Graecia Antiqua

Ancient Greek history, culture, and influences on Rome

5 Eras of Greek History

The Bronze Age (ca. 2000-1000 BC)2 civilizations, plus possible island precursorsMinoans – seafaring civilization, trade and wealthMycenaeans – warlike; many kingdoms; Trojan War

Culture – Heroic tradition; Greek religion

Dark Age (ca. 1100-800 BC)Decline of population around MediterraneanCollapse of kingdoms and long-distance tradeDivision of Greek peoples into many small villagesGrowth of ‘chieftain’ aristocracy

Culture – rise of epic poetry, Homeric tradition

Archaic Age: ca. 800-491Growth in urban populationsRise of the polis city-state, Greek architectureColonization – spread of Greek cities across the MediterraneanInternational trade, competition with PhoeniciansSpread of Greek alphabet and written literature

Classical Era: 491-323 BCPersian WarsGreek nationalism, height of polisDorian League and the Peloponnesian War – Athens and SpartaDrama – festivals to DionysusPhilip, Alexander, and the Battle of ChaeroneaInvasion of Persia

Culture: Greek literature, law, sculpture, rhetoric, Socratic philosophy

Hellenistic Era: 323-30 BC‘Diadochoi’ – successor kingdoms to Alexander the GreatAntigonids, Seleucids, and PtolemiesCollapse of the polis‘Scientific’ warfare; professional soldiersPyrrhus of Epirus and involvement in Roman affairsRoman conquest of Greek or Hellenistic civilizations – Macedon, Syria,

and Egypt

Culture – Spread of Greek as international language; Hellenistic philosophies

Influences on Rome“Captured Greece took captive her wild captor” -- Horace

Literature: Prose – history, rhetoric, philosophyPoetry – epic, lyric, dramaGreek as second, educated language

Art: Architecture, temples and monumental buildingsPaintings and sculpture – public > private

Politics: Polis system and public dutyDemocracy, oligarchy, and autocracy

Religion: Greek gods and mythsSocratic and Hellenistic philosophiesTrojan connection in foundation myth