Introduction to Ancient Greece

-The Heroic Age-

Minoans in Crete Knossos - the administrative capital with a palace

First settlers to Crete came from Asia minor about 7000 BCE

Minoan culture on Crete became quite sophisticated

-bronze tools - advanced farming -olive trees -grape vines -trade, sailing, specialized occupations -sanctuaries (sacred temples) built on hilltops -people accumulated wealth and built large houses -they wore jewelry and fine clothing -art was being created -luxury products were imported from Egypt -by 1900 BCE - the Minoans developed a system of writing called Linear A

Theseus vs the MinotaurEchoes p. 103

The MycenaeansEventually, Mycenaean warriors began to arrive on Crete

- by about 1500 BCE these Mycenaeans overtook the island - they ruled from Knossos - Mycenaeans became the first to speak Greek - they first

developed a writing system called Linear B (derived from Minoans)

- b/w 1700 & 1500 BCE powerful chiefdoms developed - these grew to become well defined states ruled by kings

Homer• existed somewhere between

850 BCE - 1102 BCE

• The first epic poet - Europe’s first literary giant.

• Attributed to writing the 2 famous poems “The Iliad and the Odyssey.

• These poems describe Greek heroes who fought in the Trojan War ≈ 1200 BCE

Inspired Homer (a painting by Raphael)

Trojan War

1240 BCE - Troy was destroyed in a battle against the Achaeans.

Trojan War

The Dark Ages

1100 - 800 BCE -

Earthquakes, foreign attacks and internal strife caused a decline in Mycenaean culture.

No written documents exist from this time.

The influence of Geography

City States - Initially isolated and independent from each other due to

surrounding mountains

The Archaic Period- Began ≈ 800 BCE

- Ended the Dark Ages - A new national literature began to develop - There was a resurgence in trade, shipbuilding, a national

religion, colonization in Italy and Sicily - The development of the first Olympic Games in 776 BCE

drawing competitors from all corners of the Greek world

Greek GovernmentDuring the Dark Ages - city state kings lost their power to

arbitrary rule by wealthy aristocratic families

Until 600 BCE - governing rights had to be won by warfare - leading to rule by tyrannos or tyrants.

In 594 BCE, a leader named Solon in Athens, insisted on reforms to written laws that helped the poor and layed the

foundation for democracy.

By 508 BCE a noble named Cleisthenes, further solidified democratic government in Athens.

Sparta- Was the only other powerful city state besides Athens, though

there were more than 300 of these

- Spartans were known to be warriors and their city rivalled with Athens and defeated its neighbouring cities to claim more land

- Lycurgus is a famous Spartan ruler remembered for - producing the best soldiers in Greece

The Persian WarsBy 550 BCE the Persian Empire was a threat to Greece

In 546 BCE Lydia’s capital Sardis fell to the Persians.

This

This led to the Battle of Marathon in 490 BCE

Read about it on p. 121In 480 BCE Persia, under King Xerxes defeated Greece but was later defeated by superior Greek naval fleet p. 122-23

Greek Art

Greek Philosophy

The Death of Socrates by Jacques Louis-David 1787 oil on Canvas

Socrates

Plato

Aristotle

School in Athens by Raphael 5 m by 7.7 m 1509 - 1511 Note Plato is pointing upwards