Ancient Greece: History Chapter 5. Early Greeks The Minoans The Minoans –Lived on the island of Crete –Major polis: Knossos –Sailors and traders –Advanced

Ancient Greece: HistoryAncient Greece: History

Chapter 5Chapter 5

Early GreeksEarly Greeks

• The MinoansThe Minoans– Lived on the island Lived on the island

of Creteof Crete– Major polis: KnossosMajor polis: Knossos– Sailors and tradersSailors and traders– Advanced Advanced

civilizationcivilization• PlumbingPlumbing

• artsarts


• Minoan civilization declined. Why?Minoan civilization declined. Why?– Natural disastersNatural disasters

•Earthquakes, tidal wavesEarthquakes, tidal waves

•Volcanic eruption on Thera- changed Volcanic eruption on Thera- changed weather and destroyed cropsweather and destroyed crops

– Conquered by the MycenaeansConquered by the Mycenaeans


• MycenaeansMycenaeans– WarlikeWarlike– Built a fortress at Mycenae (my-see-nee)Built a fortress at Mycenae (my-see-nee)– Constant warfare destroyed Mycenaean Constant warfare destroyed Mycenaean

civilizationcivilization

Other PolisesOther Polises

• SpartaSparta– Warlike Warlike – Conquered nearby peoples; these Conquered nearby peoples; these

became slaves called helotsbecame slaves called helots•Helots were farmers and servantsHelots were farmers and servants

•Gave Spartans time to devote to military Gave Spartans time to devote to military trainingtraining

– Spartans emphasized physical fitness Spartans emphasized physical fitness and good healthand good health

SpartaSparta

• Boys trained for warfare; girls trained Boys trained for warfare; girls trained to be strong mothersto be strong mothers

• At age 20 young men became At age 20 young men became hopliteshoplites, or foot soldiers, or foot soldiers

AthensAthens

• Center of culture Center of culture and learningand learning

• Birthplace of Birthplace of democracydemocracy

• Rival of SpartaRival of Sparta

Athenian DemocracyAthenian Democracy

• Democracy means “rule by the people”Democracy means “rule by the people”• Athenian rulersAthenian rulers

– Draco wrote laws that punished lawbreakers Draco wrote laws that punished lawbreakers harshlyharshly• Gives us the word Gives us the word DraconianDraconian

– Solon gave all Athenian men rights to sit on juries Solon gave all Athenian men rights to sit on juries and participate in governing assemblies; only and participate in governing assemblies; only wealthy men could hold officewealthy men could hold office

• Cleisthenes reformed Athens’ gov’tCleisthenes reformed Athens’ gov’t– Divided Athens into 10 tribes; each tribe elected 50 Divided Athens into 10 tribes; each tribe elected 50

men to serve on a Council of 500 who made lawsmen to serve on a Council of 500 who made laws

Athenian DemocracyAthenian Democracy

• Who could participate in Athenian Who could participate in Athenian democracy?democracy?– Free men born in Athens who had Free men born in Athens who had

finished military training – 10 % of finished military training – 10 % of populationpopulation

– No women, children, immigrantsNo women, children, immigrants– In the assembly, all members voted In the assembly, all members voted

directly – direct democracydirectly – direct democracy

Other Greek PolisesOther Greek Polises

• ThebesThebes

• CorinthCorinth

• ThessalonikiThessaloniki

• ByzantiumByzantium

• MiletusMiletus

• EphesusEphesus

• SardisSardis

Persian WarsPersian Wars• 400s B.C. – Persian Empire controls much 400s B.C. – Persian Empire controls much

of Western Asiaof Western Asia

Persian Wars (490 B.C.)Persian Wars (490 B.C.)

• Persian Empire controlled some Persian Empire controlled some Greek city-states, who had rebelledGreek city-states, who had rebelled– Athens and other polises gave aid to Athens and other polises gave aid to

Greek rebels, but Persia wonGreek rebels, but Persia won– Persian king, Darius the Great, wanted Persian king, Darius the Great, wanted

to punish Athens for supporting the to punish Athens for supporting the rebellion- he brought an army to invade rebellion- he brought an army to invade GreeceGreece


• Persians attacked at Marathon, near Persians attacked at Marathon, near AthensAthens– Athens won the battleAthens won the battle– Legend of the Marathon runner- a Legend of the Marathon runner- a

soldier ran 26 miles from Marathon to soldier ran 26 miles from Marathon to Athens to announce the Greek victoryAthens to announce the Greek victory

– Basis for today’s marathon racesBasis for today’s marathon races– Battle of Marathon showed that the Battle of Marathon showed that the

mighty Persian army could be defeatedmighty Persian army could be defeated


• Darius’ son, Darius’ son, Xerxes, wanted to Xerxes, wanted to finish what his finish what his father startedfather started

• Athens called for Athens called for help from other help from other Greek city-states; Greek city-states; Sparta came to Sparta came to their aidtheir aid


• Battle of ThermopylaeBattle of Thermopylae– Greeks met the Persians at Thermopylae Greeks met the Persians at Thermopylae

to give Athens time to evacuate and to give Athens time to evacuate and prepare defensesprepare defenses

– 300 Spartans, 900 helots, 1200 other 300 Spartans, 900 helots, 1200 other Greeks fought to the death against Greeks fought to the death against 200,000 Persians200,000 Persians

– Thermopylae a symbol of courage Thermopylae a symbol of courage against overwhelming oddsagainst overwhelming odds

Persian Wars (479 B.C)Persian Wars (479 B.C)

• The Athenians later defeated The Athenians later defeated Persians in naval battle at Salamis Persians in naval battle at Salamis and land battle at Plataeaand land battle at Plataea

• The first time Greeks had stopped The first time Greeks had stopped fighting and worked together to fighting and worked together to defend each otherdefend each other

• Persians never attacked Greece Persians never attacked Greece againagain

Peloponnesian WarPeloponnesian War

• After Persian Wars, Athens and After Persian Wars, Athens and Sparta most powerful city-states in Sparta most powerful city-states in GreeceGreece

• Athens entered a Golden Age of arts Athens entered a Golden Age of arts and cultureand culture– Golden Age: a period of peace, Golden Age: a period of peace,

prosperity, and great achievementprosperity, and great achievement


• Golden Age of AthensGolden Age of Athens– Athens had to rebuild Athens had to rebuild

after the war with Persiaafter the war with Persia• New temples built on the New temples built on the

AcropolisAcropolis– Parthenon- temple to Parthenon- temple to

AthenaAthena

• Beautiful sculptures and Beautiful sculptures and monumentsmonuments

• Rebuilding led by Rebuilding led by Pericles, one of Pericles, one of Greece’s greatest Greece’s greatest statesmenstatesmen


• The Delian LeagueThe Delian League– Greek city-states formed a defensive Greek city-states formed a defensive

alliance against Persia called the Delian alliance against Persia called the Delian LeagueLeague

– Athens was most powerful and Athens was most powerful and important memberimportant member

– Athens controlled the League and would Athens controlled the League and would not allow other members to leavenot allow other members to leave


• Sparta led the Sparta led the rebellion against rebellion against AthensAthens

• Sparta led its own Sparta led its own alliance, the alliance, the Peloponnesian Peloponnesian LeagueLeague

• war broke out in war broke out in 431 B.C.431 B.C.


• For many years, neither side could winFor many years, neither side could win– Athens had a strong navyAthens had a strong navy– Sparta had a strong armySparta had a strong army– Plague in Athens led to a truce in 421 B.C.Plague in Athens led to a truce in 421 B.C.

• 415 B.C.- Athens attacked a Spartan ally415 B.C.- Athens attacked a Spartan ally– Sparta destroyed Athenian navySparta destroyed Athenian navy– Athens surrenders in 404 B.C.Athens surrenders in 404 B.C.


End of Greece’s Golden AgeEnd of Greece’s Golden Age

• Sparta couldn’t maintain control of Sparta couldn’t maintain control of GreeceGreece

• City-states quarreled and foughtCity-states quarreled and fought

• Eventually all of Greece was Eventually all of Greece was conquered by Macedoniaconquered by Macedonia

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Ancient Greece: History Chapter 5. Early Greeks The Minoans The Minoans –Lived on the island of Crete –Major polis: Knossos –Sailors and traders –Advanced