Classical Greece
Section 1
Section 1
Classical Greece
Early Greece
Preview
• Starting Points Map: The Early Greeks
• Main Idea / Reading Focus
• Minoans and Mycenaeans
• Greek City-States
• Gods and Heroes
Classical Greece
Click the icon to play
Listen to History
audio.
Click the icon below
to connect to the
Interactive
Maps.
Section 1
Section 1
Classical Greece
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.
Reading Focus
• 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?
Classical Greece
Section 1
Minoans and Mycenaeans
Many parts of early Greek history are still a mystery, but we do know
that two distinct cultures developed in early Greece.
The Minoans of Crete
• Minoan civilization developed
as early as 3000 BC
Excavations at Knossos
• Much of Minoan life revealed
by excavations
• Lasted nearly 2,000 years
– Solidly constructed buildings
• Minoan ships sailed over
Aegean Sea, possibly farther
– Private rooms
• Colonies established on
dozens of Aegean islands
– Brightly colored artwork
• Ships filled with trade goods
sailed back and forth between
Crete and her colonies
– Basic plumbing
– Artwork shows life tied to sea,
women as priests, dangerous
games
Classical Greece
Section 1
Speculation
• Much history of Minoan civilization result of guesswork, speculation
– Historians cannot read Minoans’ writing, Linear A.
– Does not appear to be related to languages of mainland Greece
• Until writing deciphered, most knowledge will come from art, objects
Rapid Decline
• Minoan civilization fell apart rather suddenly, possibly from disaster.
– Large eruption of volcanic island near Crete may have affected
worldwide weather patterns.
– Damage to Minoan ports, crops may have weakened society
• Minoans conquered by warlike Mycenaeans
Section 1
Classical Greece
Mycenaeans
The Mycenaean States
First Greeks
• Mycenaeans built small
kingdoms, often fought with
each other
• Mycenaeans considered first
Greeks, spoke form of Greek
language
• Name comes from fortress,
Mycenae
• Earliest kingdoms owed much
to Minoans
Minoan Influences
• Mycenaeans traded with
Minoans, copied writing
Mycenaean Differences
• Became great traders
• Society dominated by intense
competition, frequent warfare,
powerful kings
• Trade increased after they
conquered Crete
• Kings taxed trade, farming to
build palaces, high walls
Classical Greece
Section 1
Mycenaean Strengths and Downfall
Mycenaean Strength
• To show off strength, Mycenaeans built great monuments like Lion’s Gate
• Kings’ constant quest for power, glory inspired legends
• Most famous, story of Trojan War
Trojan War
• War supposedly involved early Greeks, led by Mycenae, who fought powerful
city called Troy, in what is now Turkey
• War may not have happened, but ruins of city believed to be Troy found
Downfall
• War played part in end of Mycenaean civilization, as did drought, famine
• By end of 1100s BC, Mycenaean cities mostly in ruins; dark age followed
• Greek civilization almost disappeared
Classical Greece
Section 1
Compare and Contrast
How were Minoan and Mycenaean cultures
similar? How were they different?
Answer(s): similar—both were trading states;
different—Mycenaean writing has been translated;
Mycenaeans had frequent wars
Section 1
Classical Greece
Greek City-States
A new type of society emerged in Greece in the 800s BC. The society
was centered on the polis, or city-state. Each polis developed
independently, with its own form of government, laws and customs.
Life in the Polis
• Polis, center of
daily life, culture
• Greeks fiercely
loyal to their polis
• Did not think of
selves as Greeks,
but as residents of
their particular citystate
Infrastructure
• Polis built around
high area, called
acropolis
• Acropolis used as
fortification
• Included temples,
ceremonial spaces
• Agora, public
marketplace, below
Other Attributes
• Shops, houses,
temples near agora
• Gymnasium,
athletes’ training
grounds, public
bath
• Sturdy wall for
defense
surrounded polis
Classical Greece
Section 1
Political Systems of Greek City-States
Each major polis had a different political
system that developed over time.
•
Corinth, an oligarchy, ruled by a few individuals
•
Athens, birthplace of democracy
•
Sparta, one of mightiest city-states, but least typical
Section 1
Classical Greece
The Might of Sparta
Beginnings
• Sparta located on Peloponnesus, large peninsula of southern Greece
• First surrounded by smaller towns; over time Sparta seized control of towns
• After conquering town of Messenia, Spartans made Messenians into helots
Helots
• Helots were state slaves given to Spartan citizens to work on farms so
citizens did not have to perform manual labor.
• As result, Spartan citizens free to spend time training for war
War
• Spartan emphasis on war not due to fondness for fighting, but as way to
keep order in society
• Helots outnumbered Spartans seven to one, kept in check by strong army
Section 1
Classical Greece
Militaristic State
To support their military lifestyle, the Spartans demanded strength and
toughness. All babies were examined after birth and unhealthy children
were left in the wild to die.
Combat School
• Boys taught physical, mental
toughness by mothers until age 7
• Entered combat school to toughen
for hardships of being soldier
• At age 20 boys became hoplites,
foot soldiers; remained in army 10
years before becoming citizens
Women in Society
• Unusual among Greek city-states
• Women played important role
• Trained in gymnastics for physical
fitness, to bear strong children
• Women had right to own property,
unlike women in most of Greece
Sparta was led by two kings who served as military commanders.
Decision-making was largely left to an elected council of elders.
Classical Greece
Section 1
Identify Cause and Effect
Why did Sparta’s political system develop?
Answer(s): Because of Sparta's emphasis on
war; it was led politically by two kings who served
as military commanders.
Section 1
Classical Greece
Gods and Heroes
Legends and Myths
The Gods of Olympus
• Much of what is known about
early Greece comes from
studying Greeks’ legends,
myths
• Ancient Greeks believed in
hundreds of gods, goddesses;
each governed one aspect of
nature, life
• Myths, stories told to explain
natural phenomena, events of
distant past
• Example: Apollo controlled
movement of sun; sister Artemis
did same for moon
• Greek myths explained where
they came from, how they
should live, cope with uncertain
world
• Greeks believed gods would
protect them, city-states in
exchange for proper rituals,
sacrifices
Section 1
Classical Greece
Mount Olympus
• 12 gods, goddesses were particularly influential in Greek lives
• These 12 lived together on Mount Olympus, highest mountain in
Greece
• Olympian gods thought to have great power, though not perfect
• Myths say gods flawed, often unpredictable—loved, hated, argued,
made mistakes, got jealous, played tricks on each other
Worship
• Almost all Greeks worshipped
same gods
• Each polis claimed one god,
goddess as special protector
• Example: Athens sacred to Athena
• Some locations considered sacred
by all Greeks
Sacred Locations
• Delphi sacred to all Greeks—
priestesses of Apollo were thought
to receive visions of future
• Olympia—every four years Greeks
assembled there for Olympic
Games; athletes competed against
each other to honor gods
Section 1
Classical Greece
Myths about Heroes
Hercules and Theseus
• Greeks also told myths about
heroes, used to teach Greeks
where they came from, what
kind of people they should be
• Some heroes, like Hercules,
who had godlike strength,
renowned through all Greece
• Others, like Theseus, who killed
Minotaur of Crete, famous
chiefly in home cities
Lessons
• Heroes killed monsters, made
discoveries, founded cities,
talked with gods on equal terms
• Examples inspired individuals,
whole city-states, to achieve
great things
• Hubris, great pride, brought
many heroes to tragic ends
• Served as lessons not to
overstretch abilities
Section 1
Classical Greece
Describe
What role did mythology play in Greek
culture?
Answer(s): explained natural phenomena; taught
Greeks where they came from and how to act