Classical GreeceChapter 5

In 2 to 3 sentences explain one of the forms of government that you learned yesterday.

Focus Question

Geography Shapes Greek Life Greece is mountainous

peninsula in the Mediterranean

1400 Islands in the Aegean and Ionian Seas

The Greeks had also annexed islands off the west coast of Anatolia

Rugged mountains prevented unity

The Sea The Greeks rarely traveled

more than 85 miles from the coastline

Important trade routes were the Aegean, Ionian, and Black Seas

Sea travel and trade were important because Greece lacked natural resources

The Greek World

The Land 3/4th of Greece is

covered with mountains This made unification of

Greece difficult

Greece developed small, independent communities

The Land Uneven terrain made land travel difficult

Sparta was only 60 miles from Olympia, but travel there took seven days.

The Land Only 20 % of the land was arable – suitable

for farming Without large-scale agriculture, Greece was

never able to support a large population.

The Climate Temperatures ranges from 48º in the winter

to 80º in the summer The climate supported an outdoor life for

the Greeks

Men spent time at outdoor public events and met to discuss politics, news and civic life

Mycenaean Civilization Develops They were a group of Indo-European

migrants They settled on the Greek mainland around

2000 BCE Their name came from their leading city,

Mycenae

Culture and Trade While their nobles led a life of splendor,

most people worked as farmers. Others were weavers, goat herders, or stonemasons

Invasion of Crete Mycenaean warrior-kings invaded Crete Minoan culture had thrived there for over

600 years Mycenaeans preserved some elements of

Minoan culture They adapted the Minoan writing system to

the Greek language

Mycenaean Vases with Minoan Designs

Greek Culture Minoan legends formed the core of Greek

religious practice, art, politics, and literature Western civilization has roots in early

Greek civilizations

The Trojan War Fought between Mycenaeans (Greeks) and

Trojans Lasted ten years

Legend says the war started because a Trojan name Paris had kidnapped Helen, the beautiful wife of a Greek king

The Judgment of Paris

"Beware of Greeks bearing gifts"

Manfred Korfmann German historian Found a cemetery near the

site of ancient Troy He believed the war was

fought over control of a crucial waterway in the Aegean Sea

Issue: Control of trade routes

Greek Culture Declines Under the Dorians

Mycenae collapsed after the Trojan War Sea raiders attacked and burned Mycenae

around 1200 BCE

The Dorians moved into the war-torn countryside

The Dorians Less advanced than the Mycenaean

Greeks The economy collapsed Trade came to a standstill

The “Dark Age” of Ancient Greece Greeks appear to have lost the art of writing

during the Dorian Age 400 year period with no written records 1150 BCE to 750 BCE

Without written records, little is known about this period of decline

Epics of Homer Stories passed down by oral

tradition Blind storyteller

The Iliad – about the Trojan War The Odyssey – about the return

home of Odysseus after the war

Penelope Weaves a Tapestry

Greeks Create Myths Traditional stories about their gods Used to explain the mysteries of nature and

the power of human passions

Greek gods display human qualities

Greek Gods They are jealous, they love and hate They are immortal

Chief god = Zeus Hera, his wife is often jealous of his

relationships with other women Athena (goddess of wisdom) = daughter

and favorite child of Zeus

Olympus in winter

Photo of Athens

Warring City-StatesSection 2

p. 115-119

Rule and Order in Greek City-States

The polis was the fundamental political unit in ancient Greece

Most city-states controlled between 50 and 500 square miles of land

Often fewer than 20,000 residents

The Agora is the public center of a city-state

The Agora

The Acropolis The highest point in elevation in a Greek

city-state Male citizens gathered at the agora or the

acropolis to conduct business

Acro = High Polis = City

The Acropolis at Athens

The Agora at Athens

Greek Political Structures Some city states had a monarchy, rule by

a king, queen, or royal family

Greek Political Structures Some had an aristocracy, rule by a a small

group of land-owning wealthy families

Greek Political Structures Later, newly wealthy merchants who were

dissatisfied with aristocracy formed a new type of government – oligarchy, rule by a few powerful people

The idea of representative government began to take shape

The Greeks looked down on foreigners, who they considered barbarians

A New Kind of Army Emerges Iron weapons make a new kind of army

possible Regular citizens were expected to defend

the polis Foot soldiers were called hoplites Their fighting formation was called the

phalanx

The Phalanx Became the most powerful fighting force in

the ancient world

Phalanx photo

Tyrants Seize Power Powerful individuals called tyrants gained

control of the government by appealing to the poor and discontented

Different competing groups led to many turnovers in control of the government in many city-states

Sparta Builds a Military State Sparta is isolated in the southern part of

Greece Unlike other Greek city-states, Sparta built

a military government

Sparta Dominates Messenians Sparta conquered Messenia around 725

BCE The Messenians became helots, peasants

forced to stay on the land they worked Each year the Spartans demanded half of

the helots yearly crop

Spartan Education Military training for men began at age

seven Boys left home and moved into barracks Wearing no shoes, they trained and

marched during the day They slept on hard benches at night Coarse black porridge at mealtime

Spartan Education for Girls No military training They ran, wrestled, and played sports Trained to put love for Sparta over that of family They managed family estates while men served in

the polis They could not vote, but had more rights than

women in other Greek city-states (Athenian women were expected to stay out of sight and

raise children)

Athens Builds a Democracy Athens was north of Sparta In outlook and values, Athens contrasted

sharply with Sparta

Athens and Sparta

Political Developments in Athens Athenians avoided the power struggles

between rich and poor by starting a democracy

Democracy = Rule by the people Citizens participated in decision making

Democracy in Athens Only free adult males counted as citizens

and were allowed to vote Women, slaves, foreigners living in Athens

were not considered citizens and had few rights

Slaves made up 1/3rd of the population of Athens

Political Changes Clashes between aristocrats and common

people led to changes in Athens A failed attempt to establish a tyranny led to

the formation of a law code In 621 BCE Draco wrote the first Greek

legal code It addressed debt slavery, in which poor

farmers worked as slaves to pay debts

Solon’s Political andEconomic Reforms

Solon was chosen by aristocrats to lead the government

Solon outlawed debt slavery Allowed all citizens to participate and

debate in the Assembly Any citizen could bring charges against

wrongdoers

Solon

Pisistratus Seized power in 546 BCE after the death of

Solon He became one of Athens first tyrants He appealed to the poor by giving them

funds for farm equipment He gave jobs to the poor and earned their

support

The Persian Wars Danger of revolt led to creation of a military

state in Sparta Danger of a revolution led to democracy in

Athens Danger of invasion by Persians led to

cooperation between Athens and Sparta

Consequences of the Persian Wars Threat of Persian takeover ended Greeks form an alliance of 140 city-states

called the Delian League The Delian League drove Persians from

areas around Greece

Athens used its powerful navy to control the other members of the Delian League

Consequences of the Persian Wars Set the stage for the “Golden Age” of

Athens

Democracyand

Greece’s Golden AgeSection 3

p. 120-125

Pericles Three Goals for Athens Pericles dominated political life in Athens

for 32 years (461 BCE to 429 BCE) This time is often called the “Age of

Pericles”

His three goals were…..

Direct Democracy A form of government in which citizens rule

directly and not through representatives.

Goal 1. - Stronger Democracy Increased the number of paid public

officials Now, even poor people could afford to

serve in the government

Goal 2 – Strengthen the Athenian Empire

Used money from the Delian League to build Athens’ navy

A navy was important because it kept the empire safe and protected trade

Overseas trade made Athens prosperous

Goal 3 - Glorifying Athens Used money from the Delian League to buy

gold, ivory, and marble. More money was used to hire artisans who

worked for 15 years to build the Parthenon

Spartans and Athenians Go to War The two city-states became rivals and

leaders in both pressed for war

Peloponnesian War Sparta declared war on Athens in 431 BC Athens has a powerful navy, but Sparta

could not be attacked easily from sea

Peloponnesian War – Pericles’ Strategy

Avoid land battles with the superior Spartan army

Wait for opportunity to attack Sparta from the sea

War Brings Political Changes After 27 years of war, Athens had lost its

empire The democracy of Athens was weakened

Philosophers Search for Truth The term philosopher means “lover of

wisdom” Greek philosophy is based on two

assumptions: 1. The world is put together in an orderly way

and subject to unchanging laws 2. people can understand these laws through

logic and reason

Sophists Questioned people’s unexamined beliefs

and ideas about justice and traditional values

Protagoras Famous Sophist Questioned the existence of the traditional

Greek gods Argued that their was no universal truth

“Man is the measure of all things” His ideas were considered radical and

dangerous

Socrates Criticized the Sophists Argued that there are universal standards

for truth and justice He encouraged Greeks to question

themselves and their moral character

“The unexamined life is not worth living”.

The Trial of Socrates In 399 BCE when Socrates was 70 years

old he was charged with “corrupting the youth of Athens” and “neglecting the city’s gods”

He was convicted by a jury and sentenced to death

He was forced to drink hemlock poison

Plato A student of Socrates Wrote down conversations with Socrates Around 385 BCE, he wrote is most famous

work “The Republic”

Plato’s Republic Plato’s vision of a perfectly governed society Not a democracy Citizens fall into three groups Farmers and Artisans Warriors The Ruling Class

The person with the greatest insight and intellect from the ruling class would be chosen philosopher-king

Aristotle Questioned the nature of the world and

human belief, thought, and knowledge Tried to summarize all of the knowledge of

the world up to his time Invented rules of logic Applied logic to psychology, physics, and

biology

Aristotle’s Famous Student Aristotle worked as a tutor for Alexander,

the 13 year-old son of King Philip of Macedonia

In 343 BCE, Philip was assassinated and Alexander became ruler of Macedonia

Alexander the GreatEmpire Builder

Section 4

p. 128-131

Philip II of Macedon The Peloponnesian War had weakened

both Athens and Sparta Philip II dreamed of taking over Greece

first, then Persia

Philip Builds Macedonia’s Power Macedonia lies just north of Greece Macedonians lived in mountain villages instead of

city-states They considered themselves Greek, but were

looked upon as uncivilized by the Greeks

Their shrewd and fearless kings were their greatest asset

Philip’s Army Philip became king in 359 BC at 23 years

old He organized his army into phalanxes 16

men across and 16 deep They used 18-foot pikes to pave the way for

cavalry strikes through enemy lines His army proved to be unbeatable

Demosthenes Athenian orator Tried to warn the Greeks of the threat

posed by Philip He urged the Greeks to unite against the

Macedonians but they would not agree on policy

Alexander the Great Philip’s son Alexander had the support of

the army and proclaimed himself king at 20 years old

He will become called Alexander the Great

Alexander Defeats Persia He had learned science, geography, and

literature from Aristotle. He carried a copy of Homer’s Iliad with him He learned to use weapons, ride a horse,

and command troops as a young man

Invasion of Persia 334 BC Alexander leads 35,000 soldiers across the

Hellespont into Anatolia A Persian army of 40,000 came to defend

their empire

Alexander’s Ambitions Grow In an attempt to make peace, Darius III

offered Alexander control of the western part of his empire

Alexander rejected the offer and marched into Egypt, a Persian territory

The Egyptians welcomed Alexander as a liberator

Pharaoh Alexander While in Egypt, Alexander visited the

temple of Zeus-Ammon He was crowned pharaoh He founded the city of Alexandria on the

mouth of the Nile

Conquering the Persian Empire Alexander then moved west to

Mesopotamia Darius assembled 250,000 men Persians rode chariots with scythes on the

wheels

Alexander Takes Persia Alexander plundered the cities of Babylon,

Susa, and Persepolis Treasure is divided among Alexander’s

army Persepolis is burned to signal destruction of

the Persian Empire

Alexander’s Other Conquests Alexander wanted to expand his empire He pursued Darius and found him already

dead near the Caspian Sea Darius had been murdered by one of his

provincial governors

Over the next three years, Alexander pushed east into Asia

Alexander in India In 327 BC Alexander enters the Indus

Valley He defeats an Indian army that included

200 elephants at the Hydaspes River After the victory Alexander’s soldiers

request to return home A disappointed Alexander agrees

Alexander and His Troops On the return trip the army crossed a desert Some of the men collected water and

brought it to Alexander He poured it out in front of his troops to

show that he was willing to suffer the same hardships they did

The Death of Alexander 323 BC Alexander is back in Babylon He announces plans to organize his empire

One year after his return Alexander becomes ill with a fever and dies

He is one month short of his 33rd birthday

Alexander’s Legacy The empire was divided among Alexander’s

three strongest generals Antigonus – became king of Macedonia Ptolemy – became a pharaoh in Egypt Seleucus – took most of the old Persian Empire.

(The Seleucid Empire)

Alexander’s Legacy Ended independent Greek city-states Alexander adopted Persian dress and

married a Persian wife He included conquered people in his army A blend of Macedonian, Greek, Persian,

Egyptian, and Indian cultures resulted This would come to be known as Hellenistic

culture

The Spreadof

Hellenistic CultureSection 5

p. 132-135

Hellenistic Culture in Alexandria After Alexander’s death a new culture

emerged It combined Egyptian, Persian, and Indian

influences This was Hellenistic culture The language was Koine

Koine The popular language spoken in Hellenistic

cities Koine means common It was a dialect of Greek It enabled traders all over the Hellenistic

world to communicate

Trade and Cultural Diversity Alexandria in Africa was the center of the

Hellenistic world Located in a strategic location on the

western edge of the Nile It grew and prospered from trade It became an international community

Alexandria’s Greatest Attractions Broad avenues Greek statues Royal palaces overlooking the harbor The Tomb of Alexander 400 ft tall lighthouse known as the Pharos

The Museum at Alexandria A temple dedicated to the Muses – Greek

goddesses of arts and sciences The word museum comes from muse Art galleries A zoo Botanical gardens Dining hall

The Library at Alexandria Half a million papyrus scrolls First research library in the world

Science and Technology Hellenistic scholars preserved Greek and

Egyptian learning in the sciences They provided most of the scientific

knowledge available in the West until the 16th and 17th centuries

Astronomy The museum contained an observatory Astronomers could study the planets and

stars

Aristarcus of Samos Estimated that the sun was 300 times

larger than the earth Proposed that the earth and other planets

revolved around the sun Other astronomers of the day did not agree

Ptolemy Alexandria’s last renowned astronomer Incorrectly placed the earth at the center of

the solar system

This view was held by astronomers for the next 14 centuries.

Eratosthenes Closely calculated the earth’s true size Director of the library at Alexandria Used geometry to calculate the earth’s

circumference at 24,662 miles

Today we calculate it to 24,860 miles (Within 1% of modern calculations)

Mathematics and Physics Aristarchus and Eratosthenes used a

geometry text written by Euclid Euclid wrote “The Elements” 465 geometric propositions and proofs Still the basis for modern geometry

textbooks

Pythagorean Theorem The square of a right triangle’s hypotenuse

is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides

Archimedes Estimated the value of pi (π) The lever The compound pulley The Archimedes screw Catapult Buoyancy

Philosophy and Art Hellenistic scholars believed that the

universe followed rational principles Two schools of thought developed during

the Hellenistic period Stoicism Epicureanism

Stoicism Founded by Zeno A divine power controlled the universe People should live in harmony with natural

law Vices like human desire, power, and wealth

should be controlled Followers focused on things they could

control

Epicureanism Founded by Epicurus Universe is composed of atoms and controlled by

gods who had no interest in humans Only objects that the 5 senses could perceive

were real The greatest good and highest pleasure come

from virtuous conduct and the absence of pain Achieve harmony between body and mind

Epicurean Today the term has come to mean a person

devoted to pursuing human pleasures

During his lifetime Epicurus advocated moderation in all things

Realism in Sculpture Rulers, wealthy merchants, and cities all

purchased statues to honor the gods, commemorate heroes, and portray ordinary people

The largest known Hellenistic statue was the Colossus of Rhodes

Colossus of Rhodes Stood over 100 feet tall Toppled by an earthquake

Winged Victory of Samothrace

Hellenistic Sculpture More realistic More emotional Real people in real situations were carved

Hellenistic World in Decline By 150 BC the Hellenistic world was in

decline Rome was growing and gaining in strength Greek drama, architecture, sculpture,

religion, and philosophy were preserved and eventually became the core of Western civilization