Greeks

• The Greeks developed the following kinds of government: monarchy, aristocracy, tyranny, oligarchy, and democracy. Our word politics is derived from the Greek word polis.

ANCIENT GREECEANCIENT GREECE

GEOGRAPHY• Mountainous Peninsula

–¾ Mountains–¼ Fertile Soil

• Mediterranean Sea• Aegean Sea• Ionian Sea• Black Sea• 1,400 islands

• LAND–Rugged Mountains–Not many Natural Resources–No timber or precious metals–Distance between Sparta and Olympia

• 70 miles• 7 days to travel

• CLIMATE–Winter – 48 degrees–Summer – 80 degrees

TIMELINETIMELINE• 2000 BC - Crete – Minoans rule

• 1600 BC – Greece – Mycenaean Kings rule

• 1450 BC – Crete – Mycenaeans invade Crete

• 1400 BC – Crete – Minoans disappear

• 1200 BC – Anatolia – Trojan War Dorian Age

MINOANSMINOANS

• Civilization developed on island of Crete

• Narrated history

• Kept extensive records

• Bureaucrats and Trade

• Culture and Art

• Not a military state – proved to be downfall

RELIGION

• Worshiped Goddesses

• Snake Goddess

• Performed Sacrifices

• Double sided Bronze Axe

• Used to slice and kill human sacrifices

SACRIFICES AT ANEMOSPILIASACRIFICES AT ANEMOSPILIA

MINOAN PALACEMINOAN PALACE

THEORIES OF THEORIES OF DISSAPPEARANCEDISSAPPEARANCE

1. Volcanic eruption

Thera – Island 100 km from Crete

Volcanic eruption rated 6

2. Trade collapsed

Imported grain

Famine broke out

3. Mycenaeans invaded and conquered

Mycenaeans

• 2000 BC – Mainland Greece

• Last phase of Bronze Age in Greece

• Warrior Kings

• Militaristic Rulers

• Developed City-States

LIFE OF MYCENAEANSLIFE OF MYCENAEANS• Nobles

–Life of Splendor

–Drank from Gold Pitchers and Silver cups

–Buried with Treasures

• Commoners

–Farmers, weavers, goat hearders

–Leftovers from Nobles

MYCENAEMYCENAE

• Leading City-State

• On top of steep rocky ridge

• 20 Ft walls

• 90 km SW of Athens

• Military Strong Hold

Ruins at Mycenae

Outline of the City walls

Recreation of Mycenae

Lion’s Gate at Mycenae

MYCENAEANS ATTACK MINOANS

• Invade Crete – home of Minoans

• Learn value of Seaborne trade

• Adapted writing of Minoans

• Minoans lived through legends

DORIANSDORIANS

• 1200 BC – Mycenaeans were attacked by sea raiders

• Burned civilization to the ground

• Dorians moved in later

–Spoke Greek dialect

• Distant relatives of Bronze Age Greeks

DORIAN AGEDORIAN AGE

• Almost no writing

• Trade cased

• Economy collapsed

• Greek Dark Ages

• 1150 – 750 BC

–No written record

Q&AQ&A• Describe the life of the

Mycenaeans.

• Who invaded the Mycenaeans?

• Who were the Dorians?

• Describe the Dorian Age.