Ancient Greece

Geography The Modern Greek nation is a 50,000 square

mile mountainous peninsula with over 6,000

islands.

There are small plains and river valleys in

between the surrounding mountain ranges.

How did this impact civilization development?

Geography The Modern Greek nation is a 50,000 square

mile mountainous peninsula with over 6,000

islands.

There are small plains and river valleys in

between the surrounding mountain ranges.

How did this impact civilization development?

Isolation led to diverse Greek communities

with a strong sense of independence, which led

to rivalry among the city-states, or polis.

Proximity to the sea, along with natural

harbors, led to the Greeks becoming seafarers,

which led to trade and the establishment of

colonies.

The Largest Most Powerful

Greek City-States Argos

Athens

Byzantium

Corinth

Megara

Olympia

Oracle of Delphi

Sparta

Thebes

Troy

Early Greek Civilizations

The Minoan Civilization

2800 - 1450 BC

The Minoan Civilization was a Bronze Age

civilization which flourished from 2800 to

1450 BC on the island of Crete.

The Minoan Civilization was a Bronze Age

civilization which flourished from 2800 to

1450 BC on the island of Crete.

It was named after Minos, son of Zeus and

Europa, the legendary king of Crete.

Every year Minos picked seven boys and

seven girls to be sent to the labyrinth to be

eaten by the Minotaur.

Minos searched for Daedalus by travelling

from city to city asking a riddle; he would

present a spiral seashell and ask for it to be

strung all the way through. When he reached

Sicily, King Cocalus, fetched Daedalus

knowing he would be able to solve the riddle.

Daedalus tied a string to an ant, which walked

through the seashell, stringing it all the way

through. Minos then knew Daedalus was in

Cocalus’ court, and demanded he be handed

over. Cocalus managed to convince Minos to

take a bath first; then Cocalus’ daughters and

Daedalus trapped Minos in the bath, and

scalded him to death with boiling water.

The Minoan Civilization was a Bronze Age

civilization which flourished from 2800 to

1450 BC on the island of Crete.

It was named after Minos, son of Zeus and

Europa, and the legendary king of Crete.

Every year Minos picked seven boys and

seven girls to be sent to the labyrinth to be

eaten by the Minotaur.

An enormous palace complex was located at

Knossos, which was the center of a seafaring

empire with a rich culture.

Palace at Knossos

Bull Leaping

Youths Boxing

Snake Goddess, 1600 BC

The Minoan Civilization was a Bronze Age

civilization which flourished from 2800 to

1450 BC on the island of Crete.

It was named after Minos, son of Zeus and

Europa, and the legendary king of Crete.

Every year Minos picked seven boys and

seven girls to be sent to the labyrinth to be

eaten by the Minotaur.

An enormous palace complex was located at

Knossos, which was the center of a seafaring

empire with a rich culture.

Around 1450 BC, the civilization suffered a

catastrophic collapse, possibly triggered by a

tidal wave from a volcanic explosion on

Thera.

Thera

Mycenaean Greece

1600 - 1100 BC

The Mycenaean Civilization flourished from

around 1600 to 1100 BC.

Powerful monarchs built fortified palaces on

hills surround by gigantic stone walls, with

the civilian population living outside the

walls.

The Mycenaean Civilization flourished from

around 1600 to 1100 BC.

Powerful monarchs built fortified palaces on hills

surround by gigantic stone walls, with the civilian

population living outside the walls.

The Mycenaean monarchs formed a loose alliance

with an extensive commercial network.

Mycenaean pottery has been found throughout

the Mediterranean area, even in Egypt.

The Mycenaean Civilization flourished from

around 1600 B.C. to 1100 B.C.

Powerful monarchs built fortified palaces on hills

surround by gigantic stone walls, with the civilian

population living outside the walls.

The Mycenaean monarchs formed a loose alliance

with an extensive commercial network.

Mycenaean pottery has been found throughout

the Mediterranean area, even in Egypt.

By 1300 B.C. the Mycenaeans began to fight one

another, and the Mycenaean Civilization collapsed

in 1100 B.C. with the invasion of new Greek-

speaking invaders from the north.

Mycenae Today

The Mycenaeans were a warrior people who

prided themselves on heroic deeds in battle.

Epic poems were written which passed down

legends of heroes and heroic deeds.

The most famous of these epic poems, the

Iliad and Odyssey, were written by Homer.

Through his works, Homer taught that a

Greek strives for excellence, or Arête, which

is won in a struggle or contest.

Greeks looked upon these heroes as ideal

Greeks, and model themselves after them.

Courage, honor, and pride were idealized.

Homer

The Iliad was loosely based on the Trojan

War.

Paris, a prince of Troy, kidnaped Helen, wife

of the King of Sparta, which began a war that

lasted ten years.

The Iliad was loosely based on the Trojan

War.

Paris, a prince of Troy, kidnaped Helen, wife

of the King of Sparta, which began a war that

lasted ten years.

King Agamemnon of Mycenae, brother of

Sparta’s king, led an alliance of Greek city-

states against Troy.

The Mask of Agamemnon

The Iliad was loosely based on the Trojan

War.

Prince Paris of Troy kidnaped Helen, wife of

the King of Sparta, which began a war that

lasted ten years.

King Agamemnon of Mycenae, brother of

Sparta’s king, led an alliance of Greek city-

states against Troy.

Achilles was one of the principle Greek

heroes.

The Iliad was loosely based on the Trojan

War.

Prince Paris of Troy kidnaped Helen, wife of

the King of Sparta, which began a war that

lasted ten years.

King Agamemnon of Mycenae, brother of

Sparta’s king, led an alliance of Greek city-

states against Troy.

Achilles was one of the principle Greek

heroes.

The Greeks defeated the Trojans by hiding in

a huge wooden horse and leaving it as a gift.

The Trojan Horse

The Odyssey was the story of King Odysseus’

long journey home, following the Trojan War.