Chapter 4, Section 1Classical Greece and

Rome

Classical Greece• Classical Greece

means ancient Greece

• Greece flourished from 800 B.C. to 400 A.D.

• Western culture was greatly influenced by ancient Greece and Rome

The Golden Age of Greece• Greece reached its “Golden Age” in the 400’s B.C.

• During this time, Greece began ruling by a democracy

• Greece has been called the “cradle of democracy” because we can trace the beginnings of our political system to this time.

The Golden Age of Greece• Athens: home of the world’s first democratic constitution

• All free males over the age of 20 had the right to vote and speak freely

The Golden Age of Greece• Athens had many great philosophers.

• The most well known were Socrates, Plato and Aristotle.

• Socrates and Plato studied human nature.

• Aristotle wrote powerful works dealing with politics, literature, and ethics. Socrat

es

The Golden Age of Greece

AristotlePlato

The Golden Age of GreeceConflict

• During this time, Sparta and Athens wanted to expand their boundaries

• Sparta – ruled by few nobles and disliked change

• Athens – open to democracy and new ideas• The two city states were constantly fighting.• Sparta finally defeated Athens in the

Peloponnesian War.• This greatly weakened Greece.

The Golden Age of Greece• 300’s B.C. Phillip II of

Macedonia and his son, Alexander the Great invaded the northern border of Greece and easily conquered all of it.

• Alexander went on to create an empire that included Greece, Egypt, Persia and eastward to India.

• His empire quickly fell apart after his death, but he is credited for spreading Greek culture.

The Rise of Rome• Rome was settled some

time around 1000 B.C.• By 700 B.C. it had

evolved into a major city-state that dominated much of the Italian peninsula.

• Italy was more easily invaded so they developed a strong army.

• Rome started out as a monarchy, but changed to a republic (people choose their leaders).

The Rise of RomeThe Roman Republic

• Rome was led by two consuls (individuals elected by the people of Rome).

• The consuls reported to the Senate.

• The members of the Senate are members for life, and they must own land.

• This is guaranteed by Roman Law, the foundation for Roman Law is the Twelve Tables.

The Rise of RomeThe Roman Empire

• 264 B.C. to 146 B.C. wars transformed the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire.

• People whose countries were conquered by the Roman Empire were given citizenship and equality under Roman Law.

• Rome began trading with places as far as India & China.

The Rise of Rome• Under the empire,

Senators lost their power to emperors (absolute rulers).

• Supporters of the Senate killed the great Roman general, Julius Caesar for trying to become the first emperor.

• This led to a civil war between Caesar supporters and Senate supporters.

• Caesar’s nephew became the first emperor.

The Rise of Rome• Caesar’s nephew

was named Octavius but he became known as Caesar Augustus.

• He initiated a period of peace and prosperity known as the Pax Romana, which lasted almost 200 years.

The Rise of Rome• Jesus of Nazareth was

born in Palestine, which was under the rule of Caesar Augustus.

• Jesus carried out his teachings during the Pax Romana.

• Christianity spread over the Roman world.

• Emperors, Constantine I and Theodosius, Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire.

The Rise of Rome• After the period of the Pax Romana, the Roman

Empire began to decline.• Emperor Constantine I moved the capital from

Rome to Constantinople on the Black Sea.• Plagues were killing people.• In the A.D. 400’s Rome’s northern defenses

crumbled leaving it open for attack• A group of Germanic people came to rule much of

Rome, Italy and Europe.• The Eastern Roman Empire did not fall to the

Germans, it continued on for another 1,000 years.