Early Greeks lived in isolated mountainous regions along the coast, which led them to form independent city-states rather than a single large kingdom. The Minoans created an advanced civilization on Crete centered around their palace city of Knossos, while the warlike Mycenaeans later dominated mainland Greece from their fortified cities. These empires declined but the model of the autonomous polis or city-state took hold, with each having its own government, laws, and identity. Athenian democracy later emerged, even if initially only a small percentage of the population like adult male citizens could participate.

3. Early Greeks and the Rise of
City-States and Government
Geography
- Southern part of Balkan Peninsula
-Long uneven coastline
-People are fishers, sailors, traders
Mountains
-Kept villages apart (isolation)
-invaders enter from North
Instead of large kingdom/Empire separate City-States
arose.
*Greece creates COLONIES to make needed food and
goods.

4. Minoans (1st Greeks on Crete)
-Named after King Minos
-Palace in city of Knossos. Had running water.
-Walls covered in Frescoes  paintings made on wet
plaster walls. Carvings in bronze, gold, ivory, silver, stone.
-Sailors and Traders. Poor soil on Crete  Trade for food.
-1620BCE Volcano causes tidal waves and weakens Minoans.
-Wrote in Linear B. Bull jumping as religious ritual.
Mycenaeans – controlled mainland Greece from 1600-1200BCE
-warlike people grouped together into clans/tribes.
* Tribe (headed by chief) clan (headed by warrior)  family
-carried out raids
-Fort like cities in Peloponnesus (hand shaped)
- Adopt Linear B from Minoans to record info
- 1200BCE earthquakes/warfare destroyed most of Mycenaean
cities.

5. City-States of Greece  Polis = fort, city, and lands and small
farming villages that surrounded the city and supplied food
-Polis  represented the center of Greek identity and its
inhabitants were intensely loyal to the Polis. Fight and Die for it
City-States – small area and people. Most <10,000 people
-Most people were slaves and non-citizens
-Free adult males had citizenship rights
- Fort build on Acropolis – atop of the hill
- Agora – marketplace and public speaking place
- Each had  gov’t, laws, calendar, money,
weights and measures
- Shared  Greek Language, Religious ideas, festivals
Government – landowners who had money to pay for armies and
weapons gained power.
Aristocrats – “Best Men” became the Noble Class
Aristocracy – “Ruled by the Best” take control from chiefs and
control Greek society

6. - 600 BCE wealthy non-aristocrats could afford the weapons
too.
- Hoplites – non-aristocratic soldiers
-carried long spears and fought in tight rows PHALANX
- very important for defense  demand more say in Gov’t
- poor citizens and farmers also wanted a better life
Tyrants  were people who took power illegally and has support
of people
- In some cases powerful rulers became unjust. “Tyrant”
became known as ruling brutally and with absolute power.
- Some city-states overthrew their tyrant. The idea of
Popular Government took hold. People could rule
themselves.
Athens  democracy  - people take part in Gov’t. However,
still only a small percentage of the people could participate.  No
women or slaves could participate.

7. Greek Culture and the Homeric Age
Homer – Blind poet. 700bce.
He wrote two Epics Iliad and the Odyssey
Iliad – Trojan War / Trojan horse. (Helen, Achilles, Agamemnon,
etc.)
Odyssey – Mycenaean King Odysseus is on the way home from
war to see his wife Penelope
- Penelope tries to hold out for her husband despite suitors
wanting to marry her (KING)
- Adventures and interferences from the gods
Shipwrecks Poseidon
One-eyed Giant  Cyclops
Sea-monsters
Trip to the underworld  Hades
Temptations by Circe and sea nymphs
Odysseus gets home, kills suitors and is reunited with Penelope

8. Religion – Polytheism. No emphasis on morality
Religion Looks to explain:
1- nature (seasons  Persephone - pomegranate)
2 – human emotions, lose of self control
3 – bring benefits  luck, harvest, children, long
life…
Afterlife  souls go to underworld  Hades
To explain things (“unexplainable”) Greeks used MYTHS
Gods lived on Mt. Olympus. Interfered in humans lives.
Zeus – Father Aphrodite – Love
Hera – Queen Hades – underworld
Athena – war, wisdom Poseidon – water
Artemis – hunting, moon Ares – war
Apollo – light, poetry, music Hermes – Messenger
Demeter – harvest
Oracles – the way in which gods speak to humans  travel to get
messages or predictions from priests.

9. Olympic Games – to honor Zeus
-Winner received wreaths made of olive leaves.
-No runner up prizes.
Daily Life in Athens
Economy – trade
Imports – goods brought in
Exports – goods sent out
Terracing – cutting flat layers into the hills to farm. (Olives,
grapes, figs.)
Young boys were taught grammar, music, athletics, gov’t, math,
ethics, rhetoric (public speaking)
Age 18 – year of military training
- Young men who could afford weapons became Hoplites for a
yr.
- Poor soldiers served in the Flanks or rowmen on boats