Download Section 2 - The Classical Age

Chapter 5 - Classical Greece
The Parthenon in Nashville, Tennessee is a full-scale replica of the original
Parthenon in Athens. It was built in 1897 as part of the Tennessee Centennial
Exposition. Athena stands 41'10" tall, making her the largest piece of indoor
sculpture in the Western World. The statue of Nike in Athena's right hand
stands 6'4" tall. She is gilt with more than eight pounds of gold leaf.
Section 2 - The Classical Age
Main Idea
The Classical Age of ancient Greece was marked by great
achievements, including the development of democracy,
and by ferocious wars.
Objectives
• What were the characteristics of Athenian democracy?
• How did the Greeks manage to win the Persian Wars?
• What advances were made in the golden age of Athens?
• What led to the outbreak of the Peloponnesian War?
I. Athenian Democracy
Athens’ prosperity due to stable, effective
government - world’s first democracy
Direct participation was the
key to Athenian
democracy. Every male
citizen was entitled to
attend and had the right to
debate, offer amendments,
and vote on proposals. All
male citizens were allowed
to participate in anything
that required a government
decision
I. Athenian Democracy
Athens first ruled by kings; later ruled by
aristocrats
Kouros of Tenea (575-550 BC)
Since archaic times long hair
was a mark of the aristocrats
I. Athenian Democracy
Gap between rich and poor led to conflict;
official named Draco reformed laws
Draco introduced the first
written legislation in Athens. The
Draconian punishment outlawed
vendetta. His harsh code
punished both trivial and
serious crimes with death hence the use of the word
“draconian” to describe tough
legal measures.
I. Athenian Democracy
Draco’s harsh laws only worsened conflict;
Solon revised laws in 590s BC
Solon, an Athenian statesman,
lawgiver, and poet, was
considered one of Athens’ Seven
Sages, or seven wisest men. His
reputation is based on his
contribution to Athenian law and
through political and economic
reforms that paved the way for
increased participatory democracy
in the “great period” of classical
Athens.
I. Athenian Democracy
Solon outlawed debt slavery and encouraged
trade; all Athenian men took part in government
Slaves were the lowest class in Athenian society, but according to many
contemporary accounts they were far less harshly treated than in most
other Greek cities. Indeed, one of the criticisms of Athens was that its
slaves and freemen were difficult to tell apart.
I. Athenian Democracy
541 BC: Peisistratus seized power, ruled as a
tyrant; violent but popular
Due to a economic crisis, Athens
was collapsing in anarchy. A
nobleman, Peisistratus, took power
and set about restoring order.
Peisistratus began to build in and
around Athens, reform Athenian
religion and religious practices, and
devoted his government to cultural
reform. He launched a full attack on
the power of the nobility. He
increased the power of the
Assembly and the courts associated
with the poorest classes.
I. Athenian Democracy
Reforms by Cleisthenes set stage for
democracy – broke up power of noble families
Cleisthenes divided Athens into 10
tribes; Made tribes the basis for
elections; Each tribe elected 50
men to serve on Council of 500 who
proposed laws; Each tribe elected
one general to lead Athenian army
I. Athenian Democracy
Government consisted of three main bodies:
- Assembly (did most governing)
- Council of 500
- Courts
In reality, Athenian democracy was not very democratic only about 10% of the population could take part in
government; Only free male Athenians were allowed to
vote; Women and others had no role in government
I. Athenian Democracy
Some officials had special roles:
- generals who led city in war
- archon acted as head of both
assembly and Council of 500
II. The Persian Wars
II. The Persian Wars
499 BC: Greek colonies in Ionia rebelled
against Persian rule
II. The Persian Wars
Ionian Greeks asked for help; Athens sent aid
but Persians put down the revolt
Greek Hoplite
Greek Phalanx
II. The Persian Wars
Revolt angered Persian emperor Darius;
sought revenge by attacking Greek mainland
II. The Persian Wars
490 BC - Persian fleet carrying thousands of
troops came ashore near Marathon
II. The Persian Wars
Greeks charged in phalanx formation; battle
ended when Persians retreated
Greek phalanx
Persian Infantry formation
II. The Persian Wars
Darius planned second invasion but died; his
son Xerxes planned an attack
Xerxes (519 BC-465 BC) was king of Persia from 486-465 BC
II. The Persian Wars
480 BC -Xerxes set out with huge army, navy,
animals, weapons, and supplies
II. The Persian Wars
Spartan defense of Thermopylae bought time
for the Greeks to prepare a defense
II. The Persian Wars
Persians attacked and burned Athens but
needed ships to bring supplies; Greeks
destroyed Persian fleet in Battle of Salamis
Xerxes was sure of victory. He had his
throne placed on a hill overlooking the
sea, in part to savor his victory and in
part so his commanders would know
that their king was watching them
II. The Persian Wars
479 BC - Athens and Sparta joined forces,
defeated Persians at Plataea, ending Persian
Wars
III. The Golden Age of Athens
After Persian Wars, Athens “golden age”;
became center of Greek culture and politics
III. The Golden Age of Athens
Persia still a threat; 140 city-states formed the
Delian League, led by Athens
III. The Golden Age of Athens
Treasury kept on island of Delos; Athens made
all decisions, creating resentment
A. Rebuilding Athens
Athens rebuilt due to Pericles and money from
League’s treasury
A. Rebuilding Athens
Rebuilding began on Acropolis; new Parthenon
dedicated to Athena
A. Rebuilding Athens
Port expanded, roads built, walls constructed
around the city
B. The Age of Pericles
Pericles most influential politician; elected as
one of Athens’ generals
B. The Age of Pericles
Encouraged participation in government and
spreading of democracy
Pericles' Funeral Oration by Philipp von Foltz
B. The Age of Pericles
Was a patron of the arts – Parthenon and other
monuments; hired artists and sculptors
B. The Age of Pericles
Trade brought great wealth; merchants from all
over moved to Athens, making it cosmopolitan
IV. The Peloponnesian War
IV. The Peloponnesian War
Athens was richest, mightiest polis; Sparta
wanted to end its dominance
Athens in the time of Pericles
IV. The Peloponnesian War
Sparta headed Peloponnesian League;
tensions built with the Delian League
IV. The Peloponnesian War
431 BC – Athens feared Sparta’s army while
Sparta feared Athens’ navy; mutual fear led to
war
IV. The Peloponnesian War
Spartan army invaded the Attica Peninsula,
laid siege to Athens
IV. The Peloponnesian War
Athenian navy able to supply Athens by ship siege lasted 27 years
Control of the Aegean
Sea ensured that the
grain ships could
reach the Athenian
harbor of the Piraeus
safely. The corridor
guaranteed that grain
could be transported
to the fortified city
without any threat
from enemy infantry
IV. The Peloponnesian War
430 to 429 BC – a plague struck Athens,
killing Pericles and changing course of war; a
truce began in 421 BC
The plague is said to have killed one in three of Athens’
inhabitants, including its leader, Pericles
IV. The Peloponnesian War
415 BC - Athens attacked Syracuse and was
defeated; Sparta destroyed Athenian fleet
IV. The Peloponnesian War
Sparta united with the Persians and forced
Athens’ surrender in 404 BC
The Spartans attacked Athens and were soon
joined by the Persians. For awhile the Athenians
hung on. But in 405, their navy was destroyed in a
surprise attack, and by the next year the situation
was hopeless. In 404 BC, the Athenians
surrendered totally to the Spartans, who tore down
the walls of the city, barred them from ever having a
navy, and installed their own oligarchic
government, the Thirty. The Age of Athens, the Age
of Pericles, the Classical Age, the Athenian Empire,
had come to an end.