Classical GreeceClassical Greece

SS.A.2.4.4, SS.B.2.4.1-3SS.A.2.4.4, SS.B.2.4.1-3

Persia vs. GreecePersia vs. Greece

• 546 B.C.: the Persian empire take Ionian Greek city-states in Asia Minor

• 499 B.C.: Ionian cities revolt against the Persian Empire, helped by Athenian Navy

• 490 B.C.: Persian army lands on the plain of Marathon, lead by King Darius, but was defeated by the Athenian army

Athenian Trireme WarshipAthenian Trireme Warship

Persia vs. GreecePersia vs. Greece

• 486 B.C.: Darius dies, replaced by Xerxes

• Xerxes invades Greece with a huge force of about 180,000 troops and thousands of battle and supply ships

• By this time the Athens had rebuilt its navy to about 200 warships

• Greeks and Persians meet at the main road to central Greece—Thermopylae

Persia vs. GreecePersia vs. Greece

• Persians win at Thermopylae, due to advice from a Greek traitor

• Persians move on Athens, and Athenians abandon their city

• Persian and Athenian navies clash near island of Salamis—Athenians win

• 479 B.C.: Largest Greek force to that point defeat Persians at Plataea

Rise of AthensRise of Athens• After defeat of the Persians, Athens rises

as the leader of the Greek world, create a defensive alliance—the Delian League

• Delian League based on island of Delos• Under Athenian leadership, most Greek

cities in the Aegean were freed from Persian control

• 454 B.C.: Control of Delian treasury moved to Athens, creating Athenian Empire

Age of Pericles & DemocracyAge of Pericles & Democracy• 461-429 B.C.: Pericles rises as central

figure in Athenian politics, expanding empire and allowing democracy to flourish

• Direct Democracy: people directly participate in government decision making through mass meetings

• Assembly=43,000 men over 18, meeting every ten days, but attendance averaged around 5,500

Athenian DemocracyAthenian Democracy

• Pericles thought Athenians should be proud of their democracy

• He expanded participation by lower-class citizens by paying officials

• 10 Generals were directors of policy

• Ostracism, ban people from city for period of 10 years—pottery fragment (ostrakon)

• Athens=center of Greek culture

Great Peloponnesian WarGreat Peloponnesian War

• After war with Persians, Greece split between Athenian Empire & Sparta

• 431 B.C.: War breaks out in Greece

• Athenian strategy: stay behind city walls, and get supplies from navy and colonies

• Spartan strategy: surround Athens, force them to fight outside walls

• Pericles knew Spartans would win open battle

Trouble In AthensTrouble In Athens

• Second year of war, plague breaks out in Athens, killing 1/3 of city population, including Pericles

• Athens continues fighting for 25 years

• 405 B.C.: Athenian fleet destroyed at Hellespont, Athenian Empire falls

• For next 66 years; Athens, Sparta and Thebes dominate Greek politics

Life In AthensLife In Athens

• Before plague, Athens was largest city in Greece with 150,000 citizens

• 43,000 voting men, 35,000 non-citizens, 100,000 slaves

• Economy based on farming and trade

• Main products were sheep, grapes and olives

• Imported 50-80% of its grain

Athenian Family Life & WomenAthenian Family Life & Women

• Family=husband, wife, children, other familial dependents and slaves

• Women could participate in festivals, but were otherwise excluded from public life

• Women always had male protection• Woman’s job=childbearing, housekeeping or

supervise slaves• Women married at 14 or 15• Women could usually read and play instruments