Ancient Greece
Cultures of the Mountains & Sea
Greek Islands
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Mountainous peninsula
1,400 islands in Aegean & Ionian Seas
Anatolia are lands to the west coast
2000 B.C. Minoans live on island of Crete
Indo-European people migrate
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Plains on the Black Sea
Anatolia
Influence of the Sea & Land
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Similar to river civilizations
(How?)
Lived around sea
Did not traveled more than
85 miles to reach coastline
Seas linked Greece
Lacked natural resources
 Lacked timber
 Precious metals
 Usable farmland
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Mountains cover ¾ of
ancient Greece
Divide lands into different
regions
Run from Northwest to
Southeast along Balkan
peninsula
Politically influence (?)
 Difficult to unite
 Loyalty to local
community
Geography & Climate
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Sparta to Olympia 60 miles,
took 7 days
Land stony, 20% arable
Tiny fertile valleys cover ¼
of Greece
Support large population?
Living space
Diet
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Grains
Olives
Grapes
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48° F in winter
80° F in summer
Outdoor public events
Mycenaean Civilization Develops
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2000 B.C. migration
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Europe
India
Southwest Asia
City of Mycenae
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Steep rocky ridge
20’ thick protective wall
W/stood any attack
Warrior kings control surrounding area
Culture & Trade
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Nobles live inside city walls
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Enjoy “good” life
Banquets, gold, and silver
Royalty die w/ richest treasures
Warrior-kings controlled
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Local production
Commercial Trade
Searched for plunder
Kings wealthiest
Bronze Age 2000-1100 B.C.
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Bronze weapons
Cups of gold
Common tools
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Made from wood & stone
Framers
Weavers
Goat herders
Stone masons
Invasion of Crete
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Minoan culture flourished for 600 years
Civilization ended 1400 B.C.
Invasion prevent from rebuilding
Keep culture alive in Mycenae’s culture
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Seaborne trade
Writing Greek
Decorating Vases
Legends helped survival
Trojan War
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1200 B.C.
10 year war against Troy
“Helen of Troy” kidnapped by Trojan?
Trade routes?
Thought fictional until A.D. 1870
Attack on Troy one of last battles for
Mycenae
Mycenaean Civilization Falls
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1200 B.C. attacked by sea raiders who
burned palaces
Dorian's move in
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Economy collapsed
Trade @ standstill
No written records for 400 years
1150-750 B.C.
Homer
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Trojan War was passed by word of mouth
Greatest story tell
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The Iliad
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Blind
Believed to write epics 750-700 B.C.
Heroes are warriors
Achilles-Greek
Hector-Trojan
The Odyssey
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After war
Journey home
Myths
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Why?
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Understanding in nature
Human passions
Seasons changing
Gods
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Fought each other
Live forever
Had love, hate, jealousy