The Origins & Environment

Classical Greece

Little know about civilizations of Greece from 1200-800 BCE

Left no written recordsOnly fragments of pottery

800 BCE new civilization beganLived in same environmentSame crops, livestock, resources to build homes

and make tools, used harbors to tradeSome differences:

Iron was common in 800BCEUsed marble for sculpturesWritten language similar to modern day Greek

Classical Greece (800BCE)

Political organization linked to conditions of environment

Very mountainous, few major rivers, travel was difficult , communities were isolated

Communities developed into Polis – “city-state”Each city-state had it’s own

GovernmentLawsMoney

Farm products were important part of economyTraded with and went to war against other city-

states

Classical Greece (800BCE)

Corinth, Eretria, Thebes, Athens and Sparta had existed for centuries

As they grew the environment couldn’t support populations

Small pastures did not produce enough foodSome families had to leave their city-state

(700-500BCE)Established new home colony (colonies)In Europe & AsiaTook flame and bottle of earth from old home

Classical Greece (800BCE)

Mainland city-states traded oil, pottery and wine for timber and grain

~500BCE two powerful city-statesAthensSparta

Classical Greece

Divided into +100 city statesMost land east of Aegean Sea ruled by one

KingCyrus of Persia

Also controlled city-states in Asia Minor

Athens and Sparta

499BCE Miletus Rebelled (Asia minor city-state)Persians crushed rebels even with help from Athens

and EretriaPersians burned down Miletus and EretriaAttempted attack on Athens

Athenians won even though outnumberedGreek city-states must UNITE against Persia

30 city-states united (formed an alliance) against PersiaAthens and Sparta were part of this alliance

Others surrendered to PersiaWar ended in 479BCE victory for Greek allies

Athens and Sparta

Next half century lived in peace under Athenian leadership

Delian League Delos –the small Greek island where league’s

members first metSparta was not part of league

Peloponnesian LeagueSparta was part of this league with other city-states of Peloponnesian

Peninsula

Athens and Sparta

431BCE – war between Athens and SpartaQuarrel between Corinth and AthensWar lasted for yearsNeither side able to defeat the other Athens had a strong navy

404BCE – Sparta and Persia made a dealExchanged gold for Sparta surrendered to Persia Gold was used to strengthen the navyThis allowed Sparta to defeat Athenian navySparta blocked Athens from getting suppliesAthens surrendered Sparta defeated the enemy that was previously the ally.

Athens and Sparta

People’s life was influenced byPhilosophersPoetsPlaywrightsScientistsPolitics

Believed Athen’s was world’s first example of democracyGreek word meaning “ruled by the people”

Strong feeling of community in AthensResponsibility was on leaders and people

Athenian Government

Male citizens played a role in city’s governmentEvery month any man could speak in front of the

CouncilThe Council was 500 members who served a term

of one year (chosen by a lottery)Any man could be put into the lottery Every committee was made up of ~ 10 men

Tax collecting, street cleaning, policing One committee elected

Military affairs – needed trusted experienced soldiersMost famous soldier was Pericles

Athenian Government

Not all people had equal rights Women, slaves and foreigners could not speak before Council, be a

member or vote Women

Age 15 were considered ready for marriage – arranged by their father Spent days managing household Some skilled potters and weavers

Slaves Prisoners of war, children of slaves, poor outsiders Some extremely difficult lives working in silver mines Most were household servants (cooked, cleaned, watched children Worked at trades, some ran own shops Some paid small wages – only some bought freedom 40% of Athenians were slaves

The role of slaves and women allowed men to live lives discussing philosophy and politics

Athenian Government

Agora – marketplaceOpen space serving as an assembly area

Commercial, Civic, Social, Religious activities

Piraeus

Daily Life in Athens