Classical and Hellenistic Greek periods

What does polis mean?

The term 'polis' refers to a city-state in ancient Greece, which was a fundamental political unit characterized by a city and its surrounding territory, often featuring a strong sense of community and identity among its inhabitants.

What makes Athens so asignificant in the Classical Greece pERIOD.?

Athens was a great cultural centre and became the principal polis of Attica (a region in Greece) and the greatest of all Ionian city-states. It also had the most democratic government of all other city states

whats a democratic government?

A democratic government means people rule themselves, and Athens was one of the first cities where free male citizens could vote and decide laws together.

Whats the Delian League

The Delian League was an alliance of Greek city-states led by Athens, formed around 478 BCE after the Persian Wars to protect Greece from future Persian attacks and maintain control of the Aegean Sea. Member city-states contributed ships or money to support the league’s treasury. Over time, Athens gained significant power by controlling the league’s navy and finances, turning the league into something like an Athenian empire. This growing dominance caused tensions with other city-states, eventually contributing to the outbreak of the Peloponnesian War. (150 city- states at its peak)

Who were Naxos and Thasos why are they significant to the Delian League

When Naxos and Thasos tried to leave the Delian League, Athens prevented their withdrawal to maintain control. With Naxos, Athens acted quickly to keep them in the alliance, while with Thasos, Athens used military force to defeat the city, seize its valuable resources, and ensure it remained under Athenian dominance. These actions show how Athens shifted from being just the leader of an alliance to becoming an empire enforcing its power over other city-states.

What are aristocrats?

Aristocrats are rich, powerful people from noble families who often ruled or had influence in society because of their birth and wealth. Also called an oligarchy. This was Spartas government…

What is the Classical period of Greece characterized by?

The Classical Period of Greece was marked by major achievements in art, architecture, and philosophy, exemplified by the Parthenon and thinkers like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. It saw the rise of democracy in Athens, where citizens actively participated in government. The era included significant military conflicts such as the Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta. Greek culture and influence expanded widely, spreading ideas, arts, drama, and literature through playwrights like Sophocles and Euripides.

What is the significance of Sparta?

Sparta was another major city-state and the principal city of Laconia, a region in the Peloponnese. It was a highly militaristic and agricultural state. Unlike many other Greek city-states, Sparta took little part in the colonization period and instead focused on expanding its power by dominating most of the Peloponnese and conquering the neighboring Messenians

What was the reason for Greece’s spark in art and culture during the classical period?

The spark in Greek art and culture during the Classical Period was driven by political stability, wealth from trade, and civic pride—especially in Athens after the Persian Wars. Democracy, public funding, and rivalry between city-states encouraged advances in art, architecture, philosophy, and drama, leading to a cultural "Golden Age."

Why were Athens and Sparta rivals?

They had several differences, as well as being in two different leagues. But the rival increased when Athens tried to expand its empire into central Greece, threatening Sparta’s power base.

How did the Peloponnesian Wars start? And what was it?

The Peloponnesian War was a power struggle between Athens and Sparta. It started because Athens grew too powerful after the Persian Wars, making Sparta feel threatened. Also Athens was messing with trade routes which pissed off some of their alliances. so to solve that problem, the allies went to Sparta for help.

What were the main events of the Peloponnesian wars?

At the start of the Peloponnesian War, Athens had the money and naval power to launch a strong defense and was protected by long walls that connected the city to its port. However, crowding behind the walls led to poor hygiene and the outbreak of a deadly plague, which killed a large part of the population, including their key general. This severely weakened Athens, leading to a temporary truce with Sparta. Athens later broke the truce, and the war continued for another decade. Sparta then formed powerful alliances with the Sicilians and the Persians. With Persian funding, Sparta built a navy, defeated the Athenian fleet, and cut off Athens’ grain supply, eventually starving the city into surrender.

What was the result of Greece after the Peloponnesian war came to an end?

After the Peloponnesian War ended in 404 BCE with a Spartan victory, Greece was left politically divided and severely weakened. Athens lost its empire, navy, and democratic government, while Sparta took control but struggled to maintain its dominance. Other city-states like Thebes began to challenge Spartan power, leading to more conflict. Ongoing rivalries caused instability and economic decline. The war drained Greek unity and strength, leaving the region vulnerable to outside powers like Macedon, which would eventually rise and take control under Philip II and Alexander the Great.

Who is Thucydides?

Thucydides was a Greek historian who wrote a detailed, realistic account of the Peloponnesian War. He is known for his careful, fact-based style and is considered one of the first true historians.

Who is Pericles? And how does he relate to Thucydides?

Pericles was a key Athenian leader during the Golden Age who expanded democracy and led in the early Peloponnesian War. Thucydides wrote about him with respect, seeing him as a symbol of Athens' greatness.

Who were the Macedonians

The Macedonians lived north of the Greek peninsula and spoke a dilect of Greek. Macedonia had a monarchy, and was home of the powerful king Philip || and Alexander the great.

How did the Macedonians rise to power?

There was a battle between Macedonia and Chaeronea (which is by Thebes) They made it a part of Macedonia. The king was also very ambitious and powerful, with great military techniques.

What is a Phalanx?

Phalanx – A tightly packed formation of heavily armed infantry soldiers (hoplites) standing shoulder-to-shoulder in rows, used for protection and coordinated attacks in battle.

What’s a Hoplite?

A hoplite was a Greek citizen-soldier, trained to fight in organized rows with a shield and spear, forming the backbone of Greek armies.

hOW LONG WAS ALEXANDER THE GREATS CAMPAIGN? and where did he go?

11 years. Egypt, Persia, Mespotomia and as far as india

What is the Hellenistic Age characterized by?

• Cultural blending: Greek ideas mixed with Egyptian, Persian, and Indian cultures.

• Large kingdoms: Alexander's empire was divided among his generals, creating powerful Hellenistic kingdoms (like Egypt under the Ptolemies).

• Growth of cities: New cities like Alexandria (in Egypt) became major centers of learning, trade, and culture.

• Advances in science and philosophy: Thinkers like Archimedes, Euclid, and Epicurus emerged.

• Art and architecture: More emotional and realistic than in the Classical period.

• Language: Koine Greek became a common language across much of the Eastern Mediterranean.

Hiow did the Greek EMPire end?

When Alexander the Great died in 323 BCE, he left no clear heir, which led to power struggles among his generals. These generals divided the empire and established large Hellenistic kingdoms, each ruled by monarchs who claimed authority through military power and lineage. However, on the Greek mainland, the constant conflicts and shifting alliances created political instability and hardship for ordinary citizens. City-states like Athens and Sparta lost much of their independence, and wars between the Hellenistic rulers often spilled into Greek territories. True peace and stability did not return to the region until Rome gradually conquered Greece, finally bringing it under Roman control by 146 BCE.