Download Section Three: Classical Greece

Section Three: Classical
Greece
Objectives
• Examine the Age of Pericles, when
Athens became the center of Greek
culture.
• Analyze how the creation of an
Athenian empire led to war with
Sparta.
I. The Challenge of Persia
• The Ionian Greek cites in
western Asia Minor revolted
against the Persians in 499
B.C.
• Darius, the Persian ruler,
sought revenge
Persian Empire
The Challenge of Persia
• Athenians defeated the
Persians at the Battle of
Marathon, only 26 miles from
Athens
• Xerxes, Persian king vowed
revenge
Xerxes
The Challenge of Persia
• A Greek force of about 9 thousand
held off the Persian army for two
day at the pass of Thermopylae
• The 3 hundred Spartans in the
Greek army were especially brave
• The swifter Greek navy
outmaneuvered the Persian ships &
defeated their navy
II. The Growth of the Athenian
Empire
• Formed the Delian League, a
defensive alliance
headquartered on the island of
Delos
• Expelled the Persians from all
Greek city-states
• Athenians created an empire
The Growth of the Athenian
Empire
• Under Pericles 461 to 429 B.C.
• Expanded its empire
• Democracy & culture thrived
• *Age of Pericles, saw the height
of Athenian power & brilliance
Pericles
III. The Age of Pericles
• Direct democracy, the people
participated in government decision
making through mass meetings
• Every male citizen could participate
& vote on major issues
• Most residents were not citizens
Thucydides : Pericles' Funeral Oration
from the Peloponnesian War
• Our form of government does not
enter into rivalry with the institutions
of others. Our government does not
copy our neighbors', but is an example
to them. It is true that we are called a
democracy, for the administration is in
the hands of the many and not of the
few.
Thucydides : Pericles' Funeral Oration
from the Peloponnesian War
• Then, again, our military training is in
many respects superior to that of our
adversaries. Our city is thrown open to the
world, though and we never expel a
foreigner and prevent him from seeing or
learning anything of which the secret if
revealed to an enemy might profit him.
The Age of Pericles
• Made lower-class male citizens
eligible for public office & paid
office holders
• Developed ostracism to protect
themselves from overly ambitious
politicians
• Used the Delian League’s treasury
to rebuild Athens
The Age of Pericles
• Art, architecture & philosophy
flourished
• “School of Greece”
Pericles in
the
Parthenon
IV. The Great Peloponnesian
War
• Greek world divided between
the Athenian Empire & Sparta
• Great Peloponnesian War broke
out in 431 B.C.
• The Athenians stayed behind
their walls
The Great Peloponnesian War
• 430 B.C. a plague broke out
in Athens
• 1/3 of the people were
killed
• Pericles died in 429 B.C.
The Great Peloponnesian War
• Athenians fought on for about
25 years
• *Athens was finally defeated in
405 B.C.
• Navy defeated & walls torn
down
The Great Peloponnesian War
• War weakened the Greek citystates
• Sparta, Athens & Thebes
struggled for domination
• Ignored the growing power of
Macedonia
V. Daily Life in Classical Athens
• Only male citizens had political
power
• Foreigners were protected by
laws & shared some
responsibilities
• Athens had about 100,000
slaves
A. The Athenian Economy
• Based largely on farming &
trade
• Grapes & olives
• Imported 50 to 80% of its
grain
B. The Family & the Role of
Women
• Could participate in religious
festivals, but not public life
• Could not own property &
always had a male guardian
• Expected to be a good wife,
bear children & keep up the
household
The Family & the Role of
Women
• Girls did not get a formal
education & married around
14 or 15