Transcript Greece
Greece Geographic Influence • Mountains – Fertile valleys – Independent city-states Geographic Influence • Insufficient farmland – Founded colonies on Mediterranean coast Geographic Influence • Location – Peninsula in Mediterranean – Exchange of culture/trade • Deep harbors – Numerous good harbors on its irregular coastline The Diolkos Athens • Democratic, leading city-state • After 750 BC slow progress: – Monarchy--one-man, inherited – Aristocracy--group of nobles – Tyranny--one-man, for people – Democracy--rule by people Athens (cont’d) • Move toward democracy (600s-400s BC) – Draco—Codified law (including severe punishments) – Solon—Granted male commoners right to vote in Assembly – Cleisthenes—extended male citizenship – Pericles—Golden Age of Athens • Paid salaries to public officials • Society and economy thrived Sparta • Aristocratic/military city-state • On Peloponnesian peninsula • Population – Helots • Large number of slaves – Nobles • Small number of citizens • Feared helots Sparta (cont’d) • • • • Did not develop trade/industry Remained agricultural Emphasized military might Neglected: – Art – Literature – Science Uniting Bonds • • • • • Greek language Religion Olympic games Fear of Persians Felt superior to non-Greeks, referring to them as “barbarians” Persian Wars • 500-479 BC • Greek colonies in Asia Minor revolted • Darius defeated them and wanted to annex all of Greece • Persians defeated at Marathon • Greeks rallied to beat Persians • Preserved Greek independence Peloponnesian War • 431-404 BC • Sparta (Peloponnesian League) defeated Athens (Delian League) – Sparta unable to unite Greece Philip of Macedonia • 359 BC-king of Macedonia – Admired Greek culture – Wanted to unify Greek city-states • 338 BC-conquered/united all Greek city-states, except Sparta • Assassinated • His son, Alexander (aged 20) came to power Alexander the Great • • • • • 336-323 BC Taught by Aristotle Conquered Persian Empire Created Hellenistic culture Suddenly died at age 33 Greek Contributions • Theater – Sophocles--Oedipus Rex • Poetry – Homer—Iliad & Odyssey • Historical Writing – Herodotus (Father of History) • Embellished facts – Thucydides (scientific historian) • Accurate account Greek Contributions (cont’d.) • Architecture/Sculpture – Marble – Simple – Well-proportioned • Philosophy – Socrates (individual)—Questioned – Plato (group)—Ideal government – Aristotle (world)—Philosophy/science Greek Contributions (cont’d.) • Science and mathematics – Pythagoras/Euclid—Geometry – Hippocrates—Medicine – Aristarchus—Geocentrism – Archimedes—Levers/pulleys – Eratosthenes--Accurate estimate of earth’s circumference