GREEK DARK AGE & CITY-STATES

Greek Dark Age

1100-800 BC

Dark Age

Could occur when natural disasters, disease, and war cause progress to stop, regression to begin, and political instability to replace order.

Causes of Greek Dark Age

National disaster, widespread disease, and war

Characteristics of Dark Ages

Progress stopes, regression begins, little creation occurs, and political instability increases.

“Might equals right”

Description associated with the instability of a Dark Age

End of Greek Dark Age

Around 800 BC, evidence shows city-states becoming established and flourishing

Greek city state

A city on a hill; essentially a small kingdom

Greek common language

the greek city states eventually shared greek as a common language

Cadmus

Legendary Phoenician who brought the greek alphabet and established Thebes

Greek pantheon

The greek city states shared the same pantheon

Greek heritage

the greek city states shared a common heritage, including heroes from earlier Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations

Attica

Region containing Sparta

Peloponnesus

Region containing Sparta

Sparta

unlocked greek city-state that focused heavily on military strength

Spartan training

boys were taken to training camps at age 7 to become soldiers

Spartan government

developed an oligarchy

Athens

greek city state with a powerful navy that focused on science, mathematics, arts, creativity, and political philosophy

Athenian government

Developed democracy

Miletus

One of the largest and most powerful city-states; persian conquest of Miletus helped bring Athens into conflict with Persia.