Introduction to Ancient Greece Chapter 7

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Introduction to Ancient GreeceChapter 7
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Geography and Political Development
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Geography and Political Development

• Little suitable land, no large flat areas for
  large-scale farming
• No place is farther than 80 miles from the sea
• Has always been easier to travel and trade by sea
  than by land
• Geography also encouraged political fragmentation
• Own sense of community and identity
• Only secondarily shared common culture and
  language

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• Map Activity
• Read the Geography article and complete Part I
  and II on the question sheet

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The Mycenaeans (1650-1200 B.C.)

• Indo-Europeans settle around 1600 BCE
• Leading city of Mycenae
• Fortified cities led by a warrior-king

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Mycenaean Civilization

• Mycenaeans were nomadic Indo-Europeans, settled
  into towns
• Knowledge comes from archaeological excavations
  and epic poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey
• Iliad and Odyssey
• Written by poet Homer
• Iliad is the story of Mycenaeans war against
  Troy
• Odyssey is story of Odysseus journey home after
  the war
• Mycenaeans engaged in extensive internal warfare
• Society was based on Monarchy
• Fell to the Dorians
• Culture was guided by rival Crete (Minoan)

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Epics Narrative poems celebrating historic
deeds Iliad and Odyssey most famous (750 700
B.C.) Arete Greek ideal of virtue and
excellence
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Ruins of buildings outside the walls of Mycenae
ca. 1650 B.C.
Ruins of the Lion Gate, the main entrance to the
citadel of the ancient Greek city of Mycenae.
Built ca. 1250 B.C
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The Trojan War (article)

• 1200s B.C. Greeks vs. Trojans
• Probably caused by Mycenaean trade rivalry with
  Troy
• Reasons?
• Legend Helen of Troy
• Reality? Trade territory
• Mycenaeans begin declining in 1200s
• Most likely due to kingdom conflicts

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Minoans 2000 1400 B.C.
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Minoans

• Trade center of society
• More equal between men and women
• Athletic events were important to society
• Legend of Minotaur
• Half man, half bull
• Sacrificed youths from the city of Athens
• Knossos falls in 1400 B.C.
• Palaces is burned and not rebuilt
• Dont know what brought it to an end

http//www.youtube.com/watch?vZFfuH5qGT3Y
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Bull Leaping in Knossos
Theseus the Minotaur
Coast of Crete
Minoan Ship
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The Ruins of Knossos
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Minoans Mycenaean Interaction

• Trade or War Interaction
• Value of seaborne trade
• Influences in religion art
• The Minoan writing system

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• Cretan Script 2100 1700 B.C.
• Linear A 1700 1450 B.C.
• Linear B
• 1450 1200 B.C.
• Used by the Mycenaeans

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• Bronze Age (ca. 3000 B.C.) Bronze tools and
  weapons
• Iron Age (ca. 1000 B.C.) Ability to forge iron

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Heinrich Schliemann
Heinrich Schliemann -Amateur German archaeologist
-Succeeded in locating the site of the ancient
city of Troy in 1870 -Uncovered evidence of the
civilizations of Mycenae and the Minoans
Funerary gold mask found by Schliemann. Assumed
it to be the death mask of Agamemnon, leader of
the Greek forces during the Trojan War
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Walls of Troy Ruins
Walls of Troy Recreation
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Modern replica of the Trojan horse, located in
present-day Turkey
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Priam murdered on the Altar of Zeus during the
sack of Troy.
Achilles binding Patroclus's wounds
Achilles dragging the body of Hector of Troy
Ajax defending Greek ships
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Dorian Dark Age (1150 750 B.C.)

• Attack around 1200 B.C.
• Dark Ages then began as culture declined
• Iron vs. Bronze
• Less advanced
• Loss of writing
• Oral history
• Homer

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What did each of the 3 cultures contribute to
Greek culture?
CULTURE CONTRIBUTION
Minoans
Mycenaean
Dorian
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Early Hellenic Civilization
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Polis

• Community of adult free persons
• Common Life, shared destiny, government policies,
  and techniques
• Independent of each other but viewed themselves
  as superior family of people called Greeks
• Citizenship
• Women excluded from political life
• Slaves couldnt be citizens
• Only free males 20 yrs or older
• Almost as much as 80 of population didnt have
  full rights
• City-state
• Largest (Athens) had 300,000 inhabitants
• Greek mainland had 200 poleis

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Four types of Governments

• Aristocracy
• Democracy

• Monarchy
• Oligarchy

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• Athens

• Sparta

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Persian Wars
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Peloponnesian War
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