ANCIENT GREECE
Chapter 9
GEOGRAPHY
LOCATION - Continent – Southeast Europe
Balkan Peninsula
Greece is known as a “peninsula of peninsulas”
because it is a peninsula with a
jagged coastline (little peninsulas) that juts into
the Mediterranean Sea creating
many excellent natural harbors.
Bodies of Water – Mediterranean Sea, Aegean Sea, Ionian
Sea
LANDFORM - Mountainous land with deep valleys and
rugged highlands
Greece is made up of two peninsulas and
many islands.
The two peninsulas are the Attica
peninsula and the Peloponnesus
peninsula.
(Athens is on the Attica peninsula and
Sparta is on the Peloponnesus
peninsula).
The two largest islands are Crete (biggest)
and Rhodes.
SEA – Since Greece is surrounded by water, the sea had a
major influence on Greek culture and
the ancient Greeks’ way of life. (For example:
transportation, fishing, navy, and trading)
AGRICULTURE – While farming was difficult due to the
mountainous terrain, the Greeks
adapted to their environment and grew
grapes, olives and grains, such as
barley. Goats and sheep were raised
since they could graze on the rugged
land.
CLIMATE – Pleasant climate
Summers are hot and dry
Most rainfall occurs during the winter
months.
INDEPENDENT COMMUNITIES
Since the land was mountainous, uniting the land under
one government was very difficult. They did however speak
the same language and practiced the same religion. Travel
between different regions was difficult due to the rugged land.
Therefore, many small and independent communities
developed. A Greek city-state was called a polis. The agora
(outdoor marketplace) was a common feature in Greek cities.
Think of the agora as similar to our malls. In addition to
shopping, they socialized and discussed politics at the agora.
Many polis’ had a high hill overlooking the city that was called
an acropolis. This location was a good place to meet and also
see enemies approaching, as well as, a place of safety. The
most famous acropolis is located in Athens. The Acropolis in
Athens contained many buildings and temples, the most
famous of which is the Parthenon.
TWO EARLY GREEK CIVILIZATIONS
1. Minoan Civilization – developed around the same time
that people settled in the Nile Valley
Island of Crete
Named after King Minos
Wealth came from trade
2. Mycenaen Civilization – developed on the Greek mainland
– city-state of Mycenae
Replaced Crete as the center of
civilization
Walls surrounded the city that
were 20 feet thick
Mycenaens took valuables
seized in wartime.
MYTHS AND LEGENDS
Myths are traditional stories that may include gods and
goddesses and that often try to explain events in nature.
Legends are stories about heroes and their great deeds.
Myths and legends were usually passed down through oral
tradition.
Daily life often focused on trying to keep the gods and
goddesses happy.
The Trojan War, fought between the Greeks and the people
of Troy (a real city) is a blend of legend and myth.
Homer, a famous Greek poet, wrote two poems about this
legendary war. They are the Odyssey and the Iliad.
GODS AND GODDESSES
The Greeks believed that most gods lived on Mount
Olympus. Like humans, they argued, fought, fell in love,
and were jealous. However, Greeks believed the gods were
immortal (lived forever) and had special powers.
Myths were written about the gods and goddesses to help
explain the mysteries of nature and life, such as birth, death,
disease, storms, seasons, and victories and defeats in battle.
Gods and goddesses were honored in many ways. One of the
ways the Greeks honored Zeus, king of the gods, was having
an athletic festival every four years. This was the origin of
the Olympics that we have today.
FORMS OF GOVERNMENT
The Greek city-states had many different forms of
government.
 Rule by a king
 Aristocracy – government controlled by members of
wealthy, privileged families
 Democracy – government by the people (This form of
government was first introduced by the Greeks). Athens
was the best example of a Greek democracy.
Democracy was limited to citizens only. Slaves,
women, and workers born outside Athens were not
citizens, and therefore, did not have the right to vote,
own property, or testify in court.
ATHENS AND SPARTA
Athens
 Strong navy
 Emphasis on questioning and learning
 Important leader – Pericles
 Women were not citizens
 Citizen responsibilities
1. defend the city in times of conflict
2. participate in government by serving on juries and
participating in political debates on important
issues.
Sparta
 Strictly ruled military state
 Invaded neighboring city-states, taking over farmlands
and forcing the local people to become slaves or
helots.
 Strong army
 Murdering unhealthy infants so that there would be
only strong, healthy Spartans
 Training was brutal.
 Spartan women had more rights than women in
Athens, but they too could not participate in
government.
WARS
Persian War
 Persia attacked the Greek mainland at Marathon.
Athens was victorious at this battle. Pheidippides ran
back to Athens with the news (25 miles). Hence, why
we call long races marathons.
 Still afraid that Persia would attack again, Athens and
Sparta united to defeat a common enemy.
 The sea battle at Salamis, with a victory for the
Athenian navy, ended the Persian invasion.
Peloponnesian War
 A group of city-states led by Sparta versus a group of
city-states led by Athens (Delian League)
 Sparta became jealous of the power and glory of
Athens
 A plague broke out in Athens that weakened the
troops and also killed Pericles. Athens was forced to
surrender.
 Both Sparta and Athens were so weakened that they
became prime targets for invasions.
GREEK PHILOSOPHERS
 Socrates – taught people to think by asking questions.
The answers required people to think. This approach
to teaching is known as the Socratic method. Did not
write anything down. Socrates was tried for being a
bad influence on young people. He was found guilty
and put to death by poisoning.
 Plato - Student of Socrates – Took notes when
studying under Socrates
Plato believed that if humans applied reason, they
could create a perfect world.
 Aristotle – Student of Plato and teacher of Alexander
of Macedonia
He wrote books on astronomy, physics, politics, art,
and other subjects. He established a school in Athens
for the study of all branches of knowledge. This
school became a model for the modern university.
ALEXANDER THE GREAT
 Son of King Philip II of Macedonia – Becomes king
when his father is murdered.
 Student of Aristotle – Because Alexander was
immersed in Greek culture from an early age, he
developed a strong tie to Greek culture.
 Takes advantage of the weakened Greek city-states
after the Peloponnesian War and invades Greece,
south of Macedonia.
 Alexander’s strong leadership abilities enabled him to
continue his conquests in Egypt, Asia Minor, Persia,
Syria, Phoenicia and into India where after a five year
battle and monsoons headed back towards Greece.
 Alexander died on the way back to Greece.
 During all his victories, Alexander spread the Greek
culture that he loved to all the lands.
HELLENISTIC AGE
 Developed after the death of Alexander
 A short, violent power struggle resulted in the empire
being divided among three generals.
 For 300 years, the Greek or Hellenistic culture
continued to spread far and wide. New cities sprang
up.
 Trade flourished.
 Alexandria, Egypt became the greatest center of trade
and learning. The library in Alexandria was
considered one of the greatest in the world. People
continued to read the works of the Greek writers.
Unfortunately, no books from that library exist today.
The lighthouse at Alexandria was the first known
lighthouse. The reflection from its fires was visible 35
miles out to sea.
DISCOVERIES, INVENTIONS AND LEGACY
 Hippocrates – “Father of Medicine” – looked for
natural causes of diseases – Doctors today take the
Hippocratic Oath.
 Archimedes – inventor (levers, pulleys, and a screw
that carries water), mathematician
 Pythagoras – mathematician – created some important
theories about numbers and music – Started a school
that led to the development of geometry.
 Euclid – mathematician – plane geometry
 Architecture – Buildings made of marble with massive
columns. There are three different types of Greek
columns: Doric, Ionic and Corinthian. One of the
most famous ancient Greek buildings is the Parthenon
(once a temple dedicated to Athena) located on the
Acropolis in Athens.
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Democracy
Olympics
Philosophy
Open-air theaters
Greek literature
Jury System