Global I
Mr. Mintzes
Unit Outline – Ancient Greece
The History
Geography: Located in SE Europe on the Mediterranean – mountainous country – many
rivers and valleys – very jagged coastline – many good harbors – natural that Greeks
should establish seafaring civilization.
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Mountains kept Greek settlements separate from each other – grew up as
independent city-states instead of unified civilization.
Separation caused small city-states to develop instead of large cities – may have
encouraged citizen involvement in government.
Independence of the city-states led to competition for trade and to many wars.
Greek name for Greece is Hellas
Greek civilization is referred to as Hellenic civilization
Minoans: Advanced civilization on island of Crete (2700 BCE – 1450BCE)
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Language has never been translated – no real detail of Minoans
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Large palaces (Knossos) with many rooms, workshops, artifacts –
evidence of large settlements – advanced civilization that built apartment
buildings and had indoor plumbing (did not reappear in Europe for 2000 years)
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Minoan ships traded with Phoenicians, Egyptians and southern Greece
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Minoans disappeared suddenly in 1450BCE – may have been destroyed by tidal
wave cause by huge volcanic eruption.
Mycenaens: Indo-European people who settled in southern Greece
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civilization reached high point between 1400 & 1200 BCE
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Many powerful monarchies – royal families lived in palaces behind
fortified walls
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Mycenaeans were warrior people – heoic deeds in battle were important
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Big trading network – pottery found in Egypt, Syria, Sicily & southern Italy
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The poet Homer wrote of the Mycenaeans in the Iliad, the story of the war
between Mycenae and Troy (a Greek city on the coast of Ionia – Turkey)
Historians doubt the war ever occurred – that the story was fiction created by
Homer.
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By 1100 BCE other Greeks from the north destroyed a weakened Mycenaean
civilization
Dark Age in Greece: period of 350 years after the fall of the Mycenaean civilization
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Population declined – farming and food production fell off – did not pick up again
until 850BCE
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Many Greeks left mainland for islands of the Aegean and for the coast of Ionia
(Turkey)
Developments: Iron replaced bronze in weapons and plows – helped reverse
decline in food production – Greeks adopted Phoenician alphabet of 24 letters –
made it easier to learn reading and writing.
Homer – (the poet)
Near end of Dark Ages Homer wrote The Iliad and The Odyssey
– epic poems about the Trojan War. Homer is credited with
– creating Greek history instead of reporting it – means that he made up the stories of
the Trojan War – may not have happened
– The Illiad – the story of the ten year war between the Greeks and the city of Troy –
full of Greek heroes like Achilles – other warriors – war ends when Greeks build
giant horse …Trojan Horse
– The Odyssey – story of the long voyage home by a hero of the Trojan War –
Odysseus
Homer, in his epic poems, taught arête – the excellence a hero strives for – like
Achilles in the Iliad. Arete is won in a battle or a contest – such as the
Olympics created later by the Greeks.
Greek City-states: developed by 750 BCE. Greeks called them polis – center of Geek
life – Polis was a town, village, or city along with surrounding countryside.
English word politics comes from polis. Varied in size from small villages to
cities the size of Athens – Athens population by 5th century BCE was 300,000
Polis: community of people with common identity – had certain political rights
(adult males only) no political rights (women and children) and non-citizens
(mostly slaves)
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Acropolis: main gathering place – usually on a hill – could be fortified – also
became place where temples were built.
Agora: open courtyard below Acropolis – open marketplace
New military system developed by Greeks made them an effective army
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Hoplites: heavily armed infantry with shield, sword and 9ft long spear
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Phalanx: a formation of Hoplites marching shoulder to shoulder with their spears
thrust out and their shields held high. Was very difficult to penetrate formation
and break it up. Added to effectiveness of Greek armies.
Colonial Expansion:
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Greeks began to spread out from Greece to rest of Mediterranean area
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Colonies on coast of what is now Turkey, France, Spain, Italy, northern Africa,
even what is now southern Russia.
Founded Byzantium on coast of Turkey – became Constantinople – now Istanbul
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Greeks spread their culture and the political system to other areas – also became
wealthy from trading with other civilizations.
Tyrants
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New class of wealthy traders wanted power in Greece city-states
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Took power from the landed aristocrats who had been in control
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Tyrants (tyrant and tyranny are Greek words) remained in power by using hired
soldiers (mercenaries)
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Tyrants remained popular with the people by building markets, wall, temples, and
public buildings & by beautifying the city-states. Tyrant became a bad word later
in history.
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Era of the Tyrants got many more people involve in government because the
aristocrats had kept people out of government.
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Led to Democracy (rule of the many) in Athens and Oligarchy (rule by a few) in
Sparta
Major City-States
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Sparta: An oligarchy ruled by two kings – a military state – with life rigidly
controlled and very disciplined.
Boys began learning discipline and military thinking by age 8 – taken from family
and put in training schools. Boys who were born deformed or who were sickly
were taken out into the hills and left to die.
Boys began military service by 20 and remained until 60 – lived in barracks - ate
with fellow soldiers – simple food said to be very bad – After 30 Spartan men
could vote – they earned the right because of military service.
Girls were expected to remain fit and healthy so they could bear children –
hopefully boys who could grow up to be soldiers.
Spartan government: Oligarchy headed by two kings.
Group of five men ephors were elected each year was responsible to
education and keeping order in society
Council of elders – men over 60 –decided on issues to be presented to the
Assembly who would vote on the issues.
Sparta was isolated: Spartans could not travel abroad, except in wars
Foreigners were not welcome in Sparta – Spartans did not want new ideas
to enter their society. Spartans discouraged from studying art, philosophy,
etc.
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Athens: Was first a monarchy ruled by a king and then an oligarchy ruled by a
group of aristocrats.
After a period of civil strife and tyrants Cleisthenes took over and
became leader.
Created the council of 500 to run the city-state
Gave more power to the Assembly made up of Athenian citizens
Assembly had the power to pass laws after free and open debate
among the members – foundations of Athenian democracy.
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War with Persia: 490 – 480BCE.
Under Darius, Persia invaded Greece. At Battle of Marathon, the Athenians
defeated the Persian army. Legend says runner brought the news
26 miles and then died – The Marathon.
Xerxes – new emperor – invades Greece again – is held up by Greek army at
Thermopylae – story of 300 Spartans (actual Greek army was
7,000) against Persian army of 180,000 – but Greeks lose
eventually.
At Salamis, the Greek fleet destroyed the Persian fleet and at
Plataea the combined Greek army defeated the Persian army in
battle.
Athens became the dominant Greek city-state after the defeat of the Persians.
Athens formed the Delian League to fight the Persians. Delian
League liberated the Greek colonies from Persian rule
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Athenian Empire and Age of Pericles
Pericles was the most famous leader in ancient Greece – responsible for the
growth of Athens’ system of direct democracy – all male citizens
over 18 could be members of the Assembly – lower class citizens
could serve as public officials – public officials were paid – all this
opened government to more people.
Assembly: met every ten (10) days near the Acropolis – 43,000 male citizens
were eligible for the Assembly – around 5,000 attended the
meetings. Assembly passed all laws, elected all officials, made
final decisions on wars and foreign relations.
Ostracism: to protect against over ambition politicians, the Greeks practiced
ostracism. If 6000 people wanted it a person could be exiled from
the city for 10 years – prevented any one person or politician from
becoming too powerful of influential.
War between Athens and Sparta
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Athens and Sparta were so different they could not get along
Sparta became jealous of Athenian power – war broke out between the two most
Powerful city-states –
The Peloponnesian War – Sparta laid siege to Athens
plague killed more than 1/3 of Athenians – Pericles died in the plague
war lasted over 25 years – famous history of the war written by Thucydides one
of the first great historians
War finally ended in 404BCE a year after Athenian fleet was destroyed – Athens
surrendered – city walls were torn down and Athenian empire destroyed.
War had weakened Greek city-states – after war they still competed for power –
ignored the growth of a kingdom in the north – Macedon.
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Life in Classical Athens
Athens was largest city state
By mid 5th century BCE Athens had 150,000 citizens (48,000 were males with
political power) 35,000 foreigners and over 100,000 slaves.
- slavery common on ancient world – most Athenians owned at least one slave
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Athenian economy
Based on farming and trade – trade with other city states as well as other
Mediterranean civilizations – exported wines and olive oil – imported much of its
grain – lack of arable land for farming
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Athenian society
Family important – primary role of the family was to produce new citizens
Role of wife was to care for the house and to bear children, especially boys who
would become citizens – women married at 14 – 15, no formal education but
many learned how to read and play instruments.
Women remained home – when leaving house they could not be alone – must
have a companion.