Ancient Greek Government

Ancient Greek Society-Ancient Greek Society thrived from the 3rd through the 1st Millennium BCE.

-Greek Civilization served as the center of Mediterranean trade, culture and philosophy

-The Greeks developed important ideas in government that are still practiced today

-After Greek Civilization officially fell to the Romans in 133 BCE, its democratic traditions lived on

Athens Strengthens Democracy-After the Persian Wars (499-477 BCE) Athens emerged as the most dominant Greek city-state

-The “Golden Age of Athens” emerged

-Pericles became ruler and the greatest promoter of democracy in Athens’s history

-Pericles opened political offices to all, paid jurors and gave all citizens the right to attend assemblies

-Women, slaves and non-Athenian citizens could not take part in government

Greek Thinking Expands-As Athens moved out of the Golden Age, the city-state’s power lessened

-Athens’ democratic “thinkers” did not vanish though

-469-399 B.C.E., Socrates began teaching reason and rationality…not religion as a means of explanation

-427-347 B.C.E., Plato, student of Socrates, believed that reason and wisdom should rule; not strength

-384-322 B.C.E., Aristotle, student of Plato, believed corruption in govt. should be prevented & power should be separated

Alexander the Great-In 338 B.C.E., Phillip of Macedonia, conquered Greece and its city-states

-Upon his assassination, his son Alexander the Great gained the crown and began his 10 year conquest

-Alexander was a trained thinker (Aristotle), general and ambassador

-Alexander conquered much of the known world at that time

-He died at age 32 (323 BCE) as one of the greatest military commanders in ancient times

As Alexander’s Empire spread, so did its cultural and governmental beliefs.