Transcript Barker 7th Classical Greece

Ancient Greece
The Classical and Hellenistic Periods
The Golden Age of Athens
• Pericles
– Began as a wealthy member of society
– Considered the greatest demogouge of his time
• Demogouge literally means “mouth of the people,” and
refers to someone who is able to influence people with
his voice
Pericles
• In 460BCE, Pericles got elected general of the
Athenian Army
– Meant to be a one year position
– Pericles was re-elected to it repeatedly
• Pericles set about expanding Athens Power
Golden Age of Athens
• Building:
– Walls: Pericles had the Athenians extend the walls of
the city all the way to the sea, to ensure that it was
protected on all sides
– The Parthenon: Built on the Acropolis overlooking, a
tall hill overlooking the city. Meant to replace the
temples destroyed by the Persians
• 60 foot high marble building supported by columns
• Held a 40 foot high gold and ivory statue of Athena
• Built to be perfectly parallel from any angle, meant to
express perfection
The Parthenon
Golden Age of Greece
• Democracy:
– Pericles expanded the number of citizens by
allowing any who served in the Navy to join
• Later allowed anyone who owned land
– He created a salary for members of the
government, which meant even poor farmers
could be on the assembly
Life of Greek Citizens during the
Golden Age
• Most Athenians sold their goods and worked at
the Agora, the central market-place of the city
– Used silver coins as currency
– Citizens typically worked as farmers, sheep herders, or
craftsmen
– Most citizens wore tunics of wool from goats or sheep
• Only the richest citizens could wear tunics of cotton or linen
– The wealthiest wore togas
– Made of a large cloth that wrapped around the body
Classical Greek Clothing
Ancient Greek Coins
Life of Greek Citizens during the
Golden Age
• If accused of a crime citizens would go to the
law courts
– Both sides would present speeches before a jury
of between 200 and 2500 citizens, depending on
the crime.
– At the end, the jury would vote to punish or free
the accused
• Punishments could include death by being thrown from
the sea cliffs near Athens
An Athenian Lawyer Presents his case
Women in Greece
• Women typically worked at home
– Most common job was spinning of wool into cloth
– Women took care of children too young to go to
school
– People typically married around the age of 15
Cross-Section of Ancient Greek Home
Life of Non-Citizens
• Metics and slaves
– Metics were non-citizens
• Treated as inferior by citizens, were required to register with
government and pay taxes
• Could still attend plays, festivals and be represented in
courts
– Slaves
• Slaves had no rights at all
• Often worked grueling labor on farms
• Some educated slaves were kept to teach the children of the
rich
• Worst job was working in the silver mines that helped make
Athens wealthy
Athenian Philosophies
• Athens was home to numerous philosophers
– Many of these were mathematicians and scientists
• Monists: Believed that all of creation came
from a single source
– Example: Thales of Miles argued all things came
from water
– Believed that mankind could use the mind to
discover the secrets of nature
– Ridiculed the ancient Greek gods as silly
Athenian philosophers
• Atomism: Believed that everything in the
universe was made up of tiny invisible
particles called elements
– Argued that universe was eternal as nothing ever
truly went away. Instead its elements simply
became new things
Greek Philosophers
• The Sophists: Believed that the primary goal
of man should be the pursuit of wisdom
– Believed that the way to achieve better
understanding and wisdom was through argument
• Called disputation
• Sophists taught students how to better argue in order
that they may learn wisdom
Greek Philosphers
• The Cynics
– Believed that the goal of life was to pursue virtue
– Argued that men should live simple lives
• Rejected riches and wealth and learning
– Famously led by Diogenes who led a life of poverty
Socrates
• Most famous of the sophists
– Taught using Socratic Method, a series of
questions designed to get a student to think about
his values
– Taught that the highest virtue was knowledge,
encouraged people to question their beliefs
Greek Science
• Aristarchus: Discovered that the Earth
revolved around the Sun by studying the
movements of planets
• Eratosthenes: First to use the term Geography
– Calculated the circumference of Earth to within a
few hundred miles
– Created the first map of the world with longitude
and latitude lines
– Accurately calculated the distance of the Earth
from the Sun
Science
• Archimedes: Discovered many of the basic
concepts of physics
– The fulcrum and lever: Use of a lever to increase
the power of work done by an individual
– Discovered how to use water to measure the
volume of an object through displacement
Medicine
• Hippocrates: First to argue that diseases were
caused naturally, rather than supernaturally
– Sought natural cures for diseases, including
surgery
– Encouraged and taught study of the human body
– Famous for his motto, “First, do no harm”
• Doctors today still swear this as the Hippocratic Oath
The Peloponnesian War
The Peloponnesian War
• 429BCE: Sparta declares war on Athens
• Feared that Athens was becoming too
powerful
– Athens had begun conquering former Persian
cities outside of Greece
– Sparta gave Athens an ultimatum
• A threatening message demanding that a state take
action or face war
• Said if Athens did not free conquered cities, Sparta
would invade
Start of the War
• Spartans invade Athens
– Unable to attack city, thanks to walls
– Burn surrounding country-side
– Pericles calls all citizens inside walls
• Plague breaks out within city
• 1 in 4 Athenians dies, including Pericles
Peloponnesian War
• Athenians rally and push Spartan Army out of
the city
• Athenians weakened from war, begin losing
territory overseas
• Persians begin supporting Spartans, hoping to
see Athens lose
Peloponnesian War
• Battle of Aogospotami
– Athenian fleet had been at sea for months
• Running low on food and water
• Athenians decide to land at port of Aogospotami for
supplies, unaware that Spartans had captured it
• While Athenien sailors are getting food, Spartan
soldiers steal their entire fleet without a fight
End of the War
• Both Athens and Sparta nearly bankrupted by
War
– Without its fleet, Athens is forced to surrender
– Sparta faces a helot revolt and forced to pull back
• Result: Both Sparta and Athens severely
weakened
– Persia once again becomes most powerful Empire
in the area
End of the Golden Age
• During the War, Athenians grow suspicious of
anyone who is anti-democratic, or questions
their values
• Socrates put on trial for “corrupting the minds
of the youth”
– Sentenced to death by drinking poison
– Taught his students up until the moment he died
• Athens becomes weak and isolated
The Hellenistic Period: Rise of
Alexander
• Hellenistic means Greek-like
• A period in which non-Greeks, specifically the
Macedonians export Greek culture throughout
the known world
Macedonia
• Macedonia was a kingdom to the North of
Greece
– Led by King Philip, a great warrior
• Established a permanent professional army
• Considered to be a military genius
• Macedonians perfected the Greek technique
of the phalanx
Invasion of Greece
• Philip invades and conquers Greece in 338
• Reorganized Greek city-states and made them a
part of his army
• Wished to take on the Persians but died before
he could muster his forces
• Was murdered by rebels before he could invade
– His 20 year old son Alexander puts down rebellion,
brings father’s murderers to justice, and begins
invasion himself
Conquests of Alexander the Great
• Alexander defeated the Persian Army at the
Battle of Granicus, and conquered all of Asia
Minor
• Conquered Syria and Palestine and moved into
Egypt
Alexander’s Empire upon his death
Conquests of Alexander
• King Darius of the Persians was betrayed by
his own kin and assassinated. Tried to make a
peace treaty with Alexander
– Alexander completed the conquest of Persia and
had himself declared King of Kings (Shahanshah)
End of Alexander
• Alexander attempts to invade India
– Encounters troops of the Indian Rajahs, including
forces riding elephants
– Fights several harsh battles against Indian forces
• At the Ganges River his troops, sick of
constant warfare, revolted and demanded to
be allowed to go home.
End of Alexander
• Alexander returns to Persia to discover that his
governors have become corrupt in his absence
– Executes several of them
• Before he can begin conquests again, he grows
sick and dies
• With no male heir, Alexander’s Empire falls
apart only years after his death
The Empire Splits
Legacy of Alexander
• Alexander spread Greek learning and
philosophy wherever he went
• Greek writings and teachings spread across
the world
– Greek ideas would later become the basis of
Roman society