Transcript Greecerevisedwiki - Nagel

THE GOLDEN AGE OF
GREECE
The Power of Greek Myths and Legends
Trojan War- War fought between the Greeks and the people
of Troy.
Gods and goddesses helped the heroes on both sides in
battle. In ancient Greece, daily life often focused on trying to
keep the Gods happy.
Troy- City on the western coast of Asia Minor (modern Turkey).
Troy actually existed, but the story of the war is a blend of
legend and myth.
Legends- stories about heroes and their deeds.
Myth- are traditional stories that may include gods and
goddesses and often try to explain events in nature.
The Power of Greek Myths and Legends
Greece’s city-states appear in many myths.
For example the Trojan War:
Sparta- was the home of Helen, who was carried off
to Troy. This started the Trojan war
Athens- was named for Athena who helped the
Greeks during the war
To end the war, the Greeks build a giant wooden
horse. The Trojans thought it was a gift to show
surrender. They pulled the horse into the city, but it was
filled with Greek soldiers.
The Power of Greek Myths And Legends
Homer- a blind Greek poet who wrote two poems
about the Trojan War called the Iliad and the Odyssey.
The Iliad- Tells about the war itself
The Odyssey- tells of Odysseus, whose ship was
blown off course by the gods when he was traveling
home.
Oral Tradition- stories being passed down by
word of mouth from person to person.
Today they are among the world’s most famous stories.
The Gods of Mount Olympus
The Greeks believed most Gods lived on Mount
Olympus located in northern Greece.
The Greeks believed their gods and goddesses were
very much like humans:
They argued, fought, fell in love, and were jealous,
they looked like humans.
However, they were immortal, or lived forever. They
also had special powers.
The Gods of Mount Olympus
The Greeks honored their gods in many ways. Every
four years, the Greeks held an athletic contest to honor
Zeus. Because the games were held in the city of
Olympia, they became known as the Olympic Games.
Boxers, wrestlers, runners, and other athletes came
from all parts of Greece to compete.
Gods And Goddesses
Zeus- King of the Gods and ruler of Mount Olympus
Hera- Wife of Zeus: protector of families
Ares- God of War
Athena- Goddess of wisdom
Apollo- God of truth and intelligence
Poseidon- God of the sea
Aphrodite- Goddess of love
Hermes- God of good luck and wealth
The Greeks Clash with the Persians
Persia was the strongest military power in the world in 490 B.C.
Persia attacked the Greek mainland with a huge army.
Marathon- The place where the Athenian and Persian armies
clashed.
According to legend after the Athenian victory, Pheidippides, a
warrior, ran back to Athens with the news. The distance was 25 miles.
Today we remember this legend as the name of the longest race, the
MARATHON.
The Greeks Clash with the Persians
The Greeks knew the Persians would attack again with an even
larger army. To survive, Spartans and Athenians put aside their
differences and fought together.
In 480 B.C. A Greek army held off a much larger Persian army in the
mountain pass of north Athens. A small force that included 300
Spartans stood its ground until almost all the soldiers were killed.
Salamis- place of a mighty sea battle in which Athenian
ships trapped and destroyed the Persian fleet.
Working together Sparta and Athens defeated the most
powerful empire of its time.
The Golden Age
After the defeat of the Persians in 479 B.C.,
Athens entered a period known as the Golden Age.
Golden Age- time where people of Athens built
magnificent temples, statues, and monuments.
Philosophers-people who study truth and knowledge.
Greek Philosophers- Plato, Socrates, and Aristotle.
Reason- logical thinking.
SOCRATES
Tried to teach people to think by asking them
questions. Each question was designed to take a
person step by step to a final conclusion. Today
this approach to teaching is known as the
SOCRATIC METHOD.
PLATO
Plato did not believe that democracy was
the best kind of government. Rather, he
proposed that a small group of wise men
should run the government. He thought they
could make better decisions than most
people. Plato also believed that if humans
applied reason, they could create a perfect
world.
ARISTOTLE
Aristotle was Plato’s student. He wrote more than 170
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.
The Greeks Fight Against Each Other
During the Golden Age Athens became the most
powerful Greek city-state.
Delian League- alliance formed in Athens.
Peloponnesian War- war between Athens and
Sparta caused by resentment of the Delian League.
Plague- fast spreading disease.
A plague broke out in Athens its killed thousands
of people in Athens including Pericles (the father
of democracy)
Decline of the Greek City States
By the end of the Peloponnesian War, Greece had
fallen on hard times (Sparta winner)
Mercenaries- Greek hired soldiers
Thebes- Greek city state that finally defeated a
weakened Sparta.
Macedonia- New power that began to rise in the
north who gave birth to a great leader.
ALEXANDER THE GREAT
Alexander’s Conquests
Alexander the Great- Son of Phillip II, king of
Macedonia
Studied in Athens under Aristotle Became king at age
20
King Phillip II- took over many lands and conquered
Greece. He made many enemies and King Phillip II
was murdered.
Alexander’s Conquest
In 334 BC just two years after he became king of
Macedonia, Alexander invaded the Persian Empire.
He defeated the Persians
In 332 he invaded Egypt, where the Persians had ruled
for 200 years. The Egyptians quickly surrendered
and Alexander was crowned pharaoh.
A Great Empire
Everywhere Alexander went he was victorious.
He fell ill at the age of 33 and died.
His rule lasted 13 years and he created a vast empire
in Europe, Asia, and Africa.
Hellenistic Age- the blend of Greek and Asian
cultures spread by Alexander the Great.
The Hellenistic Age
The Hellenistic Age is a period in history defined as the time
between the death of Alexander the Great and the rise of
Roman domination. During this time, Greek culture was dominant
throughout the Mediterranean, thus the name Hellenistic, which is
derived from the Greek "Hellas" which means Greece
When Alexander died, a power struggle began. Three
of Alexander’s generals divided his empire.
Alexander’s cities became centers for trade.
Alexandria- city that was center of trade and
learning in Egypt.
Discovery and Invention
Greek Science and Math reached its peak
during the Hellenistic Age.
Hippocrates- doctor who looked for natural causes
of disease.
Archimedes-most famous inventor of his time.
Pythagoras- famous mathematician