Transcript Slide 1 - Cloudfront.net

Ancient Greece
What are the
Greek
contributions to
Western & World
Civilization?
Greek Contributions
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Democracy
Architecture
Sculpture
History
– Herodotus is “father of
history”—used anecdotes,
legends, odd information
– Thucydides--avoid bias;
focus on human, not
divine, causes
• Philosophy
• Drama
• Poetry
• Science
– Scientific method—direct
study & observation of
nature
– Aristarchus—earth
rotates on its axis &
rotates around the sun
– Archimedes—applied
principles of physics to
make practical inventions
– Eratosthenes—showed
earth was round &
accurately calculated its
circumference
Herodotus
Thucydides
Aristarchus
Archimedes
• Mathematics (Euclid,
Pythagoras)
• Medicine (Hippocrates)
• Athletics (the Olympic
Games)
Euclid
Pythagoras
Early People
of the
Aegean
Geography’s influence
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Rugged, hilly peninsula in southeastern
Europe (isolation leading to city-state
development)
Limited fertile land; poor, sandy soil—
grapes & olives as main crops (trade &
commerce & colonization)
Easy access to the sea—numerous good
bays & harbors (trade & commerce)
Main products: olive oil, wine, marble
Minoan civilization (peak
about 1750-1500 B.C.)
• Based on island of Crete
• Named for legendary King
Minos
• Established a trading empire
which formed the basis for its
success
Minoan civilization (peak
about 1750-1500 B.C.)
Mycenaean civilization
(peak between 14001200 B. C.)
• Successful sea-traders
• Rivalry with Troy at
Hellespont—“Trojan War”
(supposedly caused by the
kidnapping of Helen)
Mycenaean Civilization
The Trojan
War
Brad Pitt as
Achilles
The Age of Homer (c. 750
B.C.)
• Provided an oral record which gives
insight into life during this period
(values of courage, honor, eloquence)
• Iliad—Trojan War & Achilles
• Odyssey—struggle of Odysseus
The Age of
Homer (c. 750
B.C.)
The Age of
Homer (c. 750
B.C.)
The Age of
Homer (c. 750
B.C.)
Forces Unifying the “Greek World”
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Same language, dialects
Same gods
Same athletic games
Same legends
Perceived ethnic superiority
Fear of a common enemy (Persia)
Forces Unifying the
“Greek World”
• Same gods
Forces Unifying the
“Greek World”
• Same athletic games
Forces Unifying the
“Greek World”
• Same legends
Forces Unifying the
“Greek World”
• Perceived ethnic superiority
Forces Unifying the
“Greek World”
• Fear of a common enemy
(Persia)
The Rise of
Greek CityStates—The
Hellenic World
Vocabulary
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Polis—the Greek city-state including the
city & surrounding hinterland; typical
population of 5-10 thousand who were
closely knit
Pride in home city
Jealous guarding of independence
Rarely cooperated with other city-states
Acropolis—high point/hilltop in the city;
site of the Greek temple
Vocabulary
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Monarchy—government in which
king/queen exercises central power
Aristocracy—rule by the landholding elite
Oligarchy—government in which power
lies in hands of a small, powerful elite
(usually a business class)
Democracy—government by the people
(excluding women, foreigners & slaves
[25% of the Athenian population])
Sparta on the Pelopennesus
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Spartans take over Messenians, transform them
into non-citizens (“helots”) or state property
Transformation into a military state
only strong, healthy babies allowed to survive
males enter military school at age 7
at age 20, they become field soldiers
at age 30, they can assume government posts
for those who survive, retirement at age 60
Brutal existence, hard exercise, coarse diet, rigid
discipline
Sparta on the Pelopennesus
Athens and Greek Greatness
Solon—Athenean Chief
Magistrate
Athens
Reforms toward Age of Democracy
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Solon—chief magistrate (594 B.C.)
Cancelled farmers’ debts
Outlawed debt slavery (to bring an end to
turmoil in Athens)
Enlarged Council to 400 members
Citizenship opened to non-Athenian
craftsmen
Encouraged trade, e.g., export of wine &
olive oil
Pisustratus
Athens
Reforms toward Age of Democracy
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Pisistratus (560 B.C.)
– banished some nobles & gave their lands to
the poor
– gave loans to some farmers
– gave poorer citizens a greater voice in
government
– encouraged trade & the arts
• Cleisthenes (508 B. C.)
– introduced practice of ostracism
– enacted political re-districting
– increased Council to 500 members
Cleisthenes
Pericles & the Golden
Age of Athens
Pericles & the Golden Age of
Athens: Key Contributions
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Greek democracy (model for the Western
world)
Public service—an honorable & necessary part
of a citizen’s life
Citizens free to live lives, come & go, speak
minds openly
Awareness of beauty
Public debate before state action
Athens turned into the cultural center of
Greece
Victory & Defeat in the Greek
World: East Meets West in the
Persian Wars
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480 B.C.—Xerxes
1)Thermopylae—valiant Spartan defense of a
mountain pass
2)Fall of Athens
3)Salamis—naval battle & final Persian defeat
(excluding Plataea)
Delian League
Created to defend against further Persian
intrusions; actually used to construct an
Athenian Empire
Victory & Defeat in the Greek
World: East Meets West in the
Persian Wars
Victory & Defeat in the Greek
World: East Meets West in the
Persian Wars
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Expanding Persian Empire collides with
Greek colonies along western rim of
modern-day Turkey (Ionia)
Aid sent to Ionia from Athens (which
prompted Persian war on Greece)
Punitive Persian expedition of Darius I
490B. C.—Battle of Marathon (2-to-1 odds
against the Greeks) destroys myth of
Persian invincibility
Victory & Defeat in the Greek
World: East Meets West in the
Persian Wars
Victory & Defeat in the Greek
World: East Meets West in the
Persian Wars
Victory & Defeat in the Greek
World: East Meets West in the
Persian Wars
Victory & Defeat in the Greek
World: East Meets West in the
Persian Wars
The Spartans’ defense at
Thermopylae Pass—480 B. C.
The Pelopennesian Wars (431404 B. C.--27 years)
The Pelopennesian Wars (431404 B. C.--27 years)
• Greek world spits into rival
camps: Athens vs. Pelopennesian
League
• Athens falls in 404 B. C.
• Ended age of Athenian greatness;
Greeks left weak & divided—
corruption & self-interest replace
ideals like service to the city-state
The Glory that Was Greece—the
Performing Arts
The Glory that Was Greece—the
Vocabulary
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Rhetoric—the art of skillful speaking
Tragedy—plays telling of human suffering
& usually ending in disaster (Aschylus
[father of the tragedy; cycle of murder,
revenge, retribution], Sophocles [most
important tragedian; individual
motivation & human nature], Euripides
[human life patters; the gods are
ridiculous])
Comedy—humorous plays that mocked or
criticized society (Aristophanes)
The Glory that Was Greece—the
Performing Arts
The “Big Three”
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Socrates—encouraged the asking of
questions and carefully analyzing answers
in order to arrive at the truth or
agreement
Plato (focused on abstract ideas)
Founder of the Academy
Author of The Republic—people do work
for which they are best suited (i.e.,
workers, soldiers, philosopher-kings)
Aristotle (focused on practical application)
happiness through moderation in all
things, not extremes
The “Big Three”
• Socrates
• Plato
• Aristotle
The “Big Three”
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Politics—there is no ideal system
Stoicism—founded by Zeno
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True happiness attained by finding one’s
proper place in nature & accepting it; avoid
desires and calmly accept what life brings
Epicurianism
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Live a life free of extremes; lessen pain &
increase pleasure (vs. “eat, drink, & be
merry”)
The “Big Three”
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Zeno
Epicurus
Alexander & the Hellenistic Age:
The Rise of Macedon
Father &
Son
Alexander & the Hellenistic Age:
The Rise of Macedon
• King Philip—ambitious, ruthless &
effective
– United Macedon
– Brought Greek city-states under his
rule (formed alliances with some
states & overthrew others)
• Philip assassinated in 336 B. C.
Alexander & the Hellenistic Age:
The Rise of Macedon
Alexander the Great
• Trained to lead by Aristotle—restless,
confident & reckless
• Conquest of Persia under Darius III
(he was weak and his satraps were
rebellious)—Granicus, Issus, Arbella
• Drive to the borders of India followed
by mutiny of his troops
• Returning home but died of a fever in
Babylon
Alexander the Great
Alexander the Great
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Alexander’s program:
– Blend Greek & Persian (plus some Indian &
Egyptian influence) cultures—create one
world (Alexander’s most durable
achievement)
– Standard system of money
– One language (Greek)
– One legal system
– Growth of cultural exchange & trade across
the Hellenistic world
• Death of Alexander in 331 B.C.
The Hellenistic Age
• Hellenism vs. Hellenistic
• Division of Alexander’s
empire into several parts—
eventually the Ptolemies and
Selucids dominated