Chapter 5 - Classical Greece

5.1 - Cultures of the Mountains and the Sea

The sea shaped Greek culture in the same way that rivers shaped Egypt's, the Fertile Crescent's, India's, and China's ancient civilizations.
- In certain ways, the Greeks did not live on land, but rather in the vicinity of the sea.
- To reach the coast, Greeks rarely had to travel more than 85 kilometers.
Approximately three-quarters of ancient Greece was covered by the Land Rugged mountains.
Along the Balkan Peninsula, mountain chains ran primarily from northwest to southeast. Mountains separated the country into several distinct sections.
- This had a tremendous impact on Greek politics. Rather than having a unified government, the Greeks established local, self-governing towns within each small valley and its surrounding mountains.
The third major environmental influence on Greek civilisation was the climate.
- Greece has a variable climate, with winter temperatures averaging 48 degrees Fahrenheit and summer temperatures average 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
- For many Greeks in ancient times, the temperate weather encouraged them to spend time outside.
Interaction with the Minoans The Mycenaeans came into touch with the Minoan culture sometime after 1500 B.C., possibly through trade or battle.
The Trojan War was fought between the Greeks and the Greek The Mycenaeans fought a ten-year war against Troy, an autonomous commercial metropolis in Anatolia, in the 1200s B.C.

Political Structures in Greece The Greek city-states featured a variety of political structures.
- In some, a monarchy was governed by a single person, known as the king.
- Others adopted an aristocracy, in which a small group of noble, landowning families control.
Tyrants take control - there were several battles between rulers and the ordinary people in many city-states.
- Occasionally, powerful individuals, generally nobles or other wealthy citizens, took control of the government by appealing to the general public for help.
Developing democratic institutions - when a nobleman named Draco came to power, it was the first step toward democracy.
- Draco constructed a legal system in 621 B.C. founded on the principle that all Athenians, rich and poor, were treated equally under the law.
- Criminals were treated harshly under Draco's rule, with death being the punishment for almost every offense.
Around the age of seven, boys began schooling, which primarily taught them to be decent citizens.
- Reading, grammar, poetry, history, mathematics, and music were among the subjects they learned.
- Boys got training in logic and public speaking since residents were expected to debate topics in the assembly.

Pericles raised the number of public officials who were paid salary in order to foster democracy.
- Previously, most government jobs in Athens were unpaid.
After the Persians were defeated, Athens aided in the formation of the Delian League.
- Athens eventually rose to the top of the league and governed all of the city-states within it.
- The money from the league's treasury was utilized by Pericles to make the Athenian naval the most powerful in the Mediterranean.
Pericles also used Delian League funds to beautify Athens. He convinced the Athenian assembly to vote large quantities of the league's money to acquire gold, ivory, and marble without the league's approval.
The Parthenon, while a work of beauty in terms of architectural design and craftsmanship, was not the only structure of its kind.
The truce was short-lived. In 415 B.C., the Athenians dispatched a massive fleet to Sicily, carrying almost 20,000 men.
- One of Sparta's wealthiest allies, the city-state of Syracuse, was to be destroyed.

Philip II ascended to the throne of Macedonia in 359 B.C. Despite being only 23 years old at the time, he swiftly established himself as a great general and vicious politician.
The hardy peasants under Philip's leadership were turned into a well-trained professional army.
Philip and his army constituted a menace to the Greeks, according to the Athenian orator.
- He pushed them to get together to defeat Philip. The Greek city-states, on the other hand, were unable to agree on a single policy.
Alexander felt free to carry out his father's plan to attack and conquer Persia now that Greece was secure.
- He led 35,000 warriors across the Hellespont into Anatolia in 334 B.C.
Darius attempted to reach an agreement. He offered all of his possessions west of the Euphrates River to Alexander.
- Alexander's advisers advised him to take the offer. The fast fall of Persian resistance, on the other hand, fueled Alexander's ambition.
- He turned down Darius' offer and declared his intention to conquer the entire Persian Empire.
The Indus Valley was reached by Alexander and his troops.
A large Indian army stood in their way at the Hydaspes River. Alexander's army marched 200 kilometers after winning a terrible war, but their morale was poor.

The Egyptian city of Alexandria became the leading hub of commerce and Hellenistic civilisation among the many towns of the Hellenistic world.
- Alexandria was located on the western side of the Nile delta, at an advantageous location.
Alexandria's outstanding beauty was praised by both locals and visitors. The city was split into blocks by broad avenues decorated with statues of Greek gods.
- Overlooking the harbor, rulers constructed magnificent royal mansions.
- Alexander's beautiful glass casket was kept in a well-visited mausoleum.
Sculpture, like science, flourished during the Hellenistic period.
- Sculptures were acquired by rulers, wealthy merchants, and cities to honor gods, memorialize heroes, and depict ordinary people in everyday situations.