ancient greece

Ancient Greece

Geography and the Early Greeks

The Big Idea

Greece’s geography and its nearness to the sea strongly influenced

the development of trade and the growth of city-states.

Main Ideas

• Geography helped shape early Greek civilizations.

• Trading cultures developed in the Minoan and Mycenaean

civilizations.

• The Greeks created city-states for protection and security.

Geography Helped Shape Early Greek Civilizations

The ancient civilization of Greece was located in southeastern Europe along the

coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The geography of the region helped to shape the

government and culture of the Ancient Greeks. Geographical formations

including mountains, seas, and islands formed natural barriers between the Greek

city-states and forced the Greeks to settle along the coast.

The Greeks called

their land "Hellas."

The English word

"Greece" comes

from the Roman

word for the country

"Graecia."

Aegean Sea

I. The region of the Mediterranean where the Greeks first settled is called the

Aegean Sea.

A. Greek city-states formed all along the Aegean coastline and on the many

islands in the Aegean Sea.

B. The people of Greece used the Aegean to travel from city to city.

C. The Aegean also provided fish for the people to eat.

Mountains

I. Mountains

A. The land of Greece is full of mountains.

1. Around 80% of the Greek mainland is mountainous.

2. This made it difficult to make long journeys by land.

3. The mountains also formed natural barriers between the major city-states.

B. The tallest mountain in Greece is Mount Olympus.

1. The Ancient Greeks believed that their gods (the Twelve Olympians) lived

at the top of Mount Olympus.

Islands I. Islands

A. The Aegean Sea is home to over 1000 islands.

B. The Greeks settled on many of these islands including Crete (the largest of

the islands), Rhodes, Chios, and Delos.

The Greek philosopher Plato once said that "we live around the sea like frogs around a pond."

The Greek peninsula has excellent harbors to

stimulate trade and is surrounded by numerous

islands.

ClimateI. Favorable climate.

A. Long dry summers and short mild winters (Much like southern California)

B. Mountain ranges protected Greece from the Northern climate.

Trading Cultures Developed in the Minoan and

Mycenaean Civilizations

I. Minoans

A. They spent much of their time at sea, trading in the Mediterranean.

B. Ships carried goods such as wood, olive oil, and pottery all around the

eastern Mediterranean.

C. They became the victims of a huge volcano that erupted north of Crete.

D. They were not considered to be Greek, since they didn’t speak Greek.

CRETE

Trading Cultures Developed in the Minoan and

Mycenaean CivilizationsI. Mycenaeans

A. They were the first people to be considered Greek.

B. They lived inland and built fortresses.

C. They were more violent in their trade.

D. They took over Crete and became the major traders in the eastern

Mediterranean.

E. They developed colonies in northern Greece and Italy, from which they

shipped goods around the Mediterranean and the Black Sea.

Greeks Created City-States for Protection and Security

I. City-States (750 B.C. to 400 B.C.)

A. City-States were small in area.

1. The Greek word for city-state is polis.

2. A city-state was usually built around a strong fortress on top of a high hill

called an acropolis.

B. People living in Ancient Greece did not think of themselves as

"Greek", but as citizens of their city-state. For example, people from Athens

considered themselves Athenians and people from Sparta considered

themselves Spartans.

C. The two most powerful and famous city-states were Athens and Sparta.

Life in a City-State

I. Life in a City-State

A. The city-state became the foundation for Greek civilization and gave the

Greeks an identity.

1. Each city-state had its own special gods or goddesses.

B. The town around the acropolis was surrounded by walls for protection.

C. People no longer had to fear raiders.

D. Life in the city focused on the marketplace, or agora.

City-States and ColonizationI. City-States and Colonization

A. Life in Greece became more settled, and people agreed that the Greeks should

establish colonies.

B. Before long, groups from city-states around Greece began setting up colonies

ringing the Mediterranean and Black Sea.

1. They spread all around the Mediterranean and the Black Sea.

II. Patterns of Trade

A. Although the colonies were independent, they often traded with city-states on

the mainland.

B. Trade made the city-states much richer.

C. Soon the Greeks had become the greatest traders in the whole Aegean region.

Sparta and AthensThe Big Idea

The two most powerful city-states in Greece, Sparta and Athens, had very

different cultures and became bitter enemies in the 400s BC.

Main Ideas

•The Spartans built a military society to provide security and protection.

•The Athenians admired the mind and the arts in addition to physical abilities.

•Sparta and Athens fought over who should have power and influence in Greece.

AthensSparta

AthensI. Athens

A. Athens is named after the Greek goddess Athena.

1. She was the goddess of wisdom, war, and civilization and the patron of the

city of Athens.

a. Her shrine, the Parthenon, sits on top of a hill in the center of the city.

B. The Athenians admired the mind and the arts in addition to physical abilities.

C. Athens was home of Greek democracy and culture.

D. Athens was a busy center of manufacturing and commerce.

E. Education was very important in Ancient Athens.

F. A peaceful city-state.

The Parthenon

Government in Athens

The Big Idea

The people of Athens tried many different forms of government

before creating a democracy.

Main Ideas

•Aristocrats and tyrants ruled early Athens.

•Athens created the world’s first democracy.

•Ancient democracy was different than modern democracy.

Tyrants Ruled Early Athens

I. Tyrants Seize Power

A. Tyrants are powerful individuals, usually nobles or other wealthy citizens,

who seize control of the government by appealing to the common people for

support.

1. Unlike today, tyrants generally were not considered harsh and cruel.

B. Once in power, for example, tyrants often set up building programs to provide

jobs and housing for their supporters.

Aristocrats and Tyrants Ruled Early Athens

I. Aristocrats and Tyrants Ruled Early Athens

A. Athens was the city where democracy was born, but it started out as an

oligarchy, a government in which only a few people hold power.

B. A group of rich landowners called aristocrats held power.

1. As a result of rebels trying to overthrow the aristocrats, harsh laws were

created by a man named Draco.

Athens Builds a Limited Democracy

I. Athens Builds a Limited Democracy

A. Like other city-states, Athens had power struggles between rich and poor.

B. Athenian reformers moved toward democracy, rule by the people.

1. In Athens, citizens participated directly in political decision making.

Building DemocracyI. Draconian Law

A. The first step toward democracy came when a nobleman named Draco

(DRAY koh) took power.

B. In 621 B.C., Draco developed a legal code based on the idea that all Athenians

were equal under the law.

1. Draco’s code dealt very harshly with criminals by making death the

punishment for practically every crime.

2. It also upheld such practices as debt slavery, in which debtors worked as

slaves to repay their debts.

Draco's code was said to be "written in

blood" because almost all crimes were

punishable by death.

SolonI. Solon

A. Democratic reforms were introduced by Solon (SO•luhn), who came to power

in 594 B.C.

B. Stated that no citizen should own another citizen, Solon outlawed debt slavery.

C. He organized all Athenian citizens into four social classes according to wealth.

1. Only members of the top three classes could hold political office.

2. However, all citizens, regardless of class, could participate in the Athenian

assembly.

D. Solon also introduced the legal concept that any citizen could bring charges

against wrongdoers.

“Society is well governed when its

people obey the magistrates, and the

magistrates obey the law.”

Solon

Cleisthenes

I. Cleisthenes

A. Around 500 B.C., the Athenian leader Cleisthenes (KLYS•thuh•NEEZ)

introduced further reforms.

B. He broke up the power of the nobility by organizing citizens into ten groups

based on where they lived rather than on their wealth.

C. He also increased the power of the assembly by allowing all citizens to submit

laws for debate and passage.

•The reforms of Cleisthenes

allowed Athenian citizens to

participate in a limited democracy.

•Citizenship was restricted to a

relatively small number of Athenians.

•Only free adult male property owners

born in Athens were considered

citizens.

•Women, slaves, and foreigners were

excluded from citizenship and had few

rights.

Greek Political Structures Review

Monarchy

• State ruled by a king

• Rule is hereditary

• Some rulers claim divine right

• Practiced in Mycenae by 2000 B.C.

Aristocracy

• State ruled by nobility

• Rule is hereditary and based on

family ties, social rank, and wealth

• Social status and wealth support

rulers’ authority

• Practiced in Athens prior to 594 B.C.

Oligarchy

• State ruled by a small group of citizens

• Rule is based on wealth or ability

• Ruling group controls military

• Practiced in Sparta by 500 B.C.

Greek Political Structures Review

Direct Democracy

• State ruled by its citizens

• Rule is based on citizenship

• Majority rule decides vote

• Practiced in Athens by about 500 B.C.

Boys and Men in Athens

I. Boys and Men in Athens

A. Athens’s main rival in Greece was Sparta.

B. Though they also worked to improve their bodies, they had to devote only two

years to the army.

1. They learned to read, write, count, and sing.

C. Wealthy boys continued their education with a private tutor.

D. Boys from poor families usually became farmers.

Girls and Women in Athens

I. Girls and Women in Athens

A. Unlike boys, girls received almost no education, because men did not think

they needed to be educated.

B. Athenian women had fewer rights than women in many other city-states; in

fact, they hardly had any at all.

SpartaI. Unlike their counterparts in the city of Athens, Sparta was a warrior society

A. Sparta was one of the most powerful city-states in Ancient Greece.

B. Sparta focused on foreign conquest in response to population pressure.

1. Neighboring city-states were conquered and annexed.

C. Citizens lived according to stern rules and strict regulations.

1. Individual lives were regulated from birth to death.

2. Citizens were denied freedom of speech or property ownership.

3. All land was owned by the state and rented out to people.

a. Political rights were granted only to a small body of land-owning

aristocrats.

Spartans Built a Military Society

I. Warrior Society

A. Daily life in Sparta was dominated by the army, and boys were trained from

an early age to be soldiers.

B. Spartan men reached full citizenship at age 30 and could then move back

home, but they stayed in the army until they turned 60.

Spartan Infanticide

At birth, Spartan babies were examined by a group of elected overseers to

determine if they were healthy. If the group determined the child was healthy, it

was allowed to live. If not, the baby was tossed over a cliff outside of Sparta.

What Was It Like to Grow Up as a Boy in Sparta? I. Spartan Boys

A. Spartan boys were trained to be soldiers from their youth.

B. They were raised by their mothers until the age of seven and then taken away

to enter a military school called the Agoge.

1. The Agoge was a tough school where boys lived in barracks, were trained

how to fight, but also learned how to read and write.

2. The boys and were often beaten, given little to eat to make them tough. and

encouraged to fight one another.

3. C. When the boys turned 20 they entered into the Spartan army.

Spartan boys were taken away from

their parents at the age of seven.Spartan boys were encouraged

to fight one another.

•Boys were

encouraged to

steal food. If

they were

caught, they

were beaten,

not for stealing,

but for getting

caught.

Girls and Women in Sparta I. Girls in Sparta

A. Spartan girls also went to school at the age of seven.

1. Their school wasn't as tough as the boys, but they did train in athletics and

exercise.

2. It was important that the women stay fit so they would have strong sons

who could fight for Sparta.

B. Girls usually were married at the age of 18.

Women in SpartaII. Women in Sparta

A. Because men were often at war, women had more freedom and education

than most Greek city-states at the time.

B. They ran the household and owned property.

Helots: Slaves of the SpartansI. Helots

A. Slaves of the Spartans.

1. They farmed the land, but had to give half of their crops to the Spartans

and also performed other manual labor for the Spartans.

B. There were a lot more Helots than Spartans. [20:1]

1. In order to keep control, the Spartans had secret police that kept track of

the Helots and killed anyone who they thought might rebel.

2. Any Helot caught trying to escape was killed.

Spartan Government

I. Spartan Government

A. Sparta was officially ruled by two kings who jointly led the army, but elected

officials actually had more power than the kings.

1. These officials handled dealings between Sparta and other city-states.

B. Sparta’s government was set up to control the city’s helots, or slaves.

Sparta was officially ruled by two

kings who jointly led the army. Elected officials actually had more power than

the kings and handled dealings between Sparta

and other city-states.

King Leonidas

The Spartan Army

The Spartan Army fought in a

phalanx formation. They would line

up side by side and several men deep.

Then they would lock their shields

together and advance on the enemy

stabbing them with their spears. The

Spartans spent their lives drilling and

practicing their formations and it

showed in battle. They rarely broke

formation and could defeat much

larger armies.

The basic equipment used by the

Spartans included their shield, spear,

and a short sword. They also wore a

crimson tunic so their bloody wounds

wouldn't show. The most important

piece of equipment to a Spartan was

their shield. The biggest disgrace a

soldier could suffer was to lose his

shield in battle.

The Big Idea

Over time the Persians came to rule a great empire which eventually brought them

into conflict with the Greeks.

Main Ideas

•Persia became an empire under Cyrus the Great.

•The Persian Empire grew stronger under Darius I. The Persian Wars

•The Persians fought Greece twice in the Persian Wars.

Greece vs. Persia

Persian Empire

I. The Persian Wars were a series of wars fought between the Persians and the

Greeks from 492 BC to 449 BC.

II. Who were the Persians?

A. The Persian Empire was the largest and most powerful empire in the world

at the time of the Persian Wars. They controlled land that stretched from

Egypt all the way to India.

Ionians I. Ionians

A. Ionians were Greeks that lived along the coast of Turkey.

1. Persia wanted to stop the expansion of the Greek Empire and invaded

Ionia

B. The Ionians asked Athens and other Greek cities for help.

C. The other Greek cities sent ships and weapons, but were quickly defeated.

D. The Persians didn't like this and decided to conquer the rest of the Greek

cities in order to keep them under control.

Persia’s First Invasion of GreeceI. First Invasion of Greece

A. King Darius of Persia led a Persian invasion of Greece in 490 B.C.

B. He gathered a vast army of soldiers that outnumbered any army the Greeks

could muster.

1. They boarded the Persian fleet and headed to Greece.

C. The Persian invasion united all of Greece.

1. Sparta and Athens, bitter rivals, united to fight the Persians.

King Darius

of Persia

Battle of Marathon

I. Battle of Marathon

A. The Persian fleet landed at the Bay of Marathon, about 25 miles from Athens.

B. The Persians had more soldiers, but underestimated the fighting capability of

the Greeks.

1. The army of Athens routed the Persian army killing around 6,000 Persians

and only losing 192 Greeks.

C. After the battle, a runner from the Athenian army ran the 25 miles back to

Athens in order to prevent the Persians from attacking the city.

1. This is the origin of the Marathon running race.

Persia’s Second Invasion of Greece

I. In 480 BC., Xerxes (son of Darius) led an invasion of Greece to get revenge on

the Greeks for humiliating his father’s attempt ten years earlier.

A. He amassed a huge army of over 200,000 soldiers and 1,000 warships.

Xerxes (son of Darius)

Battle of ThermopylaeI. Thermopylae

A. Xerxes’ Persian army of over 20,000 soldiers began its march southward and

threatened Athens.

B. The Greeks put together a small force, led by the Spartan King Leonidas and

300 Spartans.

C. They Spartans met the Persians at a narrow pass in the mountains called

Thermopylae.

King Leonidas

of Sparta

I. Thermopylae

D. The Spartans held off the Persians killing thousands.

1. However, the Persians found a way around the mountains and got behind

the Spartans.

2. The Spartans fought to the death, killing as many Persians as they could.

a. King Leonidas and the Spartan army’s heroic last stand delayed the

Persian advance and allowed the other Greek city-states to unify.

Battle of Thermopylae

Battle of Salamis

I. After the Battle of Thermopylae, the Persian army continued on to Athens.

A. The people of Athens had fled and when the Persians arrived they found it

deserted.

1. The Persians then looted and set fire to Athens.

B. The Athenian navy lured the Persian navy into battle near the island of

Salamis.

Xerxes watches as Athens burns.

Battle of SalamisI. Battle of Salamis

C. The much larger Persian fleet was sure of victory and attacked the small

Athenian ships.

D. The Athenian ships, called triremes, were fast and maneuverable.

1. The Athenians rammed the sides of the large Persian ships and sunk them.

E. The Athenians decisively defeated the Persians causing Xerxes to retreat back

to Persia.

Xerxes, king of Persia, had his golden throne carried along so he could watch the Greeks be defeated

by his army from a nearby hillside. He must have been pretty disappointed!

Age of Pericles

I. Pericles (461 B.C. to 429 B.C.)

A. A very popular and well-liked leader of Athens.

B. He beautified Athens and constructed exquisite temples.

1. The Parthenon on the Acropolis (hill).

C. Introduced democratic reforms, which benefited all.

D. Pericles encouraged the arts.

1. Writers, artists, sculptors, poets, musicians, and philosophers.

Prelude to the Peloponnesian War[s] I. Prelude to the Peloponnesian War[s]

A. After the Persian Wars, Athens emerged as the leader of the Greek city-

states and formed an alliance called the Delian League.

1. It provided for the common defense of Greece.

B. Sparta and its allies became increasingly jealous and distrustful of Athens and

felt that it should be the leader and withdrew from the league.

1. Sparta and her allies formed the Peloponnesian League to counter the

Delian League.

Peloponnesian Wars (459 B.C. to 404 B.C.)

I. The First Peloponnesian War (459 B.C. to 404 B.C.)

A. Sparta and Athens go to war to resolve the leadership of Greece.

1. Athens had the strongest navy, but a weak army.

2. Sparta had a weak navy, but a powerful army.

B. Athens built long walls all the way from the city to its seaport Piraeus.

1. This enabled them to stay inside the city and still have access to trade and

supplies from their ships.

2. Although the Spartans never breached the walls of Athens during the first

war, many people died inside the city due to plague.

a. This included the great leader and general of Athens, Pericles.

•The "long walls" of

Athens were around

4 ½ miles long each.

The entire length of

the walls around the

city and the ports

was around 22 miles.


I. The Peace of Nicias: An uneasy peace.

A. After ten years of war, in 421 BC Athens and Sparta agreed to a truce called

the Peace of Nicias.

Athens Attacks Sicily (415 B.C.)

I. Athens Attacks Sicily

A. In 415 BC, Athens decided to help one of their allies on the island of Sicily.

1. Athens sent a large force there to attack the city of Syracuse.

2. Athens lost the battle horribly and Sparta decided to retaliate starting the

Second Peloponnesian War.


I. The Second Peloponnesian War: Athens is Defeated

A. The Spartans began to gather allies to conquer Athens and even enlisted the

help of the Persians who lent Sparta money to build a fleet of warships.

B. After fifty years of fighting, Sparta finally defeated the Athenian navy at

Aegospotami in 404 B.C.

1. With the fleet defeated, the people in the city of Athens began to starve.

2. They did not have the army to take on the Spartans on land.

3. In 404 B.C. the city of Athens surrendered to the Spartans.

•After Sparta defeated Athens, they

ended democracy and set up a new

government ruled by the "Thirty

Tyrants". This only lasted for one year,

however, as the local Athenians

overthrew the tyrants and restored

democracy.

End of the Peloponnesian War

I. End of the Peloponnesian War

A. With the defeat of Athens, Sparta became the most powerful city-state in

Greece. (404 B.C. to 371 B.C.)

1. Abolished all democratic reforms throughout Greece.

B. Other city-states started to resent Sparta's harsh dictatorship .

C. In 371 B.C., Sparta was defeated by Thebes in 371 BC at the Battle of

Leuctra.

1. Sparta's harsh dictatorship came to an end.

D. Control of Greece shifted from one city-state to another for years.

Greek AchievementsThe Big Idea

Ancient Greeks made lasting contributions in the arts, philosophy, and science.

Main Ideas

• The Greeks made great contributions to the arts.

• The teachings of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle are the basis of modern

philosophy.

• In science, the Greeks made key discoveries in math, medicine, and

engineering.

Greek Achievements: Government

Government

• The Greek city-state of Athens first introduced the world to the idea of a true

democracy.

• Citizens were allowed to vote for their leaders and on new laws.

• This idea is prevalent in our world today.

• Most of the world's governments today have some sort of democracy where the

people get to vote and participate in the government.

Greek Achievements: Architecture

Architecture

• Greek architecture has been imitated throughout history.

• The Romans copied many of the Greek ideas into their buildings.

• Later, Renaissance architects tried to imitate the Greek style of architecture.

• Today, many government buildings are built in the Greek classical style

including the U.S. Capitol Building and the U.S. Supreme Court Building in

Washington, D.C.

Corinthian Column Ionic ColumnDoric Column

Greek Achievements: Theater Theater

• The Greeks invented dramas where written work is performed by actors.

• Greek theater introduced the ideas of the comedy and the tragedy.

Drama is a story told by actors who

pretend to be characters in the story

Tragedy is a play in which a person

struggles to overcome difficulties but

fails

Comedy is a play in which the story

has a happy ending

Greek Achievements: Science and Technology

I. Achievements in Science and Greek scientists.

Archimedes- Gave the world

the principles of the pulley

and the screw and lever.

Herophilus- Dissected the

human body and discovered

that blood ran through the

body via arteries.

Strabo- Wrote the first geography

book.

Aristarchus- Proved the

earth rotates on its axis and

moves around the sun.

Hippocrates- Diseases

were the result of natural

causes and not by demons.

Pythhagoras- is often

called the first "true"

mathematician.

Greek Achievements: Greek Literature

Literature- The written works of a group, time period, or culture.

Myth- traditional stories about gods and heroes

Epic- long poems that told about heroic deeds

Fable- a short story that teaches a lesson

Among the earliest Greek writings are two epic poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey by Homer.

•The Iliad tells the story of the last years of the Trojan War.

•The Odyssey describes the challenges that Odysseus faced on his way home from the war.

Helen of Troy Achilles vs. Hector Trojan Horse

Greek Achievements: Lyric Poetry and Fables

Poems were central to the education system and influenced

later writing as well.

Some poems were set to music.

The writers of these poems were called lyric poets, after their

instrument, the lyre.

Other Greeks told short stories that taught the reader

lessons about life or gave advice on how to live. These

stories were called fables.

Aesop is famous for fables such as “The Tortoise and the

Hare” and “The Boy Who Cried Wolf.”

Greek Achievements: ArtI. Greek art heavily influenced western art throughout history.

A. Three Artistic Phases of Ancient Greek Sculpture

1. Archaic (750BC-479BC)- Human forms tended to be stiff, rigid, and

symmetrical.

2. Classical (479 BC-336 BC)- Saw more naturalistic poses. Muscular figures

that appeared to be moving.

3. Hellenistic (336 BC-30 BC)- Sculptures became more sensuous, bold, and

dramatic.

ClassicalArchaic Hellenistic

Greek Achievements: SportsThe Ancient Greeks loved athletics and sports.

Their legacy is exemplified in the modern-day Olympic Games which began with

the Ancient Greeks in 776 B.C.

•Although there were trained women athletes in Greece, only men

could participate in the Olympics.

•Married women were prohibited from watching the Games under

penalty of death!

•There were no gold, silver, or bronze awards in the ancient

Olympics, just an olive wreath for the winner.

•The pankration was the old-school version of the Ultimate

Fighting Championship. A combination of wrestling and boxing,

pankration also included arm-twisting, biting, kicking,

strangleholds, and finger-breaking. Only eye-gouging was

discouraged.

Coming from diverse backgrounds in

Greece, all male athletes had one

thing in common: they all competed

naked!

Strange… But True

Greek Achievements: PhilosophersI. Philosophers

A. Greek philosophers were "seekers and lovers of wisdom."

1. Studied and analyzed the world around them using logic and reason.

B. Although we often think of philosophy as religion or "the meaning of life", the

Greek philosophers many studied mathematics, physics, and science as well.

C. Often the philosophers were teachers of wealthy children.

1. Some of the more famous ones opened their own schools or academies.

Socrates

Because of his radical thinking he was put on trial where the jury sentenced to

death. After being sentenced to death, many of Socrates’ friends asked him to flee

to exile by offering to bribe the guards. Socrates declined the offer. Socrates was

given a hemlock poison mixture that he drank without the slightest hint of

hesitation. Soon, numbness started to set in slowly and eventually reached his

heart.

I. Socrates

A. Socrates taught by asking questions, a technique we call the Socratic method.

1. He wanted people to question their beliefs and look for knowledge.

a. This angered and frightened people.

2. He was arrested and condemned to death for questioning the authority of

the gods.

Plato I. Plato

A. Plato was a student of Socrates.

B. His most famous book is called the Republic

1. Plato believed that governments should be run by philosopher-kings and

not the regular people.

AristotleI. Aristotle

A. Aristotle was a student of Plato, but didn't necessarily agree with all that

Plato said.

B. Aristotle liked to focus on more practical areas of philosophy including science.

C. He founded his own school called the Lyceum.

D. He thought that reason was the highest good and that it was important to

have self-control.

E. Aristotle was a tutor for Alexander the Great.

Strange… But True

Wind direction, according to Aristotle, determined the

sex of a baby.

Aristotle believed the main purpose of the human

brain was to cool the blood.

Hellenistic Period (350 B.C. to 146 B.C.)

I. Hellenistic Period (350 B.C. to 146 B.C.)

A. Years preceding the Roman conquest of Ancient Greece.

B. The cultures of Ancient Greece and the Orient were mixed.

King Philip of MacedonI. King Philip of Macedon (356 B.C. to 336 B.C.)

A. Defeated Greece and united it with Macedon.

B. Philip planned to invade Persia, but was assassinated while attending his

daughter’s wedding.

1. The assassination was plotted by his wife, Olympias to make her son Alex

the new king..

Many scholars suspect to this day that the assassination of King Philip of Macedon by agents of his

wife, Olympias, to elevate their son, the future "Alexander the Great" to the thrones of Macedon and

Greece was a successful conspiracy. "Alexander the Great", himself, continues to be a suspect in the

murder of Philip, his own father, in his ascension to the throne.

Alexander the Great

I. Alexander the Great (336 B.C. to 323 B.C.)

A. Son of King Philip of Macedon.

B. Put down uprisings in Greek cities after his father's death.

C. Conquered Asia Minor, Persia, Egypt, Syria, Afghanistan, and northern

India.

D. The city of Alexandria, Egypt became the capital of Alexander's empire.

E. Alexander the Great died of fever in 323 B.C. at the age of 33.

1. Alexander the Great's empire collapsed soon after his death.

The Conquest of Alexander the Great

Conquest of Alexander the Great: Map

Greek Mythology

The Big Idea

The ancient Greeks created great myths and works of literature that influence the

way we speak and write today.

Main Ideas

• The Greeks created myths to explain the world.

• Ancient Greek literature provides some of the world’s greatest poems and

stories.

• Greek literature lives on and influences our world even today.

Understanding Greek CultureI. The Greeks Created Myths to Explain the World

A. Instead of scientific explanations, the Greeks used mythology to explain things.

B. Mythology is a body of stories about gods and heroes that try to explain how the

world works.

C. Religion was a very important part of everyday life.

1. The Ancient Greeks worshipped nature (Pantheism)

a. Greek gods represented forces of nature, but had human traits.

2. To keep the gods happy, they built great temples. The Greeks expected help

when they needed it in return.

Zeus was the king of the

Greek gods. He was the

god of thunder and sky.

Zeus is the ruler of all the

other gods and goddesses.

He is married to Hera but

has had many affairs.

The Twelve OlympiansThe Twelve OlympiansThe Twelve OlympiansThe Twelve Olympians

ZeusZeusZeusZeus

Hera was the queen of the gods,

both sister and wife of Zeus.

The Greeks considered her a

protector of marriage and

childbirth

Zeus wandered the world seducing

beautiful women, often while

disguised as a mortal or an animal.

This made Hera insane with rage

and jealousy. Strangely enough,

most of her anger was directed at

Zeus’s lovers and their children

instead of Zeus himself.


HeraHeraHeraHera

Poseidon, King Zeus’

brother, was the god of

the oceans but that

included seas and

rivers as well.

He tamed horses,

caused earthquakes as

well as storms, and

carried a trident.


PoseidonPoseidonPoseidonPoseidon

Demeter was the

goddess of the harvest.

She was a sister of

Zeus as well as the

mother of Persephone.

It should come as no

surprise that wheat, the

cornucopia and bread

were her symbols.


DemeterDemeterDemeterDemeter


AthenaAthenaAthenaAthena

Athena was the goddess

of wisdom and courage.

She was the patroness of

Athens and the people

of the city built the

Parthenon in her honor.

Owls, helmets and spears

were among her symbols.

Apollo was the god of

light, the sun, truth

and poetry. His twin

sister was Artemis.

He is often seen

holding a lyre, a

gift from Hermes.

He’s also associated

with music, the arts

and healing.


ApolloApolloApolloApollo

Artemis was the goddess

of wild animals and the

hunt. She also helped

women in childbirth.

Her temple was one of

the 7 Wonders of the

Ancient World.


ArtemisArtemisArtemisArtemis

Ares, the god of war, represented

all the destruction of battle.

It should come as no surprise his

children were Fear and Terror.

Some of his symbols were the

spear, the helmet, a chariot and

a flaming torch.


AresAresAresAres

Aphrodite was the goddess

of love and beauty. She

was so lovely that Zeus

feared it would cause

problems.

Zeus had her marry

Hephaestus, who was

really ugly.


AphroditeAphroditeAphroditeAphrodite

Hermes was the messenger

of the gods. He was also

the god of thieves, travelers

and sport.

He carried a herald’s wand

and wore both sandals and

a hat with wings.


HermesHermesHermesHermes

Hestia was the goddess of

the hearth, domesticity

and family. She almost

never left home.

Her sisters were Hera

and Demeter.

There is a debate that

possibly Hestia gave up her

seat to Dionysus in order to

stop conflict.

The jury is still out.


HestiaHestiaHestiaHestia

Dionysus was the god of

the grape harvest, wine,

fertility and theater.

Among his symbols are

a staff tipped with a pine

cone, the grapevine and

a leopard skin.


DionysusDionysusDionysusDionysus

It’s debated whether the

final Olympian was

Hephaestus or Hades.

Hephaestus was the god of

fire, volcanoes and

blacksmiths.

He made weapons

for the gods and his symbols

were the hammer, anvil and

tongs.


HephaestusHephaestusHephaestusHephaestus


HadesHadesHadesHades

Hades was the god of the

dead. He didn’t spend so

much time, if any, at Mt.

Olympus. No, Hades lived

in the underworld.

His symbols included

wealth and the lovely three

- headed dog Cerberus.

Heroes in Mythology

Many Greek myths told about the adventures of great heroes. Some heroes were

real, while others were not.

Some of the major heroes were Theseus, Jason, and Hercules.

Theseus traveled to Crete

and killed the minotaur, a

half-human, half-bull

monster.

Jason sailed across the seas

in search of great treasure.

Hercules was the most

famous for fighting many

monsters and performed

nearly impossible tasks.

Monsters and Creatures of Greek Mythology

Centaurs

The Centaurs were half-man half-

horse creatures. Their upper half was

human, while their lower half had four

legs like a horse. In general, centaurs

were loud and vulgar. However, one

centaur named Chiron was intelligent

and skilled in training. He trained

many of the Greek heroes including

Achilles and Jason of the Argonauts.

Cerberus

The Cerberus was a giant three-headed

dog that guarded the gates of the

Underworld. Cerberus was the

offspring of the feared monster Typhon.

Hercules had to capture Cerberus as

one of his Twelve Labors.


Charybdis

Charybdis was a sea monster that took

the shape of a giant whirlpool. Any ships

that came near Charybdis were pulled

down to the bottom of the sea. Ships that

passed through the Strait of Messina had

to either pass by Charybdis or face the

seas monster Scylla.

Chimera

The chimera was a giant monster that

was a combination of many animals

including a goat, lion, and snake. It was

an offspring of Typhon. The Chimera

was feared throughout Greek

mythology as it could breathe fire.


Cyclopes

The Cyclopes were one-eyed giants.

They were famous for making Zeus his

thunderbolts and Poseidon his trident.

Odysseus also came into contact with a

Cyclops while on his adventures in the

Odyssey.

Furies

The furies were flying creatures with

sharp fangs and claws who hunted

down murderers. There were three

main furies who were sisters: Alecto,

Tisiphone, and Magaera. The "Furies"

is actually a Roman name. The Greeks

called them the Erinyes.


Griffins

The griffin was a combination of a lion

and an eagle. It had the body of a lion

and the head, wings, and talons of an

eagle. Griffins were said to live in

northern Greece where they guarded a

huge treasure.

Harpies

The harpies were flying creatures with

the faces of women. The harpies are

famous for stealing the food of Phineus

every time he tried to eat. Jason and the

Argonauts were going to kill the harpies

when the goddess Iris intervened and

promised that the harpies would not

bother Phineus any longer.

Monsters and Creatures of Greek MythologyHydra

The hydra was a fearsome monster

from Greek Mythology. It was a giant

snake with nine heads. The problem

was that if you cut one head off, more

heads would quickly grow back.

Hercules slew the hydra as one of his

Twelve Labors.

Medusa

Medusa was a type of Greek monster

called a Gorgon. She had a woman's

face, but had snakes for hair. Anyone

who looked into Medusa's eyes would

be turned to stone. She was once a

beautiful woman, but was turned into a

Gorgon as punishment by the goddess

Athena.


Minotaur

The Minotaur had the head of bull and

the body of a man. The Minotaur came

from the island of Crete. He lived

underground in a maze called the

Labyrinth. Each year seven boys and

seven girls were locked into the

Labyrinth to be eaten by the Minotaur.

Pegasus

Pegasus was a beautiful white horse

that could fly. Pegasus was the horse of

Zeus and the offspring of the ugly

monster Medusa. Pegasus helped the

hero Bellerophon to kill the chimera.


Satyrs

Satyrs were half-goat half-man. They

were peaceful creatures who loved to

have a good time. They also liked to

pull pranks on the gods. The Satyrs

were associated with the god of wine,

Dionysus. The satyr Silenus was

perhaps the most famous satyr. He was

the son of the god Pan.

Scylla

Scylla was a terrible sea monster with

12 long tentacle legs and 6 dog-like

heads. She guarded one side of the

Strait of Messina while her counterpart

Charibdis guarded the other side.

Monsters and Creatures of Greek MythologySirens

The Sirens were sea nymphs who lured

sailors to crash on the rocks of their

islands with their songs. Once a sailor

heard the song, he could not resist.

Odysseus encountered the Sirens in his

adventures on the Odyssey. He had his

men put wax in their ears so they could

not hear the song, then he tied himself

to the ship. This way Odysseus could

hear their song and not be captured.

Sphinx

The Sphinx had the body of a lion, the

head of a woman, and the wings of an

eagle. The Sphinx terrorized the city of

Thebes, killing all those who could not

solve its riddle. Finally, a young man

named Oedipus solved the Sphinxes

riddle and the city was saved.


Typhon

Typhon was perhaps the scariest and most powerful of all the monsters in Greek

Mythology. He was called the "Father of all monsters" and even the gods were scared of

Typhon. Only Zeus could defeat Typhon. He had the monster imprisoned underneath

Mount Etna.

Terms to Know:City-States Aegospotami SocratesMonarchies Philosophy Plato

Oligarchies Hellenistic Period Aristotle

Limited Democracy King Philip of Macedon Doric

Sparta Alexander the Great Ionic

Helots Alexandria, Egypt Corinthian

Athens Cultural Fusion

Pericles Pantheism

Parthenon Mount Olympus

Acropolis Zeus

Persia & Persian Wars Hera

Phalanx Poseidon

King Darius Athena

Marathon, Battle of Aphrodite

Xerxes Pythhagoras

King Leonidas Hippocrates

Thermopylae, Battle of Aristarchus

Salamis, Battle of Strabo

Delian League Herophilus

Peloponnesian League Archimedes

Peloponnesian War

Concepts to Know:•Describe the geography of Greece and how it helped civilization develop.

•Explain the reasons for the lack of Greek unity?

•Describe the some of the developments in government in ancient Greece.

•What were some of the similarities and differences between Sparta and Athens?

•Explain the Persian Wars. What were their results?

•What was the Peloponnesian War and why was it fought?

•Who was King Philip of Macedon?

•Describe the accomplishments of Alexander the Great.

•Describe the religion of ancient Greece. Who were some of the ancient Greek gods and

goddesses?

Describe some of the major achievements in literature of ancient Greece.

•Describe some of the major achievements in science of ancient Greece.

•Describe some of the major achievements in philosophy of ancient Greece.