Chapter 8 The Early Greeks
Lesson 3 Greek City-States
Objectives
• Explain the relationship between Greece’s
geography and the development of Greek citystates
• Trace the development of early forms of
democracy and citizenship
Vocabulary
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Polis – city state
Acropolis – fort at the bottom of a hill
Agora – political center for each city-state
Oligarchy – rule by a few
Tyrant – someone who took control of a
government by force and ruled alone
• Democracy – rule by the people
• Commerce – large scale trade
• Colony – independent city-state tied to the
homeland through religion and trade
Rise of City-States
• By 750 BC, large settlements had grown into
independent city-states such as Sparta, Athens,
Argos and Corinth
• Mountains and seas separated the city-states,
causing them to develop independently
• The English word “politics” comes from “polis”
• In a polis all free people were citizens
• The city-states developed in similar ways, most
starting at the base of an acropolis
The Rise of City- States
• Natural barriers kept the city-states from uniting
and led to their growing independently of each
other
New Ways of Governing
• As city-states developed, oligarchies replaced the
rule of kings
• Then tyrants took over many city-states
• By 500 BC early forms of democracy were
beginning to replace tyrants in some city-states
• What caused some tyrannies to transition, or
change, into early democratic forms of
government?
Quick Question
• What caused some tyrannies to transition, or
change, into early democratic forms of
government?
▫ Tyrants began to rule badly and the people
overthrew them
What was Greek society like under an
oligarchy?
• Members of the oligarchy controlled most
aspects of Greek society
• However, they did nothing to improve life for the
poor
Commerce and Colonies
• By about 700 BC, the Greeks had become part of a
growing commerce around the Mediterranean and
beyond
• As populations expanded, the city-states began to
colonize areas beyond the Aegean
• Trade among city-states: grain, wine, olive oil, wood,
pottery, and metal such as iron and tools
• The population began to rise leading to more
competition for farmland
• By 500 BC Greeks founded colonies in southern
Europe, Northern Africa, and Asia Minor (see map
291)
Quick Question
• What economic and political advantages did
colonization bring the Greeks?
Answer
• What caused some tyrannies to transition, or
change, into early democratic forms of
government?
▫ The economic advantages included new lands,
resources, and expanded trade.
▫ The political advantages included the spread of
Greek power.
Greek Culture
• While the ancient Greeks identified with their own citystates, they also felt a strong connection with all Greeks
due to their common language and shared culture
• Developed alphabet; first letter is alpha, second is beta
 “Alphabet”
• Greeks used writing to keep records of business, trade,
laws and taxes
• They wrote down their history and beliefs too
• Wrote down Homer’s epics the Iliad and the Odyssey
Greek Culture
• Writing helped preserve their culture for later
generations
• From the heroes of the Trojan War is where the
Greeks learned their strong codes of honor and
courage
Homer and Hesiod
• Much of what later Greeks learned about their
religion came from Homer and Hesiod
• Their writings taught Greeks about gods and
their names, appearance, special skills and how
to honor them
Olympics
• To honor the god Zeus, Greeks
competed in athletic festivals
beginning 776 B.C.
• Competed every 4 years became
known as Olympic Games
• Athletes from all city-states came to
compete
• Events included: wrestling, long
jumping, discus, javelin throwing,
boxing and running
• Winners were crowned with
wreathes of olive leaves and were
treated as heroes in their city-states
Fun Fact
• Olympic games were a uniting force for the
Greek city-states
• Even when city-states were at war with each
other, they laid down their weapons to compete
in the games!
A New Kind of Warfare
• Greek city-states often fought over
land and resources
• Each city-state had a large, highly
organized army composed of adult
male citizens who were trained to
fight in new formations
• A man’s wealth and status
determined his rank
• Wealthiest men were the leaders
Hoplite Warfare
• Turn to page 294 in in textbook
• Describe the special formation in which the hoplite soldiers fought.
• Why might it have been difficult to defeat an army of hoplites?
Hoplite Warfare
• Describe the special formation in which the hoplite
soldiers fought.
▫ The hoplite soldiers fought in a rectangular formation.
They marched in long rows, fighting shoulder to
shoulder with their shields nearly touching
• Why might it have been difficult to defeat an army of
hoplites?
They marched forward like a thick, moving wall. They
were very organized and equipped
Summary
• Mountains separated the independent Greek
city-states
• City-states were active in commerce and
developed new forms of warfare and
government, including democracy
• Across the city-states, the Greeks shared a strong
cultural connection with one another