2. BEFORE STARTING…
In this unit, we will focus in one of the Classic
Civilisation: Greek Civilisation.
You have to take into account that the History of
Ancient Greek is divided into three important
periods of time:
The Archaic period (800-500 BC)
The Classical period (500-336 BC)
The Hellenistic period (336-30 BC)
However, Ancient Greek civilisation was
preceded by two important cultures, also called
civilisations:
Minoan (cultura Minoica): 2.500-1300 BC
Mycenaean (cultura Micénica): 1600-1200 BC
3. GREEK CIVILISATION: ORIGINS
Ancient Greek
civilisation began in
the the
Mediterranean, betwee
n the Ionian Sea and the
Aegean Sea.
The Ancient Greeks
referred to this area
as Hellas (Hélade).
4. HELLAS
The terrain of Hellas was mountainous and
formed of narrow valleys surrounded by steep
mountains.
This terrain influenced the way this civilisation
developed in a number of ways:
It was difficult to travel from one settlement to
another. It was easier to travel by sea. The Ancient
Greeks were very good sailors.
The terrain was not very suitable for agriculture. This
meant that people had to trade more.
The terrain did not favour the development of large
kingdoms. This meant that small city-states, known
as poleis, formed.
5. ORIGINES OF GREEK CIVILISATION:
EARLY GREEK CIVILISATIONS
Ancient Greek
civilisation was
preceded by two other
civilisations:
Minoan civilisation:
Crete
Mycenaean civilisation:
Peloponnese peninsula.
6. MINOAN CIVILIZATION (2500-1300 BC) MYCENAEAN CIVILISATION (1600-1200 BC)
Because of its location
on trade routes between Africa, Asia
and Europe, craftwork developed.
This economic development led to
the emergence of the Minoan
civilisation.
We have evidence of the Minoan
civilisation from about 2600 BC. The
ruins of its cities suggest that it had a
high standard of living. In cities
such as Knossos (the capital of
Minoan civilisation), the palace was
the centre of power.
Around 1450 BC, the Minoan culture
had been destroyed.
The Mycenaean civilisation emerg
ed on the Peloponnese peninsula
1700 and 1500 BC. This civilisation
was divided
into small kingdoms ruled by kings.
Mycenaean palaces were royal
residences. They were protected by
massive walls. The most important
palace was in Mycenae.
The Mycenaean civilisation
experienced a crisis between the
years 1200 and 1150 BC which
marked its decline. Following its
decline, Greece entered a Dark Age
(1200-800 BC)
7. PERIODS OF GREEK CIVILISATION
1. Archaic period
2. Classical period
3. Hellenistic period
8. 1. ARCHAIC PERIOD (800-500 BC)
After the fall of Mycenae, Greece entered a Dark Age
(1200-800 BC): This period was characterized by
economic decline and migration to Ionia, on the coast
of Anatolia.
Ionia was extremely important because it was where
the first Greek polis (or city-state). It became the
model for political organisation in Greece.
A polis was made up of two main areas:
A dependent territory located outside the city walls, which
was used for farming.
An urban area, which was usually protected by defensive
walls. The acropolis was an elevated port of the urban
area where the most important buildings were located
(TEMPLES). One of the most well-known acropolis is the Acropolis
of Athens, where the Parthenon is located
11. TERRITORIAL EXPANSION: COLONISATION.
One of the most important phenomena of the
Archaic period was colonisation: a process by
which Greek settlements were
established throughout the Mediterranean.
As a result of
colonisation:
Trade was
stimulated.
Colonies were set up
by colonisers from
Greek city-states.
The colonisers helped
spread Greek culture:
Hellenisation.
12. 2. THE CLASSICAL PERIOD (500-336 BC)
Importance of poleis.
The most important: Athens (democracy)
and Sparta (oligarchy).
In the Classical Age, Greece took part in
several wars:
Persian Wars against the Persians.
Peloponnesian Wars (431-404 BC) (Sparta-Athens)
where Sparta won and imposed and oligarchy on
Athens.
13.
14. ATHENS: DEMOCRACY
Democracy. The basis of democracy was the
participation of citizens in government.
Athenian democracy was based on three important
institutions:
Assembly (Ecclesia): citizen more than 20 years. They voted
the laws, they decided the war and the peace and they chose
to the governors.
The laws that were voted in the Assembly were prepared by a
Council, called Boule (Bulé).
Magistrates: Were in charge of implementing the decisions of
the assembly.
Courts of justice: chosen by lot.
Only a minority of Athenians were citizens (free men
who were all born in Athens). Women, foreigners and slaves
were excluded from citizenship. Because of this, Athenian
democracy is considered a limited democracy.
15. SPARTA: OLIGARCHY- DIARCHY
The system of government in Sparta was based on:
Diarchy (diarquía), because it was led by two kings. Spartan
kings came from the aristocracy,
The Council of Elders, or Gerousia. Formed by elders of the
most powerful families. They made laws.
5 magistrates: Are responsible for enforcing the laws.
Assembly: formed by free men with more than 30 years. Very
little power.
16. CLASSICAL PERIOD: A TIME OF WARS
The Persian Empire, tried to gain control of Greece (5th
century BC).
A coalition of Greek cities fought the Persian forces in a
conflict known as the Greco-Persian Wars, which took place in
490 (1º Guerra Médica) and 480–479 BC (2º GUERRA MÉDICA).
At the battles of Marathon (1º Guerra Médica) and
Salamis (2º Guerra Médica), the Greek armies
defeated the powerful Persian forces.
Greece’s victory over the Persians liberated city-states
which had been conquered, reinforced common Greek
values in all city-states and strengthened the leadership of
the city-states of Athens and Sparta.
GRECO-PERSIAN WARS: GUERRAS MÉDICAS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_hQAClmGpA
17. After serving as leaders in the Greco-Persian
Wars, Athens and Sparta became rivals,
forming leagues of cities around them
(alliances created for political and military
purposes).
Between 431 and 404 BC, Athens and Sparta,
fought in the Peloponnesian War. Sparta won.
This war weakened all Greek cities and led to
social and economic decline. Despite its victory,
not long afterwards, Sparta was forced to give
way to the leadership of Thebes, and later, to
kingdoms such as Macedonia.
THE PELOPONNESIAN WAR
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IESaDM3NW68
18. 3. HELLENISTIC PERIOD
In 337 BC Philip II established the League of
Corinth. It united all of the cities of Greece,
except for Sparta, under Macedonian control.
When Philip II died in 336 BC, his
son Alexander the Great became king and
consolidated Macedonian control over
Greece.
19. THE EMPIRE OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT
He was a cultured man, educated by the most important
intellectual of the period: philosopher Aristotle.
He was very skilled in politics and war. Over a period of
13 years, he made many conquests, forming
an empire that united East and West.
20. THE HELLENISTIC KINGDOMS
The premature death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC at
the age of 33, before he had named a successor,
caused his empire to break up into a number of kingdoms
known as the Hellenistic kingdoms.
The most important of these kingdoms were Macedonia,
Pergamon, Egypt and the Seleucid Empire.
