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Ancient
Greece
Geography of Greece
• Mountains and the sea most
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important geographical
influence
Caused small independent
communities to develop
Encouraged political
participation within, and war
among
Seafarers, who set up
colonies and trade
throughout Mediterranean
The Minoans
• Established in Crete
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during the Bronze Age
around 2800 B.C.
Named after King
Minos
Rich trading culture
based on seafaring
Mycenae
• Thrived from 1600 to 1100
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B.C.
Alliance of powerful
monarchies
Warrior culture that
revolved around hunting
and fishing
Fighting among Mycenaean
states would lead to their
collapse around 1100 B.C.
The Dark Age
• 1100-750 B.C.
• Few records exist and
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population and food
production fell
During Dark Age Greeks
immigrated to Ionia,
Lesbos, and Peloponnesus
Iron replaces bronze
improving weaponry
Phoenician Alphabet
adapted
Homer
• Appeared near the end of
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the Dark Age
Creates epic poems the
Iliad and Odyssey
Iliad story of the Trojan
War
Poems gave Greeks and
ideal past and set of values
(courage and honor)
Taught how to be virtuous
men and struggle for
excellence (arete)
Greek Life
• Centered around the polis
• Polis-town, city, or village
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where people met for pol.,
soc., eco., and rel.
activities
Acropolis-main gathering
place usually on top of a
hill
Agora-open aired market
usually found at the
bottom of the Acropolis
Greek City States (Polis)
• Varied in size from a
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few hundred to several
thousand (Athens pop.
300,000)
Community of people
who shared a common
identity and goals
Greek Citizens
• 3 Classes of Citizens
• Citizens with political rights
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(adult males)
Citizens without political
rights (women and children)
Noncitizens (slaves and
resident aliens)
Loyalty to polis made city
state very patriotic and
would eventually cause
Greece’s downfall
Greek Military
• Developed Hoplites
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around 700 B.C.
Carried shield, sword,
and a spear.
Fought shoulder to
shoulder forming the
phalanx formation
Greek Colonies
• Settled distant lands
• Spread Greek culture and
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ideas
Colonies founded in Italy,
France, Spain, and N. Africa
Increased trade and
industry
Helped create a new
wealthy class of merchants
who would vie for political
power
Tyranny
• New wealth class leads to
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the rise of tyrants
Tyrant-ruler who seized
power by force
Oppressed by aristocrats so
peasants supported tyrants
Kept power by using hired
soldiers
Tyrants will fall out of favor
at the end of sixth century
B.C.
Greek Governments
• End of tyranny
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allowed new classes
to participate
Democracy-ruled by
the many (eventually
the people)
Oligarchy-ruled by the
few
Sparta
• Based on a military
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state
Gained chunks of land
through conquest
Were rigidly
controlled and
disciplined
Men entered the
military at age 20
Lived and ate in
military barracks until
they were 30
Spartans Continued
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Could marry at 20
Vote in the assembly at 30
Stayed in army until 60
Women lived at home and
had more freedom and power
than those in other Greek
Polis
Women were to remain fit
and keep producing Spartan
Warriors.
Spartan Government
• Two Kings created the
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Spartan oligarchy (ML)
Five ephors responsible for
education of the youth and
conduct of the citizens
Two Kings and 28 men
over 60 decided issues to
vote on
Sparta closed itself to the
outside world
Athens
• Originally ruled by
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monarchy and moved to
oligarchy
Athens began to struggle
economically leading
farmers to be sold into
slavery
Aristocrat Solon takes
power cancels debts but
does not give back land
Leads to tyranny
Athens Continued
• Psistratus seized power
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gives land back to poor
but still has problems
Athenians then appoint
Cleisthenes leader in 508
B.C.
Creates council of 500 to
pass laws through open
debate
Laid the foundation for
the Athenian Democracy
Persia
• Greeks come in contact
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with the Persian Empire
to the east.
Revolted unsuccessfully
against Persian ruler
Darius in 499 B.C.
490 B.C. Athenians
defeat the Persians at
the battle of Marathon
Xerxes Revenge (Persia)
• Darius dies and Xerxes
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vows revenge
Xerxes invades with a
massive army of about
180,000 troops
Seven thousand Greeks
held them off for two days
at the pass of Thermopylae
Traitor showed Persian a
way to out flank Greeks
Persian defeat the Greeks
and destroy Athens
Growth of the Athenians
• After defeating Persian
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months later a defensive
alliance is made
Delian League expelled all
Persian from Greek city
states
Helps Athens create an
empire
Age of Pericles
• Pericles prime figure in
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Athenian politics (461-429
B.C.)
Turns Athens into a direct
democracy
Every male citizen could
participate in assembly
and vote (43,000)
Age of Pericles Continued
• Assembly passed
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laws, elected officials,
decided on war and
foreign pol.
Paid office holders
Athenians developed
ostracism (banned
for 10 years)
Great Peloponnesian War
• Between Athens and
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Sparta (431 B.C.)
Athens tried to stay behind
its walls
Plaque broke out in Athens
killing 1/3 population
Fought on for about 25
years and finally loose in
405 B.C.
Weakens Greeks and leads
to there demise
Daily Life in Athens
• Athens has largest
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population 185,000
(100,000 slaves as well)
Economy based on
farming and trade
(grapes and olives)
Women were citizens but
had no public life except
festivals
Marries around 14 and
not educated
Greek Religion
• Considered religion
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necessary for the state
12 Gods
Zeus, Athena, Apollo,
Aphrodite, and Poseidon
No body or doctrine
Pretty much everyone goes
to Hades
Based around rituals and
ceremonies
Oracles used to predict
future
Greek Philosophers
• Philosophers concerned
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with nature and universe
Pythagoras-essence of
universe found in music
and numbers
Socrates-Socratic Methodunexamined life is not
worth living
Plato-preoccupied with
nature and how we know
reality as well as gov.
(equality for women)
Philosophers
• Aristotle-analyzing
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and classifying things
by observation and
investigation (ethics,
logic, poetry, gov.
astronomy, geology,
biology, & physics)
Herodotus-First Greek
Historian
Greek Art
• Art centered around
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ideal human form
Ideal Male Nudes
ArchitectureParthenon simple with
no unnecessary detail
Alexander
the Great
Macedonia becomes a threat
• Macedonia lies just north of Greece
• Led by Phillip II Macedonia conquers
Greece at battle of Chaeronea in 338
B.C. (Greeks lose freedom, keep citystates but under Macedonian control)
• 336 B.C. Phillip is murdered empire is
now controlled by his 20year old son
Alexander
Alexander
• Taken by father on military campaigns
• Student to Aristotle
• Alexander held a global view that
Greeks were equal to other races of
people
• With this training Alexander begins
invasion of the Persian empire
Alexander the Great
356-323 B.C.E.
“I had rather excel others in the knowledge of what is
excellent, than in the extent of my own power and
dominion.”
Alexander the Great
Alexander at War
• Meets Persians at Grancius River wins
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victory, combined large Phalanx with cavalry
Alexander wins once again at Issus, Persian
King Darius III offers truce of 1/3 of empire,
Alexander rejects it and conquers all of
Persia (Egyptian territory, becomes Pharoah
Battle of Gaugamela—Alexander victorious,
ends Persian power, pursues Darius east
327 B.C. crosses into Indus Valley for battle
of Hydaspes river, wins victory continues
eastward
• After fighting for 11 years Alexander
returns to Babylon
• Dies one year later of a fever at 33
years old, empire divided amongst
three generals
• Conquered largest empire in the world
up to this point
• Alexander spread Greek culture and
ideas across empire, however also
incorporated eastern ideas into his
empire began cultural diffusion
Alexander the Great’s Empire
Alexander the Great in Persia
Beginnings of Hellenistic Era
• Greek language and culture spreads
to other parts of the world ( to imitate
greeks)
• Divided into Hellenistic kingdoms
(Macedonia, Egypt, Persian Empire)
• Encouraged greek colonization
throughout empires, specialists moved
throughout kingdom (architects,
actors, engineers)
• Spread all aspects of Greek culture
throughout empire
The Breakup of Alexander’s Empire
Building Greek Cities in the East
Trade in the Hellenistic World
Hellenistic Culture
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Alexandria becomes center of cultural
accomplishments
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Alexandria center for academic
achievement, largest library in ancient
world
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Hellenistic art moves from emotion to
realism
Classical vs. Hellenistic Art
Hellenism:
The Arts & Sciences
$ Scientists / Mathematicians:
 Aristarchus Sun center of the
universe, Earth revolves around the
sun
 Euclid  wrote ELEMENTS about
geometry.
 Archimedes perfected the pulley,
established pi
 Eratosthenes earth was round,
calculated circumference
Hellenistic Philosophers
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Epicureanism (Epicurus)
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Happiness was goal of life (pleasure)
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Freedom from worry and emotional
turmoil, found outside of public activity
(government)
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STOICISM (ZENO)
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Finding inner peace according to will of
God leads to happiness
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No need to separate from public
activity, can serve both
The “Known” World – 3c B.C.E.