Chapter 8 Ancient Greeks

Early Greece City-States and Greek Culture The Golden Age Alexanders Great Empire

Cycladic Culture
Cyclades
Group of about 200 islands Lived by fishing and trade Pottery and small marble figures Followed customs and traditions of the dominant
More powerful, neighboring cultures

Minoan Culture
Received this name from the King of Crete mythology
Collection of myths, or traditional stories, handed down from generation to generation

Knossos, Phaistos, Mallia, and Kato Zakro

Largest Minoan cities

Used a decimal system

Based on the number 10

Pictograms

Mycenaean Culture
Borrowed from the Minoan
Art styles and writing

Built palaces Large earthquake destroyed the culture

Trojan Culture
Centered in the ancient city of Troy Thick walls surrounded the city Location was strategic
Of great importance

Troy is learned about in epics of Iliad and the Odyssey

Long poem that tells about important evens in the life of a hero or heroes

Trojan War
Mycenaeans tried to capture city of Troy High walls made it impossible to break through Huge, hollow wooden horse
Mycenaean soldiers hid inside Trojans believed the horse to be a peace offering and brought it in Mycenaean soldiers defeated Trojans and burned down the city of Troy

Rise of City-States
Formed as people living in neighboring villages joined to protect themselves from outside dangers Forts were built on hilltops
Acropolis (high-city)

Grew into cities around the acropolis

Houses, public buildings, open-air market
Agora

Sparta & Athens

Best known and most powerful Greek city-states

Sparta
Inland location
Military economy

Three classes
Spartan citizens
Males

Helots
Slaves

Free people from neighboring communities

People in the lower classes outnumbers the Spartan citizens 10 to 1.

This is why there was a strong focus on military

Sparta
Oligarchy
Governing system in which a few people from the ruling class make decisions for everyone Well ordered, and lasting

Athens
Ruled by an aristocracy
Small group of leaders from wealthy landowning families who inherit the right to rule

Classes based on wealth instead of birth

Those with the most wealth were part of ruling class

Worlds first democracy

System of government in which the people rule

The Persian Wars

City-states worked together to stop a common enemy
Persians

Persians outnumbered Athenians

Athenians better trained

Persians outnumbered Athenians and Spartans

Again defeated

Persian Wars
Greek city-states developed leagues
Group of allies to protect themselves Ended the Persian Wars

Age of Pericles
Pericles
Continued democratic views Pay for public officials All male citizens could participate in government Patron of learning and the Arts
Supporter

Achievements of Golden Age

Athens became an important cultural center Writings
Sophocles
Wrote tragedies
Serious plays with unhappy endings

Aristophanes
Comedies
Plays designed to make audiences laugh

Hippocrates
Great scientist of Greece Illness came from natural causes

End of Golden Age

Sparta feared Athens was getting too powerful Peloponnesian War
Sparta and allies against Athens and allies

Plague spread through the city

Deadly disease Killed of Athenian Army and Pericles

Battled for 27 years

Without Pericles, Athens began to follow demagogues
Leader who stirs up the feelings and fears of people to gain personal power Weakened the city-state

Greek Philosophers
Lovers of wisdom Socrates
Used criticism of government to sting Athenians into thinking about life and the best way to live it Annoyed new leaders of Athens Found guilty of teacher dangerous ideas Told to drink poison

Greek Philosophers
Plato
Started academies
Special schools in which future rulers could learn the lessons that they would need to govern well

Aristotle
Disagreed with Plato on some things, but both agreed that the best life was one spent in search of knowledge and truth Biology, astronomy, economics, law, science and sports

The Making of an Emperor

Alexander
Taught by Aristotle Fought in the army Defeated the Persian Empire
Gained wealth and glory Became the most powerful ruler in southwestern Asia Alexander the Great

The End of the Empire

Planned expeditions
Journeys of exploration Became seriously ill with a fever Died before his 33rd birthday

Empire quickly split into many parts

Often at war with one another Continued to build upon the legacy of Alexander the Great
Something lasting left by someone who has died

Alexanders Legacy
Many cities named after Alexander, named Alexandria
Centers of learning

Huge library at Alexandria Scholars wrote books and exchanged ideas

Seekers of knowledge