Where is Greece?

• Sunny Greece is 1,500 miles from England.

• It’s capital city is Athens

• It is famous for its beautiful beaches and sea!

Ancient Greece

• In Ancient Greece, the different cities were at war with each other.

• The most fearsome fighters came from the town of Sparta.

The Climate

• The climate is Mediterranean.

• The Mediterranean Sea affects the Greek climate, cooling the air in summer and providing warmth in winter.

• The warm summers are cooled by a seasonal breezes from the Mediterranean called the ‘Meltemia’.

The Climate - Summer• The Greek summer is hot

and dry.• On average the sun

shines for 3,000 hours per year.

• The average temperature is 33°.

• In Britain it is 15°.• The average rainfall is

6mm.• In Britain it is 76mm.

The Climate - winter

• The Greek winter is moderate. It can be rainy on costal regions and snowy in the mountains.

• The average temperature is 15°.

• In Britain it is 4°, sometimes falling to -10°.

• The average rainfall is 65mm.

• In Britain it is over 100mm.

Ancient greece - terrain

• Greece has a very scenic landscape.

• The terrain of Greece is very varied.

• There are mountains, valleys and coasts.

• The high mountains are separated by deep valleys through which rivers flow.

Ancient greece - terrain

• No part of Greece is more than about forty miles from the coast (a couple of days walking).

• There are lots of islands surrounding Greece.

• However, millions of years ago the seabed was completely dry!

soil and plants

• Vegetation is dependent on geographical regions.

• Due to the variety of land, there a some 6,000 indigenous species in Greece.

• In Ancient Greece, farmers grew olives, figs, grain, fruit and grapes in the fertile valleys.

Soil and plants

• However, other parts of Ancient Greece had drier soil and less vegetation, particularly around the cities.

• Although surrounded by sea water, they found it difficult to find fresh water away from the valleys.

• The high mountains also prevented large-scale farming, so the Greeks were forced to look beyond their own country for fertile land.

volcanic

• Another important aspect of the Greek environment is that it is very unstable.

• Greece is in the middle of a very volcanic zone, between the European and African tectonic plates.

• There are several active volcanoes and earthquakes are common.

Time Line

  776 BC     The first Olympic games.

about 750 BC   Early Greek culture. Homer '.

writes the epics 'The Iliad' and the 'Odyssey

650 - 580 BC    Corinth is ruled by the tyrant Kypselos and then his son Periander.  

508 BC       Democracy begins in Athens   

490 and 480 BC    Greeks defeat Persian invaders at the battles of Marathon (490 BC)and Salamis (480 BC).

by 450 BC      Athens becomes a very powerful city, and controls an empire.   

472 - 410 BC Greeks theatre thrives in Athens. Many of the most famous Greek plays are written during this time.     

The Greek World

Trade, very important… Why?

• Greek farmers could not have sustained a civilization like we saw in Egypt or Mesopotamia

• Colonies shipped goods to mainland

• Money replaced the barter system

Distinct City-States…Common Cultural Features

•Strong city-state ties and identity •an independent spirit •Bitter economic rivalries •All led to continuous fighting among the Greek city-states BUT Despite these divisions, the Greeks shared a common culture.

Unifying Culture Forces of Unifying Culture Forces of the City-Statesthe City-States

1. They honored the same ancient heroes and Homer’s writings.

2. They participated in common festivals and holidays.

3. They prayed and shared the same gods.

4. They shared the Greek language. 5. They felt superior to non-Greeks,

whom they called “barbaroi,” people who did not speak Greek.

Aegean Civilizations3000 B.C. – 1000 B.C.

• Minoans

• Mycenaeans

Aegean Civilizations3000 B.C. – 1000 B.C.

• Minoans

• Mycenaeans

The Minoans2500 B.C. – 1400 B.C.

• Located on the island of Crete

• Sir Arthur Evans discovered the Minoan civilization in 1894

• Evans names them from his findings of King Minos

Extensive Trade Travel

• A trading empire… took ideas from Egypt and Mesopotamia

• Traders not fighters… Why?

• Dominated the seas with no competition

What happens to the Minoans?What happens to the Minoans?

• Civilizations just disappears: Destroyed around 1400 B.C. no one really knows…

• Possible theories: -tidal wave -Mycenaean invasion -Volcanic eruption

•

The Minoans, 2000 B.C.-1400B.c.

• Left us a legacy of fantastic frescoes.

Frescoes reveal much about Minoan life

-Worshipped a Mother

Earth Goddess -the bull

Women appeared to have more freedom

N Entrance of the Palace of Knossos

Fresco of three Minoan women

HistoryWiz: The Minoans

Rulers of Mycenae

• Around 1900 B.C.E., a central Asian people began settling in mainland Greece

• Spoke Greek • Intermarried with the locals • Became a interested in trade because of the

poor soil and few natural resources

The Mycenaean World of Ancient Greece

•Very Aggressive warriors

•They invade Crete and adopt and spread many features of the Minoan culture:

-adapted Minoan writing system to Greek

-Copies images from pottery

-Minoan legends influence Greek religion, art and politics

• Mycenaeans located their cities on hills so they could watch for invaders by land or sea

• Each city centered around a hilltop or an acropolis on the mainland of Greece.

• Lived in a fortified city with walls 20 feet thick

               

Lion gate of Mycenae

Mycenaean Tomb

Mycenaean GoddessMore Mycenaean Artifacts

The Trojan WarThe Trojan War• The traditional

legend is believed to reflect a real war

• Between mainland Greeks and the inhabitants of Troy

Why So Remembered???

The war probably resulted from the desire of either to plunder the wealthy city or to put an end to Troy's commercial control of the Dardanelles purely economic

BUT… legend “tells us” that is about a Trojan youth kidnapping the wife of a Greek king!

Why? Because he could not live without her…We love it don’t we… and so did the Greeks!

Helen being stolen by Paris!

• Modern archaeological excavations have shown that Troy was destroyed by fire sometime between 1230 BC and 1180 BC.

• Which supports the time frame of the Trojan War… •

How did the war end…• The war lasted ten years • With both sides well-

matched only a masterful scheme could end the war:

The Mycenaeans would give Troy a gift…

THE TROJAN HORSE

Dark Age in Greece

• Dorian invaders sweep onto the peninsula (Brown lines)

• Iron weapons give them the advantage • The Mycenaeans never recover.

Dark Age in Greece• Dorians continue

their advance around the Greek mainland and Crete

• Artistic skills and writing were forgotten; not valued by the new rulers.

• Many Greeks fled to Asia Minor and their the Phoenician alphabet is adopted

The Iliad The Iliad and and The OdysseyThe Odysseyby Homerby Homer

• Homer, blind poet

• Poems appear at the end of Greek’s Dark Age -750 BC

• They are orally passed to the next generation

•Homer’s heroes display honor, courage, and eloquence

•The Iliad and the Odyssey reveal many of the values of ancient Greeks.

The Epics of Homer

Greek Religion: Its Gods and Goddesses

• Greeks were very religious people

• No priestly class or sacred scripture.

• Polytheistic

Greek MythsGreek Myths• A rich tradition developed about

their Gods

Greeks used these myths/stories to try and understand human passion and mysteries of nature -Myths would explain the changing seasons or

-Try to explain death or disease

Greek Gods Greek Gods

1.People emulated the Gods’ behavior

2. Influenced peoples’ actions

3. Gods lived on Mt. Olympus

4. Each God controlled a specific part of the universe.

Greek Religion: Its Gods and Goddesses

• Each city-state had a patron god.

• Over 60 days a year were dedicated to the celebration, worship and partying!

Athena, Goddess of Athens

Can you name some popular Greek Gods?

Zeus: king of the gods

Ares: god of war

Aphrodite: goddess of love

Athena: goddess of wisdom

Apollo: god of light

Poseidon: god of the sea

The Olympic GamesThe Olympic Games• Stressed athleticism in

their school curriculum • Held to honor Zeus • Trade and wars stopped

during games • Athletes came from all

over the world to compete

• Individual events rather than team

• Women were not allowed

Cities represented at Olympic games

Governing the City-States

Between 750 B.C. and 500 B.C., the Greeks evolved different forms of government.

At first, the ruler was a king. A government in which a king or queen exercises central power is called a monarchymonarchy.

Governing the City-States

Slowly, power shifted to a class of noble landowners. At first, the nobles defended the king, but in time, they won power for themselves. A government ruled by a landholdinglandholding, noble elitenoble elite is called an aristocracyaristocracy.

Governing the City-States

As trade expanded, a new class of wealthy merchants, farmers, and artisans came to dominate some city-states. A government in which power is in the hands of a small, powerful elite, usually from the business class, is called an oligarchyoligarchy.

Review of GovernmentsReview of Governments1. monarchy: [‘single ruler'] A government

in which a king or queen exercises central power (chosen by birth; hereditary)

2. aristocracy: ['best-rule'] noble land- holding families (hereditary distinction)

3. oligarchy: ['few-rule'] small group of business elites like, merchants, farmers and artisans (wealth distinction)

New Kind of Military

•Each city-state had citizen-soldiers

•Each city-state provided its own defense

•Hoplite name comes from the Greek word “hopon” for shield

Hoplite 

New Technique: Phalanx• A new method of

fighting emerged called “phalanx”

• A massive formation of heavily armed foot soldiers that moved in unison

• Required hours of drill and practice!

Ancient SpartaAncient Sparta

• Peloponnesus region in southern Greece

• Founded by descendants of Dorian invaders

• Map shows Sparta and its colonies

SpartaSparta

SpartaSparta• Military Society;

largest and most sophisticated army in the known world

• Forbade: trade, travel and free speech!

• Needed army to control slave population

• Control lasted over 250 years.

• All conquered people became… – Government owned

slaves named helots helots – 20 to 1 of the

population • Government: Monarchy

puppet • Oligarchy in reality

2 kings and 28 counselors

who had the real power • No interest in trade or in

education other than in the arts of war

Spartan Military LifeArmy governed life What did it mean for a man? Trained in military -Started at age 7 -Marry at 20 but live in barracks -Retire at 60 53 years of service! •Males can vote at 30

Reading: Sparta, The training of Youth

Spartan WomenSpartan WomenHow did Spartan women

live? • Taught to read and write • Did not perform many

domestic tasks • Women were trained in

athletic events:

javelin, discus, foot races, and staged battles

• Would have to run naked in front of males

Spartan Women

• Expected to produce healthy children or?

• Fed better • Taught loyalty to the state • Had Property Rights • Protect home for husband • The Wedding – Nothing

most women would want…Listen and Decide!

•

Athens• No other city has contributed more to the

civilization of mankind than Athens. • It is the place where democracy was born.

Athens • Founded by

Mycenaean descendants.

• Encouraged trade, dominate naval power!

• Stressed a balance of the mind and body.

Athenian WomenAthenian Women•The status of an Athenian woman in Greek society was minimal. •Married 14-16 years old, chosen by their father •Upper class had beautiful weddings!

"Teaching a woman to read and write? What a "Teaching a woman to read and write? What a terrible thing to do! Like feeding a vile snake terrible thing to do! Like feeding a vile snake on more poison." on more poison."

-Menander -Menander •

Athenian Women

Describe the life of an Athenian women: 1.Take care of home 2. Raise the children 3. Seldom allowed in public; not even

the marketplace 4. No formal education 5. Could not own property 6. Lower class women actually had

more freedom because they worked and came in contact with people.

Athens

• World’s first limited democracy

• Path to limited democracy took years and lots of blood shed!

• Revolts of the lower classes and former slaves.

Path to Athenian Democracy

Draco

• First written code of laws for Greece

• Took power away from aristocrats

Path to Athenian Democracy

SolonSolon • First real political reformer • Ordinary citizens gained greater power

through the new courts system • He made decisions to benefit the all

people in a crisis, not just the wealthy! • But still no land reform ‘aka’ land to the

landless poor

Path to Democracy

PeristratusPeristratus: • Helped the poor • Extended citizenship

with right to vote to non-landowning Athenians

• Gave some land to the peasants

Path to DemocracyCleisthenes:Cleisthenes: • Credited with establishing

democracy in Greece

• Established the law making assembly the Council of 500 to propose laws

• Former slaves got citizenship

• Tried ostracism* *banishment from the city for 10 years with 6,000 votes!

•

CleistheneCleistheness

Limited DemocracyLimited Democracy• This form of government

was used at a meeting place which the Greeks called the AssemblyAssembly.

• Here the citizens of Athens met monthly and discussed the affairs of state.

• There were no decisions made by government without first asking the Assembly met 40 times a year

Athenian Democracy

• Only those with both parents born in Athens could have citizenship

• Athens had a direct democracy: all male citizens had the right to attend the Assembly and a vote.

• No elections, leaders chosen by drawing lots •