Ancient Greece Geography Part of Balkan peninsula extends

Ancient Greece

Geography �Part of Balkan peninsula, extends into Mediterranean Sea

Mountains and Valleys �Valleys and islands were settled and farmed �Created isolated city-states �Very independent- many wars

The Seas �Sea was a vital link to outside world �Many safe harbors �Greeks were skilled sailors

Cultural Diffusion �Greek ships carried: olive oil, wine, marble �Returned with: grains, metal, ideas �Many colonies around Mediterranean

� 2 levels Greek City-States polis • High city (on hilltop) acropolis • Below, walled main city

Government �Monarchy- ruled by king/ queen �Aristocracy- rules by landholding nobles �Oligarchy- small elite group usually business class

Sparta �Military virtue and strong discipline

Sparta�Government- brutal system of strict control • 2 kings, council of elders, assembly of citizens • 5 ephors- ran day-to-day affairs, real power

�Healthy Spartan men soldiers �Age 7 - begin harsh training �Age 20 - can marry, still live in barracks �Age 30 - citizen, part of assembly

Spartan women �Produce healthy sons for army �Had to exercise and strength train �Could run family estate, inherit property

Sparta and its neighbors �Looked down on • other Greeks, trade, wealth, art, travel

�Democracy- Athens government by the people

�Solon Athens government • Wise and trusted leader • more power to citizens, economic reforms �Cleisthenes • Increase role of citizen • council of 500, legislature (law making body) • All male citizens over 30 could participate

Athenian women �No part of public life �Managed household, spun cloth, cared for children, prepared food �Poor women worked outside the home

Athenian education �Boys went to school, if they could afford it • Read, write, music, poetry, public speaking, military training

�Ionian Persian Wars city-states self governing under Persian empire �Athens help Ionia rebel against Persia �Persian emperor Darius I - punish Athens for helping Ionia �Athens victory

Persian war continued � 480 B. C. Xerxes (son of Darius) sent larger force to Greece � Greece united- Athens, Sparta, and other city-states � Themistocles- built lots of ships � Greece beat Persians on sea and then land

�Alliance Delian League of Greek city-states �Athens most powerful �Athens used money from league to rebuild their city

�Golden Age of Pericles age for Athens �Ruler Pericles • Good economy, more democratic government • Direct democracy- citizens take part in affairs

Age of Pericles economy �Hired best architects and sculptors to rebuild Athens

�Peloponnesian War League set up to counter Delian League � Sparta (oligarchy)vs Athens (democracy) � Fight for 27 years Athens overcrowded –plague kills 1/3 of population � Sparta and Persia capture Athens � Athens power fades, but remains cultural capital �