The Glory of Greek Civilization

The Glory of Greek Civilization Classical Greece 2000B.C. – 200 B.C.

Three Aegean Civilizations • What direction is the Aegean Sea from Greece? • 2000-1100 B.C. Three major civilizations prospered in the area around the Aegean Sea • Minoans on the island of Crete • The Hellenes on the mainland • The Trojans on Troy • On the coast of Asia Minor

Minoans • 1700 B.C. – 1400 B.C. • Located on the Island of Crete which is in what direction from Greece? • The term Minoan comes from the name Minos, a legendary king of Crete. • Crete had poor soil and good harbors • Much of their wealth came from trade • Ships carried goods throughout the lands • Gold, Silver, jewelry, swords, and ivory carvings • No large army – instead built a powerful navy to keep sea free from pirates

Minoan culture • Made clay vases, bronze daggers, gold cups, and other luxury items • Minoans had indoor plumbing with drains • Were skilled at Boxing and Bull Jumping • Most impressive city = Knossos (on the island of Crete)

The fall of the Minoans • Decline of this civilization has no known cause • Some believe that Hellenes invaded Crete sometime between 1450 and 1350 B.C. • It is known however that the Hellenes on mainland Greece had opened direct trading with Egypt and Syria and that such trade would not have been possible if the Minoan navy had still controlled the seas

The Trojan Wars • After the fall of Crete, the Hellenes turned their power in other places • They expanded their trade into the black Sea Region • As time passed, these people came into conflict with the people who lived in the city-state of Troy • Between 1200-1180 B.C. two Trojan wars were fought

What is the Trojan War? • A Greek poet named Homer created a long poem about the wars • ILLIAD • Thought to be based on oral or spoken poetry

The illiad • The Trojan Wars started after Paris, a son of the King of Troy, kidnapped Helen, the beautiful wife of a Greek King. An army of greek heroes, including Achilles and Odysseus, sailed to Troy to rescue Helen. The great battle between Achilles and Hector, prince of Troy, in which Hector is killed, is a high point of the poem. The Greeks finally defeated the Trojans and destroyed Troy • Based on Heinrich Schliemann, Troy as described by Homer, really did exist

The fall of the Aegean Peoples • Dorians • Came in after the fall of Troy when all other Greek city-states were fighting each other • They didn’t write anything down so the Greeks fell into what is known as the Dark Ages

The Glory of Greek Civilization