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The Greeks

The Greeks. Minoans. Around 2,000 B.C.E. the Minoan civilization developed on the Mediterranean island of Crete They were influenced by the Egyptians and the Phoenicians, but they were very different in many ways

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The Greeks

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  1. The Greeks

  2. Minoans • Around 2,000 B.C.E. the Minoan civilization developed on the Mediterranean island of Crete • They were influenced by the Egyptians and the Phoenicians, but they were very different in many ways • At Knossos they build lavish palaces with plumbing and drainage systems for their rulers – these palaces indicate a very sophisticated society • We know a great deal about the Minoans from the frescoes they painted • They developed a style of writing called Linear A, which uses symbols to form syllables.

  3. Gradually Crete became the center for Mediterranean trade • About 1700 B.C.E. an earthquake destroyed the Minoan society • The Cretans rebuilt their palaces, but their wealth attracted foreign invaders • By 11000 B.C.E. the Minoans had been taken over by invaders

  4. Mycenaean • About 2,200 B.C.E. an Indo-European group of nomads settled the Greek peninsula • The Mycenaeans emerged in present day Greece and transformed Linear A to Linear B. • They expanded their influence and ventured beyond Greece to Sicily, southern Italy, and Crete • About 1,200 B.C.E. they became involved in a struggle with the city of Troy in Anatolia • This war was the source of Homer’s Iliad • After 1,100 B.C.E. the Mycenaean civilization fell into decline • Between 1,100 and 800 B.C.E. is known as the Dark Ages

  5. Archaic Period 800 – 480 B.C.E. • With no central authority the Greeks developed independent city-states • Unlike the Chinese or Persians the Greeks did not develop a centralized state – they preferred poleis • These poleis became the centers for population and trade • By the end of the dark Ages several had emerged as large and powerful • Most notably Athens and Sparta

  6. Sparta • Sparta, located in the Peloponnesus, used their prisoners as helots, or slaves, and these slaves soon outnumbered the Spartans. • The helots were not chained but they were not free either • The role of the helot was to provide the Spartans with a constant food supply • Due to this, the Spartans were forced into a life dictated by military stature to ensure their power and minimize the chance of slave revolts.

  7. The Spartans maintained a simple, austere lifestyle • They did not accumulate wealth, nor did the women wear jewelry • Success in Spartan society came from military endeavors and heroism • Boys left their families at seven to live in military barracks • At 20 they became soldiers and remained soldiers until they retired • At 30 they could leave the barrack and live with their wife

  8. Athens • Both Athens and Sparta grew rapidly. However, Athens was dominated by a government for the people and was not driven by discipline and sacrifice like the Spartans • The political process was limited to a small number of the people, making their democracy very different than modern day democracies. • Only a few adult males could participate in politics and not all Athenians were citizens • Gradually, to ease social problems more people were allowed to participate • Democracy– Demos (People) and Cracy (Rule)

  9. With a limited amount of farmland the Athenians were forced to use the sea and establish colonies • Athenians prospered because of trade which made the wealthy even wealthier • Gradually the aristocrats purchased all the small plots of land • Poor people who fell into debt could sell themselves into slavery to pay off the debt • With a growing population and increasing social problems Athens was forced to address the problems debt and land shortages

  10. Solon • Athens grew very rapidly, as did the gap between the rich and poor. • In response, Solon negotiated a compromise that cancelled all debts of poor farmers and outlawed the process of selling yourself into slavery, but he let the aristocracy keep their land • He also gave the lower class more political rights, setting examples for future peoples • He allowed any person with enough time the opportunity to participate on the councils – in reality only the wealthy had the spare time! • Eventually commoners did receive payment for participation in the government

  11. Classical period 480 – 323 B.C.E. • Solon’s reforms help move Athens towards a democracy, but the greatest changes would be made by Pericles • Pericles was an aristocratic leader committed to democratic ideals. He appointed hundreds of ordinary people to government positions. • He was the leader of Athens from 443 B.C.E. until his death in 429 B.C.E. • Under his leadership Athens flourished

  12. Greek Expansion • The Greeks grew rapidly and thus branched out across the Mediterranean, often staying close to the sea. • They exchanged ideas on the coastal waterways through trade. • This had a huge effect on the rest of the world as Greek ideologies and language spread throughout the world.

  13. The Persians • The Persians had also created a large empire in Anatolia and felt threatened by the Greeks. • Darius, a Persian king, sent a force to destroy the Greeks but was defeated at the Battle of Marathon. • His successor Xerxes also set out to destroy Greece, but after he successfully burned Athens he was defeated at the Battle of Salamis.

  14. The Delian League • After the Persian War Athens was supremea) strong navyb) democratic institutionsc) excellent cultural lifed) prosperous trade • Sparta withdrew returned to isolationism • Athens assume control of the Delian Leaguea) liberate Ionian citiesb) be prepared for war • Athens supplied 200 shipsOthers paid cash

  15. Other city-states that protested were punished by Athens • Pericles even used Delian League money was used to build the Parthenon in Athens • The situation continued to get worse until several of the poleis combined to fight back

  16. The Peloponnesian War • The two powerful leaders were Athens and Sparta. • The war started in 431 B.C.E. but neither side could gain an advantage • Athens controlled the seas and could continually supply the city – Sparta controlled the land but could not force the Athenians to fight • Sparta lay siege to Athens and in 404 B.C.E. a massive plague hit the city, the Athenians was forced to surrender. However, the Spartans soon realized that their government was not well suited to oversee such a large area.

  17. Philip of Macedonia • Philip II rose to power in 359 B.C.E., building up the military to make himself the undisputed king of the Macedonians. • He was power hungry and soon attacked the Greek city-states one by one. Slowly, they fell and all of Greece was under the control of Macedonia.

  18. Alexander the Great • After the assassination of Philip II, his son, Alexander succeeded him as king. • Alexander loved Greek culture and had been tutored by Aristotle • He soon amassed an empire from Macedonia to the Himalayas in India, controlling Egypt, Greece, and Persia. • After taking his troops to India he was forced to return when they mutinied and refused to go any further • In 323 B.C.E. Alexander died at the age of thirty-three • He had created the greatest empire the world had seen

  19. Hellenistic Age 323 – 30 B.C.E. • Alexander had spread Greek culture and influence as far as India and opened the door to the Hellenistic Age • After his death the empire was divided into three large states • Antigonid – Greece and MacedoniaPtolemaic – EgyptSeleucid – the Persian empire

  20. Greek Rationale Thought • Thales - water was the source of all things • Empedocles - earth, air, water, fire • Democritus - atoms • Heraclitus - constant motion theory • Pythagoras - all things were mathematical relationships • Protagoras - “man is the measure of all things” • Movement away from the supernatural

  21. Hippocrates of Cos - Father of Medicinestressed observation and experimentationtreated the symptoms • Sophists - turned from the natural to the humanitinerant teacherslectured on rhetoric and composition

  22. Socrates • Socrates, a famous philosopher, employed the Socratic method in which he asked his pupils questions, making them think to gain the answer. • Not a sophist - stonemason • Basic views of western philosophy • “The unexamined life is not worth living” • Arrested for corrupting the youth and not believing the gods • Socrates believed in arete - excellence • Socrates committed suicide by drinking hemlock

  23. Plato • Student of Socrates • Founded the academy • Disliked democracy • Wrote republic • “Good life”

  24. Aristotle • Student of Plato • Tutored Alexander the Great • Good man-good life • Moderation in all things • Wrote Politics - polis • Systemization of knowledge • Theories lasted until the 17th century

  25. History • Herodotus - Father of History, wroteHistory of the Persian War • Thucydides - more analytical and honest

  26. Greek Society • Greek trade relied heavily on wine & olive oil because these grew easily in areas with little fertile soil in the mountains. • The Olympic games, first held in 1896, were a huge part of the culture, allowing individuals to maintain their identity.

  27. Women were not really free • They had to raise children and manage the house • Men spent their time at the gymnasium • Divorces and marriages arranged by males • Girls were not usually educated at the Academy • Boys also had two years of military service • sound in mind and body

  28. Religion • The Greeks were polytheists • Elements of nature were represented by gods • Unlike the Egyptians the Greeks did not worry about life after death • Greek deities had human form and had to deal with human emotions such as love • The gods often fought each other in heavenly battles

  29. Slavery • Slavery was very popular in Greek society. • They were highly prized, especially those with educated backgrounds. • Though slaves were not considered citizens, they could purchase their own freedom and petition for citizenship.

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