coasts are the only suitable places to farm • Climate—mild o Winters—rainy o Summers—dry and warm • The small mountains act as a natural barrier for Greece—offering protection • The mountains also make communication in ancient Greece very difficult o Villages could not communicate with each other because of the mountains o Ancient Greece never became a unified nation, just a collection of independent citystates • With little useable farmland, most ancient Greeks turned to the sea to make a living • Most areas of Greece are not far from the sea o o o o Fishermen Sailors Sea merchants Pirates Aegean Civilizations • 1.) Minoans • Minoans developed their civilization on the Island of Crete • AD 1900—Sir Aurthur Evans discovered the Minoan civilization • The Minoans existed between 2500 and 1450 BC • The main city of the civilization was Knossos • The Minoans were very advanced o Indoor bathrooms o Running water o Produced many colored murals showing how the people lived • Minoans were sea merchants • Built ships from oak and cedar • Minoans traded with many other civilizations in the Aegean and Mediterranean regions • 1400s BC—Minoans were taken over by the Mycenaeans http://www.econ.iastate.edu/classes/econ355/choi/images/cre124.jpg http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/prehistory/aegean/galleryimages/minoanimages.html • Strong navies to support trade • Worshipped bull & Earth goddess • Artist’s portrayal of Knossos • 2.) Mycenaeans • AD 1876—Heinrich Schliemann discovered the Mycenaean civilization • The civilization existed between 2000 and 1100 BC • Mycenaeans made their home on the mainland of Greece • Every city in Mycenae was built around a central hill • A fortress was built on the hill • Mycenaeans kept written tax records o Wheat, honey, livestock were used as collectable taxes • They traded with the Minoans • 1400s BC—Mycenae conquered and took over the Minoans • After conquering the Minoans, Mycenae controlled the entire Aegean area • 1100s BC—Mycenae became entangled in a brutal civil war • The war weakened the kingdom, allowing for an outside group to attack and take control--Dorians Mycenaeans • 3.) Dorians • The Dorians came from the northern part of the Balkan Peninsula • The Dorians’ iron weapons allowed them to take the entire mainland of Greece • After the Dorians took over Mycenae, Greece fell into a Dark Age • The Dorians outlawed all arts and education • Written language disappeared • Artisans lost their skills • Thousands of Mycenaeans left Greece and settled in Ionia—the western islands off of Turkey’s western coast • By 750 BC—the people in Ionia had relearned their lost skills • They adopted the Phoenician alphabet for their writing • After the Dark Ages were over, many of the Ionians returned to Greece, bringing their relearned skills Poets and Heroes • Bards—storytellers—kept Greek history alive during the Dark Ages • When the Dark Ages were over and writing came back to Greece, these stories were written down in the form of epic poems • Homer (a blind poet) wrote two of Greek’s most famous epics o Iliad o Odyssey • Iliad • Tells of how the Trojan war was started and fought • Paris (Trojan Prince) captures the Mycenaean king’s wife—Helen • The king wants his wife back • The Mycenaeans (Greeks) lay siege to Troy for 10 years • The Mycenaeans (Greeks) trick the Trojans with the famous Trojan Horse—created by Odysseus The Iliad • Odyssey • This is the story of Odysseus’ 10 year journey home • Odysseus must try to return home after he has been cursed by the gods The Odyssey • Schools in ancient Greece taught both the Iliad and the Odyssey • Both works taught students to honor their ancestors and to honor their gods • Both stories stress love of nature, the husband-wife relationship, and loyalty among friends Greek Religion • Greek Religion • The Greeks were polytheists • Gods helped to explain what happened in nature • Their gods had human-like qualities o o o o o o o Could marry Have kids Lie Murder Have affairs Become very jealous Play tricks on each other • The gods controlled the natural world o o o o o o o o Athena—goddess of wisdom and art Demeter—goddess of agriculture Aphrodite—goddess of love and beauty Zeus—chief god Poseidon—god of the sea Hades—god of the underworld Apollo—god of the sun Hermes—Messenger for the gods Greek Gods and Goddesses Hera Zeus Demeter Athena Poseidon Hades • The 12 most important gods lived on Mount Olympus • Every 4 years, the Greeks would hold religious festivals in honor of Zeus—the Olympics Mt. Olympus Video The Polis • The polis (city-state) was the basic government unit in Greece • Every polis had their own, independent government and identity • All the Greek city-states shared a common language and religion The Typical Polis • Each polis—although independent— shared many common characteristics • Every polis was built around a central hill—acropolis • The main temple was built on the acropolis The Acropolis • At the bottom of the acropolis was the agora--a public square • The agora served as the city-state’s political center • Only citizens could participate in government • Citizens—males born into that citystate o Foreign born people, women, and slaves were not citizens • The average polis contained 5000 to 10,000 citizens • Responsibilities • Citizens had rights o They had to participate and responsibilities in in government their polis o They were expected to defend the polis in times • Rights o o o o Vote Hold public office Own property Defend themselves in court of war Greek Colonies and Trade • After the Dark Ages, the population of the Greek city-states grew very rapidly • By 700 BC, the population of Greece was so large that Greek farmers could not produce enough food for the growing population—not enough farmland • The different city-states sent out people into the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas to find suitable farmland • Once fertile areas were found, the different city-states created colonies • The colonies were to grow food to send back to the mother polis • Since the colonies were growing food, farmers back in the polis could grow cash crops—grapes for wine and olives for olive oil • The cash crops allowed Greece to develop a good system of trade with other civilizations o Also helped to spread Greek (Hellenic) culture • With the increase in trade, the Greeks began using $--an idea they adopted from the Lydians Greek Military • The Greek military was structured into phalanxes—like a moving wall • Foot soldiers (Hoplites) were made mostly of farmers • Cavalry were made up of aristocrats (the rich landowners) Greaves or leg armor Bronze Helmet Round shield covered with leather Athens v. Sparta • Ancient Greece was dominated by 2 very different city-states—Athens and Sparta • Although both city-states shared a common language and religion, their values, customs, and culture were very different Sparta • Located on the peninsula of Peloponnesus • Descendant of the Dorians • Agricultural • Did NOT create colonies o Invaded their neighbors to get food o Enslaved their prisoners of war—helots (Spartan slaves) • The Spartans hired artisans and merchants to work for them— perioeci • The perioeci and helots outnumbered the Spartans 20 to 1 • 650 BC—the helots revolted against their Spartan captors • The Spartans put down the revolt after 30 years of fighting • To keep the helots from revolting again, the Spartans created a militaristic society • Life was centered around the military o Spartan patron God=Ares, god of War • Men—soldiers • Women—wives of soldiers • Newborn children were inspected for defects • Those with defects were left on a hill to die o Sparta only wanted fit individuals • 7-year old boys were stripped from their mothers and placed in military barracks o They were educated to read, write, and use weapons o They were given very little to wear or eat— trying to toughen up the little boys • @ age 20, if the boy survived, he became a Spartan soldier o Young soldiers were sent to the frontier to guard the borders • @ age 30—the men were expected to take a wife and produce children o Men did not live with their wives o Could vote • @ age 60—the men could retire and go live with their wife • Women in Sparta were expected to be as strong as men • Little girls trained their bodies to be strong—boxing, gymnastics, and wrestling • @ age 19—women were expected to marry • Spartan women had rights that other women in other city-states did not o o o o Shop in the marketplace Own property Express their opinions in public But they could not participate in government • Sparta’s government was controlled by 2 kings and an Assembly • Assembly—made laws • Sparta usually won the Olympics • The militaristic system kept the helots under control for 250 years, but at a cost o Sparta created no works of art o Sparta developed no trade or manufacturing o Sparta was considered backward and uncultured Athens • Located on the peninsula of Attica • Descendants of the Mycenaeans • City-state named after the goddess Athena • Four consecutive tyrants ruled over Athens • A tyranny is just rule by 1 person—not always bad • 1.) Draco o 621 BC—he issued a code of laws for Athens o The laws were written for everyone to see o The laws were very harsh • 2.) Solon o he placed limits on the amount of land men could own o He created a 2 house legislature to end the struggle between farmers and aristocrats • Council of 400—aristocrats • Assembly—farmers (commoners) • The council created ideas, but the Assembly voted on the ideas • 3.) Peisistratus o He extended citizenship to men who did not own land o He gave the poor loans and jobs • 4.) Cleisthenes o He extended citizenship to all free men in Athens, regardless of where they had been born o He introduced the idea of democracy to Athens • All citizens of Athens belonged to the Assembly • The Assembly served as the main political institution of Athens • Within the Assembly was the Council of 500 o Chosen by annual lottery o Controlled the day-to-day affairs of the city • Athens also used juries to decide court cases • The juries were very large o 201 to 1001 members o A majority vote was needed for each decision • Ostracism: The Assembly could wrote names on broken pottery • Anyone named 6,000 times = banned from Athens for 10 yrs • Citizens of Athens were required to educate their sons • @ age 7—boys began their schooling • @ age 18—the boys graduated and served a mandatory 2 year term in the Athenian military • Girls received no formal education o They were educated at home to be housewives and mothers • Trade- Grapes & olives • Women couldn’t own property & had male guardian • Aristocrats-Cavalry • Farmers-Foot soldiers Persian Wars • The Persians were the most powerful empire in the 400s BC • The Persians attempted to conquer Greece, but Sparta and Athens worked together to keep Greece secure • 499 BC—Ionia attempted to gain their independence from the Persians • Athens sent help to Ionia • 497 BC—the Persian emperor Darius I sent troops into Greece to exact revenge on Athen’s helping of Ionia • The Persians landed at Marathon and waited for the Athenians to come and fight • The Athenians never came, but were hiding watching the Persians • The Persians began reloading their ships to sail to and attack Athens • The Athenians attacked when the Persian ships were half loaded— the Persians were taken by surprise • The Athenians defeated the Persians at Marathon • The Athenians sent a messenger— Pheidippides—to tell the people of Athens of the victory • Pheidippides ran the 25 miles from Marathon to Athens and yelled “Nike” (Victory), then died • The Persians will attack Greece again • 10 Years after the Marathon loss, the Persian emperor, Xerxes, sent 200,000 soldiers into Northern Greece • This time, Greek forces will be led by Sparta • The Greeks believed the Persians could only be defeated by a strong Greek navy o One problem: the Greeks had no navy • The Greeks decided to start a land war with Persia to stall just long enough for Greece to create a navy • The land war occurred at Thermopylae—a mountain pass • 7,000 Spartanss fought against the 200,000 Persians • Sparta was betrayed by a traitor • The Greeks lost the battle @ Thermopylae, but were given enough time to build a navy • The Greek navy—led by Athens— defeated the Persians at the Battle of Salamis • The Persians retreated to Asia Minor, never to attack again • The Persian wars united the Greek colonies for the 1st time Delian League • The Greeks still feared a Persian attack • Athens convinced all the other Greek city-states to join in an alliance against Persia—Delian League • All Greek city-states joined, except Sparta • Athens would supply the military if the other city-states would give $ • The Delian League freed Ionia from Persian control • Athens began to dominate the alliance o Pericles used the $ from the alliance to rebuild Athens o Athens began to interfere in the other citystates’ governments o The alliance was becoming an Athenian empire • The Greek city-states began to ally against Athens • Sparta created the Peloponnesian League—an anti-Athenian alliance • Eventually Sparta and Athens went to war—Peloponnesian War (431-404 BC) Peloponnesian War (431-404 BC) • Athens was strong in the beginning because of its navy • Sparta had no navy, but made a deal with Persia to get $ o Sparta sold Ionia back to Persia • With the money, Sparta bought ships from to build a navy • 404 BC—Athens surrendered to Sparta • After the war, Greece began to decline • Farms were destroyed • High unemployment • Greeks cared more about $ than governing themselves • Eventually, the Macedonians will conquer the Greek city-states