Ancient Greece

SOL: WHI 5

What we will try to answer…

• How did the mountains, seas, islands, harbors, peninsulas, and straits of the Aegean Basin shape Greek economic, social, and political development and patterns of trade and colonization?

Geography

• Rugged peninsula• Surrounded by Aegean Sea• Mountainous• No Navigable rivers• Narrow valleys• Lots of Inlets and Bays

Sea

(Aegean Sea, Mediterranean Sea, and Black Sea)• used as water ways to unite the people• linked Greeks to other societies• sea trade was essential

Land• 3/4ths mountains (Mt Olympus-tallest, home of the gods)• Difficult to unite all of Greece because of multiple valley

communities• only small streams, not suitable for irrigation• No large population• Main crops-grains, grapes, olives—simple diet

Climate

• Moderate temps• Only rains in winter

Important key concepts so far..

1. Agriculture was limited due to the land not being arable ( lead to colonization)

2. Mountainous terrain helped and hindered the development of city-states

Mycenaeans

• 1400 BC – dominated the Aegean world• Were sailors and traders– Traded with Sicily, Egypt, Mesopotamia, and

Minoans– Took over the Minoan civilization in Crete

Mycenaean Society

• Warrior– Kings supported by nobles who exchanged lands

and favors - dominated society• Artisans/ Craftsmen, architects, merchants• Peasants and slaves • Most of what we know of society comes from

Homer’s Illiad and Odyssey

Mycenaean Decline

• Collapse- 1200 B.C.• Warfare and Earthquakes• Trojan War was the last great enterprise, 1250

BC

“The Dark Ages”

• The Dorians– Indo-European invaders who took over

Mycenaeans– 1100 BC – 800 BC: took step backward• Scorned city-life, lost skills, didn’t write• Bad traders• Lead to the Greek Dark Ages.

Trojan War

• Told by Homer• Hector of Troy stole Helen the wife of the

Greek King • Proved true by Heinrich Schliemann who

found Troy

Greek Culture

• Focus on Arete, the strive for excellence, honor, fame, and showing courage

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccDFpoF5tZw

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFn47a_Ny0Y

Olympic Games

• Held in Olympia to honor the gods• Every four years starting in 776 BC• Pentathlon: broad jump, discus, javelin, stadium

sprint (200 yards), wrestling• Prizes were a olive wreath and fame and honor

Athens and Sparta

WHI: 5c

Essential Questions

1. How did democracy develop in Athens?

2. How did Sparta differ from Athens?

Social Structure

• Polis- city-state; was the fundamental political unit in ancient Greece.– made up of a city and its surrounding countryside

Social Structure

• Citizens (free adult males) had political rights and responsibility of civic participation in government.

• Women and foreigners had no political rights.• Slaves had no political rights.

Political Structure

• Monarchy– Single person ruled (King)– Rule is hereditary– Some rulers claim divine right – Practiced in Mycenae

Political Structure

• Aristocracy (Athens)– Ruled by nobility– Rule is hereditary; based on family ties– Practiced in Athens prior to 594 B.C

Political Structure

• Tyranny (Athens)– Powerful individuals (nobles or wealthy citizen)

take over by appealing to the common people• Rulers were not seen as harsh like they are today.• Set up jobs once in power.

Political Structure

• Important tyrants– Draco• First written laws in Athens

– Solon• Asked to rule and make reforms to end conflict

between rich and poor

• Both pushed for reform

Political structure

• Democracy (Athens)– State ruled by its citizens – Rule is based on citizenship– Majority rule decides votes – Practiced in Athens by about 500 B.C

• Origin of democratic principles– Direct democracy, public debate, duties of the

citizen

Political Structure

• Oligarchy (Sparta)– State ruled by a small group of citizens– Rule is based on wealth or ability– Ruling group controls military

Sparta

• Located in Peloponnesus (South)• Conquered the Messenians• Messenians became helots (aka-slaves)

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFENA4I5xws&feature=related

Code of Lycurgus

• Unhealthy babies were left for dead• 7year-old boys joined the military • At 20 a man could marry but stayed in the

military • At 30 a man moved into the reserves for 30

years

Spartan Women

• Women wrestled and played other sports in addition to running family estates

• Women had every right except to vote

Persian Wars

SOL: WHI.5d

Persian Invasion

• Invasion #1 (490 BC) – Started in Ionia– Greeks in Ionia revolted against Persian Rule– King Darius vowed to destroy Athens

Battle of Marathon– 10,000 Athenians repelled 25,000 Persians at Marathon – Persians head to Athens by boat– Pheldippides beat them there by running the 26.2 miles to Athens to

warn the people, “Rejoice, we conquer”

Invasion #2

• Xerxes, son of Darius vowed to crush Greece– Persian military had people from all over (Ethiopia, Arabs,

Russians, and Persians)– Some of Greece fought, others choose not to

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDF5n8bFD24

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RQm37K-clg

Battle at Thermopylae

• Narrow mountain pass held by 7,000 Athenians and 300 Spartans– A traitor told Xerxes another way around– Leonidas and his Spartans held as long as they could while the

Athenians returned to defend the city

End of 2nd Invasion

• Athens evacuated• Battle at sea– 310 Greek ships rammed holes in the less agile Persian

ship and sunk them

• Xerxes was scared and left

Consequences of Invasions

• Athens became a hero and formed the Delian League of 140 city states

• Delian League was to protect against a Persian invasion but was just an excuse to build an Athenian Empire

Key Concepts

• Persian wars united Athens and Sparta against Persia

• After the Athenian victory over Persia at Marathon and Salamis, Greeks were in control of the Aegean Sea.

• Athens preserved its independence and continued innovations in government and culture.

Peloponnesian War: Athens vs. Sparta

• Rival pressures build and in 431 BC, the Spartans attacked and burnt the Athenian food supply

• Athenians tried to force a naval battle

Why Athens Lost:

1. Plague of 430 BC– killed 1/3rd of Athens, including Pericles

2. Athenian navy defeated at Syracuse (Sicily)3. 404 BC, Athens surrendered

Effects of War

1. Athens lost empire, power, wealth2. Confidence in democratic government

decreased3. Art began to flourish and statues began to

have emotional faces4. Drama shifted to Comedies, made fun of

politics, people, and ideas.