Ancient Greece

Greek Geography• Mount Olympus• Mountainous with small

plains & river valleys• Warfare devastated Greek

society• Aegean, Mediterranean, and

Ionian Sea• Greeks were seafarers

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• NC • Greece

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• Mt Olympus

Ionian Sea

•Troy

•Knossos

Greek Civilization• Minoan civilization established

on island of Crete 2700 B.C.• Complex civilization- very

advanced- running water, language (linear A)

• Importance of the Bull• 1450 B.C. Minoans were

invaded by Mycenaeans

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Bull Jumping

Greek Civilization• Mycenaean civilization prospered

around 1400 B.C.• Powerful monarchies• Wrote in Linear B• Tholos tombs• Warrior society• Large commercial network-

occupied mainland, Crete, and many islands

Linear B Writing

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http://www.historywiz.com/beehivetombs.htm

Tholos Tombhttp://www.historywiz.com/beehivetombs.htm

Greek Civilization• Mycenaeans conquered Crete• States began fighting one

another–Natural disasters wiped out farm

land– Invaded by Sea People/ Dorians

• 1100 B.C. civilization collapsed

• 1100 – 750 – Dark Age – few records exist

King Agamemnon of Mycenaeans

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Dark Age • Few records exist, written or

otherwise• Expanded to Asia Minor-

Ionia– Looking for good farmland

• Increase of agriculture, trade• Rise of Iron Age– Replaced Bronze Age

Greek Civilization• Greeks adopted Phoenician

alphabet• Epic poem – long poem that

tells the deeds of a great hero

• Homer– The Iliad and The Odyssey

• Mycenaeans and the Trojan War

The Poet, Homer

Greek Polis• 750 B.C. polis – Greek city-

state, was focus of Greek life• Acropolis – fortified

gathering place on top of a hill

• Agora – open area that served as a place where people could assemble, also a market

Athenian Acropolis

Greek Military• Conflict between city-states

began–Created need permanent army

• Hoplites – heavily armed infantry

• Led to new styles of fighting

Hoplite

Ancient Greece• Phalanx – rectangular

shoulder to shoulder military formation

• Between 750 – 550 B.C. Greeks began to expand

• Byzantium – modern day Turkey

• Spread throughout the Mediterranean

Phalanx Formation

Phalanx Formation

Greek GovernmentsTyranny• Ended aristocrats rule

in many states

• Seized and maintained power by force

• Support from wealthy merchants who wanted political change

• Fell by 6th Century BC

Oligarchy• Rule by a few• a.k.a Aristocracy• Large and wealthy landowners• Controlled economy• Many fell at the hands of tyrants

Greek GovernmentsDemocracy

• Government by the people or rule by many

• End of tyranny allowed people chance to participate in government

• First major polis to adopt was Athens

Sparta• Oligarchy, military

state ruled by 2 kings

• Helots – captured people made to work for Spartans

• Super strict rules, laws, and social structure

• Closed off to the outside world

Athens• Unified in 700BCE• Draco- 621BCE-

– first lawgiver, to end murder- uses harsh punishment- Draconian

• Solon- given 1 year to fix Athens– Becomes known for "giving the law a conscience“

• Peisistratus took control, followed by son• Cleisthenes takes over in 510BCE

– Created a council of 500• Start of Democracy

Alliances• Peloponnesian League–Headed by Spartans– Corinth, Argos, Elis

• Delian League– A.k.a. Athenian League–Massive alliance, including many

islands and towns across Aegean Sea

–Different contributions

Persian Wars• Persia took over Asia Minor

and Ionia• Darius seeks revenge, and

attacks Athens• Athenians defeat Persians at

Marathon in 490BC• Xerxes vows revenge

King Darius of Persia

Persian Wars• Greece prepares for attack• Athenians built up navy,

Spartans led defensive league

• Xerxes invades– Thermopylae – 300 Spartans– Athenians abandon city, form army

to win

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Thermopylae

Marathon

Salamis

Athenian Empire• Athenians formed an defense

alliance against Persians • Golden Age of Greece • Age of Pericles• 461 – 429 B.C.

Age of Pericles

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Age of Pericles• Direct democracy- expanded

political involvement • Ostracism – banning politicians

by vote • Economy based on farming &

trade• Women were ignored, expect

in religious festivals

The Olympics

• The first Olympic games were held in 776BCE

• Greatest festival of sports• Held at Olympia every four

years

Boxing

Equestrian

Horse Riding

Discus

Javelin

Running

Chariot Racing

Wrestling

Religion• Mt. Olympus– 12 Gods/ Goddesses

• Believed spirits went to underworld

• Rituals – ceremonies/rites to please gods

• Oracle at Delphi

Architecture • The Acropolis• Geometric proportions• Symmetry

Erechtheum

Parthenon

Classical Greece- Art

• Greek sculpture

• Ideal beauty– Scientific

proportions• Pottery

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Classical Greece-Drama• Greek tragedies • Aeschylus• Sophocles –

Athenian playwright – Oedipus Rex

• Euripides• Thucydides –

greatest historian of ancient world

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Classical Greece- Education

• 6th century – Pythagoras• Hippocrates “Father of

Medicine• Sophists – traveling

teachers who rejected speculation such as that of Pythagoras as foolish

Greek Philosophy• Socrates• Know Thyself!• Question

Everything• Only the pursuit of

goodness brings happiness

• Socratic Method• Question and

answer, leads to students thinking for themselves

Greek Philosophy• Plato – The Academy of Athens–Western philosophy and science

• Aristotle – Viewed as most influential thinker

of the Western world– Scientific method– Golden Mean- EQ

Peloponnesian War• 431 B.C.• 405 Athens surrendered• Ruined chance of cooperation

among Greek cities• Thebes emerges• Ignored Macedonia to the

north

Rise of Macedonia• By 5th century, Macedonia

emerged as powerful kingdom• 359 B.C.- King Philip II takes over

Macedonia• King Philip II

assassinated & left throne to his son, Alexander

• Alexander the Great invaded Persia

• Established Alexandria as Greek capital of Egypt

Greece • Expanded to largest empire

in world history, up to this point

• Monarchies became part of Alexander’s political legacy

Greece • Hellenistic Era – imitate the

Greeks• Alexander’s empire fell apart

after his death• Greek cities of Hellenistic Era

helped expand Greek culture

The Breakup of Alexander’s Empire

Hellenistic Era• Alexandria was home to

largest library• Sculptures become more

realistic• Developed theory of sun at

the center of the universe• Calculated Earth’s

circumference to within 185 miles

Hellenistic Era Philosophers

• Epicurus- Epicurians –Happiness is the chief goal in life– Looking for pleasure – Avoid politics

• Diogenes- Cynics – Avoid luxuries– Live a simple and humble life

Hellenistic Era Philosophers

• Zeno- Stoics –Nature is expansion of divine– True happiness is found in inner

peace and great achievements – Get involved in politics for the good

of all• Most popular of the time

The & Sciences• Science:

• Aristarchus - heliocentric theory.• Euclid - geometry• Archimedes – pulley, pi

Hellenistic Art• Hellenistic

Art:– More realistic;

less ideal than Hellenic art.

– Showed individual emotions, wrinkles, and age!

Laocoon and his sons