Early People of the Aegean• Crete• Early civilization• Later influenced Greeks
Section 1: Early People of the AegeanMinoans Trade & Prosper
• Minoans – Lived on Crete– Trade not conquest
Knossos
Frescoes
Minoan civilization peaked 1600bc-1500bc
Minoans Frescoes: watercolor
paintings done on wet plaster;
Covered walls of Knossos
• 1400 bc, Minoan civilization vanished Sea was very
important
Section 1: Early People of the Aegean Continued…
• Mycenaeans– First Greek-
speaking people (written record)
– Invaders of Minoans
Dominated Aegean world 1400bc-1200 bc
Sea Traders
The Trojan War
• Started as rivalry between Mycenaean & Troy• Most widely known for the Greek legend of
Paris, Helen, and the Trojan horse • After 10 years of battle, the Greeks finally
seized Troy and burned it to the ground
Around 1250 bc
• Not long after Trojan war, Mycenaens were attacked from sea raiders & Dorians (from the North)
• People abandoned cities• Trade declined• Greek civilization stepped backwards
Greece’s Dark ages1100bc-900bc
Homer and the Great Legends of Greece
• Homer was a blind poet that wandered singing great epics
• 750 bc• Much of what we know of Trojan War & life
during these times
The Iliad• Trojan War– Chief source of info
• Full of gods & goddesses
• Achilles, withdrew from battle because he was insulted by his commander
The OdysseyStruggles of Greek
hero Odysseus on his return home to his wife Penelope after fall of Troy
Encounters sea monster, one-eyed giants, & a beautiful sorceress
Epics reveal values of ancient GreeksHeroes display honor, courage, & eloquence
Section 2: The Rise of Greek City-States
• Balkan Peninsula• Extends into the
Mediterranean Sea• Comprised of hundreds of
rocky islands • Greeks developed polis or
city-statesAncient Greeks didn’t have a large
empireA collection of city-states
(Fiercely defended independence, frequent wars)
Geography Shapes Greece
• Mountains separated city-states but seas linked them to outside world
• Skilled sailors– They traded olive oil, wine, and marble for grains and
metals.
• The Greeks adapted ideas from other civilizations– Alphabet from the Phoenicians
Governing City-States
• 750 bc, rapid population growth & Greeks expanded– On top of the city was the acropolis, or high city.
Temples dedicated to the gods and goddesses were located here.
– Beneath the acropolis was the marketplace and homes
Governing City-States
• Citizens shared a sense of responsibility• Free men spent much time in marketplace
debating• Whole community joined festivals honoring
gods/goddesses• Male landowners held all political power
Types of Government
Governing City-States
Types of Government
• Monarchy- A hereditary ruler with central powers.
• Aristocracy- Rule by hereditary landowning elite.
• Oligarchy- Power is in the hands of a small wealthy elite.
Warfare• 650bc, iron weapons replaced bronze– Cheaper– Ordinary citizens could afford weapons, shields,
helmets, etc.
• Phalanx– Tactical military formation with armed foot soldiers