Unit 2 - Classical Greece

Geographical Context of classical Greece

• Located near/along the Aegean Sea/Mediterranean: Trade: Cultural Diffusion from ME river valley civilizations

• Mountainous topography: created city-states and differentiation of lifestyles

Historical Context of classical Greece

• 1st classical civilization established when the Phoenicians culturally diffused to Greek city-states

• Occurred in 750 BCE which led to an advanced civilization by 500 BCE

Persian Wars Causes

• Persia wanted to expand westward for trade by conquering Greek poli/city-states

• Greece wanted to keep their freedom(pol. soc. econ.)

Persian wars Strategies

• Flanking: surrounding enemy

• Phalanx: Spartans using shields and long spears

• Deception: Faking retreat drawing Persian ships into dangerous waters

Persian Wars Effects

• Persians had greater forces but Greeks had better military strategy which was why they won

• Athens’s victory, control of trade, rebuilding led to the Golden Age

• Delian League: formed by Greek city-states for protection led by Athens

Golden Age

• After Persian wars

• Time of peace and prosperity

• Societal advancements(mathematics, philosophy, architecture, etc.)

• Greatest success period of classical Greece

• Ended because of the Peloponnesian war(Greek civil war)

Athens

• Direct democracy(citizens participate in government decisions)

• Leader: Pericles

• Geography: near the sea=trade=cultural diffusion

• Aristocracy = ruled by the rich

• Selective citizenship = women and slaves could not be citizens, men 18+

• Assembly used to debate and vote on laws

• Republic = no king

• Based on trade = exchange of goods and services

• Agora = marketplace for trade and selling

• Coins = form of currency and payment

• Education = valued literacy and intellect w/ 8 periods*

• Men trained with teachers to be future politicians

• Women worked in household and raised children

Sparta

• Geography = isolated

• Oligarchy = rule by the few

• Monarchy = 2 kings

• Discouraged trade

• Iron bars

• Stealing encouraged

• Economy based on farming and conquests of minorities

• Women and slaves (helots) had rights

• Education consisted of military and combat training, little intellectual value

Athens and Sparta similarities

• Limited by mountainous topography

• Received education

• Both Greek

• Polytheistic

• Olympics

Battle of Thermopylae

• Phalanx = Spartan shield and spear tactic

• 90,000 Persians vs. 300 Spartans

Battle of Marathon

• Flanking = Greeks surrounded the enemy

• 90,000 Persians vs. 20,000 Greeks

Battle of Salamis

• Deception: Greeks appeared to retreat but led the Persians into dangerous waters where they had an advantage over to win the battle

• 500 Persian Ships vs. 300 Greek ships

Pericles

Leader of Athenian democracy

Architecture

Parthenon, columns, triangular roofs

Homer

• Wrote the Iliad and the Odyssey

• Inspired Greek playwrights

Sophocles

• Classical author

• 100+ Plays

• 20+ victories at the Dionysian festivals

• Oedipus and the King, Oedipus at Colonus

Sculpture Reforms

• More detailed

• Natural poses

• Accurate anatomy

Philosophy

• Knowledge, truth. nature/meaning of life

• Philosophers started schools and debated

• Socrates, Plato, Aristotle

Herodotus

• Study of history

• “Father of lies”

• “Father of history”

• Highly critiqued figure

Mathematical advancements

• Pythagoras = Pythagorean theorem

• Euclid = father of Geometry = The Elements

Hippocrates

• Influential figure on the development of medicine

• Ideals and ethics of a physician

• Hippocratic Oath

• Standard physician

Peloponnesian War Causes

• Delian League formed by protection: Controlled by Athens which was the center of trade

• Athens became rich from taxing other city-states and built the Parthenon

• Sparta resented against their success and allied with the other city-states 

Peloponnesian War Effects

• 27 year war

• Athens was defeated

• End of Athens’s Golden Age

• Weakening of the other city-states

• Shift of power/rise of Alexander the Great

How did Alexander’s parents give him an advantage in life?

Confidence and excellent military skills

What did Alexander the Great learn from Aristotle?

• 1) Philosophy (Socrates)

• 2) Geometry/mathematics (Euclid & Pythagoras)

• 3) Literature (Homer)

• 4) Medicine (Hippocrates)

• 5) History (Herodotus)

• 6) Architecture (Parthenon & Greek columns)

• 7) Science (Archimedes)

• 8) Art (Realistic)

Why was Alexander the Great able to become such a great conqueror & why was he important?

• Weakened Greek city-states were easier to be conquered

• He was a great warrior with excellent military skills

• He was highly educated which came as an advantage

• Could adapt to other cultures

• Spread Hellenism

• Created libraries

Why Alexander the Great might truly be “great”:

• Brought cultural diffusion/ Hellenism

• Never defeated in battle

• Made libraries

Why Alexander the Great might not be so “great”:

• Division and conflict today in Middle East

• Military conquest

• No democracy/government in his empire

Define Hellenism:

Cultural diffusion between Greece, Egypt, Persia, and India

After effects of Alexander the Great’s death:

Empire immediately divided which led to constant warfare that still is ongoing today.