Classical Greece Western Civilization I Classical Greece 45

Classical Greece Western Civilization I

Classical Greece 45, 000 sq. miles Distinct regions & city -states: © 2000 Wadsworth / Thomson Learning Peloponnesus – Sparta, Olympia Attica - Athens Boeotia - Thebes Thessaly Macedonia

Early Greek Civilizations Minoan (2800– 1450 B. C. ) – Crete Sea-faring people with trade empire Basis for Herodotus’ description of Atlantis Knossos had no fortifications Linear A has never been deciphered Mycenaean (1600 -1100 B. C. ) – mainland Tholos tombs Linear B Agamemnon may have led attack on Troy around 1250 B. C. described in Homer’s Iliad

Classical Greece Polis = small, autonomous political unit. Adult males = citizens with rights Women & children = citizens without rights Slaves = non-citizens with some rights Hoplites = heavily armed infantry, organized into phalanx. Tyrants – seized power unconstitutionally, but often popular. Colonies = independent poleis established by metropolis for trade & to relieve overpopulation.

Greek Colonies © 2000 Wadsworth / Thomson Learning

Sparta Ruled by 2 kings along with council of 28 elders (Gerousia) Elders & 5 judges (Ephors) elected by assembly of all male citizens (Apella) Turned conquered peoples into serfs (Helots) who farmed land Peloponnesian League formed by 500 B. C. Martial society reinforced by military state

Athens Originally ruled by Areopagus (council of nobles) & 9 Archons Ecclesia = adult male assembly Cliesthenes’ democratic reforms: Created 170 new Demes – organized into 10 “tribes, ” each representing a cross-section of the population Each demes elected 50 representatives to Council of 500 Ecclesia could vote to ostracize (exile) unpopular leaders for 10 years – voted using ostracon (potsherds) Strategoi = 10 general officials who ran daily affairs Reached height under Pericles (461 -429 B. C. )

Acropolis, Athens

The Persian Wars Persians conquered Ionia in mid-6 th century B. C. Darius crossed Aegean Sea to invade Greece in 490 B. C. Miltiades led Greeks to victory at Marathon © 2000 Wadsworth / Thomson Learning Revolt in Egypt & Darius’ death in 486 delayed Persians’ return

The Persian Wars Themistocles led Athens to build strong navy Xerxes invaded in 480 B. C. Conquered Thrace & Macedonia © 2000 Wadsworth / Thomson Learning Leonidas & 9, 000 Greeks held pass at Thermopylae Athens evacuated & sacked Greek fleet defeated Persians off Salamis Mardonius defeated at Plataea in 479

The Peloponnesian Wars (460 -404 B. C. ) Athens formed Delian League in 478 -77 B. C. 1 st Peloponnesian War (460445) ended in stalemate 2 nd Peloponnesian War ended in Spartan victory in 404 B. C. Spartans’ harsh rule prompted revolts Corinthian War (395 -86) ended in peace dictated by Persian Emperor © 2000 Wadsworth / Thomson Learning

The First Historians Herodotus (484 -425 B. C. ) – History of the Persian Wars Thucydides (460 -400 B. C. ) – History of the Peloponnesian Wars

Drama Sophocles (496 -406 B. C. ) – Oedipus Rex Euripides (485 -406 B. C. ) – The Bacchae Aristophanes (450 -385 B. C. ) – The Clouds, Lysistrata

Philosophy Metaphysics – search for unifying force in nature Ethics – search for moral standards Aesthetics – search for beauty Logic – search for connections between things Epistemology – search for learning process Socrates

Pre-Socratic Philosophers Thales of Miletus (c. 600 B. C. ) argued water was the basic element Pythagoras (580 -490) believed music & mathematics = essence of the universe Empedocles (493 -433) postulated four elements: earth, water, fire & air Democritus proposed atomic theory Hippocrates = said body was regulated by four humors: blood, phlegm, black bile & yellow bile

The “Big Three” of Philosophy Socrates (469 -349) – “Knowledge is virtue” Plato (429 -347) – The Republic Producers Warriors Philosopher-Kings Aristotle (384 -322) Monarchy becomes tyranny Aristocracy becomes oligarchy Constitutional republic becomes democracy (anarchy)

Religion Zeus = king, Hera = queen Poseidon = god of the sea Ares = god of war Apollo = god of the sun Artemis = goddess of hunting Athena = goddess of wisdom Hephaestus = smith of the gods (volcanoes) Hermes = messenger of the gods

Pan-Hellenic Games Four sets at four different locations: Olympia – dedicated to Zeus (776 B. C. – 5 th cen. A. D. ) Delphi – dedicated to Apollo Nemaea – dedicated to Heracles Corinth – dedicated to Poseidon Events included: Running Chariot races Boxing & wrestling Pentathelon (running, wrestling, boxing, javelin toss & long jump)