Everything you should need to understanding Ancient Greece, minus the religion and myths

1. Persian War
Athens & Sparta vs. Persian Empire
Peloponnesian War
Athens vs. Sparta
A Tale of Two Cities
A Tale of
Two Wars

2. Brief History of Greece
The first great civilization in Greece and Crete
was the Minoan (2000 BCE – 1400 BCE).
Around 1400 BCE, the Mycenaean civilization
supplanted the Minoan, and dominated
Greece until about 1100 BCE, when
barbarians known as Dorians invaded.

3. The Hellenic Era
Founding of Mycenae on the
Peloponnesus (2000-1250 B.C.)
Mycenae (Greeks) battled for control of
the Aegean Sea with Troy
Trojan War

4. 44
Introduction to AncientIntroduction to Ancient
GreeceGreece
Learning IntentionsLearning Intentions
1.1. Describe some key events in the history ofDescribe some key events in the history of
Ancient Greece.Ancient Greece.
2.2. Explain how Geography affected theExplain how Geography affected the
development of Greek citiesdevelopment of Greek cities
3.3. Understand the rivalry between Athens andUnderstand the rivalry between Athens and
SpartaSparta

5. 55
Geography of GreeceGeography of Greece
• Greece is surrounded by
the Mediterranean, Ionian
and Aegean seas.
• It is a mountainous
country
• Small mountain ranges
kept villages separated.
• A lot of Greek villages are
isolated on the coasts,
making the sea an
important means of
transport.

6. 66
The impact of geographyThe impact of geography
• The brown areas
are mountainous.
.
Write down the advantages
and disadvantages of living
in coastal settlements in a
mountainous land.

7. 77
The impact of geographyThe impact of geography
Advantages
•Encouraged the
development of
independent cities.
•Barrier for
invaders.
Disadvantages
•Physically isolated
communities?
.

8. 1.Monarchy
• Rule by a king
2.Oligarchy
• Rule by a small group of people. Usually elites
bound together by interests and wealth.
3.Aristocracy
• Rule by a small group of people, but in the classical
definition, they’re chosen for their virtue and wise
rule (though this wasn’t always the case).
TERMS

9. 4. Tyranny
• Rule by a individual with absolute power who took
power by force, sometimes with popular support
5.Acropolis
• Center and citadel of city-state. Literally means
“high city” or “city at the top.”
• Usually refers to the one in Athens today
6.Agora
• An open public area acting as a center of public life
and also the marketplace
TERMS

10. 1010
Shopping = Democracy?Shopping = Democracy?
• One of the purposes of
the AGORA was to
provide an open
marketplace.
• Some historians argue
that along with the
exchange of olives and
bread people also
exchanged ideas.
• This may have helped
democracy develop.

11. 7.Helot
• Land-bound serfs that worked Spartan land
• From surrounding land of Laconia and Messenia that
were conquered.
• Owned by the state and not individual masters--
masters could not sell them.
• Sparta got half of the helot’s crops.
• Significantly outnumbered the citizens.
• The potential threat they presented was another
reason why the Spartans had such a potent army
• Spartans were reluctant to fight too far from Sparta
lest the helots act up

12. 12
Timeline of Greek history: Minoans
Minoans
Arrived on the island of
Crete in 2000 B.C.
Built a great civilization
Volcanic eruptions
cause tidal waves
 Destroys
settlements and
weakens Minoan
civilization
Would this rock painting of a Minoan
settlement be a primary or secondary
source?
How could we find out for sure?
What PRIMARY sources could you
locate to investigate the impact of the
tidal waves?

13. 13
Mycenaeans
Warriors from the city of
Mycenae conquered the rest
of Greece in 1400 B.C.
Warlike people
Advanced civilisation for
the time
Earthquakes and warfare
destroyed many cities by
1200 B.C.

14. 14
1200BC: The Dorians
arrive
The next wave of invaders
were the Dorians.
They originally came from
the mountainous region in
the north of Greece.
They swept through Ancient
Greece and eventually
settled the city which would
become known as Sparta.

15. Emergence of the Polis, or Greek City-
State
Starting around 800 BCE a new civilization,
the Hellenic, became dominant in Greece.
By 750 B.C. city-states began to form
The Hellenic civilization was composed of
two strands, the Dorian and the Ionian.
This civilization gave rise to a new form of
social/political organization: the polis.

16. The Polis
The polis was an independent, self-
governing city of between 50,000 and
300,000 people.
Several dozen polises (Greek “poleis”)
dotted the Greek countryside
In each polis, politics, religion, and social
life were closely intertwined.

17. 1717
Greek City-States – The PolisGreek City-States – The Polis
• Known as a POLIS.
• Usually had significant locations
(such as temples) built on a high
rocky hill. The fortress was known
as the ACROPOLIS (High Polis).
• The acropolis overlooked a town,
farmlands and the marketplace in
the open space below (agora).
• Poleis had very different cultures
but agreed on one thing – all non-
Greeks were Barbarians.

18. Types of Government
Two types of government were used in the Greek
Polises.
The Dorians generally had an oligarchic form of
government.
The Greek word oligarchy means rule by the few.
The Ionians developed the first democratic form of
government.
Democracy means rule by the people.

19. Sparta and Athens
Generally speaking, the Dorians depended
upon agriculture, while the Ionians were
seafarers and merchants.
The two primary poleis were Sparta and
Athens.
Sparta was Dorian, oligarchic, and had
an agriculture-based economy.
Athens was Ionian, democratic, and
depended on seafaring and trade.

21. Athens and Sparta were both poleis
(plural of ‘polis.’)
• Both were city-states, independent, with their
own sub-culture and form of governance.
• No “capital city” of Greece
• While you were Greek--and proud of it--your
primary allegiance and loyalty were towards
your city-state
• Many city-states in Greece and elsewhere.
• Athens and Sparta mentioned the most because
they emerged as the most powerful ones.

22. 2222
Athens – Birthplace of DemocracyAthens – Birthplace of Democracy

23. Culture of the Athenian PolisCulture of the Athenian Polis
• First true democracy (Demos = People,
Cracy = Rule).
• Accepting and welcoming of foreigners.
• Men expected to participate in politics.
• Rich cultural life.
• Female citizens had very little freedom.
2323

24. Sparta – Famous for warriorSparta – Famous for warrior
culture.culture.
2424

25. Culture of the Spartan PolisCulture of the Spartan Polis
• Oligarchy – Rule by the few.
• Disciplined life with few luxuries.
• From the age of 7 males moved into
military barracks.
• Suspicious of outsiders, did not like to be
away from home.
• Strongest army in Ancient Greece.
2525

26. • In a series of raids,In a series of raids,
the Spartansthe Spartans
defeated thedefeated the
Messenians andMessenians and
transformed themtransformed them
into serf-likeinto serf-like
peasants [Helots].peasants [Helots].
• Helots worked theHelots worked the
land for the benefitland for the benefit
of the Spartans.of the Spartans.
• Helots are the mostHelots are the most
important fact aboutimportant fact about
ancient Spartaancient Sparta

27. • Helots providedHelots provided
the Spartansthe Spartans
with thewith the
economic basiseconomic basis
for their uniquefor their unique
lifestyle.lifestyle.

28. • Spartan girls had aSpartan girls had a
similar education assimilar education as
boys [read andboys [read and
write].write].
• To attract men,To attract men,
women:women:
– Ran racesRan races
– Oiled their bodiesOiled their bodies
– WrestledWrestled
– Threw a javelin orThrew a javelin or
discusdiscus
– CompetedCompeted

29. Instructions for activityInstructions for activity
This is Sparta!!!!!!!!!.... ButThis is Sparta!!!!!!!!!.... But
it’s not the whole story.it’s not the whole story.

30. • Select members to read the different documents out loud to
your group.
• When you finish each document, answer the questions
below the document.
• When you complete ALL the documents, collaborate with
your group members to construct a short history describing
who the Spartans were based on the documents you read.
(2 paragraphs)
• Finally, answer this question: After you investigated all the
documents, does the popular perception of Spartan life
match up with historical evidence of the Spartans?
• All group work should be recorded by one group member
with nice penmanship and will be collected at the end of the
period.
In groups of 5 that will be selectedIn groups of 5 that will be selected
for youfor you
“Sparta Document Investagation“Sparta Document Investagation

31. Different Values
Spartan Values
Strength
Duty
Discipline
Athenian Values
Individuality
Beauty
Freedom

32. City located on southern portion of the
Greek peninsula, not on the Peloponnesus
A city run by thinkers and known for both its
military might and wisdom in government
and battle
Appropriately named after Athena, goddess
of wisdom in battle and counsel
Athens-A city of the Wise

34. Athens

35. Around 1300-700, Athens is ruled by
kings.
Over time it changes to an aristocracy
(a few powerful, elite rule),
Then a tyranny (one person takes
control)
Finally--by 450--a democracy (rule by
many)
Athens-Evolution of Democracy

36. New, democratic ideas emerge from Athenian
culture and society:
Direct Democracy: Citizens votes on public
matters
Public Debate: Becomes an art in Athens to
discuss and argue specifics of government
Duties of the Citizen: All citizens have
responsibilities such as voting, participating in
the government process
Athens-Democratic Principles

37. Women
Women didn’t have the same rights as in Sparta
• Expected to take care of the home
• Boys were taught reading and writing and
• Girls were taught domestic skills by slaves: like
spinning and sewing
• Not allowed out of the house except nearby travels
• Main purpose was to produce healthy children
• Unusual considering that women played an important
role in some religious rites and the city’s patron
goddess was Athena

38. Women cont.
Women could be educated if they were Hetaerae
• A bit like Japanese geishas
• Educated to entertain men with good conversations
at parties
• Learned physical talents, like dancing
• Some forced into prostitution
• Despite public social discrimination, their opinions
were often respected by men
• Pericles’s mistress Aspasia was a hetaera

39. Slavery
Practiced throughout Greece and in Athens
• Rules governing it differed from city-state to city-state.
• Slaves usually barbarians, typically captured in war.
• Others were born slaves or their free parents sold them
into slavery for money.
• Considered by some an abomination to enslave a fellow
Greek.
• Greeks could be slaves, but many free Greeks didn’t like the
idea.
• Treatment different than that associated with American
slavery.

40. Slavery cont.
• Relatively well-treated in Athens when compared with
other places.
• Couldn’t slap a slave because you might
inadvertently hit a citizen instead.
• A master could beat his slave, though.
• Testimony was taken only under torture.
• Could buy freedom or earn through fighting in war.
• Masters could free their slaves.
• Even then, though, they couldn’t be citizens and there
were still conditions on them.
• In other city-states, treatment was much worse.

41. Sparta
It was here:
SPARTA

43. Those who lived around Sparta lived vastly
different lives.
They were more focused on war and building
up strength to fight
An early slave revolt causes the Spartans to
create strict laws that demanded public
allegiance to the state.
Although they did have artistic culture, much of
their energy was spent tuning their military
skills
Sparta- A City of Warriors

44. olig (few or little in Greek) arche (rule)
Rule by a few
Sparta develops a system where either the
city-state was controlled by a king or by an
oligarchy
Citizens are not encouraged to speak freely,
the few who rule were usually powerful
military leaders.
Sparta- Rise of the Oligarchy

45. In Greek, Spartans known as
Lacedaemonians
• Lacedaemon was the name of the city-state
while Sparta was the ancient town
• According to legend, founded by
Lacedaemon, son of Zeus and Taygete
(a nymph)
• Controlled most of southern Peloponnese
• Argos & Arcadia were main rivals on the
Peloponnese

46. Plutarch, Greek Biographer
“The women did not bathe the babies with water, but
with wine, making it a sort of test of their strength.
For they say that the epileptic and sickly ones lose
control and go into convulsions, but the healthy
ones are rather toughened like steel and
strengthened in their physique. The nurses displayed
care and skill: they did not use swaddling-bands,
making the babies free in their limbs and bodies.
They also made them sensible and not fussy about
their food, not afraid of the dark or frightened of
being left alone, not inclined to unpleasant
awkwardness or whining. So even some foreigners
acquired Spartan nurses for their children.”
on Spartans

47. Plutarch on Spartans
"They learned reading and writing for basic needs, but all the rest of
their education was to make them well-disciplined and steadfast in
hardship and victorious in battle. For this reason, as boys grew
older, the Spartans intensified their training, cutting their hair
short and making them used to walking barefoot and for the most
part playing naked. When the boys reached the age of twelve, they
no longer had tunics to wear, but got one cloak a year. Their
bodies were tough and unused to baths and lotions. They enjoyed
such luxury only a few special days a year. They slept, in packs, on
beds which they got together on their own, made from the tops of
the rushes to be found by the river Eurotas. These they broke off
with their bare hands, not using knives."

48. Culture
Sparta was a military culture
• The entire Spartan culture went towards developing and
fielding a strong army
• This was to preserve itself as well as to keep down the
helots
• Children were taught at home until they were seven
• At Seven, began their training
• Exercises for them and all ages were always in the
nude.
• At 13, they were dropped off in the woods in

49. Spartan Military
•Men married at the age of 20
•Had to live in barracks for ten years
•If they wanted to see their wives, they had to escape
•At the age of 30, men could finally move home and
were full citizens
•Still ate every meal in the military dining hall
•Food was sparse and plain

50. MILITARY SERVICE
• Began military service at 20
• Soldiers not allowed to trade or hold non-military
occupations.
• These were done by a class called the periokoi,
free non-citizen inhabitants of Sparta.
• Exercised full rights and duties of citizens at 30.
• Weren’t free from military service until 60.
• To help ensure the physical superiority of their people,
babies were bathed in wine shortly after birth.
• If they survived, they were taken to elders.
• If the elders deemed the baby unfit, it was left exposed to
die on a hillside (other city-states practiced exposure).
Spartan mother to her son as he goes off to war:
“Return with your shield, or on it.”

51. Government
Two (hereditary) Kings, Five Ephors, Gerousia & Apella
• Two kings equal in power & exercised various duties.
• Eventually became less powerful/important,
• were primarily generals
• Five Ephors: council elected for one year by the Apella. All
citizens were eligible.
• Gerousia: (Senate) – a council of 30 elders (over 60 yrs)
• Elected for life by the Apella.
• Could veto the Apella.
• The Apella (lower legislative body).
• Every citizen over 30 could attend.
• Votes were taken by shouts.

52. Women
More independent than in other city-states
• Learned reading/writing
• Girls given similar harsh physical training as the boys
• Many domestic tasks were left to the helots & periokoi
• Received same amount/quality of food as boys
• Could own/control property and
• Could overtake husband’s property while he was @ war.
• Expected to defend it too and to put down revolts.
• Not rushed into bearing children.
• Husbands also allowed other men to bed their wives
and produce children.
• May have practiced polyandry.

53. Each city had a vastly different social and
government structure.
Although they agreed on issues such as the
limited role of women and the role of slaves, they
had many disagreements
Athenians were interested in military strength,
but also in art and culture.
Spartans were only interested in military power.
This type of rift leads to fighting across the
Peloponnesus.
Sparta- Athens in Conflict

54. The Persian Wars
Athens & Sparta
vs
Persian Empire

55. 55
Persia: The Rival of Ancient Greece

56. Tensions in the region – why didTensions in the region – why did
Persia and Greece go to war?Persia and Greece go to war?
1. Greeks travelled widely throughout the region
and established colonies.
2. Several of these colonies were conquered by the
Persians.
3. The Greeks who lived there resented being ruled
by Persia.
4. They enlisted the help of mainland Greeks to
stage a series of revolts.
5. The Persian emperors resented Greek
interference and decided to teach the Greeks a
lesson…. 5656

57. The Greeks at War
Between 500 and 400 B.C. the Greeks
fought several wars.
Two were against the powerful Persian
Empire to the east of Greece.
Then a civil war broke out among the city-
states of Greece.

58. 58
Persia versus Ancient Greece
Between 490BC and 479BC a
Persian Army of approximately
300,000 men attempted to
conquer the Greeks.
A union of Greek cities (led by
Sparta and Athens) defeated
the Persians at the battle of
Thermopylae.
The Greeks numbered around
7000 soldiers.
The movie 300 is set in this war.
Do you know how the Greeks
managed to stop the Persian’s
advance? (the Greeks were vastly
outnumbered).

59. 5959
And the winner is…Ancient Greece (with a little help from theAnd the winner is…Ancient Greece (with a little help from the
landscape and weather)landscape and weather)
To get to central Greece the
Persians needed to pass
through a narrow canyon.
The canyon was at a place
called Thermopylae.
The Spartan King Leonidas
placed 300 Spartans at the
mouth of the canyon and
delayed the Persian
advance.
Meanwhile, the Athenian navy
destroyed the Persian fleet
(with help from a storm)

60. Why did the Persians invade Greece?
In 519 B.C. the Persians
conquered a group of
people who lived in Asia
Minor called the Ionian
Greeks.
In 499 B.C. the
Ionian Greeks asked
the mainland Greeks
to help them rebel
against the Persians.
Help!
Athens sent warships to
help them, but they were
not strong enough to
defeat the Persian army.
We’re on
the way
This made the Persian King, Darius, very
angry with Greece.
AGH!
Those Greeks
will pay for
this

61. In 490 B.C. Darius sent 600 ships and thousands of soldiers to invade
Greece. He wanted to punish the Athenians for helping the rebels.
The Persian army
landed at Marathon,
north of Athens, in
490 B.C.
Persians greatly
outnumbered Greeks.
Marathon
The Persians were
amazed at the
strong will of the
small Athenian
force. They had no
horses or archers,
only fierce foot
soldiers.
Persian
Empire
Athens
Sparta
After a few days,
the Persians
decided to attack
Athens by sea.
While they were loading their ships, the
Athenians attacked and defeated them.
The Persians Retreated.

62. Marathon
The Greeks sent their fastest runner
Pheidippides to carry home news of the
victory.
He sprinted 26.2 miles from the battle site
to the city-state of Athens.
He arrived and said, “Rejoice, we conquer,”
and died from exhaustion
The Marathon race is named after this event.

63. What Happened at Thermopylae?
The Greek ruler Themistocles knew this was a temporary victory.
He encouraged the Athenians to build up their fleet and prepare
for battle with the Persians.
In 480 B.C. Darius’ son Xerxes sent a
larger force to conquer Greece.
He sent 200,000 soldiers and nearly 1,000
ships.
By this time Athens had convinced Sparta
to join them in battle. Twenty Greek city-
states joined together to meet the Persian
invaders.
Sparta took charge of the army.

64. Persia Invades Greece
The Persian army had little trouble as it moved
through northern Greece.
It came to a narrow mountain pass called
Thermopylae...7,000 Greeks waited for the Persians.
For several days they stopped the Persian army from
moving forward
Someone led the Persians behind the Greek army, the
Spartan soldier began to retreat to their ships as
the Persians marched forward.

65. A Small Spartan force of about 300 men commanded by King Leonidas,
guarded the mountain pass of Thermopylae.
They held out heroically against he enormous Persian force for three days.
They were betrayed when someone told the Persians how to get behind the
army.
They were defeated, but won valuable time for the rest of the Greeks.

66. Who won at Salamis?
Salamis
The Persians
marched south
after their
victory at
Thermopylae and
destroyed the
city of Athens.
Athens
Thermopylae
The Athenians
had already
moved to
Salamis, a small
nearby island.
The large Persian ships could not maneuver in the
water.The smaller Greek ships destroyed them.
More than 800
Persian ships
attacked the
Athenian navy
near the island.

67. Results of the Persian Wars
•The Greek sense of uniqueness was increased.
•Athens emerged as the most powerful city-state in Greece.
•Athens takes credit leading the victory.
•Athens organized the Delian League, an alliance with other
Greek city-states.
•Athens used the league to assert power and build an Athenian
Empire.
•They moved the treasury to Athens, and forced people to stay in
the league against their will.
•Persia still exists.
•Greek cities in Asia Minor are still controlled by Persia.

68. Athens in the Age of Pericles
The wise and skillful leadership of Pericles brought
about a Golden age in Athens.
This was from about 460 to 429 B.C. and is often
called the Age of Pericles.
•Pericles believed that all male citizens, regardless of wealth or social class,
should take part in government.
•He paid salaries to men who held public office.
•This enabled the poor to serve in the government.
•The assembly met several times a month and needed at least 6,000 members
present to take a vote.
•This was direct democracy, a large number of citizens took part in the day
to day affairs of the government.
Pericles stated, “We alone, regard a man who takes no interest in public
affairs, not as harmless, but as a useless character.
Pericles rebuilt the Acropolis and turned Athens into the cultural center of Greece.

69. Age of Pericles
Elected to lead Athens on and off for
30 years.
All citizens can hold office.
- ½ of population not citizens
Slaves made government
participation possible.
City is rebuilt with Delian funds.
City-states that oppose Athens are
crushed by League.

70. Athens as Leader
Athens rebuilds after the Persian War.
Rather than win by conquest, it tries
diplomacy.
Many allies together, sharing money,
troops and ships.

71. Delian League…or Empire?
League consists of Athens and 140 city-
states.
No member can withdraw without all the
others agreeing. (Athens can thus control)
465 BC: Xerxes dies – Persia not a threat.
League still exists
Athens takes treasury, spends $ on itself.
League becomes a financial empire.

72. The Peloponnesian War
Athens & Delian League
vs
Sparta & the Peloponnesian League

74. Greek against Greek
Many Greeks resented the Athenian domination.
The Greek world split into rival camps.
To counter the Delian League, Sparta and other
enemies of Athens formed the Peloponnesian
League.
Sparta encouraged an Oligarchy (government
run by business) in the states of the
Peloponnesian League, and Athens supported
democracy.
A 27 year war broke out in 431 B.C. engulfing all of Greece

75. Peloponnesian War
•Athens faced a serious geographic disadvantage from the
start.
•Sparta was located inland, the Athenian navy was no good
against them.
•When Sparta invaded Athens, Pericles allowed people from
the countryside to move inside the city.
•Overcrowding led to a plague that killed a third of the
people.
•Internal struggles undermined the Democratic government
of Athens.
•Sparta even allied with Persia, their old enemy, against the
Delian League.
•Finally, in 404 B.C., with the help of the Persian navy, the
Spartans captured Athens and stripped it of its fleet and
empire.

76. The Peloponnesian War
Sparta attacks Athens
Sparta has no Navy
Athenians hide inside walls.
Athens controls the ocean, from Delian League.
Athens gets greedy, attacks Sicily & LOSES.
Sparta builds small navy, stops food from getting in.
Eventually, Athens surrenders.

77. The Aftermath of War
•The Peloponnesian war ended Athenian greatness.
•In Athens Democratic government suffered:
Corruption and selfish interests replaced order.
•Fighting continued to disrupt the Greek world.
•Sparta itself suffered defeat at the hands of
Thebes, another Greek city-state.
•Greece was left vulnerable to invasion.
•Cultural development was arrested.

78. Sparta Controls Greece
Sparta gets respect, seems to rule.
But other city-states gain control.
Corinth, then Thebes
Greece is left weak.
City-States fight, use up resources.
Greece conquered by Philip II from the region of
Macedon to the North.
Philip unites, son Alexander takes over…

79. Macedonia and Alexander the Great
In 338 B.C. King Phillip II of
Macedonia led his army from the
north and conquered Greece.
After his death his son, Alexander
the Great, went on to conquer the
entire Greek world.

80. Macedonia
Philip II saw the weakened state of
Greece
He valued Greek culture – his son
Alexander was educated in Athens
He took over Greece before any other
power could
Was Persia next?

81. Alexander the Great
Philip died before
attacking Persia
His son, Alexander, took
over and Persia fell to his
armies
Alexander went on to
control areas in the
Middle East and Asia

82. Alexander’s Empire