Section II: Greek City-States Rise to Power
(Pages 106-111)
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This section is about:
How Greek towns organized
into city-states with different
forms of government.
How Sparta was governed by
military leaders.
How Spartan society
emphasized military discipline.
How Athens developed a
limited democracy in which
only free men could
participate.
How Sparta, Athens, and many
other city-states united to
defeat Persian invaders in the
Persian Wars.
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Before we start, we
should look at the “Main
Ideas” on page 106
Lets also look at
“Compare and Contrast”
on the same page – but
let’s change the last two
words (ancient Greece)
to “the United States.”
Greek City-States
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Greek towns organized
themselves into “city-states”
– which they called a “polis.”
Each had between a few
hundred and a few thousand
people.
It was usually as big as a city
and the area around it (about
like our towns/cities and their
suburbs now).
They usually had a fortress
on the top – called an
acropolis (highest point).
It was for protection from
attacks, but was also the
center of their government
and their religion.
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Below the acropolis: the
main part of the city – with
a public square and a
marketplace for farmers,
shopkeepers and
politicians.
There were several citystates in Greece.
Being a citizen of a citystates was important –
along with the
responsibilities and duties
of being a citizen.
Greeks adopted the
Phoenician alphabet – and
later their language (they
thought if you didn’t
speak Greek, you were a
“barbarian).”
City-State Government
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Each polis tried to set up
it’s own government.
Citizen-soldiers would
defend their city-states
if the needed to.
They fought in a
“phalanx” with helmets,
body armor, spears, and
swords (bronze).
It was expensive for all
their equipment, so only
wealthy people (or their
slaves) could be
soldiers.
Wealthy landowners began to
demand some form of power
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Some city-states became
aristocracies – run by a small,
wealthy group.
Wealthy nobles and businessmen
also wanted some power and
formed oligarchies (small
powerful group in control – “the
rule of a few”)
Athens and Sparta end up
becoming two of Greece’s most
powerful and most famous citystates
Sparta
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By 700 BC, Sparta had
conquered many of it’s
neighbors.
There were even more
conquered people in Sparta
than there were Spartans.
To control them, they
developed a very military
lifestyle.
Very little individual freedoms,
family life, the arts, luxuries.
Today – if you live a “Spartan
life” – you live with very few
(or no) luxuries.
Sparta
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Governed by 2 military
leaders/kings.
Had a 28 member council of
elders (men over 60).
The chose issues to be
presented to “the assembly.”
The Assembly was made up of
any free male over 30.
The Assembly had 5 overseers
(ephors) who gave advice to the
kings (who had to “consider” the
advice).
Ephors were also responsible for
the education of Sparta youth.
Sparta was all
about military
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They were all about producing soldiers
and keeping them in shape.
When boys were 7 they were sent to live
in “barracks” to start to train to be
soldiers.
They were under-fed and only given 1
pair of light clothes (to toughen them
up).
They lived there until they were 30.
Then, they could live at home (even
though they ate each day with all the
other soldiers).
When they were 30, they could vote.
They were available to fight until they
were 60.
Boys were told: “come home with your
shield or on it.”
Spartan Women
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Had more rights than other Greek
women.
They could inherit land.
Women often controlled property
after their husbands were killed
while fighting).
They were encouraged to exercise
and keep physically fit (so they
could have strong, healthy
babies).
Girls were taught to run, wrestle,
and throw a spear.
They also got to go to school a
little.
Sparta (History Channel)
Athens
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Athens grew quickly
(around 750 BC).
They had some tyrants
(unfair rulers) who tried to
gain power, but Draco was
appointed to establish new
rules and laws (even though
he came up with unpopular
and harsh laws).
Death was a penalty for
most crimes (even smaller
ones).
It was pretty much a military
state (government where the
police/military are in
charge).
Reforms and a Limited Democracy
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When they almost had a civil war,
Solon was given authority to write new
laws.
He tried to balance power between
rich and poor (it used to be if you
couldn’t re-pay someone, you became
their slave).
He gave citizenship to some foreigners
– to attract more business to Athens.
He came up with an idea to have a
council of 500 citizens to propose laws
to the assembly (free male citizens).
This is probably the first legislature
(law making group) and created some
of the ideas for democracy later used
by…
Um…
But – only free adult men were
considered citizens.
The School of Athens / By Raphael (some of the world’s greatest thinkers)
Education in Athens
(yes – school even then)
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Boys were expected to become wellrounded individuals.
It was important to be able to read,
write, and do arithmetic.
Also: play musical instruments, sing,
and exercise their body.
Learned public speaking, debating,
and other political skills.
Recited memory passages (like
Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey).
The wealthier learned all this better
than the poor.
Girls – stayed at home and maybe
learned a little on their own.
By 499 BC. the Greeks had to unite.
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To fight against the Persians
(in many battles).
Sparta and Athens even
fought together against the
Persians (in the Persian War).
At one time Athens and
Sparta weren’t doing to well.
But they re-grouped and in
the battle of Salamis (first
naval battle ever recorded)
beat the Persians (300 sunk
ships to 40).
There were more battles, but
the Persians finally ended up
going home.
After these wars…
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The Spartans went back to
Sparta to do their thing.
Athens wanted to make
sure they would be okay if
the Persians attacked again.
They organized an alliance
(including 140 city-states
that fought in the Persian
Wars) which promised to
help defend each other.
The center of this alliance
(friendship) was in Athens –
which ended up giving
Athens enormous power.
This ends up being “the
Golden Age of Athens.”
Herodotus:
the
“Father of History”
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We get a lot of these stories
from him. He traveled around
the Mediterranean to study
places he wrote about and to
learn stories of historic events
which took place there.
He did present many facts, but
also included many “legends”
that may or may not have
been true.
What do you think about that?
Horrible Histories: Groovy Greeks (Athens School/Spartan Musical)
Horrible Histories: Spartan Parent Teacher Conference
Horrible Histories: Spartan/Athens Wife Swap