Ancient Greece

1900-133 B.C.

Early Civilizations in Greece

4.1

Impact of Geography

• The mountains that divided Greece led to cultural and political divisions between Greeks. However, the seas linked Greece to the rest of the world

Mountains

• 80% mountains• Olympus highest peak• Isolation in small river valleys between high

mountains– Developed own way of life– Rivalry led to warfare

Seas

• Aegean Sea, Mediterranean, Ionian Seas– Surround pensula– Many small islands

• Seafarers– Setup colonies– Contact with other people

Minoans and Mycenaeans

• The Mycenaeans created the first Greek civilization

Minoan Civilization

• 2700 B.C.-1450 B.C. Bronze Age • Island of Crete• Not Greek but influenced Greek mainland• Palace at Knossos– Center of sea empire

• Destroyed by Greeks or Tidal wave from earthquake from volcanic eruption

Mycenae: The First Greek State

• 1600 B.C.-1100B.C.• Powerful monarchies– Lived in walled palaces– Royal families buried in tombs

• Warrior people• Spread empire to Crete and Aegean islands• Homer’s story of Troy• 1100B.C. empire collapses from civil war and

invasion by other Greek-speaking peoples

Greeks in the Dark Ages

• Greek civilization was slow to recover from the several centuries of instability that followed the fall of the Mycenaens.

• Called so due to lack of records for this time

Changes of the Dark Ages

• Left mainland for islands, and Ionia• Aeolian– North and central Greece

• Dorians – South and west Greece

• Increase in trade, and iron use, increase in food

• 700 B.C. adopt Phoenician alphabet (24 letters)

Homer: Poet of the Dark Age

• Epic poems: Illiad and Odyssey• Story of Troy• Later Greeks looked at stories as true history– Taught courage and honor– Model of heroism and honor– Taught to be proud of heritage

The Greek City-States

4.2

Polis: The Center of Greek Life

• The polis or city-state was the central focus of Greek life. The citizens of a polis had defined rights and responsibilities, as well as a strong identity and loyalty that kept the city-states divided

Organization of the City-State

• Gathering place was a hill– Fortified area at Top of hill- acropolis• Place to go during attack• And religious center

– Open area below acropolis-Agora• Place to assemble• Market place

• Varied by sizes 300,000- a few hundred

Community of the City-State

• Shared common identity and goals– Citizens with political rights (adult males)– Citizens without political right (women and

children)– Noncitizens (agricultural laborers, slaves, and

resident aliens)

• Military service changes– Hoplites- heavily armed foot soldiers• Fought as a unit phalanx

Greek Expansion

• The search for farmland and the growth of trade resulted in colonization and the spread of Greek culture and political ideas.

• 750 B.C.-550 B.C.

Greek Colonies

• Southern Italy, Southern France, Eastern Spain, Northern Africa west of Egypt

• Spread culture and political ideas• Led to increased trade and industry– Exported pottery, wine, olive oil– Imported grains, metals, fish, timber, wheat,

slaves– Increased trade increased wealth• Lead to conflict between aristocrats and new rich

Tyranny in the City-States

• Tyrants are not necessarily bad, just people who seized power

• Kept power by hired soldiers• Rule of tyrants end rule of aristocrats– Once rule was over, new people were allowed to

participate– Democracy– Oligarchy

Two Rival City-States

• Sparta and Athens developed different systems of government.

Sparta

• Conquered Laconia for land and larger Messenia– Made them serfs (helots)– Made military state to control serfs

• Strict lifestyle– Men

• served in Military until 60• at 30 vote in assembly

– Women • lived at home, head of home life• Expected to be healthy to raise children

• Oligarchy– Two kings: led army– Ephors: 5 elected men

• Educate young and conduct of citizens– Council of Elders

• 2 kings and 28 citizens over 60• Presented information to assembly

– Assembly: Men over 30• Voted on issues, did not debate

• Not allowed to Travel• Outsiders not welcome• Discouraged from studying philosophy, literature,

or arts.• Studied Art of War

Athens

• Early Athens ruled by King• 7th Century B.C. oligarchy under aristocrats– Owned best land– All citizen assembly had few powers– Framers sold into slavery civil war seemed likely

• Aristocrats give full power to Solon– Cancels all debt and freed those sold in slavery– Refused to give land to poor

• 560 B.C. Peisistratus seized power– Increased trade to please merchants– Gave aristocrats land to peasants– 510 overthrew Peisistratus’s son

• 508 Cleisthenes with people’s support– Created council of 500• Supervised foreign affairs• Oversaw the treasury• Proposed laws

– Athenian assembly: all males• Passed laws after free and open debate

– Foundations of Athenian democracy

Classical Greece

4.3

The Challenge of Persia

• The Greek states of Athens and Sparta formed alliances to defeat the Persian invaders.

• Ionian Greek fall to Persians– 499 B.C. Ionians and Athenian Navy revolt– Darius wants revenge– 490 Persians land in Marathon• Athens defeats Persians

• 486 Xerxes becomes king– 480 invades Greece– Persians defeat Greeks and Athens flees city– 479 B.C. Largest Greek army is assembled and

defeat Persians

Athenian Empire

• During the Age of Pericles, Athens became the center of Greek culture.

• Athens creates Delian League– Defense alliance– Headquarter at Delos– Many Athenians in leadership– Liberated Greek colonies – 461 moved treasury to Athens

The Age of Pericles

• Pericles dominant Athenian 461-429 B.C.– Created direct democracy• All male citizens participated• Meet every 10 days• Allowed poor to hold office by paying officers

– Large body of officials ran government on daily basis

– Ostracism: anyone who received 6,000 votes was kicked out of the city for 10 years

– Athens the center of Greek culture

Daily Life Classical Athens

• Largest pop• Slavery was common– Most people owned at least one– State owned slaves worked on public projects

• Most residents of Athens were not citizens

Economy and Society

• Economy based on farming and trade– Grapes, veggies, fruit, sheep, milk, dairy products– Exported olive oil and wine– Imported 50-80 percent of grain

• Family– Husband, wife, children, slaves, other dependants– Producing children was main goal

Family cont.

– Women were excluded from public life• Had to have male companion to leave house• Work in house or supervise slaves who worked in home• Could not own property or other personal items• Only worked outside home if poor• Male guardians• No formal education

The Great Peloponnesian War

• The creation of an Athenian empire led to tensions with Sparta and, eventually war.

• Sparta and allies– Distrusted growing Athens– Disliked Athenian way of life

• Athens and allies– Disliked Sparta way

• Athens planned to stay inside cities walls and Sparta hoped Athens would come out and fight

• 2nd year of war plague broke out• Killed 1/3 of people• Pericles dies

• Lasted 25 years• Athens fleet defeated 405 B.C.

• Athens surrendered• Navy disbanded• Walls torn down

• Thebes, Sparta, and Athens struggled to lead– War ruined chance of cooperation– Weakened most city states– Ignored threat of Macedonia to the north

The Culture of Classical Greece

4.4

Greek Religion

• Greek religion was fundamental to Greek society and is remembered today for the Olympic Games and Greek drama, which were part of religious festivals

• Religion necessary to well-being of state• Temples major building in Greek cities• 12 chief gods lived on Mt. Olympus

• Gods– Zeus-chief god and father of gods– Athena-goddess of wisdom– Apollo- god of sun and poetry– Artemis-goddess of moon and hunt– Ares-god of war– Aphrodite goddess of love– Poseidon- god of sea and earthquake/Zeus’s

brother

• Spirits of most people went to Underworld ruled by god Hades

• Rituals with prayers and gifts– I gave to you, you will give to me

• Festivals to honor gods/goddesses– Olympic festival 776 B.C.

• Oracles revealed future from gods– Priest or priestess– Apollo at Delphi most famous

Classical Greek Arts and Literature

• Greece produced groundbreaking art and literature that is till considered relevant.

• Based on religion, no longer practiced• Passed down by Romans• Human being object of great beauty

Architecture and Sculpture

• Temple most important– Originally made of wood, 5th century B.C. marble– Open structures– Parthenon• Built 447-432 B.C.• God Athena• Calmness, clarity, and freedom from unnecessary

detail.

• Sculpture: human ideal figure

Drama• Basis of western drama• Plays presented in outdoor theaters• First were tragedies– Trilogy– Aeschylus- only trilogy remaining– Sophocles- Oedipus Rex– Euripides-challenged traditional values– Question: good and evil, rights of individual, nature of

divine forces, nature of human beings• Comedies – Entertain and provoke a reaction

The Writing of History

• Herodotus-wrote History of the Persian Wars– First real history

• Thucydides- wrote history of Peloponnesian War– General who fought in war– Saw war and politics as act of men and gods– Emphasis on accuracy

Greek Philosophy

• Three great Greek philosophers- Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle- established the foundations of Western philosophy

• Pythagoras- thought music and numbers explained the universe.

Sophists

• Wondering teachers– Impossible for people to understand universe;

improve self– Sold services as teachers• Rhetoric-persuasive speaking and writing• No absolute right or wrong• Purse one’s own good• Thought dangerous to values of young people

Socrates

• Took no pay• Left no writing• Goal of education was only to improve the

individual• Ethics- living moral lives, could be taught• Socratic method- question• Sentenced to death for corrupting youth

Plato• Student of Socrates• Wrote a great deal• The Republic– Democracy bad- people can not lead self

Philosopher KingWarriors

Rest• Men and women should be educated equally and

equally access• Reason, courage, and desire work together• Opened Academy

Aristotle

• Academy most famous student• Created– Study of logic, biology, and physics– First steps of Scientific method

• Looked at 158 constitutions– Monarchy, aristocracy, and constitutional

governments best

Alexander and the Hellenistic Era

4.5

Macedonians Invade Greece

• Under Alexander the Great, Macedonians, and Greeks conquered the Persian Empire

Philip and Alexander

• In 359 B.C. Philip II built a powerful army– Wanted all of Greece under their control– Athens and Greeks fear Philip– 338 B.C. Greeks crushed– Controlled Greece– Forced Greeks to join him against Persia– Philip assassinated

• Alexander was 20– Moved quickly to attack Persia for burning Athens in

480 B.C.

Alexander’s Conquests

• 334 B.C. entered Asia– 37,000 troops, 5,000 cavalry

• 335 B.C Freed Ionian Greek cities• 332 B.C. Conquered Syria, Palestine, and Egypt– Built Alexandria as Greek City State

• 331 B.C. Take rest of Persian empire• 326 B.C. Reaches India– Soldiers want to turn back he agrees

• 323 B.C. Dies due to wounds, fever, alcohol (32)

Alexander’s Legacy

• Conquest brought wealth to Macedonia and Greece

• Creation of Monarchies• Spread Greek language, architecture,

literature, and art spread throughout Southwest Asia.

• Greeks absorbed aspects of Eastern culture

Hellenistic Era

• As a result of Alexander’s conquests, Hellenistic cities became centers for the spread of Greek language, art, architecture, and literature.

• Hellenistic- to imitate Greeks

Hellenistic Kingdom

• Empire falls after death• Breaks into 4 kingdoms– Macedonia, Syria in east, Pergamum (western

Asia), Egypt– Everything done in Greek/ Greek ruling class– Encouraged Greeks to move to new cities in

kingdoms• Soldiers and administrators

Hellenistic Arts and Literature• Alexanderia and Pergamum– Libraries and museums

• Scholars, artist, philosophers, scientists• Built baths, theaters, and temples• Built thousands of statues

• Less about ideal form and more real• Subsidized writers– Little has survived– Argonautica- Jason’s search for golden fleece

• Short poems instead of epic• Athens the center of theatre– New comedies to only entertains

Science and Philosophy• Eratosthenes circumference of earth• Euclid- Elements textbook on plane geometry.• Archimedes-Geometry of spheres and cylinders,

pi, Archimedes’ screw (pump).• Epicureanism- pursuit of pleasure– Freedom from emotional turmoil and worry– Centered on friendship away from public life

• Stoicism– Harmony with gods– Public service noble (good citizen)