Ancient Greece

What are the Greek

contributions to Western & World

Civilization?

Greek Contributions• 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

• 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 1400-

1200 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”

• 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 City-States—The

Hellenic World

Vocabulary• 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• 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

• 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

AthensReforms toward Age of Democracy

• 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

AthensReforms toward Age of Democracy

• 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

• 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• 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• 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 (431-404 B. C.--27 years)

The Pelopennesian Wars (431-404 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

• 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”• 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”• Politics—there is no ideal system

• Stoicism—founded by Zeno– True happiness attained by finding one’s

proper place in nature & accepting it; avoid desires and calmly accept what life brings

• Epicurianism– Live a life free of extremes; lessen pain &

increase pleasure (vs. “eat, drink, & be merry”)

The “Big Three”• 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• 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