Classical Greece

Classical Greece Following the Persian War, Pericles takes

control of Athens; stays in power for 31 years.› Known for high ethics, honesty, and being a

great public speaker.

Pericles had 3 goals for Athens while he was in power:

1. Strengthen the democracy.2. Expand the empire of Athens.3. Beautify the city.

Strengthening Democracy Pericles changed the laws regarding citizenship

and democratic roles; decreased power of upper class.

In order to be an Athenian citizen you had to be:› 18 years old› Free male› Son of an Athenian father

Pericles changes law to:› 18 years old› Free male› Son of two Athenian-born parents

Strengthening democracy Upper class were typically elected to public

office before Pericles.› Elected people weren’t paid for their job.

Under Pericles, elected officials would be paid in order to give ALL (including poor class) a chance to serve.

Expanding Athenian empire In order to protect themselves following

Persian War, Greek city-state’s created Delian League.› Provided mutual protection.› Athens was heavily involved in creating league.› HQ on island of Delos (Reason for name).

Some city-states provided troops and ships; others just paid dues ($$) for protection.

Pericles took money & resources to create a powerful navy.

Expanding Athenian empire Athens’ navy was best in Greece; used to

take control of Delian League.

Fearing the Delian League money could be stolen, it’s moved from Delos to Athens.

With more power, Athens begins treating others in League as conquered people, not allies.› Eventually most city-states were under control of

Athens, making it the Athenian Empire.

Beautifying Athens Following Persian War, Athens is left in near-

ruin.

To restore past glory of Athens, Pericles decides to rebuild parts of the city.

Money donated for Delian League is used to pay for rebuilding Athens instead.› League members begin to resist sending dues› Most ultimately do out of fear of being destroyed› Hatred begins to grow against Athens

Beautifying Athens One rebuilt area of Athens was the

Acropolis.› Important temples, buildings, & monuments

built there.

One of the buildings built on the Acropolis was the Parthenon, a temple for Athena.

Homework #1 – 2/12/131. What were the 3 goals of Pericles’ rule in

Athens?2. Under Pericles, how were elected officials

treated differently?3. What was the name of the league Athens

was heavily involved in creating?4. What did Pericles use to help rebuild

Athens?5. What was the name of the temple built for

Athena?

Peloponnesian War Athens & Sparta both want to be the dominant

city-state of Greece.

Sparta had long been the dominant military power, but Athens had created a naval empire (using Delian League-funded navy).

Many city-states in Greece resent Athens for using Delian League to create the Athenian Empire.› Those city-states that tried to break away from Delian

League were punished by Pericles.

Peloponnesian War Sparta declares war on Athens in 431 B.C.,

starting the Peloponnesian War. Both sides have strengths & weaknesses:

› Athens Navy = strength Athens Army = weakness› Spartan Army = strength Spartan Navy = weakness

Sparta wants a war on land; Athens wants a war on water.

Fighting lasts for 10 years before a truce is agreed upon.› Neither side follows peace agreement though.

Peloponnesian War Athens attacks a Spartan ally to cut off Sparta’s

supply route, restarting the war.

In order to defeat Athens, Sparta allies with Persia to gain a strong navy.

With Persia’s naval help, Sparta begins to defeat the Athenian navy and begin winning the war.

In 404 B.C., Athens surrenders to Sparta, ending the 27 year conflict.

Peloponnesian War War claims thousands of Greek lives; city-states

and crop fields lay ruined following the war.

All Greek city-states are weakened either economically or militarily.› Most struggle to survive independently following the

war.

A new threat emerges in the north as King Philip II takes control of Macedonia.› Was looking to aggressively expand his new kingdom.

Homework #2 – 2/13/131. When does Sparta declare war on Athens?2. What is the military strength of Athens?3. What is the military strength of Sparta?4. How long does the Peloponnesian War last?5. What was the new threat to Greece

following the Peloponnesian War?

Classical Greece While Greece recovered from the war, Philip II

took control of Macedonia (north of Greece).

Philip was a prisoner in Thebes as a teenager and studied how the Greek military worked.

Philip used Greek ideas such as:› Professional army› Military formations (phalanx)› Use of cavalry› New weapons (catapult, battering ram, etc.)

Classical Greece Once Philip conquered Macedonia, he focused on

taking over Greece.

As Philip marched south, he used his plan of deceit to take over Greece:› He allied with one city-state and then ally with their

enemy.› He would begin wars between both city-states and

take them over once they finished fighting each other.

Greek city-states were too disorganized or weak to fight off Philip; he ruled ALL of Greece by 338 B.C.

Classical Greece As he overtook the Greek city-states, Philip

would take Greek soldiers and use them in his army.

He prepared for an attack against Persia in 336 B.C., but was assassinated at his daughter’s wedding.

Philip’s 20 year-old son Alexander would take over the throne and the quest to rule the world.

Classical Greece Alexander took over his father’s (Philip II)

empire, looking to expand into Persia.

Before Alexander could attack Persia, Thebes revolted against him.› News of Philip’s death spread; Thebes tried to oust

Macedonian rule by rebelling.

Alexander destroyed the city, killing 6,000 Thebans and enslaving 30,000 others.› Other Greek city-states too afraid to rebel after

Thebes.

Classical Greece After winning in Thebes, Alexander turns his

attention to Persia, attacking Anatolia & winning easily.

Instead of continuing east in his pursuit of the Persian empire, Alexander turns south, headed for Egypt.

Egyptians, tired of Persian rule, help Alexander defeat Persians.› Even name Alexander their pharaoh after freeing

Egypt from Persian rule.

Classical Greece Alexander finally reached the royal capitol

of Persia, Persepolis, quickly taking that city over.

By 331 B.C., Alexander controlled the entire Persian Empire.

After conquering Persia, ¼ of the known world was owned by one man, Alexander the Great.

Classical Greece Alexander pushes further east into central

India, hoping to conquer much of central Asia.› His troops refuse.

Alexander, after 11 yrs. of fighting, headed back home owning nearly a ¼ of the world.

On his way back to Macedonia, Alexander dies of fever in Babylon at age 32.

Classical Greece Following his death, Alexander’s empire is

divided among 3 military generals in his army.

Alexander left behind 2 lasting legacies:› Blending of cultures› City of Alexandria

Throughout Alexander’s empire, he practiced and taught cultural acceptance.› He and his generals adopted Persian customs;

married Persian women to ease tensions.

Classical Greece Alexandria was a city in Egypt started 332

B.C. centered around the idea of education.› Those wanting to become educated moved to

Alexandria to study with the world’s best scholars.

The world’s first library was built in Alexandria.› Contained literary works from Greece, Persia,

Egypt, Hebrew.

Homework #31. What country was Philip II king of?2. What did Philip use to get Greek city-states

under his control?3. Where was Philip II assassinated?4. Who took over Philip’s kingdom after his death?5. Who helped Alexander defeat the Persians in

Egypt?6. Where does Alexander die and how old was he?7. What were the two lasting legacies of

Alexander and his empire?8. Where was the world’s first library built?

Classical Greece Ancient Greece passed along 5 legacies that

influenced culture into present day:› Literature/Fables/Poetry› Drama› Democracy› Socratic Questioning› Science, Math, & Technology

Literature/Fables Besides myths about their gods, Greeks also

had fables & poems about heroes.

Epics were long, book-like poems telling the story of a Greek hero.

The most famous epic was The Iliad & The Odyssey written by a blind poet named Homer.› Iliad - story of Achilles and the Trojan War.› Odyssey - story of Odysseus and his travels back

from Trojan War.

Literature/Fables Fables* were also popular in Greek

literature.› * - Short story involving animals that taught a

moral lesson.

Fables are still used in today’s society to teach children life lessons.› The most popular fables were Aesop’s fables.

Tortoise & the Hare

Drama Dramas (plays) in Greece were typically

performed at religious festivals at various city-states.

Dramas were sponsored by wealthy citizens and performed by selected actors.› Awards given at festivals for best dramas performed.

There were 2 types of Greek dramas:› Tragedy› Comedy

Drama Tragedies were:

› written about downfall of an important character› ended seriously/sadly› focused on topics such as love, hate, & war.

Aeschylus was the best known writer of Greek tragedies.

Drama Comedies were:

› humorous, dramatic plays › ended happily› focused on topics such as politics, important

people, & ideas of the time.

Aristophanes was the best known writer of Greek comedies.

Socratic Questioning/thinking

As early as 600 B.C., Greek thinkers began trying to explain the world around them with reason, not myths.

This study of basic truths of knowledge, values, & the world came to be known as philosophy.

One of the greatest philosophers in Greek history was Socrates.

He encouraged Greeks to examine their lives through question after question.› This question-answer style is known as Socratic Method.

Socratic Questioning/Thinking Socrates was placed on trial for causing

rebellion among young Greeks.

Socrates simply stated he was helping Athens by helping people question their values and actions.› Jury disagreed; sentenced him to death.

Socrates is “executed” in his cell by drinking hemlock juice.

Classical Greece Although Socrates was killed for his beliefs,

his ideas still lived on through his students.

Plato was one of Socrates’ closest friends and one of his best students.› Plato wrote a book of conversations between he

and Socrates, using those as teaching points.

Plato opened a school (The Academy), which stayed open nearly 900 years.

Classical Greece One of Plato’s best students was Aristotle, who

opened his own school (Lyceum).

Both Plato and Aristotle explored philosophical questions and worked on many of Socrates lessons.› Aristotle also spent 3 yrs. tutoring Alexander the Great.

Studies into different scientific and mathematical concepts led to a higher learning in Greece.› Astronomy, physics, and geometry all advanced under

Greek scholars.

Homework #41. What 5 legacies did Greece leave for future

cultures?2. What two types of dramas were performed in

Greece?3. What type of drama was Aeschylus known for

writing?4. What type of drama was Aristophanes known for

writing?5. Who was sentenced to death for “helping Athens

question their values and actions”?6. What is the Socratic Method?7. Who was Socrates best student and closest friend?8. What is the Academy and who opened it?9. Who was Plato’s best student?10. What is the Lyceum and who opened it?