Geography isolated Greek cities, allowing independent development. The Minoans and Mycenaeans were early Mediterranean civilizations, with the Mycenaeans conquering mainland Greece. Athens and Sparta emerged as powerful city-states with different governments: Athens established a direct democracy while Sparta focused on its military with a rigid social structure.

2. Geography was important in the development of
Greek civilization. Greece occupies a small area, has
lots of mountains, and many small islands. Greece is
about the same size as the state of Louisiana.
The mountains and sea were especially significant in
the development of Greek culture. The mountains
isolated the Greek towns and cities from each
other, causing different communities to develop
independently.

3. Greece had numerous harbors that provided
access to the sea. This, along with the islands
surrounding the mainland, helped the Greeks to
become seafarers and establish colonies
throughout the Mediterranean.

4. The Minoans were a civilization that existed during
the Bronze Age. They lived on the island of CRETE.
The Minoans left behind an enormous palace in
Knossos. The palace remains reveal a rich culture
and evidence of large-scale sea trade. The Minoans
went to Egypt and other areas in the Mediterranean.
The Minoans suffered a cataclysmic collapse in
around 1450 BCE. Some historians believe a tidal
wave triggered by a volcanic eruption on Thera
(another island) was responsible for their collapse.
Most historians agree that the Minoans collapsed
because of an invasion by the Myceneans, who lived
on the mainland of Greece.

5. The Mycenaeans
flourished in Greece
from around 1600 BCE
to 1100 BCE. They
gained control of the
Greek mainland and
developed a
Lions Gate Tombs civilization.
The Mycenaean civilization was made up of powerful monarchs.
Each king lived in a fortified palace, built on hills and surrounded
by giant stone walls. The palace complexes were also used as
tombs (called tholos) for the royal families.
The Myceneans were warriors who took great pride in battle.
The artwork they left behind often portrayed battles and hunting
scenes.
There is vast evidence of trade throughout
the Mediterranean world.

6. The most famous military
adventure of the Myceneans was
the Trojan War.
Homer, a traveling poet, is credited
with writing the Iliad, which is the
story of the Trojan War led by
Agamemnon, king of Mycenae.
(Maybe you’ve seen the movie
Troy –it’s the same story?)
Homer also told the story of the Odyssey, which tells
the tale of Odyssey’s return home from the Trojan War,
which took him years.
Both the Odyssey and the Iliad are epic poems – long
poems that tell the story of a great hero or heroes.

7. From 1100 BCE to around 750 BCE, Greece
experienced a “dark age,” called such because few
records exist of this time period.
During the Dark Age, large numbers of Greeks left the
mainland and sailed to the islands around Greece or to
Ionia in Asia minor (modern day Turkey).
Two major groups of Greeks settled in already
established areas – the Aeolian Greeks and the Dorian
Greeks. Trade was revived and iron began to be used to
make weapons and tools.
Sometime during the 8th century BCE, the Greeks
adopted the Phoenician alphabet, giving themselves a
new system of writing.
Homer’s works appeared at the end of the Dark Age, and
taught the Greeks important values to their culture –
courage, honor, and excellence (called arete).

10. The main gathering place in any polis was
usually the top of a hill. The Greeks would
fortify (strengthen) the area – called an
acropolis – so it could be defended if the
polis came under attack.
Temples and other public buildings were
often built in the acropolis.
Below the acropolis was the agora, an open
area where people could assemble to hear
polis leaders. When not meeting, the agora
served as a marketplace, where people sold
goods and food.
City-states were protected by the military.
The military was based on hoplites,
heavily-armed infantry who carried a round
shield, short sword and a spear. Hoplites
went into battle in a rectangular formation
called the phalanx that could create a wall
of shields to protect the soldiers.

11. Around 730 BCE, Sparta began the
conquest of Messenia, a neighboring city-
state. Sparta needed more land for its
citizens. Sparta conquered both Messenia
and Laconia, and forced their citizens to
become serfs (slave/servants) and work for
the Spartans.
In order to control their
conquered populations
(called helots), Sparta
became a military state.
The lives of Spartans was
rigidly organized. Males spent
their childhood learning military
discipline. They enrolled in the
army at age 20 and lived in the
military barracks until they
were 30. At 30, men could
vote in the assembly, but they King Leonidas
stayed in the army until they
were 60.

13. The Spartan government was headed by two
kings who led the army on their campaings.
A group of five men known as the ephors
were elected each year and were responsible
for the education of youth and the conduct of
the citizens.
A council of elders, composed of the two kings
and 28 citizens over the age of 60, decided on
the issues that would be presented to the
assembly. The assembly, made up of male
citizens, did not debate, they only voted on
the issues.
The Spartans were an isolated society; they
discouraged foreigners from visiting and did
not allow their citizens to travel (unless it was
with the military). Spartan citizens did not
study philosophy, literature or the arts. They
studied the art of war and the military ideal.

14. Athens was one of Ancient
Greece’s largest city-states. In
the fifth century BCE, Athens
had a population of more than
300,000 people.
Early Athens was ruled by a
king, but by the seventh century
BCE, an oligarchy (rule by
wealthy aristocrats).
The aristocrats owned the best land and controlled the
politics of Athens. Serious economic problems brought
about the end of the oligarchy. Farmers were sold into
slavery to pay debts to the wealthy. People asked the
government for relief, but got none. Athens was close to
civil war.

15. Fearing a civil war, the oligarchs gave full power to
Solon, an aristocrat willing to enact some reforms. Solon
cancelled all land debts and freed the farmers who had
been sold into slavery for their debts. He refused to take
land from the rich and give it to the poor, and Athens
ended up being ruled by Pisistratus, an aristocrat who
seized power in 560 BCE. Pisistratus took land from the
wealth and gave it to the poor.
The tyranny ended when Pisistratus’ son lost power.
Cleisthenes took over and created the foundations for a
democracy.
Cleisthenes created a council of five hundred that supervised foreign
affairs, oversaw the treasury, and proposed laws that were voted on
by the Athenian assembly.
The assembly, composed of free male citizens, had the final
authority to pass laws after public debate. The assembly
became the central authority for laws, making
the assembly the foundations for Athenian
Democracy.

17. Athens Sparta
• democratic • military
• women not alone in public, • women allowed more
stay home freedom
• education • education
• well-rounded • to be soldiers
• physical fitness • physical fitness
• boys only • girls, too
• philosophy encouraged • new thoughts discouraged