Transcript 7th Ancient Greece

Ancient Greece
From the Dark Ages to the Classical
Period
Geography of Greece
• Greece is found on a peninsula called The
Peloponnesus
– Definition: An outcrop of land surrounded by
water on three sides
– Greek societies are often referred to as
Peloponnesian
• The area is geologically active, meaning there
are several volcanos
Greece from Space
Geography of Greece
• Peloponnesus is broken up by rugged
mountains and many small bays and inlets
from the Mediterranean Sea
• Because of these conditions, Greeks
developed small isolated communities
– These were often at odds with each other over
farming land and fishing grounds
Greek Countryside
Climate
• Greece has two seasons
– A mild, cool, wet winter
– A dry hot summer
• This means farmers can raise crops all year round.
• The hilly terrain makes Greece ideal for growing
grapes, and olives
– Very little of Greece can support cereal crops
– It’s close location to the sea means the Greeks also
became great fishermen
First Greek Civilizations
• The first civilization around Greece sprung up
on the Island of Crete
– Called the Minoan Civilization
– Famous for the buildings
• Created a large palace at Knossos which included
running water
• Minoan Athletes were famous for practicing
the sport of bull-jumping
Minoan Sport of Bull-Jumping
Minoan Art
Minoan building
• Minoans created large palaces located at
Knossos and Malia
• Used columns and bright dyes to paint
exterior
– Columns: external pillars that distribute the
weight of the building, allowing for open interiors
Knossos
• The palace at Knossos was one of the largest
buildings in the world at the time
– Gave rise to the ancient Greek myth of the
Minotaur and the labyrinth
Fall of the Minoans
• This civilization was likely crippled by a
tsunami
– A series of extremely powerful water waves
caused by volcanic eruptions or earthquakes
– Likely from the eruption of a nearby volcano
– Most of the Minoan palaces and cities destroyed
2011: Tsunami hits Tohoku, Japan
The First City-State: Mycenae
• Founded around 1900BCE, the Mycenaeans
were likely a Minoan colony on the Greek
mainland
– Created a fleet of powerful ships that traded
across the Mediterranean
– Would eventually conquer the Minoans in
1450BCE
• Era between 1400-1100BCE is known as the
Mycenaean Age
Mycenaean Gold Seal: Warrior Slaying
a Lion
The Dark Ages
• Mycenaean society began to decline by the
1100sBCE
– In 1150, a new group, the Dorians invaded and
Mycenaean society collapsed
– The next 300 years are known as the Dark Ages
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Trade came to a stand-still
Written languages disappeared
Villages became isolated
This era is where many of the great Greek legends
arose
The Rise of the New City-States
• The Dark Ages end around 750BCE, with the
rise of powerful new city-states
• Lasting between 750-500sBCE, this era known
as the Age of Expansion, sees the Greek CityStates grow and flourish
Map of Greek City-States
Ancient Greek Culture
• Ancient Greeks were Polytheistic
• Greek Gods:
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Chief god was Zeus, god of the sky and thunder
Apollo, god of the sun
Athena, goddess of wisdom, patron goddess of Athens
Ares, god of war, patron god of Sparta
Hades, god of the underworld
Poseidon, god of the sea
• The Greek gods supposedly lived on Mount
Olympus
The Gods and Greek Culture
• The Greek Gods were fickle, jealous and easily
angered, often warring and arguing with each
other
– Greek mythology is rife with stories of Greeks
getting dragged into the gods’ conflicts
– Greeks considered the worst sin to be hubris
• Being prideful to the extent of believing oneself
superior to the gods
Role of the gods in Greek life
• All city-states worshipped the same gods
– Each city-state had a patron god that watched
over it
• Individuals prayed to gods that dealt with their
profession
– Created Sanctuaries where members of each citystate could meet on neutral ground
Sanctuaries
• Sanctuaries included
– Delphi: Home of the Oracle of Apollo
• Believed to be able to tell the future
– The Olympics: A yearly festival to honor Zeus,
young men came to represent each city-state
Olympics
The Olympics
• The Olympics were a glorification of male
strength as represented by Zeus
– All men competed naked in events that were meant to
demonstrate strength and speed
• Races, Javelin Throwing, Discus Throwing, Wrestling
– Women were forbidden on pain of death from
participating or watching
– Victors crowned with a laurel wreath, meant to be
symbolic
• Designed to show the temporary nature of beauty and
strength
Role of gods in Greek life
• Greeks also held festivals for different gods
• The most famous of these festivals was the
festival of Dionysus, the god of wine and
merriment
– Greeks held drama and theater competitions with
two types of plays
• Comedies: Plays with happy endings, usually involving
love stories
• Tragedies: Plays with sad endings, usually involving the
hero destroying himself due to his hubris
Greek Theater
City-States: Athens
Athens
• Throughout the Dark Ages, Athens was ruled
by Kings
• At the end of the Dark Ages, a small group of
nobles grew in strength to share power with
the king
– This is known as an oligarchy
• Rule by a wealthy few
Rule under the Oligarchs
• The Oligarchs greatly expanded Athens, but the
population grew too big, and caused food
shortages
– Oligarchs horded food, and grew very wealthy
– Many poor farmers were forced to sell themselves
into slavery
• In response to this suffering, a new group of
rulers, the Tyrants seized power
– A Tyrant is a single ruler who has total power over the
government
Rule of the Tyrants
• Tyrants were ordinary citizens and soldiers
who seized control of Athens
– Tyrants cancelled the debt of small farmers
– They redistributed the land away from the
Oligarchs back to poor farmers, to allow them to
regain power
– Nevertheless, the Tyrants were often cruel rulers
who imposed harsh laws
The Story of Dionysus and Damocles
Athenian Democracy
• In 510BCE, the Athenians overthrew the last
Tyrant Hippias for being too cruel
– Instead of replacing the Tyrant the Athenians
choose Democracy
• Rule by the people
– Every year a council of 500 citizens was chosen to
vote on laws
– Only citizens of Athens could participate
• Of the 300,000 people in Athens, 45,000 were citizens
• Council led by a First Citizen
Athenian Democracy
• Athenian council chose a series of 9 Archons
to handle the functions of justice in the city
– The Archons were from powerful families around
the area
– Acted as justices and interpreters of the law
Democracy across Greece
• The Athens example was copied in many citystates across Greece
Great First Citizens
• Draco
– Created the first Athenian Constitution
• Definition: A Constitution is a document laying out how
a government is meant to function
– Made laws written and freely available to all
citizens
– Laws known for being incredibly harsh
Draco’s Laws
• Any citizen who owed a debt and could not
pay it would be sold into slavery
• The death penalty would be given even for
minor offenses such as theft
• Laws were so harsh that the term Draconian
has become a term for harsh, arbitrary laws
Solon
• Solon allowed for any citizen to become an
Archon, not just a noble land owner
– Made it possible for even poor citizens to hold
public office
• Set up a system of apprentices to that poor
farmers could find trades for their sons
– Paid master craftsmen to take on young boys to
teach them trade
Solon
Solon’s laws
• Solon encouraged the growth of cash crops
like olives
– Definition: Crops that are grown solely to sell
rather than to eat
– Helped make Greece wealthy
• Ended debt slavery and cancelled all debts in
the city
– Made it illegal for Greeks to enslave their fellow
countrymen
Education in Athens
• Education was only available to the wealthy
• Young boys would begin their education at 6
– Typically they would be trained by a literate slave,
or in an Academy
– Students or their parents would pay teachers
based on how well they learned
– As books were rare, students and teachers read
aloud, which helped perfect their public speaking
– Goal of education was to produce good citizens
Military
• Athens was well known for its powerful Navy
– Used ships with oars and sails for speed
• Two types of ships
– Biremes: Two decks of rowers
– Trireme: Three decks
– Ships were designed to ram into enemy vessels,
either sinking them or allowing soldiers to board
them
Triremes and Biremes
City-States: Sparta
Sparta’s Culture
• Sparta was the city-state eventually settled by
the Dorians
– Dorians subjugated and enslaved the local
populace
– Spartan population consisted of 90% slaves, 10%
citizens
Spartan Government
• Sparta had two kings
– Kings worked with a 30-man senate chosen from
the citizens
– The Senate wrote laws, and the citizens voted yes
or no on them
• Senate led by five Ephors that advised the kings
– Only kings could declare war, but both kings had
to agree
Education
• The sons of Spartan citizens were forced to leave
the home at 7 years old to live in a barracks
– A bunkhouse for soldiers
– Boys slept on the floor and wore light clothes even in
the winter, Spartans believed hardship built strength
• Spartan boys learned to fight and then served in
the army from ages 18-30
• Girls were trained to support their men in war,
known as shield-maidens
• Goal of education was to make good soldiers
Spartan Economy
• Each Spartan citizen received a parcel of land
and a number of slaves, known as helots from
the government
• Spartans always had to keep part of their army
at home to keep the slaves from rebelling
Greco-Persian War
• In the 490sBCE, the Greeks find themselves
under pressure from a powerful Persian
Empire in what is now Iran
– The Persians begin conquering Ionia, the Western
coast of what is now Turkey
• Ionians were allied with the Greeks
– Despite Greek aid, the Persians crush the Ionians
– Persian King Darius I determines to punish the
Greeks for their interference
Battles
• Battle of Marathon
– Athenians and Spartans ally against the Persians
• Defeat a massive Persian Army as it tries to land, force
Persians to attack further south
• Famously, a messenger is sent to run 42 Km to tell
Athens of the victory
Strategy
• Greeks trained their soldiers to fight in
phalanxes
– Tight groupings of soldiers who used their shields
to form a solid wall
– Phalanxes moved and fought together in perfect
coordination
• Allowed them to easily hold off a larger force
Greek phalanx
Battles
• Thermopylae
– Persia lands its army and begins marching north to
burn Athens
– Stopped by the Spartans and Athenians at a
narrow pass in the mountains called Thermopylae
– Hold a vastly larger force for days
– Eventually, Persians find a way through, 300
Spartans and King Leonides remain behind,
sacrificing their lives to buy Athenians time
Battles
• Battle of Artemisium
– Greeks attacked Persian forces as they passed
through Thermopylae to prevent them from
meeting with their fleets
• Persians utterly rout the Greek forces, driving them
back to Athens
Decisive Battle
• The Battle of Salamis
– Eager for a total victory, Xerxes sends his fleet on
ahead to attack Athens, while he marches forward
– In preparation, the Athenians abandon the city
except for a small for on the Acropolis
– Entire Athenian Navy masses for attack
Decisive Battle
Decisive Battle
• Small portion of Greek fleet lures the Persian
armada into a tiny channel near Salamis
– The massive size of the Persian fleet leaves them
unable to move and disorganized
– The Rest of the Greek fleet closes off both sides of
the channel then advances in a line
– The Persian fleet is wiped out to the last ship
Decisive Battle
• Xerxes attacks and burns Athens, but upon
witnessing the loss of his fleet he is forced to
retreat
End of the War
• Persians would try to invade Greeks again, just
as unsuccessfully
• Greek City-States form the Delian League
– A force of mutual protection made up of the
Athenian Navy and the Spartan Army
• Greeks now the most powerful military force
in the Mediterranean
• Begins the Classical Period