Ancient Greece

Geography of Greece

Geography of Greece

Mountainous & islands

Caused isolation

Didn’t create large empire

Developed city-states (polis) w/ different styles of gov’t

Caused wars

Greek City-States

Athens Sparta

Women did not go to school

DemocracyChoose council

membersValued education Only wealthy boys

could get an education

Women have more rights – men fighting

Military training from 7 – 60 years old

Valued strength, duty, discipline

Military supremacy Had slaves (tried to

revolt)Several gov’t branches

Simple lifestyle (bad food)

Shared Culture

Battled Persia

Military training

Polis

Social classes

Athens & Sparta499 BCE – 449

BCE: Fight together in Greco-Persian War (Xerxes, “300” –Thermopylae, Salamis)

431-404 BCE: Fight each other in Peloponnesian War(Athens loses)

Practiced in Mycenae by 2000 B.C.

State ruled by a king

Rule was hereditary

Some rulers claimed divine right

Rule of the Kings

700-600 B.C.

hoplite – citizen soldier of a polis

free citizen; responsible for purchasing his own armor & weapon

promoted equality among soldiers

battle tactic: phalanx Hoplite Army

700 – 500 B.C.

City-states established new city-states around Mediterranean (400+)

relived overpopulation

spread Greek culture

created commercial networks & sources of new wealth

Colonization

Powerful individuals seized control of gov’t

Tyrant – leader who worked for the interest of the ordinary people

(photo to left: Periander, tyrant of Corinth) Rise of Tyrants

Hoplite power grew

Tyrants were rejected

Democracies developed (males who participated in army could take part)

Oligarchies developed (wealthiest males controlled government)

(photo to left: Acropolis in Athens)

Democracy & Oligarchy

Navy important in some city-states

Ships powered by rowers

Naval power grew & poor men who served as rowers demanded same political rights as hoplites.

Democracy expanded to include all male citizensTriremes

Greek Religion Polytheistic Gods:

◦ Zeus – ruler of the gods

◦ Hera – Zeus’ wife◦ Athena – Zeus’

daughter, goddess of wisdom

Lived on Mount Olympus Mythology – stories

about gods told to explain the natural world or the customs/beliefs of a society ◦ Medusa ◦ Heracles

Greek Philosophers: SocratesPhilosopher –

thinker who uses logic & wisdom

Question everything

Socratic method: like a teacher-student discussion, led by questioning

Accused & tried for corrupting Athens’ youth

Greek Philosophers: PlatoStudent of Socrates

Wrote down conversations of Socrates

Wrote The RepublicCorrect form of gov’t:◦Rule by philosophers

Greek Philosophers: AristotlePupil of Plato

Used a method for arguing based on logic – basis for our scientific method

Teacher to Alexander the Great

Alexander the GreatFrom Macedonia

(city-state in N. Greece)

356 – 323 BCE

Conquers all of Greece, Persia, & invades India

Hellenistic Culture – blend of Greek, Persian, Indian, and Egyptian customs & beliefs