The Rise of Ancient Greece

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The Rise of Ancient Greece

• The Polis

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I. The Typical Polis

• A. A typical polis included a city, surrounding
  villages, fields, orchards. In the center of a
  city was a fortified hill known as an acropolis,
  where the temple of the local deity stood.
  Citizens gathered at the foot of the acropolis to
  carry out public affairs.

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I. The Typical Polis (Cont)

• The citizens of a polis had both rights and
  responsibilities.
• Citizens made up only a minority of the residents
  of the polis slaves, women, and foreign born
  residents had no political or legal rights.

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II. Greek Colonies and Trade

• By 700 B.C. Greek farmers no longer grew enough
  food to feed everyone, so each polis sent out
  groups of people to colonize coastal areas.
• B. Each colony kept close ties with its
  mainland metropolis, supplying grain and
  exporting the mainlands excess wine, olive oil,
  and other cash crops.

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II. Greek Colonies and Trade (Cont)

• Soon, the Greeks replaced their barter system
  with a money economy, and expanded overseas
  trade.
• The cities of Ionia in Asia Minor grew in the
  textile industry. Pottery made in Ionia was the
  earliest Greek pottery to be exported.

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III. Political and Social Change

• Economic growth changed Greek political life
  where once kings had ruled, landholding
  aristocrats took power.
• Disputes arose between the aristocrats and
  farmers, who demanded political reforms.

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III. Political and Social Change (Cont)

• As Greek armies came to rely on foot soldiers
  (generally farmers) more than cavalry (generally
  aristocrats) aristocrats began to lose influence.
• D. As a result of the unrest, tyrannies arose,
  in which one man seized power and ruled the polis
  single-handedly.

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III. Political and Social Change (Cont)

• After the reign of the tyrants, most city-states
  became either oligarchies or democracies.
• The most famous democracy was Athens.
• The most famous oligarchy was Sparta.