Isolated Communities and the Difficulties of Travel Greece’s steep mountains and surrounding seas forced Greeks to settle in isolated communities. Travel by land was hard, and sea voyages were hazardous.
Farming in Ancient Greece Most ancient Greeks farmed, but good land and water were scarce. They grew grapes and olives, and raised sheep, goats, pigs, and chickens.
Starting Colonies Many ancient Greeks sailed across the sea to found colonies that helped spread Greek culture. Colonists settled in lands that include parts of present day Turkey, Spain, France, Italy, and northern Africa.
Trading for Needed Goods To meet their needs, the ancient Greeks traded with other city-states, their colonies, and with other peoples in the Mediterranean region. They exchanged olive oil and pottery for such goods as grain, timber, and metal.
The Origins of Democracy
Because the Greek city-states were self-governing entities and not bound together by any type of central control or an empire, as in other ancient civilizations, various different governing formats developed independently and allowed for experimentation and change.
Four Forms of Government developed in Greek city-states (they are called city-states because they each has their own laws, money and armies).
1. Monarchy - One person Inherits Power. In a monarchy, the ruling power is in the hands of one person, usually a king (Greeks did not have Queens). Kings has a council of aristocrats to advise them. At first Kings were chosen by the people to serve for life, and then another would be selected. Eventually Kings demanded that the power be given to their children. Aristocrats soon realized as a group they were more powerful and in most city-states they overthrew the King and took power for themselves.
2. Oligarchy- A Few People Share Power. Many city-states were ruled by a small group of wealthy men. These men were called oligarchs. Most were aristocrats who had inherited land from their family, some were wealthy merchants. They led comfortable lives, worked very little and even had slaves. Meanwhile the poor worked all day in the field, and their needs were mostly ignored by the oligarchs. Laws did not benefit the poor, but usually increased the oligarchs wealth and the armies were usually used in force against people. Under the Oligarchs rich became richer and and poor became poorer. Eventually the poor turned to leaders who promised to improve their lives, using soldiers these people would over throw the Oligarchy and seize power.
3. Tyranny - One person seizes power by force. The men who forced the oligarchs from power were called tyrants, as they were not lawful kings with a legal right to rule. Unlike in a monarchy, a tyrants son does not usually inherit the father's power. Tyrants usually took control by force-- but that doesn't mean they were always popular. Most were military leaders who gained support by making promising more rights to the people. Many actually did rule well, helping the poor and forgiving debts, others did not, leading to people to seek a form of government which would share power among all citizens.
4. Democracy- Rule by the People. In a democracy all citizens share power. Acitizen is a member of a democracy who has certain rights and responsibilities.Ancient Greek democracy was different from democracy today. The government was Athenian democracy, also know as direct democracy-- in this government every citizen can vote on every issue. The U.S. in contrast, is a representative democracy, people vote for representatives who decide issues in their name.
Greece
Greece flourished between 750 and 338 BCE. Their art, ideas, and writings continue to influence us today.
Greece is a small country in Southern Europe. It has steep rocky mountains and is almost entirely surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea.
Ancient Greeks lived on farms or in small villages scattered about the countryside. As a result, they were often isolated or separated from one another by high mountains, making travel, communication and trade difficult.
Thus, traveling by boat was easier, though still dangerous with the threat of attack from pirates or sudden storms that could smash ships against Greece's rocky shores.
Life in Two City-States: Athens and Sparta
Comparing Two City-States Its location near the sea made it easier for Athens to develop relationships with other city-states. Sparta’s inland location and its culture made it more isolated than Athens. The people of Athens valued art, culture, and education. The people of Sparta valued strength, simplicity, and military skills.
Government Athens was a democracy, though only free men could take part in government. Sparta was primarily a military state. Its government was an oligarchy in which a few men held most of the power.
Economy The economy of Athens relied on trade with other city-states and several foreign lands. The Spartan economy relied on farming and conquest.Sparta depended on slaves and other noncitizens to provide for many of its needs.
Education In Athens, boys were educated to be good citizens. Education balanced book learning and physical training. Girls learned skills for managing the household. In Sparta, boys and girls alike were educated to protect the city-state. Spartan boys began their military training at age 7, and men served in the army until age 60.
Women and Slaves In Athens, women and slaves had far fewer rights than men had. Spartan women had more rights than other Greek women, such as owning property.
Fighting the Persian Wars
The Persian Empire and the Ionian Revolt The vast Persian Empire extended from Egypt east to the Indus River. In 546 B.C.E., the Persians conquered the Greek settlements of Ionia. The Ionians revolted, and in 493 B.C.E., the Persians defeated them. This triggered the first of the Persian wars in 490 B.C.E.
The Battle of Marathon In 490 B.C.E., the Persian king Darius invaded Greece. At the Battle of Marathon, better Greek weapons and strategy defeated the Persians.
The Battle of Thermopylae In 480 B.C.E., the Persian army used a secret mountain path to surround a small Spartan force and win the Battle of Thermopylae. Then the Persians advanced to Athens.
The Battle of Salamis In the same year, 480 B.C.E., the Persian king Xerxes burned down Athens. The Persian navy was later defeated at the Battle of Salamis, when Greek ships rammed and sank the Persian vessels.
The Battle of Plataea In 479 B.C.E., an army of 80,000 allied Athenian and Spartan troops destroyed the Persian army in this decisive battle that ended the Persian wars.
The Golden Age of Athens
Athens After the Persian Wars Pericles was a great leader who promoted both the rebuilding of Athens and the growth of Greek culture and democracy.
Greek Religion The Greek worship of gods and goddesses was part of everyday life. Athens was named for the goddess Athena. The Parthenon honored her. The temple at Delphi honored the god Apollo. The Greeks told myths, or stories, about their many gods.
Greek Architecture and Sculpture The temples on the acropolis in Athens were examples of the Greek talent for architecture. The lifelike marble statues made in workshops displayed the art of sculpture.
Greek Drama and Philosophy Athenians enjoyed dramas staged in large open-air theaters. Only male actors performed. The Greeks also enjoyed discussing philosophy.Socrates was one of the greatest philosophers in Athens.
Greek Sports The Greeks competed in athletic events at the Panathenaic Games and the Olympics. Events included races and combat sports.
Alexander the Great and His Empire
The Peloponnesian War and the Rise of Macedonia Athens and Sparta and their allies fought one another in the Peloponnesian War, lasting from 431 to 404 B.C.E. Then, King Philip II of Macedonia took advantage of the Greeks’ weakness after years of warfare and conquered most of Greece.
Alexander Creates and Unites an Empire Alexander, son of Philip, became king.Educated by the Greek philosopher Aristotle, Alexander enlarged his empire by invading Asia Minor. He conquered Persia, Egypt, Central Asia, and western India. He planned to unite his vast empire by spreading Greek culture, by inspiring loyalty through religion, and by adopting some of the customs of conquered peoples.
Spreading Greek Ideas, Using Religion, and Adopting the Ways of Conquered Cultures Alexander built Greek-style cities, such as Alexandria, in Egypt. Greeks settled in these cities and brought their laws and arts. Alexander made Egyptian and Persian gods equal to Greek gods. He also encouraged the idea that he himself was a god. He adopted customs from the cultures of the people he had conquered, such as the Persian system of government.
Alexander’s Empire Crumbles After Alexander’s death in 323 B.C.E., his generals fought among themselves for control of the empire. Settlers left the cities Alexander had built. The empire divided into three kingdoms. But the Greek culture that he had spread would continue to influence the lands Alexander had ruled.
The Legacy of Ancient Greece
Literature, History, and Government The modern alphabet, English grammar, drama and historical writing, and democratic government all trace their roots to the ancient Greeks.
Medicine Hippocrates applied scientific thinking to medicine and established a code of ethics used by doctors today. Centuries later, Greek medical students made discoveries about the heart and the brain.
Mathematics Pythagoras and Euclid made important advances in geometry that are still taught today.
Astronomy and Geography Greek scientists suggested that Earth moves around the sun. They named hundreds of stars and estimated the distances from Earth to both the sun and the moon. Greeks created the first maps and the system of latitude and longitude that is still used today to find locations on Earth.
Biology Greeks developed the scientific study of plants, animals, and humans called biology. The way we classify animals and plants is based on the work of Aristotle.
Architecture, Theater, and Sports Greek building styles, including columns and pediments, are seen today in public and private structures. Greek plays, stories, and myths are read today. Even the Olympic Games first began in ancient Greece.