Ancient Greece had a mountainous landscape that isolated different city-states and led to rivalry and warfare between them. Two of the most powerful city-states were Sparta and Athens, which battled for dominance over Greece in the Peloponnesian War beginning in 431 BCE. Early civilizations like the Minoans on Crete and the Mycenaeans on the Greek mainland influenced Greek culture and language.

1. Ancient Greece
By holy_rat (who ain’t religious)

2. Geography
• Important role in Greek history
• Mountainous peninsula
• Approx. 45,000 sq. miles territory (Approx. size
Louisiana state)
• Many small plains and river valleys surrounded by
mountain ranges 8,000-10,000 ft. high
• Mountains isolated Greeks
• Communities follow own path + own way of life
• People attached to independence and willing to fight
for advantage
• Rivalry led to warfare

3. Geography cont’d
• Long seacoast; bays and inlets which provided
harbors
• Inhabited islands to west, south, and east of
mainland
• Sailed Aegean and Mediterranean seas

4. 431 BCE -> War between Sparta and Athens
• Two strongest city-states:
– Sparta
– Athens
• Battling for power over Greece

5. Peloponnesus
• South of the Gulf of Corinth
• Island attached by tiny isthmus to mainland
• Mostly hills, mountains, and small valleys
• Location of Sparta
• Site of Olympia (athletic games held)
• Attic peninsula (home of Athens) to northeast

6. Minoan Crete
• Earliest civilization in Aegean region  on Crete island
• 2800 BCE  Bronze Age civilization established
– Used metals [especially bronze] in weapons
• Discovered in 20th Century by Arthur Evans (English
archaeologist)
• Named “Minoan” for king of Crete -Minos-
• Language and religion not Greek
• Had Greek influences
• Enormous palace at Knossus
• Accustomed to sea travel
• Had contact with Egypt and Greece

7. Mycenae
• Remarkable site excavated by Heinrich Schliemann
• Flourished between 1600 BCE and 1100 BCE
• Part of Indo-European family of peoples
• Spread from original location into southern and western
Europe, India, and Persia
• High point between 1400 BCE and 1200 BCE
• Lose confederacy of independent states; Mycenae strongest
• Warrior people prided of heroic deeds in battle
• Extensive commercial network
• Trouble by late 13th century BCE
• Mycenae burned around 1190 BCE
• Culture coming to end by 1190 BCE