Classical GreeceThe Next Stop on our Journey through the Age of

Empires

● Numerous mountains○ Mt. Olympus (9500 ft)○ separated cities○ divided cultures○ dependence on the sea

● Peninsular○ Peloponnesus

■ Sparta

Geographical Impact

Division ofContinents● Strait of Bosporus

○ Istanbul■ Darius’ Bridge■ Pontoons

● Hellespont○ Dardanelles

■ Xerxes’ Bridge■ Pontoons

● Aegean Sea● Ionian Sea● Mediterranean

● Crete○ Minoans

MaritimeSocieties

● Arthur Evans○ British

● Minoans○ King Minos○ Knossos

● Destruction○ Thera○ Mycenae

Crete(Island)

● Heinrich Schliemann ○ German Archaeologist-1870s○ Found City of Troy

● King Agamemnon○ Brother of Menelaus

■ Spartan○ Trojan War

■ Helen of Troy

Mycenae

● Very few historical records● People began to migrate to islands

○ Drop in population and food production● Homer

○ The Iliad■ Achilles

○ The Odyssey■ Odysseus

The Dark Age of Greece

How did epic poems help to establish the Greek concept of arete?

Check for understanding

● polis (modern English - politics)○ Citizens with political rights (adult males)○ Citizens without political rights

(women/children)○ Non-citizens (slaves and resident aliens)

● Military○ hoplites

■ phalanx

Greek ‘City-States’

● Byzantium (at the Strait of Bosporus)○ A.K.A - Constantinople○ Modern day - Istanbul

Greek Colonies

A Change in Leadership

Aristocracy

Tryanny

Democracy

Check for UnderstandingHow did an aristocracy lead to tyranny and ultimately to democracy?

● spartan - “highly self-disciplined”● A Military State

○ Males were trained from the age of 7○ Remained in the army until age 60

● Women were expected to maintain physical fitness and culture○ “Come back carrying your shield; or on it.”

Sparta

● helots● phalanx● Government

○ ephors● Spartans were generally prohibited from

travelling “where they might encounter ideas dangerous to the state”.

Sparta (cont.)

● aristocracy● polis● acropolis● hoplite●

Athens

● Solon - cancelled all land debts and frees people who had fallen into slavery

● Pisistratus - gave land to peasants● Cleisthenes - council of 500

○ created the foundations of democracy

Athens (cont.)

Here comes PersiaThe Height of the Persian Empire

● The Ionian city/states rebelled against the Persians. Athens gave them aid.○ Darius wants revenge against Athens

● The Persians attack the Greek mainland and face the Athenians at Marathon.○ 26 miles from Athens○ The Greeks win!

■ A messenger ran the distance to inform Athens

Here Comes Persia

● The Greek city-states united in order to create a defense against the Persians○ The Delian League

● Athens emerged as the dominant member○ The Age of Pericles

■ Pericles’ Address to Athens (p. 108)■ The height of Athenian power

● Direct Democracy was created

The Athenian Empire

● After the defeat of Persia (for now)...● Athens and Sparta began to compete

○ Two conflicting ideologies● Athens hid behind their walls

○ One-third of them died from plague○ Athens’ navy was also destroyed

● Greece was in ruins○ After 66 years-Athens, Sparta, and

Thebes rebuilt to compete again

The Peloponnesian Wars

● Phillip II of Macedon○ United the Northern tribes and challenged

Athens for control of the peninsula○ Crushed the Athenians at Chaeronea

● “In the conquered lands, Greeks and non-Greeks formed a new society in what is known as the Hellenistic Era (Imitate Greece).” (p.138)

Hellenistic Greece

● Phillip II assassinated● His son Alexander took over at 20 years

of age○ Highly trained in military science and

personally tutored by Aristotle

Alexander - The Great

● Defeated○ Babylon○ Egypt

■ Alexandria○ Indus Valley

● His troops refused to advance○ They wanted to go home

● Alexander died at 32 in 323 BCE

Alexander