Ancient Greece was divided into independent city-states due to its mountainous geography. Between the 8th-6th centuries BC, many Greeks migrated and founded colonies around the Mediterranean as the population increased. Two major city-states were Athens and Sparta - Athens was a rich cultural center with the first democracy for free males, while Sparta had a government ruled by a few and was culturally different. Alexander the Great later conquered the Persian Empire and controlled the largest empire in history.

1. Ancient Greece

2. Geography Greece is a peninsula in the Mediterranean Sea. Greece is a very mountainous country. Because of the mountains, Greek communities developed independently, and created different city-states.

3. Greek expansion Between the 8th and the 6th centuries BC, Greece went through a period of crisis. The population increased and there were many poor, hungry people. Many Greeks migrated and founded colonies around the Mediterranean Sea.

4. Greek expansion Many towns in Spain such as Denia, Alicante, Ampurias and Rosas were founded by Greeks. Rich merchants had ships and sailed across the Mediterranean Sea. They sold wine or olive oil, and bought wood or copper. They used silver coins called drachmas.

5. Greece was divided into city-states, each known as a polis. Polis were cities surrounding a fort and the territory around them. They wree absolutely independent and self-sufficient

6. Each polis was built around an acropolis, a fortified hill with the temple of the local god at the top. At the foot of the acropolis was the agora, an open area used as a marketplace. Polis

7. Athens: the first democracy. The two main city-states were Sparta and Athens. Athens, the richest and most influential polis, was a centre of intellectual and cultural development. Athenian democracy was for free, male Athenians only.

8. “ Our constitution is called a democracy because power is in the hands not of a minority but of the whole people. We alone regard a man who takes no interest in public affairs not as harmless, but as a useless character.” Pericles Athens: the first democracy.

9. Sparta was an isolated city-state that was culturally and politically different from Athens. Sparta was a government ruled by a few. They had 2 kings. During the Peloponnesian War Sparta sacked Athens. Sparta

10. Alexander was king of Macedonia. Alexander was a brilliant military strategist. His favorite book was Homer ’ s Iliad Alexander the Great

11. Alexander conquered the Persian empire and controlled the largest empire the world has ever seen.