The Greeks

The Beginnings of Europe

Geography

• Peninsula- dominated by the sea• Mostly mountains with small valleys- less

than 20% of land arable• Communities isolated from each other due

to mountains• Small populations- had to colonize when

population got too large. (N.Africa, Italy, Asia Minor, Sicily, Black Sea and France)

Geography cont’d

• Greeks became fishermen and traders.

• Grew olives and grapes

• Little meat due to shortage of land- sheep where able.

The Polis

• The Greeks developed independent city-states, each with own form of government.

• Cities were built on sides of hills to conserve arable land.

• Included the wall, living areas, agora (marketplace) and the acropolis (fort).

Polis cont’d

• City-states did not unify in Greece for three reasons:

1. geography

2. local patriotism

3. competition to survive

New Warfare

• Due to small armies the Greeks developed a new style of warfare called the phalanx.

• Soldiers were armored with large shields, long spears and short swords.

• Used a box formation.

• Took a phalanx to beat a phalanx.

Greek Religion

• No priests in Greece. Fathers and city leaders led religious observances.

• Each city has a god it worships.• Polytheistic• Gods were human-like with supernatural

powers. Gods interfered with people’s lives.• Afterlife concept was vague or non-existent.• Focus on here and now/ live for today.

Development of Democracy

• Democracy evolved in Athens.

1. Monarchy

2. Aristocracy (Oligarchy)

3. Plutocracy (Oligarchy)

4. Tyranny

5. Democracy

Development of Democracy cont’d

• Tyrants brought democracy to Athens.

1. Draco- harsh written law code

2. Solon- gave citizens right to vote without property requirements, outlawed debt slavery, cancelled debts of poor

3. Cleisthenes- gave citizenship to all males (poor or rich), encouraged education, exiled corrupt officials, freedom of speech.

Athens and Sparta

• Athens was larger• Education for wealthy

boys only- liberal arts• Society was based on

trade and open to outsiders

• Many of the Greek artistic and intellectual achievements came out of Athens

• Women were subordinate and kept out of public

• Sparta was small with a huge slave population called helots

• All boys and girls educated- women considered equals

• Military education• Farming economy• Closed society- very

paranoid- did not like outsiders

• No wall around city

The Persian Wars

Herodotus

• Considered “Father of History”

• Wrote “Histories” a collection of stories about the rise of Persia and the wars against Greece.

Cause of Persian Wars

• Athens helped some colonies revolt in Asia Minor.

• The provincial capital of Sardis was burned by the rebellion.

• The Persians put down the revolt eventually but at great expense- so they destroyed the first city to revolt (Miletus) and killed or enslaved all its inhabitants.

• Darius I decided to invade Greece to punish Athens in 490 BCE.

First War: Sea Invasion by Darius I

• Darius invaded and landed on a plain 26 miles from Athens with 600 ships and between 50,000 and 75,000 men.

• Athenian and Greek allied army of 20,000 men met them on the plain and surprisingly defeated the larger Persian army. Only 192 Greeks died compared to thousands of Persian warriors.

Second War: Land and Sea Invasions by Xerxes

• To revenge his father’s shame, Xerxes in 480 BCE launched a massive land and sea invasion of Greece.(250,000 soldiers)

• Fought three major engagements- Thermopylae (Stand of the 300 Spartans), Salamis (naval battle near Athens), and Platae (Sparta’s revenge).

• Invasion failed and Xerxes lost most of his army.

Legacy of Persian Wars

• Greece now considered a Mediterranean power. Athens and Sparta become the dominant city states.

• Athens enters a “Golden Age” of intellectual and artistic achievements.

• Jealously over Athenian dominance of Delian League led to 25 years of civil warfare in Greece. Athens vs. Sparta (Peloponnesian Wars)

• Leaves Greece open to foreign invasion- Macedonia under King Philip invades and unites Greek city-states under one king.

Love of Wisdom

• Greek environment ripe for the advancement of education.

• Sophists – group of philosophical teachers

• Athens – center for learning

• Beginnings of the study of history (famous Greek scholar, Herodotus)

Socrates (469 - 399 BC)

• Goal of education was to improve the individual

• Socratic Method– Q & A method to have students find answers

• Wrote nothing

• Sentenced to death after questioning gov’t officials following Peloponnesian War

Plato ( 429 – 347 BC)

• Student of Socrates

• Wrote over 20 plays with Socrates as main character

• Questioned reality – Ideas of Forms

• Established “The Academy” in Athens

• Wrote “The Republic” – his ideas on gov’t and society (utopia – philosophers rule)

Aristotle (384 – 322 BC)

• Student of “The Academy” (Plato)

• Tutor of Alexander the Great

• Analyzing and Classifying through research and investigation

• His book, “Politics” – look at different types of gov’t – liked constitutional gov’t the most

• Wrote on variety of topics (astronomy, biology, ethics, poetry, logic, politics, etc.)