Classical C.1000 B.C.- Greece - Harrison Humanities

ClassicalGreecec.1000 B.C.c.150 B.C.

Geography Mountainous peninsulajutting out into theMediterranean Sea Approximately 1,400islands Geography directlyshaped traditions andcustoms

The Sea Sea for the Greeks was like the rivers forthe river civilizations Seas were used for transportation (“liquidhighways”) Needed the sea because Greece waspoor in natural resources

The Land ¾ of Greece is covered with mountains Difficult to unite Greece because mountainsseparated Greeks Greeks developed small, independentcommunities

The Climate Temperatures only varied from 48-80degrees Fahrenheit, so life was outdoors

Ancient Greece: Order vs. Creativity Combination of many different city-states around theAegean Sea. City-states shared a common culture, many other systemswere different. Civilization was spread throughout the world due to diversityand travels around the Med. Left physical structures like the Parthenon, much of thelegacy is non- tangible- ideas represented in writings and art. Higher standard of living than other civilizations of the time.– lived longer, in better conditions, enough food– others seemed to want what they had - looked to Greeks to tutor theirchildren Treated with more respect than in other civilizations of thetime.

Mycenaeans & Minoans Mycenaeans wereone of the firstpeople to settleGreece› Warrior-like Minoans lived inCrete› Seaborne people› Mycenaeansconquered theMinoans

Trojan War Mycenaeans vs. Troy According to legend, aGreek army besiegedand destroyed Troybecause a Trojan youthkidnapped Helen, abeautiful wife of a Greekking First was thought to be amyth, but archaeologistshave found evidence thatmaybe these were trueevents

Dorians After Mycenaeanscollapsed the Dorianscame onto the war-torncountryside Dorians were lessadvanced than theMycenaeans Appeared that theGreeks temporarilyforgotten the art ofwriting

Epics of Homer Homer greateststoryteller, blind› The Iliad and The Odyssey(about Trojan War) Epics narrative poemscelebrating heroic deeds

Greek Gods, polytheistic Attributed humanqualities, such asReligionlove, hate andjealously, to theirgods Gods lived forever Zeus ruler of Gods Hera Zeus’ wife Mount Olympus were the gods lived Athena goddess ofwisdom, Zeus’favorite child

City-States City-state polis, fundamental political unitin ancient Greece Acropolis fortified hilltop

Greek Politics All city-states ruleddifferently:– Monarchy rule byone– Aristocracy rule byelite– Oligarchy rule by afew people

New Kind of Army Iron was better than bronze (which washarder and cheaper) Citizens were expected to defend their polis Phalanx a military formation of foot soldiersarmed with shields and swords

Tyrants powerful individualswho gained control ofthe government byappealing to the poorand the discontentedfor support Many peasants andfarmers joinedtogether to revolt

Rivals: Athens vs. Sparta

Rivals 2 leading city-states Sparta & Athens very different from one another

Sparta Founded by descendants ofDorian invaders (from “darkages”) Located on thePeloponnesus Peninsula(southern Greece) Invaded neighboring citystates & enslaved people– Slaves were called helots– Slaves farmed the estates ofthe Spartans

Sparta Spartans developed a militaristic societyto keep control over the people– Started this after they suppressed a 30year revolt by the helots

A Military Society All life revolved around the army– Only healthy babies were allowed to live– Boys entered the military at age 7– Stayed in the military until age 60

Role of Women Women, like men, were expectedto exercise and be strong– Spartan women trained in gymnastics,boxing, and wrestling– Needed to produce healthy babies– Had more freedoms than other Greekwomen– Could go shopping in the marketplace,express political opinions, ownproperty, etc. could NOT take part ingovernment though

Sparta’s Government 2 kings ruled Sparta, but had little power– Led the army & conducted religious services –that’s it Assembly had most power group of malecitizens over age of 30 Council of Elders served as Supreme Courtand proposed laws to the Assembly 28 menover age of 60

Sparta’s Government Sparta was behind other city-states ineconomics, philosophy, science, andarts– Rulers afraid of change; afraid of outsideinfluence

Athens Founded bydescendants ofMycenaeans Lived on Atticapeninsula (northeastof Peloponnesus) Named after thegoddess Athena

Athens Athens’ citizenship included morepeople than Sparta’s did– Constitution (plan of government) saidthat all free, Athenian-born men werecitizens, whether they owned land or not– Reduced friction between social classes

Athenian Rulers Draco 621 BCE– Issued an improved code oflaws with very harshpenalties– Because the laws werewritten down, everyone knewwhat they were– Draconian word that hascome to mean harsh orsevere

Athenian Rulers Solon 594 BCE– Cancelled all land debt & freed debtorsfrom slavery– Placed limits on how much land aperson could own– Promoted trade by making farmersgrow cash crops– Required fathers to teach their sons askill– Allowed all citizens to participate in theAssembly & courts of law

Athenian Rulers Peisistratus 546 BCE– Divided large estatesamong landless farmers– Helped the poor loanedthem money; gave thempublic works jobs

Athenian Democracy Cleisthenes (ruler – 508 BCE)established democracy in Athens Assembly became the mostpowerful political body– Members were chosen by a lotterysystem – limit of 500 people– Open to all citizens

Athenian Democracy Note: Citizens still only 20% ofpopulation excluded slaves, women,and foreign-born Citizens considered equal before thelaw; granted freedom of speech

Athenian Democracy Jury system established System of Ostracism Athenians couldget rid of undesirable politicians

Athenian Education Depended on social & economic status Athenian citizens were required toeducate their sons Girls didn’t receive a formal education –were trained in household duties

Athenian Education Main textbooks were the Iliad and theOdyssey Learned arithmetic, geometry, drawing,music, gymnastics, and rhetoric (art ofpublic speaking) At 18, boys entered the military for 2years

War, Glory, and Decline

Quick Overview 400s BCE Persian Empire had strongestmilitary in the world Persian Empire wanted to invade Europe andexpand Greek city-states cooperated in resistingPersian attacks After victory against Persia, the Greeksenjoyed a “golden age” Then – Greek city-states began to fight eachother

The Persian Wars Persians took over the Greek citystates in Ionia (in Asia) Ionians revolted against Persians,with help from other city-states likeAthens Persians (led by King Darius)defeated the Ionians & decided topunish the other city-states onmainland Greece for helping theIonians

Battle at Marathon Darius sent a Persianfleet across theAegean Sea to city ofMarathon Persians waited forthe Athenians, but theAthenians wereoutnumbered anddidn’t move

Battle at Marathon Persians decided to attackAthens directly– Loaded cavalry & infantry onships and went north to Athens– Athens decides to strike– Athens sends foot soldiers toattack Persian troops whilethey are in shallow waterwaiting to board ships

Battle at Marathon Persians were caught off guard and lostto the Greeks in this battle

Battle of Salamis 10 years later Darius’s son Xerxesinvades Greece fromthe north Xerxes brought200,000 troops –couldn’t live off theland so offshore supplyships came with them Greeks under theleadership of Spartathis time

Battle of Salamis Oracle at Delphi saidGreeks would be safebehind a “wooden wall”– Athenian GeneralThemistocles believed“wooden wall” meant fleetof ships & that theyneeded to challenge thePersians at sea– Greek army had to set upa distraction on land tobuild this fleet at sea– Greeks choseThermopylae as place fordistraction

The 300 At Thermopylae – 7,000Greeks led by KingLeonidas stood firm for 3days Greek traitor showedPersians a trail they coulduse to attack the Greeks– Leonidas sent home most ofhis troops to save them– He and 300 Spartans stayedto fight– They lost, but gaveThemistocles time to carry outhis plan at sea

Battle of Salamis Themistocles drew thePersian fleet to the Strait ofSalamis– Greek navy destroyed Persianfleet in the strait Persians never came back Greeks won the PersianWars Athens emerged as apowerful city-state

Golden Age of Athens Athenian generalPericles rebuilt Athensto become the mostbeautiful city in Greece Public buildings fancy; Athenian homes simple Most famous buildingbuilt Parthenon atopthe Acropolis

The Golden Age of Athens

Quest for Beauty & Meaning Greek civilization reached itspeak in the mid-400s BCE,particularly in Athens– Known as the Golden Age– Artists created beautifularchitecture, sculptures, paintings– Artistic style was classical simple, graceful, and balanced– Advancements in philosophy,literature, and drama

Building for the Gods Each city-state tried toturn its acropolis into an“architectural treasure” Parthenon bestexemplified Greekarchitecture Greeks didn’t need largesanctuaries places ofworship– Worshipped at home orat outdoor altars

Building for theGods Temples were where deitiescould live Greek architects understoodillusion and perspective the artistic showing ofdistances as they appear tothe eye Created the impression ofperfection

Greek Arts Excelled at portraying the humanform Some ancient Greek vases stillexist– Different shapes for differentpurposes– Krater two-handled vase with awide mouth -- good for mixingwater and wine– Amphora large vase for storingoil & other supplies -- decoratedwith art showing mythology– Kylix drinking cup -- decoratedwith scenes of everyday life

Greek Arts Myron one ofGreece’s greatestsculptors– Sculpted what hethought peopleSHOULD look like– Sculpted the“Discus Thrower”

Greek Arts Phidias anothergreat Greeksculptor– Created statues forinside theParthenon, includingone of Athena Praxiteles sculptor who carvedmore realistichuman sculptures

Drama and Theater Greeks 1st to writeand perform plays Earliest Greek plays tragedies– Had unhappy endingsafter main characterstruggled against thefates– Aeschylus Greektragedy writer whowrote 90 plays

Aeschylus His trilogy of plays calledOresteia shows how theconsequences of one’sactions are carried down fromgeneration to generation Law of community, notpersonal revenge, shoulddecide punishment

Sophocles General in Athenian army Wrote tragedies Accepted human sufferingas an unavoidable part oflife Wrote Oedipus Rex dealswith King Oedipus’sstruggle to beat the fates,but he can’t win againstthem

Euripedes Wrote tragedies Hated war and hisplays often showedthe misery of war Focused on humanbehavior that broughtdisaster

Comedies Had humorous plots and happy endings Aristophanes most famous writer of Greekcomedies

The Olympic Games Ancient Greeks stressedathletics in school Greek men often spenttheir afternoonsexercising Olympic games wereheld every 4 years inOlympia– To honor Zeus– Fighting and trade stopped

The Olympic Games Only males were able to participate– Women weren’t even allowed to watch– Greek women had their own gameshonoring Hera

The Olympic Games Individual, not team,events– Footrace, broad jump,discus throwing, boxing,wrestling, pentathlon Winners crowned witholive leaves; parades heldin their honor Olympic athletes oftengiven special privileges,like not having to paytaxes

The Greek Mind Greek philosophers thinkers -- produced someremarkable ideas Their philosophy laidthe foundations forhistory, politicalscience, biology andlogic (science ofreasoning)

The Sophists Higher education was providedby professional teachers, calledSophists Traveled from polis to polis, butusually gathered in Athensbecause more freedom ofspeech there Said they could find the answersto all questions