Classic Greece
Geography-
The Sea allowed for great opportunity for trade and travel.
It was important because it allowed Greece to get the natural resources that it lacked: timber, precious metals, usable farmland
The land was rugged and mountains covered about three fourths of ancient Greece
Mountains were often the divider for different regions
It played a big role in wars. It’s hard to move through the mountains with large armies
Climate-
Upper 40’s in winters
Lower 80’s in the summer
The climate allowed for many different outdoor activities.
People of Greece-
Minoans-
created an elegant civilization that had great power that started around 3000 BC
Minoans culture influenced the Mycenaean
Writing, Language
Design
Trade
Used ships to trade goods
Mycenaean-
Mycenaean’s were heavily influenced by the Minoans
They came from Indo-Europeans migrants
Dominated Greece from 1600 BC to 1100 BC
Dorian-
Spoke a kind of Greek
Not as advanced as the others, no writing system
Focused more on storytelling
Homer is the most famous storyteller
Trojan War
It was between the kingdom of Troy and Mycenaean Greece
During the Dorian Period
During this period the Mycenaean people started to identify less with culture of their ancestors and more with the local area
Government made the transition from tribal or clan control to more formal government called city-states
A polis was made up of a city and its surrounding countryside, which would include numerous villages
Citizens of the polis would come together to meet at an acropolis to discuss their city government
Not all city-states had the same form of government
Different forms of government-
Monarchy- state ruled by a king and the rule is hereditary. Some rulers claim that they have a divine right to rule. It was practiced in Mycenae by 2000 BC
Aristocracy- State ruled by nobility. Rule is hereditary and based on ties, social rank, and wealth. Social status and wealth support rulers’ authority. It was practiced in Athens prior to 594 BC.
Oligarchy- State ruled by a small group of citizens and rule is based on wealth and/or ability. Ruling group controls the military and practiced in Sparta by 500 BC.
Direct Democracy- State ruled by the citizens and rule is based on citizenship. Majority rule decides vote and it was practiced in Athens by 500 BC
Athens
About 600 BC, Athens was taking steps toward democracy. There were major reforms for the next 100 years that would eventually lead to a democracy starting around 500 BC
Key People
Draco- He developed a legal code based on the idea that all Athenians, rich and poor, were equal under law. He had very harsh punishments for nearly any crime. He believed in debt slavery. The word “draconian” has come to me “extreme cruelty or severity”.
Solon- Stated that no citizen should own another. Organized Athens into four social classes based on wealth. Only the top three classed could hold a political office. However, all four could participate in the Athenian assembly.
Cleisthenes- Broke Athens up based on region that the citizens lived instead of wealth. (10 groups). He increased the power of the assembly by allowing all citizens to submit laws for debate and passage. Created the Council of Five Hundred and they proposed laws and counseled the assembly and the members were chosen at random.
Limited Democracy
The reforms allowed for a limited democracy. The requirements to me called a citizen: Free, Adult, Property owner, and born in Athens.
Sparta
It was located in the southern part of Greece. It was cut off from the rest of Greece by the Gulf ` of Corinth.
The government
Several branches-
Assembly, all citizens, elected officials and voted on major issues. Council of Elders, 30 older citizens, proposed laws on the assembly to vote on. Five elected officials that carried out the laws that were passed by the assembly. Two kings that ruled over Sparta’s military.
Compare and contrast the Sparta military and the Athens military
Sparta- Boys were taken from their mother at the age of 7 to be trained to fight to the death. At 20 the men were well enough to fight.
Athens- A soldier’s rank was determined by the wealth.
Persian War
New technology
During the Dorian age, only the rich could really afford to buy the bronze weaponry and armor.
Iron later replaced bronze and allowed the common man to be able to arm himself and fight battles.
Also a formation was formed in battle called the phalanx.
Phalanx- Spear in one hand, shield in the other.
Start of the Persian War
War between Greece and Persian Empire
It first began in Ionia on the coast of Anatolia
Greeks were settled there but Persians conquered it around 546 BC
The Ionian Greeks revolted
-Athens sent soldiers to help in the revolt
-Darius the Great defeated the revolt and then vowed to destroy Athens
In 490 BC, the Persian fleet of 25,000 men and landed in an area called Marathon.
There, 10,000 Athenians meet them there.
After several hours of fighting
- Persians fled the battlefield
- 6,000 Persian lives lost
- 200 or less Athenian lives were lost
The Athenians won because they were using the phalanx formation.
The Persians were not well trained in this type of land fighting.
The Persians also wore very light armor compared to that of the Athenians.
Athenians were fighting on their homeland.
Marathon
Even though Athenians had won, they left their city without much of an army.
According to tradition, army leaders would send a runner to alert Athens of the battle.
Pheidippides was the runner.
He ran 26 miles from Marathon to Athens
Persians tried to quickly attack Athens after their defeat at Marathon, but the Athenians had already returned, so they fled once again.
Ten years later
Xerxes, Darius the Great’s son, had become the successor of the Persian army.
He brought an enormous army with him to complete the job that his father once vowed.
Greek issues
The Greeks were much divided on how to handle the Persian situation
-Some city-states thought that they should fight them and defend their city of Athens
-Some city-states thought it wasn’t worth it, and they should just allow them to burn it.
-Some even fought with the Persians
Famous battle of Thermopylea
A narrow mountains pass was the setting of this battle
7,000 Greeks and 300 Spartans stood in the way of Xerxes and his huge army on this push gets to Athens
Xerxes underestimated the Greeks and Spartans; however, they stood up for three days of them.
A traitor went to Xerxes and informed him of a secret path around the pass.
Fearing defeat, the Spartans fought the Persians so that the Greeks could flee to fight another day
All 300 were killed including Leonidas.
Lasting Effects of Spartan sacrifice
Made a great impression on the Greeks
Allowed the remaining Greeks to retreat and fight the Persians again
Showed Xerxes what he was up against
Battle of Salamis
Greeks abandoned Athens, because they thought that fighting at the sea was their best chance.
They were right; Xerxes watched as a 1/3 of this fleet was sunk, Truly diminishing his army.
Lasting effect of the Persian War
The Delian League was created. (an alliance of Greek city-states to continue to push the Persians out of all Greece.)
Athenians was the head of the league and moved the headquarters to Athens.
This gave the Athenians a lot of power and helped push them into their golden age
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