Transcript I. Greek Civilization

I. Greek Civilization
A. Greek City-States
1. Rugged Terrain
Acropolis
a. Mountains, coastal reefs
b. Difficult to unify
2. The Sea
a. Travel
b. Food
c. Trade
i. Olive oil, Wine, Marble
3. Two levels
a. Acropolis
Agora
i. Highest point in city
ii. Temples & government buildings
b. Agora
i. Lower part of city
ii. Market, theater, homes
A. Greek City-States
4. Free Time
a. Spent learning and debating
i. Developed math, music, history,
and logic
ii. Herodotus – first historian
b. Philosophy
Herodotus
i. Socrates – seek truth and
knowledge
ii. Plato – ideal form
iii. Aristotle – writer; set up
university system
5. Polytheistic
Socrates
Aristotle
a. Zeus – King of the gods
b. Athena – Goddess of wisdom
B. Greek Accomplishments
1. Architecture
a. Meant to show perfect
balance
b. Parthenon – temple dedicated
to Athena
2. Sculpture
a. Lifelike and idealistic
b. Gods, athletes, famous people,
etc.
3. Paintings
a. Only surviving are pottery
b. Depicted everyday life
C. Athens & Sparta
1. Athens
a. Monarchy  Aristocracy  Democracy
i. Monarchy – royal family rules
ii. Aristocracy – Wealthy landowning nobles rule
iii. Democracy – People (though not all) rule
b. Rights and Education
i. Male citizens could vote
ii. Women had no rights
iii. Boys attended formal school if they could afford it –
studied music, poetry, military training, athletics
C. Athens & Sparta
c. Pericles
i. Direct Democracy – All male citizens
could vote; needed 6000 in attendance
for decision.
ii. Established juries.
iii. Paid government officials (poor could
be in government).
iv. Started ostracism – banished a person
for up to 10 years.
v. Had the Parthenon built.
C. Athens & Sparta
2. Sparta
a. Government
i. Two kings + council of Elders
ii. More slaves (conquered) than free men
iii. Citizens: Male, native-born Spartans over 30
b. Newborns abandoned if deformed or sickly
c. Military Training
i. Age 7, ALL boys sent to barracks for training
ii. Beaten, coarse diet, hard exercise
iii. Marry at 20, move out of barracks at 30, stop
eating there at 40
d. Women
i. Exercise and strength important
ii. Expected to produce healthy sons
II. Greek Wars
A. Military
1. Phalanx – massive formation of
infantry (10 across x 10 deep)
2. Armor
a. Metal armor on chests,
forearms, and shins
b. Round shield
c. Helmet
Greek Phalanx
3. Weapons
a. Spears (10 feet long) and small
swords (2 feet long)
4. Units were combined to make over
1000 men.
B. Persian Wars
1. Persia
a. Largest empire in known world
i. Demanded Greeks pay tribute
ii.Athens and Sparta said no –
formed the Athenian League
2. Victory at Marathon
a. Persia attacks
b. Greeks outnumbered but win by
attacking the flanks (back)
c. Pheidippides runs 26.2 miles to
Athens with news of the victory
d. d. Persia defeated!
B. Persian Wars
3. Persia attacks again 10 years later
a. 500,000 Persians (largest army ever)
b. 300 Spartans (plus 7000 Greeks) hold off the army at
Thermopylae
i. Athens evacuated
c. Persia burns Athens to the ground, but the Athenian navy
sinks the Persian fleet
i. Persian army stuck in Greece.
d. Greece wins! Why?
i. Superior Navy + knowledge of the land
ii. Superior tactics and leadership
C. Greek Decline
1. Peloponnesian War
a. 431 BC – Sparta attacks Athens
b. People move into Athens for protection
c. Plague kills 1/3 of population
i. Why a plague?
– No waste disposal
– Food spoilage
– No hand washing
d. Sparta captures Athens in 404 BC
2. Macedonia takes advantage & conquers city-states
from the North – King Philip/Alexander the Great.