The document summarizes the history of ancient Greece from the Minoan civilization through the Peloponnesian War. It describes the emergence of the Minoans as traders and their disappearance, followed by the rise of the Mycenaeans who conquered Crete and the Greek mainland. It then discusses the Trojan War and the decline of the Mycenaeans due to invasion by the Dorians. It provides details about the rise of Greek city-states like Athens and Sparta, the conflict with Persia including key battles, and concludes with an overview of the Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta that weakened both civilizations.

1. 1750 BC – 133 BC

7. Crete
• Home of the Minoans, an early Greek
civilization
• The Minoans were named after Mino, a
legendary king of Crete
• Was a dominant Greek civilization
between 1600 BC and 1500 BC
• Was known for being successful traders

8. The Minoans
• The Minoans emerged as a trading empire
• Set up trading outposts throughout
Mesopotamia and the Middle East
• Rulers of the empire lived in a palace at
Knossos
• By 1400 BC the Minoans had vanished
• Natural disaster and invasion ended the
Minoans

9. The Mycenaeans
• The first Greek-speaking people of whom
we have written record
• Conquered the Greek mainland and Crete
• Were sea traders like the Minoans
• Consisted of separate city-states, each
was ruled by a warrior-king and was built
like a fortress

10. The Trojan War
• The Mycenaeans are known for their role
in the Trojan War (1250 BC)
• Troy vs. the Mycenaeans
• What may have happened: war due to
economic competition
• Greek legend: Helen, the wife of the Greek
king is kidnapped by the prince of Troy
• Result= 10 year war, Troy is burnt to the
ground

11. Trojans vs. the Greeks
• Homer’s The Iliad
– Epic about the Trojan War
• Was regarded as a legend, now evidence
proves that Troy existed and was
destroyed by fire

12. Greek Origins
• The Mycenaeans were eventually
conquered by the Dorians
• Greek civilization diminished as a result
• Centuries later, the Greeks would make
stories of the Mycenaeans and the
Minoans as a part of their heritage

13. RISE OF GREEK CITY STATES

14. Geography
• Greece is a part of the Balkan peninsula,
surrounded by the Mediterranean sea
• Mountains divide the peninsula into
isolated valleys
– Consisted of small city-states separated from
one another
• The coast provided for safe harbors,
allowing the Greeks to become skilled
sailors

15. The Greek Polis
• Greeks created their own version of a city-
state, called a polis
– Included a major city and surrounding
countryside
• A Greek polis consisted of two levels
– The acropolis on the top (“high city”)
– Lower level (market, theater, public buildings,
homes)

16. Gov’t
• Originally, Greek city-states were run by
kings (monarchy)
• Eventually power shifted to the noble
landowners
– Aristocracy- rule by landholding elite
– Extension of trade leads to an oligarchy

17. Sparta
• A warrior society, centered around warfare
– Daily life ruled by discipline
• Spartan boys prepare for military life
– Strict discipline results in excellent soldiers
• Women were required to exercise and
maintain physical fitness
– Spartan logic: strong women make strong
babies
– Run the household while husband was at war

19. A Spartan Life
• Birth- the child is examined, if he or she is
sick or deformed then they are left to die
• 7 years old: the child is taken for military
training
• 7-17 years old: learned reading, writing, and
physical training
• 18-19: learned army tactics and survival
techniques
• 20-29: rigorous military training
• 30+: became full citizens

21. Athens
• Athens evolved from a
monarchy to an
aristocracy
– Landowners held power
• Wealthy Athenians
controlled society,
making the ordinary
unhappy
• Eventually Athens
became a democracy
– “Gov’t by the people, for
the people”

22. A Limited Democracy
• Only citizens can participate in gov’t, and
citizens are landholding men
• Athens still gives more people a say in
gov’t than any other ancient civilization

23. Athenian women
• Manage the
household in wealthy
homes, rarely go out
in public
– Cook, clean, raise
children
– Was not educated
• Poor women worked
outside of the home

24. Education
• Boys went to school if
they could afford it
• Learned to read,
write, study music
• Receive military
training and
participate in athletics

25. CONFLICT!
Persian and
Peloponnesian
Wars

26. The Persian Wars
• The Persian Empire was the largest
empire at that time
• In 499 BC, Ionian Greeks rebelled against
Persia with the help of Athens
• Darius I was furious at the role Athens
played in the rebellion
• Persia crushed the rebel cities, and sent a
huge force to punish Athens

27. Battle of Marathon
• The Persian army
landed at Marathon,
north of Athens
• The Greeks were
greatly outnumbered
by the Persians
• The Greeks beat the
Persians using hand
to hand combat
• Major upset

28. The 300
• Darius I died before he could attacked
Greece again
• His son Xerxes sent a larger force to conquer
Greece
• The Persians and the Spartans meet at the
narrow pass at Thermopylae
• King Leonidas and 300 Spartans fight the
Persian force
• The Spartans are defeated, but are
successful in uniting Greece to fight a
common enemy

32. Battle of Salamis
• The Athenians and
Themistocles build a fleet
of ships to fight the
Persian navy at the strait
of Salamis
• Athenian warships could
damage Persian ships with
underwater battering rams
• Xerxes navy is defeated,
soon after the Greeks
defeat the Persians on
land in Asia Minor

34. Bragging Rights and the Golden Age
• Following the victory, Athens emerged as the
most powerful city-state
• Allied with other city-states
– Delian League
• Pericles created a more democratic gov’t
– Direct democracy- the citizens=gov’t
• Used a jury in the legal system
• Could banish a public official
– Ostracism

35. Peloponnesian War
• Sparta formed the
Peloponnesian League
• Due to rivalries between the
two leagues, Sparta and
Athens engaged in a 27 year
war
• Athenians were forced to
crowd inside the city, creating
a plague
• Sparta sided with Persia for
their navy
• Both civilizations are nearly
eliminated, however Sparta is