 Every part of the
mainland was close to
the sea.
 Many Greeks became
sailors, fishers, and
traders.
 Farming was very
difficult because of the
hilly terrain. People
relied on trade
 Their legacy was as
masters of the sea and
great shipbuilders.
 The Minoans: Named after legendary king of Crete King
Minos
 Palace in the city of Knossos. They built a great civilization
in Knossos.
 Had running water, colorful paintings all over walls, carved
figures from bronze, gold, ivory, silver, and stone.
 They also developed their own form of writing
 In 1628 b.c. a volcano erupted on a nearby island &
destroyed many nearby settlements in Crete.
 Minoan civilization grew very weak and the
Mycenaeans conquered central Crete.
 The Mycenaean came
 Controlled mainland
from the grasslands of
southern Russia to the
lowlands of Greece. They
traded with and learned
much from the Minoans.
 Adopted many elements
of Minoan civilization:
Minoan system o writing
Linear B
Greece from 1600 b.c. to
about 1200 b.c.
 Warring people who
grouped themselves in
clans or tribes.
 Earthquakes and warfare
destroyed Mycenaean
cities.
 Polis- Greek word for


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
city-state
Covered a small area of
land
Population fewer than
10,000 people
Original fort built on an
Acropolis (hill)
Agora or marketplace
 They loved their Polis
and were willing to die
for it.
 Each Polis formed its
own government & laws
 Calendar and money
 Examples of forms of governments in City-States
Monarchy: rule by one
 Aristocracy: ruled by the nobility
 Oligarchy: rule by a few
 Democracy: rule by the people

 Iliad written by Homer
 Legend of the Trojan war
 The Trojan prince Paris
fell in love with Helen, the
wife of the Mycenaean
king. He kidnapped her,
taking her to Troy. The
Mycenaean's sailed to
Troy to get her back.
 After ten years of
fighting, Odysseus
suggested they build a
large wooden horse
and place their best
soldiers in it. Then the
rest of the Mycenaean's
returned to their ships
and sailed away.
 The Trojans saw the soldiers leaving, and they thought
the horse was a gift and pulled it into the city. Once
out of sight, Odysseus turned the ships around and
began to sail back toward Troy. During the night, the
soldiers inside the horse climbed out, opened the gate
and let the returning soldiers into Troy.
 The Mycenaeans killed
the king of Troy and
burned the city.
 Then they returned to
their homes with Helen.
 Odyssey written by Homer
 Tells what happened after the Trojan war
 Adventures of the Mycenaean king Odysseus on
his way home from war
 Use the word Odyssey to refer to a long journey
The Legacies of Ancient Greece
architecture
scientific
method
theater
epics
democracy
Socratic
Method
classification
Greek
mythology
tragedy
comedy
marathon
Olympics
philosophy
Hippocratic
Oath
trial by
jury
 Different than earlier civilizations
 Looked to religion for 3 things:
 Explain nature
 Explain the emotions that sometimes cause people to
lose self control
 Believed religion could bring them certain benefits here
and now (ex: long life, good luck, and good harvest)
 Not as concerned as other ancient people about what
happened after death
 Myths are stories about gods & goddesses
that were used to explain events in nature.
12 Major Gods & Goddesses of Mt.
Olympus
Zeus
Poseidon
Hades
Hera
Apollo
Artemis
Athena
Demeter
Aphrodite
Hermes
Hephaestus
Ares
Festival held in Olympia to honor Zeus
Every four years - began 776B.C.
Olympians swore not to
cheat.
Called a truce from
war
Won an olive wreath
Winners were
heroes.
Foot races
Javelin
Warrior’s Race
Discus
Boxing
Wrestling
Horse Racing
Messengers &
Trumpeters
 Small group of land owners known as Aristocrats came
to represent each city-state’s noble class.
 Little by little nobles gained more land and more
power.
 By 700 b.c. nobles in many city-states had overthrown
their kings and taken over power.
 Over time a new middle class of wealthy merchants
emerged and they began to dominate city-states
 Hoplites: heavy infantry who carried long spears and who
fought in closely spaced rows.
 Began to take over….they became more important to the
defense of city-states so they began to demand more say in
daily government.
 Tyrant: someone who illegally took power but had the
peoples support
 At first they ended the nobles power and promoted trade
 Popular Government: Idea that people can and should rule
themselves
 Developed forms of democracy
Sparta
 Invaders from the north conquered much of
Peloponnesus (southern Greece)
 Conquered people were called Helots (the lowest
class in the Spartan society)
 Sparta was located in a valley
 A strict and highly militarized society
Spartan Society
 3 social groups
 Equals: descendents from the invaders. Controlled the
city-state. Land was divided equally among these
citizens and their families.
 Half-citizens: they were free, paid taxes, and served in
the army. Had no political power
 Helots: lowest group in society. Slaves of the state and
Spartans decided how the Helots should work and live.
The Spartans constantly had to use force to control the
Helots.
Government
 Two kings were at the head of the government
 One king led the army and the other king took care of
matters at home.
 Elders: Group of 28 men over the age of 60.
 Proposed laws and served on criminal courts.
 Assembly: all male citizens over 30 years old. Voted to
accept or reject laws proposed by the Elders.
Military Society
 Controlled life of citizens from birth to death
 Goal was to make every male citizen part of the military





machine.
Individualism and new ideas were discouraged.
At age 7 boys left home for a military barracks
Ages 18-20 was strictly training for war
At age 20 they began their military service and could not
live at home until they were 30
Girls also had to be strong and healthy. Received strict
physical training and expected to be devoted to the citystate.
 Located on the Attic peninsula one of the least fertile
areas in Greece
 Sea traders
 Citizens formed top group in
 Metics: non-citizens worked as merchants or artisans.
Could not take part in government or own land.
 Slaves stood at the bottom of society
 Aristocratic government: only those who owned land held




office.
Citizens Assembly: open to all male citizens but only the
first 5,000 who gathered could attend meetings.
Draco: believed to have created Athens first written law
code.
Solon: settled the disputes about debt by erasing the debts
of the poor and outlawing slavery for debt.
He divided the society into 4 groups based on wealth
 2 richest groups could hold office
 Set up a court of citizen jurors
Athens had the first democratic
constitution. (A set of rules for
how the government should run.)
All men over 20 years old could
participate in the Assembly. (The
lawmaking group)
Each year 500 names of
citizens were drawn to be on the
Council of Five Hundred who ran
the daily business of Athens.
 Peisistratus
 Tyrant
 Cleisthenes
 Seized power and
 Improved Athens
economy
 Clashed with nobles
 After the rule of his sons
the nobles returned to
power.




turned into a democracy
Divided into 10 tribes
Council of 500
Courts became more
democratic
Direct democracy
 Had no share in public life. Lived a secluded existence
 Aristotle saw women as imperfect beings who lacked
ability to reason as well as men.
 Managed the household
 Cared for children
 Prepared food
 Poorer women worked outside the home, tending to
sheep or working as weavers or potters.
 They were citizens but could not own or inherit
property.
 Built magnificent temples and other public buildings
 Lived in simple homes: believed that money should be
spent on buildings to benefit the entire community
 Marriages were very important
 Parents always arranged marriages
 Girls married at age 13 to 14
 Main purpose of marriage was to have children
 At age 7 boys came under the care of their Pedagogue
 Went everywhere with the boy even school
 Boys: went to elementary school and studied reading,




writing, grammar, poetry, and, music
Studied to become skilled public speakers
Military training to keep their bodies healthy
Encouraged men to explore many areas of knowledge
Girls received no education except how to care for the
household.
Persian Wars
 A series of conflicts between Greece and Persia
 Darius: Crushed the revolts in Asia Minor. Conquered




Thrace and Macedonia. Invaded Greece in 490b.c.
(Persian Leader)
Battle of Marathon: Athenians defeated Persians
Xerxes: Led another army fleet into Greece in
480b.c.(Persian Leader)
Persians advanced to Thermopylae where 300 Spartans
met them there.
Spartans largely outnumbered, but refused to
surrender. Fought until they were all killed.
Persian Wars
 Persians marched towards Athens
 Themistocles Athens's leader told people to escape city
 Xerxes: army entered Athens and destroyed it.
 Salamis Strait: Persian navy was larger but Greek ships
were more maneuverable.
 Greeks sank much of the Persian fleet
 Athenians and Spartans joined forces to defeat the
Persians.
 Ended the Persian Wars
 Greek city-states in Asia Minor free from Persian rule
 Persian Empire still very powerful
 Athens rebuilt their city and entered a period of great
cultural achievement
 Athens began to create its own empire in the Aegean
Sea
 Delian League: an alliance of city-states with Athens as
the leader.
 Delian League not democratic….Athens made all the
decisions
 General, orator, and statesman
 Athens reached its peak in power and wealth
 Under Pericles Athens was a Direct Democracy
 All male citizens except for the lowest class could hold public
office
 Officeholders were paid a salary
 Office holders chosen by lot
 Could serve on Juries
 Used the Athenian navy to keep the Persians out of the
Aegean Sea.
 Brought stability and prosperity to the region
 Pericles failed to unite Greece under Athens
 Tensions grew between Athens and Sparta
 To counter the Delian League Sparta and other
enemies of Athens created the Peloponnesian League
 War broke out in 431b.c.
 Spartans had the stronger army
 Sparta invaded the Attic Peninsula
 Athens had the better navy
 The war continued for 30 years
 The struggle even spilled over into the rest of Greek
world
 Results:
 Ended Athenian domination of the Greek World
 Greece was politically unstable and Sparta emerged as
the leading city-state.
 Over time:
 Athenian economy eventually revived and Athens was
once again the cultural center of Greece
 For the next century fighting continued to disrupt the
Greek World