Ancient Greece Notes

Mysterious Minoans*Historians trace the origins of Greek civilization to Crete, a mountainous island about 150 miles off the coast of Greece*By 2,000 B.C., a Minoan civilization had emerged*Though the Minoans left behind written records, historians can’t read their language*There are many myths about this civilization. Myths are very old stories told to explain events or to justify beliefs and actions.*The word Minoan comes from a mythical Cretan king named Minos who built a labyrinth or maze beneath his palace. A monstrous Minotaur or half man, half bull---- lived in this labyrinth and was offered regular sacrifices of unlucky humans. *Minoans grew wealthy through trade, were expert sailors, and had well-built ships*They traded olive oil, wine, cloth, pottery and metalwork for raw materials or substances from which other products are made of such as tin, gold, pearls and ivory*Minoans were polytheistic---believed in many gods and goddesses*Minoan civilization ended mysteriously----earthquakes, tidal waves, volcanic eruptions, invasions…no one really knows…

Mycenaean Civilization*Around 2,000 B.C., a new group of people from farther east settled in Greece. They became known as Mycenaeans based on the name of their main city named Mycenae. They adopted the Minoan culture. They copied their art, architecture, religion,

writing, trade, metalworking and shipbuilding. They later conquered the Minoans---taking all of their treasure, land, people and palaces. *Mycenaeans were good at trade and had a strong military*Mysterious ending----natural disasters, peasant uprisings, invaded by the Sea Peoples (raiders who had also attacked the ancient Egyptians and the Hittites of Mesopotamia)…no one really knows…

The Age of Heroes*The ancient Greeks believed in many gods, goddesses, monsters, and heroes. Stories about these characters were told and retold. A man named Homer was a blind bard or poet who told stories to music, and lived in ancient Greece. Homer composed two of the world’s greatest stories, the Iliad and the Odyssey. Both are epic poems or long poetic stories. Every epic poem has a hero or a character who faces a challenge that demands courage, strength, and intelligence.

*The Trojan Horse/Odyssey/Iliad-The Greeks and the Trojans were at war. Paris, the son of the King of Troy, had fallen in love with Helen. But Helen was already the wife of a Greek king. -Paris and Helen fled to Troy. Helen’s husband gathered an army and sailed after his wife. -The Greeks and the people of Troy fought for ten years. -The Greeks suddenly sailed away, and the Trojans came cautiously out of their city gates and found a huge, wooden horse that was left as a “gift”. The Trojans broke down their own city walls and drug the horse into their city. -That night, as the Trojans slept, the Greek ships came back and Odysseus and his men who had been hiding in the belly of the horse destroyed the city of Troy, and took Helen back.

*The Odyssey also tells the story of Odysseus’s journey home after the Trojan War. His many adventures include one-eyed Cyclops and Sirens or women whose singing can lure a sailor’s ship to crash on rocks.

*Another Greek writer still popular today was a slave called Aesop. He wrote fables, or short stories with animals as characters that taught a moral lesson. *The Greeks were among the first people to research theirpast, write it down accurately, and use reliable sources.City-States*Greek city-states had many similarities, but also had their own personalities.*The highest point in an ancient Greek city was the acropolis or upper city. From the acropolis one could see houses, narrow streets and the agora, the city’s marketplace and social center for sports, festivals and meetings. *A powerful city grew into an even more powerful city-state or polis. A city-state is an independent political unit in which a dominant city rules the surrounding area. High mountains, plains and valleys separated city-states from one another. They shared a common language, religion, and culture, but had their own customs and laws.

City-State of Sparta*The Spartans lived in one of the most fertile areas of southern Greece. *Spartan government was an unusual blend of rule by kings, elected officials, and the ruling class. Two kings and a council of elders made up of 28 men over the age of 60 who led Sparta’s armies and made laws. *Upper/Ruling Class—landowning families, Second Class—free, noncitizens from surrounding villages who were farmers and traders, Lowest Class—helots or state-owned slaves captured from conquered lands*Helots farmed the Spartans’ land and were allowed to keep a tiny portion of their harvest. The helots outnumbered the Spartans and the fear of a helot uprising was the main reason that everything centered around the Spartan army.

Spartan Boys

*At 7 years of age, all boys taken from their families & raised by the state to be a soldier*Training was brutal*Boys wore tunics and no shoes, even in winter*Meals were purposely small & nasty so that they had to steal food to survive, but were punished if caught*Intense physical training & endless military drills created strong & obedient soldiers*At age 20, they joined a military regiment, a life-time commitment Spartan Girls*Purpose was to produce future soldiers for the state*Husbands and wives spent much time apart*They could own property, run businesses & their household

City-State of Athens*Citizenship was open to adult men who were born in Athens*Foreign-born residents could live in Athens, but not usually become citizens or vote or own property—even though they paid taxes & fought in army*Slaves were the bottom of society*Athens established democracy, a form of government in which citizens rule, often through elected officials**Athens had the first democracy. They passed laws through the assembly. Every citizen of Athens was a member of the assembly. The assembly met several times a year to make and pass laws. Women, slaves, and people born out of the city-state were not allowed to be citizens.*Direct Democracy is when all of the people run the government, make laws, and vote. The assembly was an example of this.*Indirect Democracy is when the people choose representatives to run the government. The United States government is an example of this. *Democracy is one of Greece’s greatest contributions to modern society. Athenian Boys*Attended school if family could afford it

*Two years of military training

Athenian Girls*Firmly controlled by their husbands*Wealthy women ran the household & raised children, but could not go out alone*Poorer women had more freedom, but had to work for wages at a young age*No schooling, but learned household skills

*Athens and Sparta worked in an alliance or partnership in a war against the Persians and were victorious

Pericles*One of Athens’s greatest leaders*Expanded democracy into direct democracy, in which citizens gathered together to vote on laws and policies*Pericles guided Athens through a Golden Age---a period of great cultural achievement

The Golden Age of Athens----Essay Alert—8 sentences*A thirty year period started by the great leader Pericles when Athens became very prosperous*Athens was the most famous & powerful city-state in Greece*The city grew rich from businesses, tax money, and silver mining*The population was large and growing*Temples, palaces and markets were built*Great architecture and sculpture was all around the city*A time of writing and learning*Athens became too powerful and started having disagreements with other city-states*These disagreements led to war and the end of the Golden Age

The Athenian Empire*Since Persia was always a threat to Greece, Athens and other city-states formed an anti-Persian alliance. The Delian League was based on the island of Delos, where funds were kept to fight any future wars with Persia. Each city-state contributed cash, ships or soldiers.*Pericles used the league’s money to build Athens’s powerful navy. This naval force allowed Athens to rule the Mediterranean region and the Delian League. *Athens was still in ruins from the Persian Wars. Pericles rebuilt the Acropolis with richly decorated temples and monuments. He transformed Athens into one of the most magnificent cities, and capital of the ancient world. (The Golden Age)*Parthenon----On the Acropolis, temple dedicated to Athens’s goddess--Athena, Parthenon means “Dwelling of the Maiden”, 46 Doric columns, made of white marble

Religion of the Gods*The Greek gods and goddesses were considered immortal, or able to live forever.*Like the Mesopotamians and the Egyptians, the Greeks believed that unhappy gods showed their displeasure by causing problems in people’s lives. They would leave offerings outside of temples, the gods’ earthly homes.*There were hundreds of gods, but the top 12 lived on Mt. Olympus.*Mythology is a collection of stories that explained events, beliefs, or actions. In Greek myths, gods and humans had amazing adventures together.

Olympic Games*The 1st Olympic Games were celebrated to honor the gods in Greece from 776 B.C. to A.D. 394.*Messengers, known as “The Heralds of Sport”, were sent to all the city-states wearing crowns of olive branches to announce the “Truce of Sport”.*Men (women could not watch or participate) gathered for over a week to feast and watch the games. Athletes swore an oath that they had trained and would not cheat.*Events: horse races, chariot races, running races, & the Pentathlon (5 events---long jump, discus throw, javelin toss, wrestling and boxing).*The stadium of Olympia seated 40,000 spectators.*The 1st modern Olympic Games were held in Athens & they continue today every 4 years.

*Read p. 235: The Myth of Daedalus and Icarus

War Breaks Out*Athens became wealthier & even more powerful (-under Pericles). Sparta became fearful. Athens was a democratic society

and Sparta focused on military strength. These differences exploded into war.

*In 431 B.C., Sparta declared war on the city-state of Athens. This war was called the Peloponnesian War and lasted from 431-404 B.C. On both sides, men were killed & women/children were taken into slavery. The war seemed unwinnable because Athens was dominant at sea with their navy & Sparta ruled on land. Athens signed a truce, or an agreement to stop fighting. They both entered a period of peace that would not last. *The war drug on and eventually Sparta was victorious over Athens.

A Plague Strikes Athens*In 430 B.C., Athenians began suffering from rashes, headaches, vomiting, and fever. This was probably an outbreak of typhoid fever, a highly infectious disease. *The fever quickly became a deadly plague, or a disease that causes many deaths. In 4 years the plague killed one in three Athenians---about 60,000 people including Pericles. It killed more people than the Spartan soldiers.

*Read p. 237: Myrtis, A Victim of Plague

Alexander the Great, 356-323 B.C.*According to legend, there was a great knot that was impossible to untie. It was said that whoever could unravel the knot would conquer Asia. When Alexander saw the knot, he drew out his sword and asked, “What does it matter how I untie it?”. He then sliced the knot in two.

*Alexander was a military genius who never once lost a battle. He conquered the entire Persian Empire and conquered lands as far away as India. His empire stretched 3,000 miles and after 11 years, his soldiers were homesick and wanted to go home. Legend says that he wept because he had no more worlds to conquer.

*Thousands of soldiers died during the long trip home to Greece. Alexander did not survive the return trip. He became sick with a fever in Babylon and died in 323 B.C. at the age of 32.

Philosophy and Literature*Philosophy comes from a Greek word meaning “love of wisdom”. Philosophers used logic and reason to explain the universe and our place in it.

*Socrates

*Socrates was an Athenian philosopher interested in ethics, or the study of right and wrong. He challenged people to think deeply & asked questions. His question and answer style of teaching became known as the Socratic Method.

*Plato

*Socrates taught Plato, one of the most influential philosophers in history. He founded an elite academy where he taught Aristotle, the tutor of Alexander the Great.

*Aristotle

*These three Greek philosophers formed the basis of modern philosophy, math and science.

Art and Architecture*The Greeks loved the theater. Drama was divided into two main forms—comedy and tragedy. Only 3 male actors performed each play.

*Greeks were expert sculptors of art, columns and temples. There were 3 main types of columns or pillars that were used to make temples. They were Doric, Ionic and Corinthian. The top of the column was a capital and the bottom was a base.

*Doric *Ionic *Corinthian

*Black Figure Pottery was a technique used by the Greeks where black silhouetted figures were painted onto a reddish/orange background. The scenes painted were of people and their daily lives in Greece. **See page 220 for examples.

Democracy and Law*Ancient Greece was the birthplace of democracy and citizenship. Thousands of Greek citizens met regularly to vote on policies & laws.*The representative democracy of the United States is based on the Greek system. Because the U.S. population is so large, we elect representatives to vote on our behalf. (-indirect democracy)

*Greek democracy was built on the rule of law. Courts established innocence or guilt through trials by jury. A jury is a group of people chosen to decide guilt or innocence in a trial. Jurors were selected randomly and were paid. There were no lawyers and the accused represented themselves and even called witnesses. The jury was not allowed to discuss the case and would vote with a token.

The Greek Alphabet*It was adapted from the Phoenicians.*About 12% of our words come from Greek roots.*The word “alphabet” comes from Alpha and Beta, the first two letters of the Greek alphabet.

*Write your first, middle, and last name in Greek!!

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