Why was Ancient Greece both an empire and a civilization?

Civilization-Government

They had government because from 2000-800 B.C.E. Greek city-states, were ruled by a monarchy.

In 500 B.C.E. the Greeks invented the system of government known as a democracy.

Civilization - Religion

Greeks believed that all of their gods or goddesses had human traits, but never aged or died.

The Greek’s gods each had a power over a particular part of life and nature.

Civilization - Social Structure For a period of time Greek city-states were ruled

by wealthy men called oligarchs. In Athenian culture, women could inherit little

property and had little say, however in Sparta, women could own property, and could speak their opinion.

Civilization – The Arts

The winner of an athletic game would’ve been awarded a piece of painted pottery.

This picture depicts a woman playing the flute painted on pottery.

Civilization – Written Language

Athenian boys went to school and learned reading, writing, and arithmetic from ages 6-14 .

Books were rare and expensive in Ancient Greece but they were still in existence.

Civilization - Technology

They developed different kinds of architecture with three kinds of supporting columns.

The idea of medicine and the treatment of sick people was developed by a man named Hippocrates.

Civilization – Stable food supply

A key crop in ancient Greece was the olive.

In Agora, people shopped in the market for food and household goods.

Empire – Developed Over Time Prior to Alexander the Great, Greek city-

states had existed in ancient Greece for nearly 2000 years, and Alexander united them and overtook other lands.

Empire – Strong Leader & Powerful Army that Gained Through Conquest

Alexander the Great conquered large quantities of land under the leadership of Alexander ,lands from Greece, to Persia, to Egypt, the Middle East, and even as far as India.

Empire – Developed System of Bureaucracies to Govern

In about 500 B.C.E. the ancient Greeks developed the system of government known as a democracy.

Empire – Extensive Trade

The Athenians colonized many lands around the Mediterranean Sea and imported many goods such as food because they had little farmland.

Empire – Established Religion With Others Allowed

Alexander the Great loved Greek culture and religion, but he also allowed, and respected the religions of the land he conquered. He made the Greeks worship him as the son of Zeus

Empire - Decline

Alexander the Great’s empire crumbled soon after his death in 323 B.C.E. when he was 33 years old. But he had succeeded in spreading Greek culture throughout the world.

Summary

Civilization – Ancient Greece had evidence of all seven characteristics of a civilization, government, religion, social structure, art, written language, technology, and stable food supply.

Empire – Ancient Greece also had an Empire at one time, because it didn’t start from scratch, had a strong leader and army, bureaucracies, extensive trade, established religion with others allowed, and a decline.

So ancient Greece was a civilization and empire.