GREECEANDROME

Beginnings•  GeographyforcedtheGreekstothesea–  Createdindependentcity-states(polis)

•  Exposedtomul=plecultures(Egyp=ans,Phoenicians,Sumerians)

•  Developedapolytheis=c,naturebasedreligion– Godswereflawed,humanlike– Godswerepleasedbyhumanachievement/excellence(Olympics)

•  ‘Arete’strivingforexcellence/individualitybecamethefocus.(akahumanism)–  BecomesthehallmarkofWesternciv.

Peak•  Becamethefirsttodevelopdemocracy(governmentofthepeople)–  Inordertooverthrowtyrannicalkings

•  FoughttwowarswithPersia– Wonboth,establisheddominance,GoldenAge

•  Culturereachespeak–  PericlesbuildsupAthens,becomesdictator–  Socrates,Plato,Aristotle:philosophers=selfknowledge/improvement

•  CivilwarbetweenSpartaandAthensendsGoldenAge

DeathofPhidippides

DeathofSocrates

Alexander•  AlexanderemergedfromMacedoniatorebuildAthensinlate4thcentury

•  AimedtobuildlargeempireoutofdecayingPersianempire

•  Succeededatayoungage(21)conqueringallthewaytotheIndusriver.– DiesinBabylononthewayback

•  WhatsimportantisGreekculturespreadandbecametheidealfortheworldtofollow–  Knownas‘Hellenism’blendofGreek,Egyp=an,IndianandPerisan

Rome•  OriginatedoutofEtruscansconquestofLa=ns,and

adoptedGreekcultureonItalianpeninsula–  RomulusandRemusmyth

•  La=nlanguage,GreekCulture/govt.–  AdaptedGreekDemocracytobecomeRepublic–  Created12Tables=Lawprotectedlowerclass

•  FoughtthreewarsagainstCarthagetoestablishcontrolofMediterranean(4thcentury)–  PunicWars=Hannibal

•  Republicbecamecorrupt•  GeneralJuliusCaesaroverthrewitandcreatedanempire

–  WasassassinatedbySenateMarch15,44BC

Empire

•  Octavian/CaesarAugustusbecomesfirstemperor•  Establishesorderthatlasts200years:PaxRomana² Romanlawwasbestintheworld² Engineeringallowedunity

² Roads,aqueducts² Strong,conscriptedarmyallowedforexpansion,defense

•  Toleranceofconqueredpeoplesbeliefs–  UseofslavesalsomadeRomaneconomythrive

•  Successionofleaderswasinconsistentbegandecline

Fall•  Weakleaders•  SeriesofplaguesinRome•  Relianceonmercenaries•  Barbariansbeganintrudingonborders•  3rdcenturyEmpirewasdividedbetweeneastandwesttohelpmanagesize

•  WasreunitedbyConstan=ne,capitalmovedeasttoByzan=um,renamedConstan=nople– AlsofirsttoacceptChris=anity

•  Romefinallyfellin476BCtobarbarians

Legacy

•  Law,Architecture,MilitaryandPoli=calStructure.

•  Allofthesesetthestandardthatmul=pleEuropeanpeopleswouldemulate.