The History of Ancient Greece

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The History of Ancient Greece

• 3000 B.C. to 300 B.C.

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Minoans Myceneans

• Greek civilization had its origins in the Minoan
  and Mycenean civilizations that thrived in the
  area of the Mediterranean Sea around 3000 B.C. to
  1000 B.C..
• 1. Greek myths, legends, and heroes began from
  these
• people.
• A. Long poems called epics were written about
  the
• gods and heroes.
• 1. The two most famous epics in the world,
• the Iliad and the Oddysey, were written
• by a
  blind poet named Homer in the
• 700s
  B.C.
• a. Homer may or may not have
• 
  existed

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The Iliad and the Odyssey

• 2. The Iliad tells of warrior heroes during the
• Trojan War.
• a. The Greeks vs. the Trojans.
• b. Greeks lay seige to Troy for 10 yrs.
• c. Greeks trick Troy with a wooden
• horse and win the war.
• 3. The Odyssey is the adventures of
• Odysseus as he returns home after
  the
• Trojan War.

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Greek Mythology

• Some of the gods and goddesses of Greek Mythology
  were
• Zeus- ruler of the gods.
• Hera-his wife
• Athena-Zeus daughter and goddess of wisdom.
• C. The gods and goddesses lived on Mount
  Olympus.
• D. Through the myths, the Greeks sought to
  understand the forces of nature and to learn
  lessons about values
• and strong character.

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Geography shaped Greek civilization

• The sea- Greece is a land surrounded by seas.
  For
• example- Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, Black
  Sea, and the
• Mediterranean Sea. Greece lacked natural
  resources and
• good farmland and so the access to the
  seas allowed Greece
• to trade more easily with other peoples.
• B. The land -Rugged mts. Covered ¾ of Ancient
  Greece. The land was rocky and not suitable for
  farming. Effects-
• relatively small population, independent
  city-states, desire
• for more landmay have led to warfare
  with other lands.
• C. The climate -moderate climate ( range from 48
  to 80 degrees) may have influenced Greek culture
  to spend much
• of their leisure time outdoors-discuss
  public issues, exchange news,
• and take an active part in civic life.

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The Olympics

• In 776 B.C., to honor their god Zeus, the Greeks
  began an athletic festival called the Olympic
  Games .

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Democracy in Ancient Greece

• III. Starting around 750 B.C. some Greek
• city-states began to take steps toward
• a democratic form of government.

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Persian Wars

• Around 546 B.C. the Persian Wars took
• place.
• 1. The Greeks defeated the Persians in
• several famous battles.
• 2. The Greeks become a powerful
• empire.

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The Golden Age

• From 477 to 431 B.C. Ancient Greece experienced a
  time of great achievement.
• 1. These included achievements in
• government, philosophy, the arts,
• science, and architecture.
• 2. This period of Greek history is
  called the
• Golden Age.

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Peloponnesian Wars

• Around 431 B.C. the Peloponnesian Wars took
  place.
• 1. Fighting between the Greek city-
• states.
• a. The two most important city-
• states in Ancient
  Greece were
• Athens and Sparta.
  Each allied
• with other
  city-states to fight this war.
• 2. The mighty Greek empire no longer dominated
  the
• Mediterranean world.

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Alexander the Great

• Greek culture, however, survived and
• spread around the known world.
• 1. Greek culture was spread by the
• great armies of Alexander the Great.