Where is Greece?

1
Where is Greece?

• Sunny Greece is 1,500 miles from England.
• Its capital city is Athens
• It is famous for its beautiful beaches and sea!

2
Ancient Greece

• In Ancient Greece, the different cities were at
  war with each other.
• The most fearsome fighters came from the town of
  Sparta.

3
The Climate

• The climate is Mediterranean.
• The Mediterranean Sea affects the Greek climate,
  cooling the air in summer and providing warmth in
  winter.
• The warm summers are cooled by a seasonal breezes
  from the Mediterranean called the Meltemia.

4
The Climate - Summer

• The Greek summer is hot and dry.
• On average the sun shines for 3,000 hours per
  year.
• The average temperature is 33.
• In Britain it is 15.
• The average rainfall is 6mm.
• In Britain it is 76mm.

5
The Climate - winter

• The Greek winter is moderate. It can be rainy on
  costal regions and snowy in the mountains.
• The average temperature is 15.
• In Britain it is 4, sometimes falling to -10.
• The average rainfall is 65mm.
• In Britain it is over 100mm.

6
Ancient greece - terrain

• Greece has a very scenic landscape.
• The terrain of Greece is very varied.
• There are mountains, valleys and coasts.
• The high mountains are separated by deep valleys
  through which rivers flow.

7
Ancient greece - terrain

• No part of Greece is more than about forty miles
  from the coast (a couple of days walking).
• There are lots of islands surrounding Greece.
• However, millions of years ago the seabed was
  completely dry!

8
soil and plants

• Vegetation is dependent on geographical regions.
• Due to the variety of land, there a some 6,000
  indigenous species in Greece.
• In Ancient Greece, farmers grew olives, figs,
  grain, fruit and grapes in the fertile valleys.

9
Soil and plants

• However, other parts of Ancient Greece had drier
  soil and less vegetation, particularly around the
  cities.
• Although surrounded by sea water, they found it
  difficult to find fresh water away from the
  valleys.
• The high mountains also prevented large-scale
  farming, so the Greeks were forced to look beyond
  their own country for fertile land.

10
volcanic

• Another important aspect of the Greek environment
  is that it is very unstable.
• Greece is in the middle of a very volcanic zone,
  between the European and African tectonic plates.
• There are several active volcanoes and
  earthquakes are common.

11
Time Line
The Greek World
776 BC     The first Olympic games.
about 750 BC   Early Greek culture. Homer '. writes the epics 'The Iliad' and the 'Odyssey
650 - 580 BC    Corinth is ruled by the tyrant Kypselos and then his son Periander.  
508 BC       Democracy begins in Athens   
490 and 480 BC    Greeks defeat Persian invaders at the battles of Marathon (490 BC)and Salamis (480 BC).
by 450 BC      Athens becomes a very powerful city, and controls an empire.   
472 - 410 BC Greeks theatre thrives in Athens. Many of the most famous Greek plays are written during this time.     

•   

12
Trade, very important Why?

• Greek farmers could not have sustained a
  civilization like we saw in Egypt or Mesopotamia
• Colonies shipped goods to mainland
• Money replaced the barter system

13
Distinct City-StatesCommon Cultural Features

• Strong city-state ties and identity
• an independent spirit
• Bitter economic rivalries
• All led to continuous fighting among the Greek
  city-states BUT Despite these divisions, the
  Greeks shared a common culture.

14
Unifying Culture Forces of the City-States

1. They honored the same ancient heroes and Homers
   writings.
2. They participated in common festivals and
   holidays.
3. They prayed and shared the same gods.
4. They shared the Greek language.
5. They felt superior to non-Greeks, whom they
   called barbaroi, people who did not speak
   Greek.

15
Aegean Civilizations3000 B.C. 1000 B.C.
Aegean Civilizations3000 B.C. 1000 B.C.

• Minoans
• Mycenaeans

• Minoans
• Mycenaeans

16
The Minoans2500 B.C. 1400 B.C.

• Located on the island of Crete
• Sir Arthur Evans discovered the Minoan
  civilization in 1894
• Evans names them from his findings of King Minos

17
Extensive Trade Travel

• A trading empire took ideas from Egypt and
  Mesopotamia
• Traders not fighters Why?
• Dominated the seas with no competition

18
What happens to the Minoans?

• Civilizations just disappears
• Destroyed around 1400 B.C. no one really
• knows
• Possible theories
• -tidal wave
• -Mycenaean invasion
• -Volcanic eruption

19
The Minoans, 2000 B.C.-1400B.c.

• Left us a legacy of fantastic frescoes.
• Frescoes reveal much about Minoan life
• -Worshipped a Mother Earth Goddess
• -the bull
• Women appeared to have more freedom

20
Fresco of three Minoan women
N Entrance of the Palace of Knossos
HistoryWiz The Minoans
21
Rulers of Mycenae

• Around 1900 B.C.E., a central Asian people began
  settling in mainland Greece
• Spoke Greek
• Intermarried with the locals
• Became a interested in trade because of the poor
  soil and few natural resources

22
The Mycenaean World of Ancient Greece
23

• Very Aggressive warriors
• They invade Crete and adopt and spread many
  features of the Minoan culture
• -adapted Minoan writing system to Greek
• -Copies images from pottery
• -Minoan legends influence Greek religion, art and
  politics

24

• Mycenaeans located their cities on hills so they
  could watch for invaders by land or sea
• Each city centered around a hilltop or an
  acropolis on the mainland of Greece.
• Lived in a fortified city with walls 20 feet thick

25
Mycenaean Tomb
Lion gate of Mycenae
Mycenaean Goddess
More Mycenaean Artifacts
26
The Trojan War

• The traditional legend is believed to reflect a
  real war
• Between mainland Greeks and the inhabitants of
  Troy

27
Why So Remembered???
The war probably resulted from the desire of
either to plunder the wealthy city or to put an
end to Troy's commercial control of the
Dardanelles purely economic
28
BUT legend tells us that is about a Trojan
youth kidnapping the wife of a Greek king!Why?
Because he could not live without herWe love it
dont we and so did the Greeks!
Helen being stolen by Paris!
29

• Modern archaeological excavations have shown that
  Troy was destroyed by fire sometime between 1230
  BC and 1180 BC.
• Which supports the time frame of the Trojan War

30
How did the war end

• The war lasted ten years
• With both sides well-matched only a masterful
  scheme could end the war
• The Mycenaeans would give Troy a gift
• THE TROJAN HORSE

31
Dark Age in Greece

• Dorian invaders sweep onto the peninsula
• (Brown lines)
• Iron weapons give them the advantage
• The Mycenaeans never recover.

32
Dark Age in Greece

• Dorians continue their advance around the Greek
  mainland and Crete
• Artistic skills and writing were forgotten not
  valued by the new rulers.
• Many Greeks fled to Asia Minor and their the
  Phoenician alphabet is adopted

33
The Iliad and The Odyssey by Homer

• Homer, blind poet
• Poems appear at the end of Greeks Dark Age -750
  BC
• They are orally passed to the next generation

34
The Epics of Homer

• Homers heroes display honor, courage, and
  eloquence
• The Iliad and the Odyssey reveal many of the
  values of ancient Greeks.

35
Greek Religion Its Gods and Goddesses

• Greeks were very religious people
• No priestly class or sacred scripture.
• Polytheistic

36
Greek Myths

• A rich tradition developed about their Gods
• Greeks used these myths/stories to try and
  understand human passion and mysteries of nature
  -Myths would explain the changing seasons or
• -Try to explain death or disease

37

• Greek Gods
• People emulated the Gods behavior
• Influenced peoples actions
• Gods lived on Mt. Olympus
• Each God controlled a specific part of the
  universe.

38
Greek Religion Its Gods and Goddesses

• Each city-state had a patron god.
• Over 60 days a year were dedicated to the
  celebration, worship and partying!
• Athena, Goddess of Athens

39
Can you name some popular Greek Gods?
Zeus king of the gods Ares god of war
Aphrodite goddess of love Athena goddess of
wisdom Apollo god of light Poseidon god of
the sea
40
The Olympic Games

• Stressed athleticism in their school curriculum
• Held to honor Zeus
• Trade and wars stopped during games
• Athletes came from all over the world to compete
• Individual events rather than team
• Women were not allowed

41
Cities represented at Olympic games
42
Governing the City-States

• Between 750 B.C. and 500 B.C., the Greeks evolved
  different forms of government.
• At first, the ruler was a king. A government in
  which a king or queen exercises central power is
  called a monarchy.

43
Governing the City-States

• Slowly, power shifted to a class of noble
  landowners. At first, the nobles defended the
  king, but in time, they won power for themselves.
  A government ruled by a landholding, noble elite
  is called an aristocracy.

44
Governing the City-States

• As trade expanded, a new class of wealthy
  merchants, farmers, and artisans came to dominate
  some city-states. A government in which power is
  in the hands of a small, powerful elite, usually
  from the business class, is called an oligarchy.

45
Review of Governments

1. monarchy single ruler' A government in which
   a king or queen exercises central power (chosen
   by birth hereditary)
2. aristocracy 'best-rule' noble land- holding
   families (hereditary distinction)
3. oligarchy 'few-rule' small group of business
   elites like, merchants, farmers and artisans
   (wealth distinction)

46
New Kind of Military

• Each city-state had citizen-soldiers
• Each city-state provided its own defense
• Hoplite name comes from the Greek word hopon
  for shield

Hoplite 
47
New Technique Phalanx

• A new method of fighting emerged called phalanx
  
• A massive formation of heavily armed foot
  soldiers that moved in unison
• Required hours of drill and practice!

48
Ancient Sparta
49
Sparta

• Peloponnesus region in southern Greece
• Founded by descendants of Dorian invaders
• Map shows Sparta and its colonies

50
Sparta

• Military Society largest and most sophisticated
  army in the known world
• Forbade trade, travel and free speech!
• Needed army to control slave population
• Control lasted over 250 years.

51

• All conquered people became
• Government owned slaves named helots
• 20 to 1 of the population
• Government Monarchy puppet
• Oligarchy in reality
• 2 kings and 28 counselors
• who had the real power
• No interest in trade or in education other than
  in the arts of war

52
Spartan Military Life

• Army governed life
• What did it mean for a man?
• Trained in military
• -Started at age 7
• -Marry at 20 but live
• in barracks
• -Retire at 60
• 53 years of service!
• Males can vote at 30

Reading Sparta, The training of Youth
53
Spartan Women

• How did Spartan women
• live?
• Taught to read and write
• Did not perform many domestic tasks
• Women were trained in athletic events
• javelin, discus, foot races, and staged battles
• Would have to run naked in front of males

54
Spartan Women

• Expected to produce healthy children or?
• Fed better
• Taught loyalty to the state
• Had Property Rights
• Protect home for husband
• The Wedding Nothing most women would
  wantListen and Decide!

55
Athens

• No other city has contributed more to the
  civilization of mankind than Athens.
• It is the place where democracy was born.

56
Athens

• Founded by Mycenaean descendants.
• Encouraged trade, dominate naval power!
• Stressed a balance of the mind and body.

57
Athenian Women

• The status of an Athenian woman in Greek society
  was minimal.
• Married 14-16 years old, chosen by their father
• Upper class had beautiful weddings!

• "Teaching a woman to read and write? What a
  terrible thing to do! Like feeding a vile snake
  on more poison." -Menander

58
Athenian Women

• Describe the life of an
• Athenian women
• Take care of home
• 2. Raise the children
• 3. Seldom allowed in public not even the
  marketplace
• 4. No formal education
• 5. Could not own property
• 6. Lower class women actually had more freedom
  because they worked and came in contact with
  people.

59
Athens

• Worlds first limited democracy
• Path to limited democracy took years and lots of
  blood shed!
• Revolts of the lower classes and former slaves.

60
Path to Athenian Democracy

• Draco
• First written code of laws for Greece
• Took power away from aristocrats

61
Path to Athenian Democracy

• Solon
• First real political reformer
• Ordinary citizens gained greater power through
  the new courts system
• He made decisions to benefit the all people in a
  crisis, not just the wealthy!
• But still no land reform aka land to the
  landless poor

62
Path to Democracy

• Peristratus
• Helped the poor
• Extended citizenship with right to vote to
  non-landowning Athenians
• Gave some land to the peasants

63
Path to Democracy

• Cleisthenes
• Credited with establishing democracy in Greece
• Established the law making assembly the Council
  of 500 to propose laws
• Former slaves got citizenship
• Tried ostracism
• banishment from the city for 10 years with
  6,000 votes!

Cleisthenes
64
Limited Democracy

• This form of government was used at a meeting
  place which the Greeks called the Assembly.
• Here the citizens of Athens met monthly and
  discussed the affairs of state.
• There were no decisions made by government
  without first asking the Assembly met 40 times a
  year

65
Athenian Democracy

• Only those with both parents born in Athens could
  have citizenship
• Athens had a direct democracy
• all male citizens had the right to attend the
  Assembly and a vote.
• No elections, leaders chosen by drawing lots