Mr. Roseman

The Classical Age:Ancient Greece

(1200s BCE to 300s BCE)

The Greek Mediterranean

Greek languagepolytheistic

ideal of arete = excellence! reaching your full potential virtue, bravery, effectiveness a hero! (male or female)

Characteristics of Greek Society

many polises = city-states

disunitydiverse governmentscompetitive war

extreme loyalty to polis

The Greek Polises

SPARTA Northern Greeks invaded Peloponnesus, c.1100 BCE

polis at village of Sparta the natives became their slaves (helots) helots out-numbered Spartans oligarchy established

Two Powerful Polises: Sparta & Athens

How do you think this made the Spartans feel?

What could the Spartans do about this situation?

What did they do to control the situation?

Would you have permitted this to happen had you been a Spartan?

Can we pass judgment on these actions taken by the Spartans?

Sparta: Think about it…

Athens’ wealth = sea trade & farming society divided into 3 levels:

1. citizens = rich & poor, born in Athens, only men

had political rights

2. metics = non-citizens, born outside Athens,

usually merchants & artisans, could not

take part in gov’t or own land

3. slaves = considered property, no rights

Athenians had more freedoms than Spartans1st direct democracywarred with Sparta

Athens: Sparta's Rival

governments varied between polises :

monarchiesaristocraciesoligarchies tyrraniesdemocracy

Greek Governments

Athens = direct democracyall citizens vote = everyone

rulesgov’t participation expected

Polytheisticgods:

super-humanhuman characteristics & faults

Mythsstories of the godsanswered ?’s about nature & human emotionsno heaven

Oracles

Olympics

Greek Religion

“philosophy”: philo = love + sophy = wisdom “love of wisdom”

logical analysis of the world

Most Greek philosophers assumed 2 things when thinking:1. The universe is ordered & certain laws govern how it

works.2. These laws can be understood by using reason & logic.

Athens = philosophical center

Socrates, Plato, Aristotle

Greek Philosophy

sculptureimages super-realistic

human figure showed Greek ideal

Architecturebalance, symmetry, harmonycolumns temples

The Parthenon (Athens)honored Athena

influenced later European art

Greek Art & Architecture

The Parthenon