Chapter 5
Classical Greece
Section 1: Early Greece
Section 1: Early Greece
Main Idea
The earliest cultures in Greece, the Minoans and the
Mycenaeans, were trading societies, but both
disappeared and were replaced by Greek city-states.
Objectives
• What were Minoan and Mycenaean cultures like?
• What were the common characteristics of Greek
city-states?
• What role did stories of gods and heroes play in
Greek culture?
I. Minoans and Mycenaeans
The Minotaur
I. Minoans and Mycenaeans
Much early Greek history unknown; two
distinct cultures developed
A. The Minoans of Crete
c. 3000 BC - Minoans on Crete built first
Greek civilization; lasted nearly 2,000 years
A. The Minoans
Named after King Minos; palace was in Knossos
The throne of King Minos, earliest
surviving throne of the western world
Artist's rendition of the palace at
Knossos
A. The Minoans
Minoans - sailors, fishermen, traders; had
colonies on Aegean islands
Fresco from the Minoan Culture
c. 1700 BC
A. The Minoans
Some homes had running water, walls
covered with frescoes
Fresco found at the Palace of Knossos, with a representation of the
bull-leaping, a kind of contest, probably religious in character, in
which both men and women took part
A. The Minoans
Knowledge of them comes from art and artifacts;
Their writing, Linear A, is undeciphered
A fisherman from the
16th century BC
Minoan Gold Bee Pendant
1800-1700 BC
A. The Minoans
1628 BC- volcanic eruptions weakened Minoa
1400 BC - conquered by the Mycenaeans
Ash deposited during the Minoan
eruption of Santorini volcano
B. The Mycenaeans
Mycenaeans considered first true Greeks;
spoke Greek language
B. The Mycenaeans
Powerful kingdoms dominated by competition
and warfare
Mycenaean Warrior Krater
12th century BC
B. The Mycenaeans
Built fortresses in Peloponnesus and northern
Greece; great traders
The Mycenaean Acropolis
Greek Trireme Olympias
B. The Mycenaeans
Most famous legend was epic of Trojan War:
The Iliad by Homer; also wrote The Odyssey
B. The Mycenaeans
By 1100s BC: invasions, war, famine destroyed
most cities; a dark age followed
Ruins of the Mycenaean Acropolis
B. The Mycenaeans
Important contribution was a writing system,
Linear B
B. The Mycenaeans
Upper left -Linear A (untranslated)
Upper right – Linear B Script, the Mycenaean language
Lower - pre-linear A script from Crete - hieroglyphic
II. Greek City-States
800s to 700s BC - the independent polis arose
in Greece
A. Life in the Polis
The polis was the center of Greek identity;
inhabitants were intensely loyal
A. Life in the Polis
Polis built around an acropolis, an agora was
below; walls protected the polis
Acropolis in Athens
Ruins of Ancient Agora
Thessaloniki, Greece
A. Life in the Polis
Each polis had own government, laws, money,
and patron god
Relief showing Democracy placing
a wreath on the head of the Athenian
"Demos" (body of the citizens)
A. Life in the Polis
All Greeks shared language, religion, culture,
and social characteristics
Greek Drama
Greek Gods
B. The Might of Sparta
Sparta seized surrounding towns and enslaved
residents, who became helots
Helots lived in their master's
household but were owned by
the state; unlike ordinary
slaves, their master could not
declare them free. They
served as agricultural and
domestic slaves, and were
sometimes military servants
as well. Helots outnumbered
Spartans seven to one
B. The Might of Sparta
Sparta’s highly militarized society demanded
strength and toughness
Boys were taught physical, mental toughness by mothers.
At age 7, boys left home for military training and
schooling. The state-controlled education in Sparta was
designed not to instill literacy, but fitness, obedience, and
courage. Boys were taught survival skills, encouraged to
steal what they needed without getting caught, and, under
certain circumstances, to murder Helots. At birth unfit
children would be left to die. The weak continued to be
weeded out, those who survived would know how to cope
with inadequate food and clothing. Soldiers could not
engage in trade or business and remained available for
military service until age 60.
B. The Might of Sparta
Men trained for war at 18; began military
service as hoplites at 20
Chigi Vase, 650.BC. First piece of
archaeological evidence showing a
hoplite phalanx formation.
Greek Phalanx
B. The Might of Sparta
Spartan girls received physical training, were
taught devotion to Sparta
Bronze statuette of girl runner,
probably from Sparta.
In no other Greek City-state did
women enjoy the same freedom
and privileges of Spartan women.
Only in Sparta did girls receive
public education; in other citystates most women were
completely illiterate. Only in
Sparta were girls allowed to
engage in sport. Only in Sparta
did women possess economic
power and influence.
B. Government in Sparta
Two kings headed government and served as
military commanders
King Leonidas of the Agiad
family
Archidamos III of the
Eurypontid family
III. Gods and Heroes
Greeks created myths about gods, goddesses,
and heroes to explain their world
III. Gods and Heroes
12 most important gods lived on Mount
Olympus; had great power but far from perfect
The Greek Olympian are Zeus, Hera, Aphrodite, Apollo, Ares,
Artemis, Athena, Demeter, Hephaestus, Hermes, Hestia, and
Poseidon. They are all related to each other in one way or
another and each performed different duties.
III. Gods and Heroes
Sacred locations – Delphi and Olympia
Priestess of Apollo at the oracle of
Delphi. Sitting over a fissure in the
earth and bathed in rising vapors,
would go into a trance from which
she could advise and warn.
Every four years Greeks
assembled at Olympia for Olympic
Games where athletes competed
against each other to honor the
gods
The Olympian games were so important that many Greeks dated their
historical periods from the first games, which were held in 776 BC
III. Gods and Heroes
Heroes killed monsters, founded cities, talked
with gods on equal terms
III. Gods and Heroes
Hubris brought many heroes to tragic ends
Odysseus and the Sirens