Persia and Greece Unit 2 Classical Era Persia

Persia and Greece Unit 2: Classical Era

Persia

Rise of Persia • 550 B. C. E. the Persian King Cyrus, began conquering several neighboring kingdoms • Empire spanned 2, 000 miles from the Indus River to Anatolia • Cyrus’s most enduring legacy was his method of governing • Honored local customs and religions • Cyrus was killed by nomadic invaders

Persian Rule • Cyrus’s son Cambyses expanded the empire by conquering Egypt – Weak ruler compared to father – Widespread rebellions after death • Darius, a noble, succeed Cambyses – An elite group of Persian soldiers, the Immortals, helped Darius seize throne • Brought peace and stability to the empire • Turned attention to conquest: empire over 2, 500 miles embracing Egypt and Anatolia, part of India and the Fertile Crescent – Only inability was to conquer Greece

• Under Persian rule providences could: – Practice own religion – Speak own language – Follow many of their own laws • Although tolerant, Darius still ruled with absolute power • Created the use of standardized metal coins to promote trade and unify the empire • Royal Road helped hold the empire together – 1, 677 miles of roads

• Zoroaster, a Persian prophet, establishes a religion in which people’s own choices determine their fate – Zoroastrianism: monotheistic worship of Ahura Mazda and sacred writings known as the Avesta; • Establishes early beliefs in heaven, hell, and a final judgement

Persian Legacy • Through their tolerance and good government, the Persians brought political order to South West Asia. – Preserved ideas from earlier civilizations – Respected other cultures – Lasted over 200 years

Greece

Impact of Geography on Greece: Identify 1 geographic feature & propose how it might impact the culture of Greece

Impact of Geography on Greece: Identify 1 geographic feature & propose how it might impact the culture of Greece

Mediterranean Civilizations • Geography of Balkan Peninsula is mountainous and disrupted by narrow river valleys. – This is why the Greeks settled politically into separate city-states called a polis. • The sea influenced their culture because of the long seacoasts and many harbors. – The Greeks became seafarers and fish was a staple of their diet.

• Ancient Greeks blended from: – Minoans who had settled on the island of Crete (2700 -1450 BCE) • They had a trading culture; they were either destroyed by a tidal wave or an invasion by the Mycenaeans. – Mycenaeans (1600 – 1100 BCE) They had a warrior culture who lived on the Balkan pen. In fortified cities, but they also traded. • Homer’s epic poems were probably written @ the end of this age (Iliad & Odyssey) • The values of courage and honor became important to the Greeks

Greek Dark Age (1100 – 750 BCE) • The Mycenaean Civilization collapsed – Many left and sailed to various islands east of the Balkan pen. (became known as Ionia Greece) close to modern day Turkey • During this time, Dorian’s settled the area called Peloponnesus. • Iron replaced bronze • Greeks adopted the Phoenician alphabet and added vowels

Greek City-States POLIS: city–state had 2 main parts – Acropolis – usually on a hill – fortified area with public buildings & the city’s temple for it’s adopted god. Ex. Parthenon in Athens dedicated to Athena – Agora – area below with an open area for a market. Also, homes were usually built close to these areas.

- ruled by landowning aristocrats descended from Indo. European warriors. - Each city-state had trained foot soldiers who were heavily armed with a short sword and spear. They went to battle as a tight unit fighting shoulder to shoulder called a Phalanx

• Tyranny in City – States – Tyrants were not necessarily oppressive – Greek tyrants were rulers who seized power by force from the aristocrats – They gained power through their soldiers – Tyranny was a step in some city – states to democracy • Other city –states remained an Oligarchy (rule by a few) usually aristocrats. Ex. Sparta

• By 500 B. C. E. most city-states were based upon principles of loyalty to the public community rather than to an individual ruler. • Widespread participation in public life by male citizens was common. • Since each city-state had its own gods, religious rituals also supported involvement. • Women were regarded as inferior and excluded from public life – Spartan women had higher status: education and physical training

Zeus King of the gods Athena Goddess of wisdom Aphrodite Goddess of love Apollo God of sun & music Ares God of war Hades God of underworld Hera Goddess of family Poseidon God of the seas

Persian Wars • The Persian War (500 -479 B. C. E. ) – Cyrus and Darius controlled Anatolia (Persia) – Greek cities on Ionian coast revolted, 500 B. C. E. – Darius’ Invasion • The battle of Marathon, 490 B. C. E. • Greeks led by Spartans and Athens battled Persia to a draw – Xerxes Invasion • To fight Persians, Athenians build a wall of wood, or a navy • Xerxes seized, burned Athens • Athenian navy destroys Persian in the battle of Salamis, 480 B. C. E. • Persian army retreated back to Anatolia, 479 B. C. E. Burning of Athens

The Delian League – Athens formed a defense alliance called the Delian League among the Greek citystates. – Alliance among Greek poleis against Persian threat – Military force from Athens, finance from other polis’ – As Persian threat subsided, poleis no longer wanted to participate – Athens uses navy to turn Delian League into Athenian Empire

• Pericles was the political figure in Athens between 461 – 429 BCE. – Pericles turned Athens into a Direct Democracy (literally rule of the people, in Athens meaning free male citizens; all decisions emanated from the popular assembly without intermediation of elected representatives)

The Greek city-states Athens & Sparta represented the differences among polis • Athenian society focused on wealth & culture: – Athens had a direct democracy in which both rich & poor citizens could vote & hold public office – Citizens were entitled to certain rights, while non-citizens had few protections and could never become citizens

The Greek city-states Athens & Sparta represented the differences among polis • Spartan society focused on military strength, not freedom & learning – Spartan men served in the military until 60 years old – Boys began military training at age 7 – Women had higher status: education, physical training, own slaves but not land

Peloponnesian War • The growing power of a democratic, commercially active Athens led to competition with oligarchic, conservative, and militaristic Sparta • Greek Civil War (432 – 405 BCE) City-states allied with either Sparta or Athens. – Disputes broke out partly because of the Delian league. (Athens control through Pericles) – Athens and Allies vs. Sparta and Allies – Athens planned to win by staying behind its walls & receiving supplies from its colonies and protection by its navy. – Sparta surrounded Athens and hoped Athenians would come out and fight.

• Due to over crowded conditions, in 430 BCE a plague broke out in Athens and 1/3 to ½ of the population including Pericles died. – A weakened Athens and after 25 years of fighting, Sparta won the civil war. • This left the Greek city –states vulnerable and they were conquered by the Macedonians. • Classical Greek Culture is referred to as the time prior to Alexander the Great • Hellenistic Greek Culture Is the period when Greek language & ideas sere carried to the non-Greek world – It spreads Greek knowledge and preserved classical influences across 3 continents

Alexander the Great • Philip II’s son, Alexander, invaded and defeated the Persian empire in campaigns between 334 and 331 B. C. E. • He also took control of Egypt. • Alexander pressed on into India but was halted when his army refused to go on. • Alexander hoped to merge Greek and Asian traditions. • Conquests bring about end of independent Greek city-states and blend Greek cultures with eastern cultures to establish the Hellenistic Age. • Alexander's unexpected death in 323 B. C. E. ended the dream of a multinational empire.

Hellenistic Culture • It spread Greek knowledge and preserved classical influences across 3 continents – Many achievements in science, philosophy, and math came with this time period. – The cultural center during this period was Alexandria – Scholars in Alexandria and India were instrumental in theorizing mathematical principles that are the basis of modern geometry. • Hellenistic Kingdoms after Alexander’s death. – Macedonian generals vied for power and the kingdom was split into smaller kingdoms: • Macedonia, Syria, and Pergamum

The Principles of Greek Culture • Cultural achievement was based on four principles. – An emphasis on formal political theory reflected the special political atmosphere of Greece. – Art and sculpture: Religious values, ideal proportions – Drama and philosophy stressed the importance of human striving. – Science: Eratosthenes showed the Earth was round, Archimedes great mathematician Laocoön and His Sons The Winged Victory of Samothrace

Classical Greek Culture • The Greeks were the 1 st to write and perform plays – Originally, dramas were tragedies presented in trilogies • Sophocles wrote Oedipus Rex which tells the story of Oedipus who commits tragic acts • Homer’s the Iliad and the Odyssey were written down and provided a mythic foundation for Hellenic culture

• Greek Philosophy (love of wisdom) which was organized rational thought – Socrates – Athenian who was ostracized from the city. He came up with the “Socratic Method” • Socrates urged consideration of secular criteria for moral decisions – Plato – was Socrates student and wrote “The Republic” which was about the ideals of a virtuous state. He also recorded many of Socrates dialogues. • Plato proposed an ideal government where philosophers ruled.

• Aristotle – Plato’s student and wrote “Politics – 3 Good forms of Government” – Aristotle stressed the importance of moderation to balance political and religious instability. – Monarchy, Aristocracy and a Constitutional Government – He wrote on many other subjects as well (ethics, logic, astronomy, biology, and physics) – He was also Alexander the Great’s tutor. • Herodotus is considered the 1 st Historian