Ancient Greece

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Ancient Greece
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Ancient Greece

• Common themes with other civilizations?
• What makes Greece stand out?
• Where do we see traces of it in modern West?

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Greece

• The polis
• Greek city-state
• Plural poleis
• Consisted of city, surrounding territory

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Greece

• Athens
• DEMOCRACY (demokratia) rule of the people
• Assembly, for citizens
• Judiciary
• Greeces great naval power

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Greece

• Sparta
• Xenophobic, closed military society
• Resented Athens
• Spartan military
• Boys education ? HOPLITES
• Austerity
• Formidable!

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Greece
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Greece

• Origins of Persian Wars (499-479 BC)
• Origins in Anatolia
• Greeks revolted, petitioned Athens for aid
• Destroyed major Persian cities
• Persians crushed rebellion, sought revenge

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Greece

• The Battle of Marathon (490/91 BC)
• Persians launched invasion of Greece
• The fighting
• 24 miles from Athens
• Athenians outnumbered
• Yet Athenian victory!
• Messenger ran to Athens with news?

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Greece
Phalanx
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Greece

• The Conflict Continues
• New invasion launched under Xerxes
• BATTLE OF THERMOPYLAE (480 BC)
• Location of strategic hidden road betrayed to
  Persians
• Leonidas et al. defended pass
• Greece now open to Persians!
• Ultimate Greek victory

Thermopylae
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Greece
Trireme
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Greece

• Questions?

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Greece
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Greece

• The Olympics
• Celebrated at temple of Zeus, Olympia
• Ceremonial games inaugurated 776 BC
• Panhellenic event
• Many games
• Victors ? prizes

Myron, Diskobolos (5th cent. BC)
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Greece

• Greek Religion
• Communal
• Olympian gods
• Oracles

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Greece
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Greece
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Greece

• Greek Poetry
• Early poems epics
• Long, narrative tales about heroes
• Recited, sung to audience
• HOMER (ca. 725 BC)
• Blind?
• Relied on oral tradition
• Iliad, Odyssey

Homer
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Greece
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Greece

• Greek Theater
• Social, religious
• Tragedy
• Comedy

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Greece
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Greece
Theater at Epidauros, Greececa. 335 BC
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Greece

• Greek Sculpture
• Fascination with human body
• Emphasis on Idealism
• Favorite idealized nude male

Polykleitos, Doryphoros (ca. 450 BC)
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Greece

• The Akropolis, Athens
• Reconstructed after Persian Wars
• The Parthenon (447-438 BC)
• Temple dedicated to Athena Parthenos
• Ideal temple

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Greece
The Parthenon
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Greece
Phidias, Athena Parthenos (ca. 440 BC)
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Greece

• Plato (427-348 BC)
• Disciple of Sokrates
• Worldview
• Theory of forms
• Dualistic
• Explored ideal state in The Republic
• Founded Academy, Athens

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Greece

• Aristotle (384-322 BC)
• Disciple of Plato
• Emphasized scientific observation
• Studied, categorized political systems in
  Politics
• Misogynist!
• Founded Lyceum, Athens

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Greece

• Hippocrates of Cos (ca. 460-370 BC)
• Father of Medicine
• Belief illness comes from problems in body,
  natural causes
• Prescribed natural remedies
• Disciples stressed keeping meticulous records

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Greece

• Questions?

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The Hellenistic Period
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The Hellenistic Period

• Alexander the Great (r. 336-323 BC)
• Prince of MACEDON, king at age 20
• Tutor Aristotle
• Educated in Greek culture
• Secure position in Macedon and Greece ? Persia!

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The Hellenistic Period

• Alexanders Conquests
• Invaded, conquered Persian Empire (334-327 BC)
• Traveled as far as India (327 BC)
• His unacceptable behavior ? mutiny
• Alexander died at Babylon (323 BC)

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The Hellenistic Period
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The Hellenistic Period

• The Hellenistic Period (323-30 BC)
• HELLENISTIC
• Refers to spread, transformation of Greek culture
  throughout Alexanders empire
• Common language Greek
• Foreigners became Greek by participating in Greek
  culture
• Center of Hellenistic culture ALEXANDRIA, Egypt

Pharos, Alexandria
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The Hellenistic Period

• Questions?

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Ancient Greece

• Common themes with other civilizations?
• What makes Greece stand out?
• Where do we see traces of it in modern West?