Greek Geography• Mountains and islands created

isolation• Leads to independent Greek city-

states• Greek Mainland=peninsula= body

of land with water on 3 sides• Mild weather• Blessed with lots of good harbors• Mountains led to isolation led to

political disunity• Most plentiful natural resources

=trees• Built ships from trees

Minoan civilization arose on the island of Crete.

Greek Geography continued

• Made living from sea=fished, sailed, traded

• Rocky soil= not ideal for planting• Some places could grow wheat, barley,

olives, and grapes• Also herded sheep and goats• Greece located east of Ionian Sea• North of Mediterranean Sea• West of Aegean Sea

Minoans + Mycenaeans = The Greeks

Origins of the Greeks: Minoans & Mycenaeans 2800 B.C.E. - 1500

B.C.E.

The Minoans2000 - 1375

Minoans (2800-1400 BCE)

• Archaeologists Arthur Evans discovered ruins of Minoans

• Minoans Lived on island of Crete

• Existed during Egypt’s Old Kingdom

• Government: Priest-kings

• Religion: Polytheists• Cities NOT surrounded

by wallshttp://ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/~tjmoore/Myth3web/05atheseusmincan.jpg.

• Ship Builders & Traders (main economy)

• Built ships from oak and cedar

• Farming

• Fishing

• Traded with Egypt and Syria

• Overpowered by Mycenaeans by 1400 BCE

• Or great earthquake destroyed them

Minoan Art

Sculptures, Pottery, and Frescoes= made out of

plaster with paintings on it.

Minoans created and traded pottery, leather, bronze armor, and metal jewelry. They also enjoyed sports such as boxing and

bull leaping.

http://ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/~tjmoore/Myth3web/05atheseusmincan.jpg

Minoan Fresco at the Palace of Knossos

http://ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/~tjmoore/myth.html.

Minoan fresco: Prince of Knossos

http://www.graeco-roman.com/items/G4310.htm

Frescoes examples:dolphinstradebull

Bull Leaping

• Bull leaping or bull fighting was both a sport and a religious ceremony. Don’t try this at home.

The Palace

• One of the largest cities on Crete was Knossos.

• A great palace was located there - the Palace of Knossos where the legendary King Minos lived.

• Had working bathrooms

Labyrinth

• The palace had a Labyrinth= network of paths through which it was difficult to find one’s way.

• Labyrinth means double ax so the palace was called the “House of the Double Ax.” Tristen Waz Here and Dylan!! :P

• In this labyrinth, it is said, lived a Minotaur - a beast that was half man and half bull.

• To construct a labyrinth, go to

• www.puzzles.com/PuzzlePlayground/

KnossosLabyrinth/KnossosLabyrinth.htm

The palace had several passageways.

Every year for nine years, seven youths and maidens came as tribute from Athens. These young people were also locked in the labyrinth for the Minotaur to feast upon.

• When the Greek hero Theseus reached Athens, he learned of the Minotaur and the sacrifices, and wanted to end this. He volunteered to go to Crete as one of the victims. Upon his arrival in Crete, he met Ariadne, Minos's daughter, who fell in love with him. She promised she would provide the means to escape from the maze if he agreed to marry her. When Theseus did, she gave him a simple ball of thread, which he was to fasten close to the entrance of the maze. He made his way through the maze, while unwinding the thread, and he stumbled upon the sleeping Minotaur. He beat it to death and led the others back to the entrance by following the thread.

Minoan Religion

Polytheists Main god: Great Goddess,

Mother Earth)

Minoan Religion

• Built shrines on housetops, hilltops, and in caves– Why hilltops?– Why caves?

• Offerings included:– Human hair– fruit– flowers– jewels– gold

Mother Earth

Mycenaeans (2000 - 900 BCE)

• Mycenae = ruins discovered by Heinrich Schliemann

• Lower Greece (lowlands) a.k.a. Peloponnesus

• Built fortress-palaces on hilltops

• Engaged in farming, herding, olive growing.

• Traded: gold & bronze

Mycenaeans

• Learned from Minoans: Shipbuilding, navigation, gold & bronze work, fashions, art, writing.

• Better warriors than traders (pirates)

• Became most powerful people in Aegean world by 1400 BCE

• Trojan War (1200s BCE)

• Conquered by Dorians (late 1200’s)

MYCENEAN PALACES• Palaces served as central

meeting places– Home for the king and his

administrators– Warehouse for agricultural

and manufactured products– Marketplace– Communications center

• Also served as religious centers– Crowded with priests and

priestesses

• Troy War=Mycenaeans vs Trojans

• Mycenaeans led by King Agamemnon

• Trojans live in Troy• Troy located in Asia

Minor=modern day Turkey• Trojans also good sailors and

merchants• Hate each other because both

want to be the best merchants at sea

• Mycenaeans attack Troy=Trojan War=Trojan Horse=hidden soldiers in wooden horse

• Story told by blind Greek Poet Homer=epic The Iliad and the Odyssey

Iliad & Odyssey

• Iliad and Odyssey important to historians because it gave information about:

• War against Troy• Religion• Clothing, armor• Weapons• Ships• Culture

The Dark Ages

•The Mycenaeans never returned to a peaceful existence.

•The Dorians drove them out of Greece.

THE DARK AGE

Although generally isolated and backward, the Dark

Age did see some technological and cultural

innovations that would create foundation for

future Greek civilization

Iron, for example, came into general use for

weapons and agricultural implements

People who fled Greece settled on Aegean Islands, coast of Asia Minor, and

elsewhere, forming base for prosperous city-states that

would develop there

The Dark Age 1100 - 750 BC)

• The Mycenaeans settled in the Aegean islands and on the western shore of Asia Minor. Later, this was known as Ionia.

• Greece enters period of Dark Ages because of Dorian Invasions, droughts, and earthquakes

One step back. . .

• This began a time of wandering and killing.

• Trade stopped. • Many skills were

forgotten including how to read and write, fresco painting, working with ivory and gold, etc.

END OF THE DARK AGE• Greece broke out of its

narrow isolation due to influence of Phoenician merchants around 800 BC– Related to Canaanites– Renewed Greek contacts

with Middle East through trade

• Evidence is extensive– Greeks adopted

Phoenician/Canaanite alphabet

– Converted into their own alphabet

– Established trade contacts with Phoenician city-states in Syria

End of Dark Ages• At end of Dark Ages farming increase= surplus of food• Surplus of food=population growth=not enough room for people

on island or lack of natural resources leads to colonization • The scattering of Mainland Greeks leads to Greeks colonizing

islands in between Asia Minor and Greece in the Aegean Sea and strips of Asia Minor 900 to 700 B.C.

• Which leads to trade at the end of the Dark Ages• Goods they were not found in Greece could be gained through

friendly trade• Grains, metals, fish, timber, and enslaved people• Then Greeks started using coins=money end of barter and

trade• Lydians from Lydia in Asia Minor invented the idea of

currency=money

A New Name:

• Eventually they developed independent communities and began calling themselves Hellenes, or Greeks.

City-States• After Dark Ages cameron is my favorite student

• Kings become weak

• Landowners= nobles=aristocrats gain power

• Aristocrats control government

• Aristocracy = Oligarchy=few rule

• City-states form

• Cities act as own country

• Citizens of city-state=only male landowners

• Small farmers lose land to rich nobles• Poor people and poor farmers start supporting tyrants=one man

ruler absolute power=to reform unfair laws made by rich

• Tyrants make things better for non citizens

• Non citizens then want citizenship and right to participate in government and overthrow tyrants

• Army of CITIZENS develops=Hoplites

• Used tight formation with big shields, spears, and daggers

• Tight formation=phalanx • Poor being soldiers leads to

them having more say in government

Sparta

SPARTAN TRAINING I• Every new-born infant examined by

committee– Abandoned to die if it showed any type

of deformity• Boys began military trainging at age 7

– Remained members until age 18– Put through increasingly brutal series of

classes designed to make them used to suffering and hardship

• Also designed to break down family relationships

– Girls still lived at home while boys lived away from parents

• Girls’ education focused on music, dancing, and mainly athletics

SPARTAN TRAINING II• Began formal military training at age

18 as a soldier – Took 2 years to complete

• At 20 yrs. old Applied for admission into a military club (regular army) after successful completion of training– Membership was official indication

that a boy had become a man– Application for admission had to be

voted on by other members of club• Vote had to be unanimous

• Not allowed to marry or have a family for 10 years=30yrs. old– Still had to have meals with club

until he was 60• Military clubs formed basic unit of

military service

HELOTS

• Spartan men given plots of land to support themselves after they joined a military club– Did not work land themselves– Work done by helots

• Slaves owned by the Spartan state

• Manufacturing also done by helots

• Spartan men lived off the work of others so that they could devote their entire life to being a soldier

SPARTAN GOVERNMENT

• Oligarchy= few people hold power=aristocrats= land owners

• Government = 2 kings, council, assembly, ephors

• Two kings– Led army and Sparta in general– Hereditary

• Council– 28 man council– All members over 60 years old– Drew up proposals or laws for legislation

• Assembly of the Spartans– All full male citizens over 30– Voted on legislative proposals– Presided over by five elected officials called

ephors enforced laws and managed tax collection

King Leonidas

Athens

Solon Reform• Limits power of rich & land ownership

• All male landowners could vote

• All debts were erased

• All enslaved due to debt, were freed

• All Athenian citizens able to participate in government in a assembly and courts

• Wealthy 400 wrote laws

• Assembly passed them(vote)

• Farmers still want him to take more land from rich

Peisistratus

• 30 years after Solon =turmoil

• Tyrant Peisistratus make reforms

• Divided large estates among landless farmers

• Loaned money to poor

• Created jobs for poor by increasing public works

• example: Built temples

The FirstDemocratic Constitution

• The First Democratic Constitution created by Cleisthenes in 508 BCE (lasted 300 yrs.)

• Assembly voted to make laws and elect generals

• 10 generals top and 1 acted as president=enforced laws & collected taxes

• Council of 500, chosen by lot, proposed laws, dealt with foreign affairs, oversaw treasury

• Women, foreign-born, & slaves still excluded from government

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/greeks/greekdemocracy_2.shtml

Representation of Cleisthenes

• AthensAthens• Government:Government: • Limited democracy (only male Limited democracy (only male

citizens could participate), citizens could participate), Council of 500 which made the Council of 500 which made the laws, voting Assembly.laws, voting Assembly.

• Soldiers:Soldiers: • Citizen soldiers – only during Citizen soldiers – only during

wartimewartime• Slaves:Slaves: • No political rights or freedoms. No political rights or freedoms.

Owned by individualsOwned by individuals• Women: Women: • Cared for the home, limited Cared for the home, limited

political rights.political rights.• Education:Education:• Upper class boys only. Military Upper class boys only. Military

training and preparation for training and preparation for government involvement. government involvement. Knowledge was important for a Knowledge was important for a democratic government. democratic government.

• SpartaSparta• Government:Government: • Two kings (military generals) Two kings (military generals)

and a council of elders. and a council of elders. Citizens were male, native Citizens were male, native born, over 30.born, over 30.

• Soldiers:Soldiers: • Military society, all males Military society, all males

prepared to be soldiers from prepared to be soldiers from birth. Soldiers from age 7 – 30.birth. Soldiers from age 7 – 30.

• SlavesSlaves• Owned by the StateOwned by the State• Women:Women: • Prepared physically for Prepared physically for

fighting, right to inherit fighting, right to inherit property, must obey men.property, must obey men.

• Education:Education:• Boys only. Military based Boys only. Military based

training from age 7. Taught to training from age 7. Taught to fight. Prohibition against fight. Prohibition against trade, travel and mixing with trade, travel and mixing with other city-states.other city-states.

The Persian EmpireThe Persian Empire

Cyrus the GreatPersian King who defeated Babylon and ended the Jews’ captivity.

Cyrus ruled from 559 to 530 B.C.E. and was a great leader, hence the name Cyrus the Great.Ruling StyleHe was very respectful of other cultures. Not only did he free the Jews, but he also treated conquered peoples fairly. He allowed them to keep their own religions and customs.

This respect made the people who lived under him respectful of his rule and less likely to revolt.

The Persians

Cyrus I

• Cyrus took over following territories

• Mesopotamia=Iraq, Syria, Parts of Asia Minor, Israel, Lebanon, Egypt

Expansion of Empire under Darius I

Ruled from 521-486 B.C.E. added western India to the Persian Empire.

Then added Thrace in Europe and expanded the Empire to its greatest size. He also brought the Persian Empire into conflict with the Greeks. Satrapies

Darius divided him empire into provinces called Satrapies to make it more manageable.

Each province was ruled by a governor called aSatrap.

This man was the protector of the kingdom.

They collected taxes, provided justice and security, and got soldiers for the army.

The Royal Road

The Royal road stretched from Lydia to Susa, the chief capital of the empire. It used a system of couriers similar to the Assyrians. This allowed for efficient communication in the empire Persian Military

The Persians had an elite military. It contained people from all over the Persian Empire.

The Immortals

The Elite fighters of the Persian Empire.They were so called because in battle their numbers were never allowed to fall below 10,000 men. They were constantly replaced from behind so they appeared to never die.

PersepolisPersepolis

Persian “Royal Road”Persian “Royal Road”

Zarathustra [Zoroaster], 6c

BCE:Good Thoughts, Good Deed, Good Words

Zarathustra [Zoroaster], 6c

BCE:Good Thoughts, Good Deed, Good Words

“Tree of Life”“Tree of Life”

Dualistic Battle of Good vs. Evil

Dualistic Battle of Good vs. Evil

Ahura Mazda“Holy Spirit”Ahura Mazda“Holy Spirit”

Ahriman“Destructive

Spirit”

Ahriman“Destructive

Spirit”

Beliefs: There exists a universal God, Ahura Mazda, who is the one uncreated Creator and to whom all worship is directed. With the name being a playful combination of a masculine and a feminine word, it should be stressed that this divinity is not gender specific.

Creation is attacked by violence and destruction (The evil force is called Angra Mainyu) . The resulting conflict involves the entire universe, including humanity, which has an active role to play in the conflict. Ahura Mazda will ultimately prevail, at which point time will end.

Active participation in life through good thoughts, good words and good deeds are necessary to ensure happiness and to keep the chaos at bay.

There is a concept of free will, to decide whether to perform good thoughts, words and deeds.

Important Time Periods

• Prehistory any time before 3500 B.C.

• Ancient Civilization: 3500 B.C.- 500 B.C.

• Classical Period: 500 B.C.-A.D. 476

• Middle Ages: A.D. 476- A.D. 1550

• Dark Ages: A.D. 476 – A.D. 1000

• Renaissance: A.D. 1350- A.D. 1550

Persian War Round 1 Classical Period

500-336 BC • Darius, Persian King, mad at mainland

Greece, especially Athens

• Athens helped Greek colony Ionian in Asia Minor revolt against Persia

• Persia prevails

• Persia sets out to punish Athens by attacking Athens

Why did the Persians invade Greece?

In 519 B.C. the Persians conquered a group of people who

lived in Asia Minor called the Ionian Greeks.

In 499 B.C. the Ionian Greeks asked the mainland Greeks to help them rebel

against the Persians.

Help!

Athens sent warships to help them, but they were not strong enough to defeat the Persian

army.

We’re on the way

The made the Persian King, Darius, very angry with Greece.

AGH!Those Greeks

will pay for this

In 490 B.C. Darius sent 600 ships and thousands of soldiers to invade Greece. He wanted to punish the Athenians for helping the rebels.

The Persian army landed at Marathon, north of Athens, in

490 B.C.

The Persians greatly outnumbered the Greeks.

Marathon

The Persians were amazed at the strong will

of the small Athenian force. They had no

horses or archers, only fierce foot soldiers.

Persian Empire

Athens

Sparta

After a few days, the Persians decided to

attack Athens by sea. While they were loading their ships, the Athenians attacked and defeated them.

The Persians Retreated.

Victory & Defeat in the Greek World

• 490 B.C., the Persians attacked the city-state of Athens

• 10,000 Greeks vs. 20,000 Persians

• The Athenians defeated the Persians at Marathon

Marathon

• Pheidippides was told to sprint 26 miles to Athens to present the news of victory– He said “Rejoice, we

conquer,” and then died

– Shouted Nike=goddess of victory

Persian War Round II:Thermopylae

• Xerxes=Darius’s son 4 yrs. Later wants revenge on Greece

• Sends 180,000 vs 7,000 at Thermopylae• Spartans great army• Athenians great navy• Spartan lead army of 300• Spartan King= Leondias leads land attack• At narrow passage known as Thermopylae

Persian War Round II:Thermopylae

• Thermopylae important because it gave Athens enough time to prepare Navy against Persia

• Greeks held off Persians for 2 days

• All Greeks were killed at Thermopylae

Round Two• 480 B.C., the Persians burned

Athens, however it was empty• The Athenians had put their faith

in their warships under the command of Themistocles and defeated the Persian fleet at Salamis strait

• Greek advantage faster and easier to maneuver ships in narrow strait

• One year later they defeated the Persian army on land at Plataea

• Athens emerged as the most powerful city-state in Greece

End of Persian Empire

• 150 years later empire falls

• Later Persian kings tax too much

• High taxes=revolts

• Persian royal family fought against each other

• Greek conquer Alexander the Great defeats Persia.

The Delian League• Athens organized the Delian League – a

democratic alliance with other Greek city-states– Was used by Athens to rebuild the Athenian empire

Golden Age of Athens

• Pericles ruled Athens from 460 B.C. to 429 B.C.= 30 years– This period is known

as the Age of Pericles

Direct Democracy

• Athens had a direct democracy under Pericles– Male citizens ran the government as they had

a special responsibility to participate

• Athens prospered in the Age of Pericles and became the cultural center of Greece– Many thinkers, writers, and artists came to

Athens

Athens – The City Pericles Built Direct Democracy – Citizen assembly voted Direct Democracy – Citizen assembly voted

directly on lawsdirectly on laws• Representative Democracy= elected officials

to represent the people Huge construction projects – Acropolis and Huge construction projects – Acropolis and

Parthenon rebuiltParthenon rebuilt Emphasis on arts, architecture, philosophy Emphasis on arts, architecture, philosophy

and medicineand medicine

Pericles’ Reforms

• People’s talents more important than social standing

• Lower class males run for public office

• All free-born male citizens could be involve in government

• Dominated the Delian League=lots of money

In the 1st winter of the war (Peloponnesian War), the Athenians held a public funeral. Its purpose

was to honor those who had died in battle.

• Funeral Oration: On this day, Pericles spoke to the crowd. He talked about the greatness of Athens and reminded the people that they made their government strong.

Greek against Greek

Many Greeks resented the Athenian domination.

The Greek world split into rival camps.

To counter the Delian League, Sparta and other enemies of Athens formed the Peloponnesian League.

Sparta encouraged an Oligarchy (government run by business) in the states of the Peloponnesian League, and

Athens supported democracy.

A 27 year war broke out in 431 B.C. engulfing all of Greece

Peloponnesian War•Athens faced a serious geographic disadvantage from the start.

•Sparta was located inland, the Athenian navy was no good against them.

•When Sparta invaded Athens, Pericles allowed people from the countryside to move inside the city.

•Overcrowding led to a plague that killed a third of the people.

•Pericles died

•Internal struggles undermined the Democratic government of Athens.

•Sparta even allied with Persia, their old enemy, against the Delian League.

•Finally, in 404 B.C., with the help of the Persian navy, the Spartans captured Athens and stripped it of its fleet and empire.

The Aftermath of WarThe Peloponnesian war ended Athenian greatness.

In Athens Democratic government suffered: Corruption and selfish interests replaced order.

Fighting continued to disrupt the Greek world.

Sparta itself suffered defeat at the hands of Thebes, another Greek city-state.

Greece was left vulnerable to invasion.

Cultural development was arrested.

Macedonia and Alexander the Great

Hellenistic Greece 336-146 BC) In 338 B.C. King Phillip II of

Macedonia led his army from the north and conquered Greece.

After his death his son, Alexander the Great, went on to conquer the

entire Greek world.

Typical

house of a

wealthy

man