Ancient Greece, c. 800-300 BC/BCE
On a Historical map of the Mediterranean area, locate Greece and trace the extent of its influence to 300 BC/BCE. On a modern map of the Mediterranean area, Europe, England and the Middle East, and the Indian subcontinent, locate England, France, Greece, Italy, Spain and other countries in the Balkan Peninsula, Crete, Egypt, India, the Middle East, Pakistan, and Turkey.
Focus Question: What was the extent of Greece's influence to 300 BCE?
1) As the different tribes that made up Greece became more unified and advanced, they began to expand. Partly due to population pressures on the main land and partly due to political interests, Greeks started to populate islands (such as Ionia) and create colonies as far west as Southern Italy and Sicely, (not shown on this map) and as far North and East as the Black Sea.
http://www.mrburnett.net/apworldhistory/maps/mediterranean1ancientgreece.bmp
2) Because of the geography of the land (with so many peninsulas and coastal areas) it made sense that the Greeks would always be looking seaward, and therefore have a predisposition towards travel. Eventually there were over 1,000 communities over this great expanse of land. But as spread out as they were, they were united by sea travel.
3) Some points of interest:
Focus Question: What countries make up the modern-day Mediterranean area?
Middle East Map Game(Drag the names of the countries to their spot on the map).
http://www.gerrymccannsblogs.co.uk/mediterranean_MAP.gif
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Maps of Ancient Greece
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/shepherd/greece_362.jpg
Shepard, William R. (2005). Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection Historical Maps of Europe. Retrieved February 10, 2007, from University of Texas Library Web site: http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/shepherd/beginnings_hist_greece.jpg
Shepard, William R. (2005). Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection Historical Maps of Europe. Retrieved February 10, 2007, from University of Texas Library Web site:
Modern Middle East
http://images.google.com/images?q=map+of+the+middle+east+and+india&um=1&hl=en&safe=off&rls=TSHA,TSHA:2004-49,TSHA:en&&sa=N&ndsp=20
1) As the different tribes that made up Greece became more unified and advanced, they began to expand. Partly due to population pressures on the main land and partly due to political interests, Greeks started to populate islands (such as Ionia) and create colonies as far west as Southern Italy and Sicely, (not shown on this map) and as far North and East as the Black Sea.
http://www.mrburnett.net/apworldhistory/maps/mediterranean1ancientgreece.bmp
2) Because of the geography of the land (with so many peninsulas and coastal areas) it made sense that the Greeks would always be looking seaward, and therefore have a predisposition towards travel. Eventually there were over 1,000 communities over this great expanse of land. But as spread out as they were, they were united by sea travel.
3) Some points of interest:
- The Greek city of Massilia became what is now Marseilles, in Southern France
- The Greeks colonized the coast of Spain as well. The Phoenicians, however, pushed them out—but not before the Greeks obtained knowledge of their alphabet, which they adapted for their own use.
- Eventually there were over 1,000 communities over this great expanse of land. But as spread out as they were, they were united by sea travel.
Focus Question: What countries make up the modern-day Mediterranean area?
Middle East Map Game(Drag the names of the countries to their spot on the map).
http://www.gerrymccannsblogs.co.uk/mediterranean_MAP.gif
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Maps of Ancient Greece
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/shepherd/greece_362.jpg
Shepard, William R. (2005). Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection Historical Maps of Europe. Retrieved February 10, 2007, from University of Texas Library Web site: http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/shepherd/beginnings_hist_greece.jpg
Shepard, William R. (2005). Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection Historical Maps of Europe. Retrieved February 10, 2007, from University of Texas Library Web site:
Modern Middle East
http://images.google.com/images?q=map+of+the+middle+east+and+india&um=1&hl=en&safe=off&rls=TSHA,TSHA:2004-49,TSHA:en&&sa=N&ndsp=20
Explain how the geographical location of ancient Athens and other city-states contributed to their role in maritime trade, their colonies in the Mediterranean, and the expansion of their cultural influences.
Focus Question: How did the geography of the Mediterranean and surrounding areas influence the Greek outlook on the world?Athens, in southeastern Greece, is the capital and largest city in the country. Situated on the Attic plain, it is surrounded by mountains on three sides, and is served by the port of Piraeus 8 km to the southwest.
Essential UnderstandingsImagine that you live in a land where you are rarely more than 60km from the sea. Maybe you live on the coast, or even an Island. Water is everywhere. Most likely boats would be the central means of travel. For the Greeks, this often meant that travel, trade, visiting, and war were common. All of these things brought different people in contact with each other, and through this contact they exchanged ideas and customs. This is known as cultural exchange. (It is interesting to note, however, that Sparta didn’t want their people to be influenced by others—therefore they didn’t allow trade with people from other places.)
See standard 7.26 to learn how geography influenced the development of trade in Athens and Sparta
For further background, see Troy, an educational website from the University of Cincinnati.
Trade
Each community in Ancient Greece was able to be self-sufficient and grow its own food. Therefore, usually only specialized items were traded.
Comparison: Greek and Egyptian Trade
Colonial expansionBecause of Greece's coastal location, cultural influences expanded between civilizations.
The Greeks expanded and set up different colonies for 2 reasons:
Expanding Cultural Influence
Ancient Greek Jewelry, 300 BCE
Ancient Greek Colonization and Trade and their Influence on Greek Art from the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
When a city-state became too big for its resources (i.e., when there were too many people for the amount of food they had), a group of families would leave and establish a new city-state. The new city-state, however, maintained connection and loyalty to the original city-state. In this way, the original city-state could make sure that their culture, religion, and way of life was maintained.OtherWhile the Greeks were always looking outward and thinking of exploring, their geographic location also made them accessible from the outside.
Lesson from Plan National Geographic: Using Geography to learn about the World: How geography impacted daily life, warfare and trade in Ancient Greece
Current Map of Southern Europe- Expressing the Location of Greece
Sources:
Nosotro, Rit (2000). Athens and Sparta. Retrieved February 13, 2007, from HyperHistory.Net Web site:http://www.hyperhistory.net/apwh/essays/comp/cw4athensspartap2dz.htm
Roberts, J.M. (1997). The Penguin History of Europe. London: Penguin Books
Gombrich, E.H. (1985). A Little History of the World. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
http://wps.ablongman.com/wps/media/objects/262/268312/art/figures/KISH_04_77.gif
Essential UnderstandingsImagine that you live in a land where you are rarely more than 60km from the sea. Maybe you live on the coast, or even an Island. Water is everywhere. Most likely boats would be the central means of travel. For the Greeks, this often meant that travel, trade, visiting, and war were common. All of these things brought different people in contact with each other, and through this contact they exchanged ideas and customs. This is known as cultural exchange. (It is interesting to note, however, that Sparta didn’t want their people to be influenced by others—therefore they didn’t allow trade with people from other places.)
See standard 7.26 to learn how geography influenced the development of trade in Athens and Sparta
For further background, see Troy, an educational website from the University of Cincinnati.
Trade
Each community in Ancient Greece was able to be self-sufficient and grow its own food. Therefore, usually only specialized items were traded.
- The invention of the standardized coin made trade easier and also more advanced—it is said to have moved Greece out of the Dark Ages.
Comparison: Greek and Egyptian Trade
Colonial expansionBecause of Greece's coastal location, cultural influences expanded between civilizations.
The Greeks expanded and set up different colonies for 2 reasons:
- First, they needed to set up new city-states when old ones became too big or when they needed to find new land to grow crops.
- Second, colonial expansion became an important way to expand their region of influence.
Expanding Cultural Influence
Ancient Greek Jewelry, 300 BCE
Ancient Greek Colonization and Trade and their Influence on Greek Art from the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
When a city-state became too big for its resources (i.e., when there were too many people for the amount of food they had), a group of families would leave and establish a new city-state. The new city-state, however, maintained connection and loyalty to the original city-state. In this way, the original city-state could make sure that their culture, religion, and way of life was maintained.OtherWhile the Greeks were always looking outward and thinking of exploring, their geographic location also made them accessible from the outside.
- Sometimes this left them vulnerable, like when the Persians attacked.
- At other times they benefited greatly from it, like when they came in contact with the Phoenicians who introduced them to the alphabet.
- The Greeks adapted the alphabet for their own use.
Lesson from Plan National Geographic: Using Geography to learn about the World: How geography impacted daily life, warfare and trade in Ancient Greece
Current Map of Southern Europe- Expressing the Location of Greece
Sources:
Nosotro, Rit (2000). Athens and Sparta. Retrieved February 13, 2007, from HyperHistory.Net Web site:http://www.hyperhistory.net/apwh/essays/comp/cw4athensspartap2dz.htm
Roberts, J.M. (1997). The Penguin History of Europe. London: Penguin Books
Gombrich, E.H. (1985). A Little History of the World. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
http://wps.ablongman.com/wps/media/objects/262/268312/art/figures/KISH_04_77.gif
Explain why the government of ancient Athens is considered the beginning of democracy and explain the democratic political concepts developed in ancient Greece.
A. the “polis” or city-state
B. civic participation and voting rights
C. legislative bodies
D. constitution writing
E. rule of law
Focus Questions:Pericles' Funeral Oration
For a classic statement about democracy, read "Pericles' Funeral Oration" fromThe History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides.
Visit Demos for an overview of classical Athenian democracy and access to a growing database of sources.
Visit here for great overview of Greek Democracy centered around excavated artifacts.
For more on how democracy in Greece influenced American government, see USI.2
Overview
A. The "Polis". Our word "politics" originates from the Greek word “polis,” literally meaning "city." However, to the Ancient Greeks the word "city" did not just mean a location; rather, it described a political entity. This reflects the Ancient Greek notion that to be part of a city meant to be actively involved in making political decisions for that city.
Unlike ancient Mesopotamian cities, which were ruled by a monarch, Athens in the classical period was administered as a democracy. The polis consisted of everyone in the community (World History, William J. Duiker & Jackson J. Spielvogel, p. 101), but with distinctions:
In order for direct Athenian democracy to work, the population had to be somewhat small in size (although Athens had a population of 250,000 by the fifth century BCE). Thus, the size of city-states allowed them to be among the first to foster democracy.
For an interesting lesson plan idea, compare the denial of political rights to women, children, slaves and foreigners in ancient Athens to modern-day conceptions of citizenship in our American democracy.
Cleisthenes, Father of Democracy
B. Civic Participation and Voting Rights
C. Legislative Bodies
D. Constitution Writing
Solon marble bas-relief, one of 23 reliefs of great historical lawgivers in the chamber of the U.S. House of Representatvies
The Athenian Constitution by Aristole (350 BCE). For a comparsion, see the United States Constitution.
Solon, The Lawmaker of Athensby Plutarch
E. Rule of Law
KleroterionIn Athens, Jurors were picked at random from a pool of citizens eligible for jury duty. Names were selected from a stone machine called a kleroterion.
Learn more about how the machine worked here .
The basic Greek political unit was called the:
a) City
b) Olympia
c) Polis
d) Demographic
ANSWER: C (question from History Quiz Three, Ancient Greece, International World History Project).
Sources:
Martin, Thomas R. (Date Unknown). The Archaic Age. Retrieved February 20, 2007, from Ancient Greece Web site:http://www.ancientgreece.com/html/mythology_frame.htm
Cartledge, Paul (2001/01/01). The Democratic Experiment. Retrieved February 19, 2007, from BBC Web site:http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/greeks/greekdemocracy_03.shtml
History World, (Date Unknown). History of Democracy. Retrieved February 19, 2007, from History World Web site:http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=ac42
New Images obtained from Wikimedia Commons 14 June 2011
B. civic participation and voting rights
C. legislative bodies
D. constitution writing
E. rule of law
Focus Questions:Pericles' Funeral Oration
- What were the main principles of Athenian Government?
- How did the theory differ from the practice?
- What parallels can we draw between ancient Athens and our government today?
For a classic statement about democracy, read "Pericles' Funeral Oration" fromThe History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides.
Visit Demos for an overview of classical Athenian democracy and access to a growing database of sources.
Visit here for great overview of Greek Democracy centered around excavated artifacts.
For more on how democracy in Greece influenced American government, see USI.2
Overview
- Athens had an estimated population of 310,000 with 67,000 free-born Athenians (33,500 men and 33,500 women), 40,000 foreigners, and 203,000 slaves.
- The Athenian system of democracy was a direct system that did not have representatives speaking for the people.
- All Athenian Male citizens had a voice and could participate directly in government through The Assembly and theCouncil of 500.
- The Assembly: an open forum where all Athenian citizens could participate in making governmental decisions.
- The Council of 500, created by Cleisthenes, had 50 citizens from 10 tribes of Greece with 50 presidents elected per month.
- The Council broke the monopoly that wealthy families had on Athenian government.
- Ostracism allowed all citizens to vote for one man a year to be exiled for ten years, without appeal. Functioned like impeachment to remove unpopular figures from government (material based on notes provided by University of Massachusetts student Lauren Hebert, 2/13/11).
A. The "Polis". Our word "politics" originates from the Greek word “polis,” literally meaning "city." However, to the Ancient Greeks the word "city" did not just mean a location; rather, it described a political entity. This reflects the Ancient Greek notion that to be part of a city meant to be actively involved in making political decisions for that city.
Unlike ancient Mesopotamian cities, which were ruled by a monarch, Athens in the classical period was administered as a democracy. The polis consisted of everyone in the community (World History, William J. Duiker & Jackson J. Spielvogel, p. 101), but with distinctions:
- Citizens with political rights (adult males; about 10 percent of the population)
- Citizens without political rights (women and children)
- Noncitizens (slaves and resident aliens)
In order for direct Athenian democracy to work, the population had to be somewhat small in size (although Athens had a population of 250,000 by the fifth century BCE). Thus, the size of city-states allowed them to be among the first to foster democracy.
For an interesting lesson plan idea, compare the denial of political rights to women, children, slaves and foreigners in ancient Athens to modern-day conceptions of citizenship in our American democracy.
Cleisthenes, Father of Democracy
B. Civic Participation and Voting Rights
- An early form of democracy developed in the 5th century BC.
- Greece developed the theory of citizenship, which was unique in that it assumed the notion of legal equality—that is, people were equals regardless of wealth. In reality, however, only land owning males could vote. Women, slaves, and foreigners were not allowed. Even so, among this elite, the expectation that each person participate in making decisions about their city was revolutionary. It helped to equalize the privileges of the rich and the poor, which had previously been starkly different.
- The Athenian Government was a direct democracy, rather than the representative democracy we have today. Nowadays, we elect officials to represent us. Then, they drew straws to determine who officials would be. Elections, they thought, favored the rich.
- In order for a direct democracy to work, the community must be small enough for all eligible people to participate. The participants also must have enough time and money to take time away from their work so they can participate. In Athens this was possible for two reasons:
- Slaves and women could pick up the slack while eligible men were taking time to participate in government.
- Eligible men were paid a small amount of money to compensate for the time they took away from work to participate in government.
C. Legislative Bodies
- Two important components of the Greek democracy were the Assembly and the Council.
- Any eligible citizen could participate in the ASSEMBLY—this was the body that was made up of ordinary citizens. They could voice their opinion on any issue that was brought up at public meetings, which occurred four times a month.
- Men were selected to serve on the COUNCIL by drawing lots. These men made the decisions and served for one month at a time.
D. Constitution Writing
Solon marble bas-relief, one of 23 reliefs of great historical lawgivers in the chamber of the U.S. House of Representatvies
The Athenian Constitution by Aristole (350 BCE). For a comparsion, see the United States Constitution.
Solon, The Lawmaker of Athensby Plutarch
E. Rule of Law
KleroterionIn Athens, Jurors were picked at random from a pool of citizens eligible for jury duty. Names were selected from a stone machine called a kleroterion.
Learn more about how the machine worked here .
The basic Greek political unit was called the:
a) City
b) Olympia
c) Polis
d) Demographic
ANSWER: C (question from History Quiz Three, Ancient Greece, International World History Project).
Sources:
Martin, Thomas R. (Date Unknown). The Archaic Age. Retrieved February 20, 2007, from Ancient Greece Web site:http://www.ancientgreece.com/html/mythology_frame.htm
Cartledge, Paul (2001/01/01). The Democratic Experiment. Retrieved February 19, 2007, from BBC Web site:http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/greeks/greekdemocracy_03.shtml
History World, (Date Unknown). History of Democracy. Retrieved February 19, 2007, from History World Web site:http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=ac42
New Images obtained from Wikimedia Commons 14 June 2011
Compare and contrast life in Athens and Sparta.
Focus Question: What were the similarities and differences between Athens and Sparta?
Athenian citizens, about 340 BCE
See Two Faces of Greece: Athens and Sparta retrieved February, 10 2007 from pbs.org website. This is probably the most informative website to compare/contrast Ancient Sparta and Ancient Athens.
Funeral Oration of Pericles
The Polity of the Spartans, Xenophon, 375 BCE
The Polity of the Athenians, "The Old Oligarch," 424 BCE
If you find this material particularly fascinating, the actual video from the PBS series is current available on YouTube (see links below).
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
A picture of the Erechteum a famous temple located on the northern acropolis of Athens, Greece. This represents one of the ancient architectural marvels of Ancient Athens
The following is based upon the table presented on the PBS educational website, “The Greeks: Crucible of Civilization”. Points of similarity will be highlighted in bold front while points of difference will be italicized
Sparta and Athens: A Comparative Analysis
Map of Ancient Athens
Population & Geography:Athens: Approximately 140,000They were influenced by the same geographical features—the water that surrounded them facilitated trade and travel.In addition, their strategic location facilitated trade with other regional powers.Sparta: Approximately 100,000.While Sparta had a similar geographic location as Athens, Sparta did not use its location to facilitate trade and travel. While Sparta and Athens are not that far from each other, there landscapes differ greatly.
Instead, Sparta turned inward cutting itself away from the influences of other regional powers
Besides the obvious differences in philosophies, there is a very big difference in geography that cause these differences. Ancient Athens was situated somewhat close to the coast, it was only about five miles to the port city of Piraeus(which became part of Athens with the building of the Long Walls), thus it was no more then a few hours of travel from Athens to the coast line, thus greatly increasing the ability to be a trade center. Ancient Sparta however is located at the shortest distance 40 miles from the coast, however the terrain is somewhat rocky and there is no real straight path to the coast line. This would have greatly impeded the ability for Sparta to become a major trading port
Government & Political Organizations
Athens Government
Typically classified as a “limited democracy.” Also considered the “birthplace of democracy.”
Athens held the first democratic state, developed in 507 BC.
Principally made up of elected officials:
Council of 500 made most of the main administrative decisions
The Assembly was open to all citizens. This body passed laws and made policy decisions.
Although many nations throughout time have modeled their governments on the principles of Athenian Democracy, it was not perfect. Only adult men were able to participate in the democratic assemblies, and this was only 10-20% of the population. Women, children, slaves and foreigners were not allowed to participate.
Sparta Government
Typically classified as an "oligarchy" ( rule by the few), but had elements of monarchy, democracy, and aristocracy
Two kings were usually generals who commanded the major Spartan armies. While both were capable military leaders one was usually considered the leader of the army. This was done mainly so that in times of war Sparta would still retain a leader if the other were to die in battle. The most famous example was King Leonidas, who famously was able to hold off the enormous Persian Army at the battle of Thermoplyae.
Five overseers (ephors) ran the day-to-day operations of Sparta. These overseers held one year terms and were responsible for the education and conduct of all its citizens (The Essential World History, W. Duiker & J. Spielvogel, Second Edition, 2005, p. 76)
Council or Senate (apella) of 28 councilmen. These men had to be over 60 years old and served lifetime terms. They acted as judges and proposed laws to the citizens' assembly.
All Spartan males over age 30 could join the Assembly where they could show their support/dissent by shouting.
Social StructureAthens Social Structure
Freemen constituted all male citizens, divided into numerous classes:
A) At the top, the aristocrats held large estates and made up the cavalry or captain triremes
B) Middle ranks consisted mostly of small farmers;
C) The lowest class was the thetes who were usually urban craftsmen or rowers).
Metics – the people who lived outside the walls of Athens
1) Unable to own land
2) Could run industries and businesses
D) Slaves constituted the lowest class in Ancient Athens. Slaves had no rights. They constituted one fourth of the population. Though they often held important positions such as teachers and nurses.
Women’s principal role in Ancient Athens was in the home. They held no rightsin the Athenian democracy.
Sparta Social Structure
Spartan society was broken up into three main classes:
A) Spartiates – the military leadership who ruled the barracks. These men served in the military and could also vote.
B) Perioeci - the freemen in Ancient Sparta. These included: artisans, craftsmen, and merchants. While they did serve in the army, members of this group could not vote.
C) Helots – were serfs who generally descended from people overtaken by Spartan military victories. In addition to the conquest of land, these helots were the fruits of war. Members of this group typically gave half of their profits to the Spartan citizens who owned the land.
Bronze statuette of running girl, probably from Sparta.
In comparison with Ancient Athens, Spartan women held a variety of rights. For example, women could own property and engage in athletic events like the men in Ancient Sparta.
Lived by the motto of returning from battle either "With your shield or on it"
Language & ReligionAthens:
Same language, religion and gods as the Spartans. According to Duiker & J. Spielvogel, “religion was a civic duty necessary for the well-being of the state.” (pg. 81)
A) Polytheistic
B) Zeus was the supreme leader
Sparta:
Same language, religion and gods as the Athenians. According toDuiker & J. Spielvogel, “religion was a civic duty necessary for the well-being of the state.”(pg. 81)
A) Polytheistic
B) Zeus was the supreme leader
Military Strength and Cultural Values
Athens:
Strong navy and fortification
Strong belief in the democratic process
Sparta:
Strong army - overwhelmed opponents in sheer military strength
Strong belief in militaristic values. Their society was built upon a structure of order and discipline.
EducationAthens:
Boys: Learned an array of subjects including reading, writing, mathematics, music, poetry, sports and gymnastics.
Girls: Females received scant formal education. Instead, these women would focus on domestic skills like weaving and spinning.
Sparta:
Boys: Formal educations in the schoolhouses were not prized in Ancient Sparta. At the age of 7, boys would be placed into state-run training centers. At 20, Spartan males entered military services where they needed to serve until age 60 (essentially their entire lives!). Spartan men could marry at the age of 20, however they were unable to live with their families until age 30 when they left active military service.
Girls: On the other hand, females did receive some lessons in reading and writing. In addition, they could participate in sports.
Life and Arts
Athens:
Much of what we have come to think of as the ingenuity and innovations of ancient Greece came from Athens. It was the largest and most culturally influential city-state, and the people were known for their love of learning and the arts, as well as great leaps forward in philosophy and science.
Aside from being great writers and scholars, the Athenians were great architects. One of their most famous buildings, the Pantheon, is still an architectural marvel nearly 2500 years after its inception.
Sparta:
Spartans did not place a high value on the arts, education or architecture.
Spartans did not trade with others because they didn’t want to be influenced by any outside cultures.
According to Duiker & Spielvogel, Spartan citizens were discouraged to study the ideas of literature, science, and philosophy fearing that these new ideas could endanger the stability of the state (pg. 74)
Cultural Achievements and LegacyAthens:
Left a large contribution to modern society. The arts, architecture, drama, literature, philosophy, science, medicine, and government (democracy, trial by jury) are all ideas and disciplines that had great influence in Ancient Athens
Sparta:
Military prowess.
This is best evidenced by the fact in the difference of the modern appearance of the two cities. Athens, which is also the capital of modern Greece, is a vibrant tourist community with great ties to its past. They still have numerous ancient buildings at least partially standing and have numerous museums dedicated to artifacts from the past. However when you go to Sparta, the only thing letting you know that it is actually the location of one of the greatest military powers of the ancient world, besides the signs obviously, is the giant statue of King Leonidas outside of a recreational facility.
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Additional Notes
Athens and Sparta sometimes had common enemies. In 490 BC, the Persians, led by King Darius, invaded Greece. Athens and Sparta joined with other city-states to fight the Persians. The Greeks won in a famous battle at Marathon, however this victory at Marathon was done without the aid of the Spartan army. In 481 BC, Persia attacked again, this time led by Xerxes, Darius’ son. Athens and Sparta again united and eventually defeated the resurgent Persians.
Additional Resources
[1]http://oyc.yale.edu/classics/introduction-to-ancient-greek-history/
On this website, students and teachers alike can watch college lectures of the Yale Classics course called, “Introduction to Ancient Greek History.” Under the tutelage of Professor Donald Kagan, you can watch and listen to an entire semester’s worth of classes on Ancient Greece including two on Athens and Sparta alike.
[2] http://chalk.richmond.edu/education/projects/webunits/greecerome/Greecerelig1.html
This is a good website that provides an outline of Ancient Greek religion.
[3]http://www.indiana.edu/~thtr/2002/lysistrata/women.html
The University of Indian Theatre department provided a belief background chronicling the roles of women in Athens and Spartan society alike. This is a nice shorthand way to showcase the important differences of gender roles within these two prominent Greek city-states.
[4] Nosotro, Rit (2000). Athens and Sparta. Retrieved February 13, 2007, from HyperHistory.Net Web site:http://www.hyperhistory.net/apwh/essays/comp/cw4athensspartap2dz.htm
This website provides a short comparative essay between the city-states of Athens and Sparta.
[5] http://www.studyworld.com/newsite/reportessay/History/European%5CSparta_Vs_Athens.htm Athens Info Guide, (2004). History of Athens, Birthplace of Democracy. Retrieved February 13, 2007, from Athens Info Guide Web site:http://www.athensinfoguide.com/history.htm
This is another short article comparing and contrasting Sparta and Athens.
Athenian citizens, about 340 BCE
See Two Faces of Greece: Athens and Sparta retrieved February, 10 2007 from pbs.org website. This is probably the most informative website to compare/contrast Ancient Sparta and Ancient Athens.
Funeral Oration of Pericles
The Polity of the Spartans, Xenophon, 375 BCE
The Polity of the Athenians, "The Old Oligarch," 424 BCE
If you find this material particularly fascinating, the actual video from the PBS series is current available on YouTube (see links below).
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
A picture of the Erechteum a famous temple located on the northern acropolis of Athens, Greece. This represents one of the ancient architectural marvels of Ancient Athens
The following is based upon the table presented on the PBS educational website, “The Greeks: Crucible of Civilization”. Points of similarity will be highlighted in bold front while points of difference will be italicized
Sparta and Athens: A Comparative Analysis
Map of Ancient Athens
Population & Geography:Athens: Approximately 140,000They were influenced by the same geographical features—the water that surrounded them facilitated trade and travel.In addition, their strategic location facilitated trade with other regional powers.Sparta: Approximately 100,000.While Sparta had a similar geographic location as Athens, Sparta did not use its location to facilitate trade and travel. While Sparta and Athens are not that far from each other, there landscapes differ greatly.
Instead, Sparta turned inward cutting itself away from the influences of other regional powers
Besides the obvious differences in philosophies, there is a very big difference in geography that cause these differences. Ancient Athens was situated somewhat close to the coast, it was only about five miles to the port city of Piraeus(which became part of Athens with the building of the Long Walls), thus it was no more then a few hours of travel from Athens to the coast line, thus greatly increasing the ability to be a trade center. Ancient Sparta however is located at the shortest distance 40 miles from the coast, however the terrain is somewhat rocky and there is no real straight path to the coast line. This would have greatly impeded the ability for Sparta to become a major trading port
Government & Political Organizations
Athens Government
Typically classified as a “limited democracy.” Also considered the “birthplace of democracy.”
Athens held the first democratic state, developed in 507 BC.
Principally made up of elected officials:
Council of 500 made most of the main administrative decisions
The Assembly was open to all citizens. This body passed laws and made policy decisions.
Although many nations throughout time have modeled their governments on the principles of Athenian Democracy, it was not perfect. Only adult men were able to participate in the democratic assemblies, and this was only 10-20% of the population. Women, children, slaves and foreigners were not allowed to participate.
Sparta Government
Typically classified as an "oligarchy" ( rule by the few), but had elements of monarchy, democracy, and aristocracy
Two kings were usually generals who commanded the major Spartan armies. While both were capable military leaders one was usually considered the leader of the army. This was done mainly so that in times of war Sparta would still retain a leader if the other were to die in battle. The most famous example was King Leonidas, who famously was able to hold off the enormous Persian Army at the battle of Thermoplyae.
Five overseers (ephors) ran the day-to-day operations of Sparta. These overseers held one year terms and were responsible for the education and conduct of all its citizens (The Essential World History, W. Duiker & J. Spielvogel, Second Edition, 2005, p. 76)
Council or Senate (apella) of 28 councilmen. These men had to be over 60 years old and served lifetime terms. They acted as judges and proposed laws to the citizens' assembly.
All Spartan males over age 30 could join the Assembly where they could show their support/dissent by shouting.
Social StructureAthens Social Structure
Freemen constituted all male citizens, divided into numerous classes:
A) At the top, the aristocrats held large estates and made up the cavalry or captain triremes
B) Middle ranks consisted mostly of small farmers;
C) The lowest class was the thetes who were usually urban craftsmen or rowers).
Metics – the people who lived outside the walls of Athens
1) Unable to own land
2) Could run industries and businesses
D) Slaves constituted the lowest class in Ancient Athens. Slaves had no rights. They constituted one fourth of the population. Though they often held important positions such as teachers and nurses.
Women’s principal role in Ancient Athens was in the home. They held no rightsin the Athenian democracy.
Sparta Social Structure
Spartan society was broken up into three main classes:
A) Spartiates – the military leadership who ruled the barracks. These men served in the military and could also vote.
B) Perioeci - the freemen in Ancient Sparta. These included: artisans, craftsmen, and merchants. While they did serve in the army, members of this group could not vote.
C) Helots – were serfs who generally descended from people overtaken by Spartan military victories. In addition to the conquest of land, these helots were the fruits of war. Members of this group typically gave half of their profits to the Spartan citizens who owned the land.
Bronze statuette of running girl, probably from Sparta.
In comparison with Ancient Athens, Spartan women held a variety of rights. For example, women could own property and engage in athletic events like the men in Ancient Sparta.
Lived by the motto of returning from battle either "With your shield or on it"
Language & ReligionAthens:
Same language, religion and gods as the Spartans. According to Duiker & J. Spielvogel, “religion was a civic duty necessary for the well-being of the state.” (pg. 81)
A) Polytheistic
B) Zeus was the supreme leader
Sparta:
Same language, religion and gods as the Athenians. According toDuiker & J. Spielvogel, “religion was a civic duty necessary for the well-being of the state.”(pg. 81)
A) Polytheistic
B) Zeus was the supreme leader
Military Strength and Cultural Values
Athens:
Strong navy and fortification
Strong belief in the democratic process
Sparta:
Strong army - overwhelmed opponents in sheer military strength
Strong belief in militaristic values. Their society was built upon a structure of order and discipline.
EducationAthens:
Boys: Learned an array of subjects including reading, writing, mathematics, music, poetry, sports and gymnastics.
Girls: Females received scant formal education. Instead, these women would focus on domestic skills like weaving and spinning.
Sparta:
Boys: Formal educations in the schoolhouses were not prized in Ancient Sparta. At the age of 7, boys would be placed into state-run training centers. At 20, Spartan males entered military services where they needed to serve until age 60 (essentially their entire lives!). Spartan men could marry at the age of 20, however they were unable to live with their families until age 30 when they left active military service.
Girls: On the other hand, females did receive some lessons in reading and writing. In addition, they could participate in sports.
Life and Arts
Athens:
Much of what we have come to think of as the ingenuity and innovations of ancient Greece came from Athens. It was the largest and most culturally influential city-state, and the people were known for their love of learning and the arts, as well as great leaps forward in philosophy and science.
Aside from being great writers and scholars, the Athenians were great architects. One of their most famous buildings, the Pantheon, is still an architectural marvel nearly 2500 years after its inception.
Sparta:
Spartans did not place a high value on the arts, education or architecture.
Spartans did not trade with others because they didn’t want to be influenced by any outside cultures.
According to Duiker & Spielvogel, Spartan citizens were discouraged to study the ideas of literature, science, and philosophy fearing that these new ideas could endanger the stability of the state (pg. 74)
Cultural Achievements and LegacyAthens:
Left a large contribution to modern society. The arts, architecture, drama, literature, philosophy, science, medicine, and government (democracy, trial by jury) are all ideas and disciplines that had great influence in Ancient Athens
Sparta:
Military prowess.
This is best evidenced by the fact in the difference of the modern appearance of the two cities. Athens, which is also the capital of modern Greece, is a vibrant tourist community with great ties to its past. They still have numerous ancient buildings at least partially standing and have numerous museums dedicated to artifacts from the past. However when you go to Sparta, the only thing letting you know that it is actually the location of one of the greatest military powers of the ancient world, besides the signs obviously, is the giant statue of King Leonidas outside of a recreational facility.
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Additional Notes
Athens and Sparta sometimes had common enemies. In 490 BC, the Persians, led by King Darius, invaded Greece. Athens and Sparta joined with other city-states to fight the Persians. The Greeks won in a famous battle at Marathon, however this victory at Marathon was done without the aid of the Spartan army. In 481 BC, Persia attacked again, this time led by Xerxes, Darius’ son. Athens and Sparta again united and eventually defeated the resurgent Persians.
Additional Resources
[1]http://oyc.yale.edu/classics/introduction-to-ancient-greek-history/
On this website, students and teachers alike can watch college lectures of the Yale Classics course called, “Introduction to Ancient Greek History.” Under the tutelage of Professor Donald Kagan, you can watch and listen to an entire semester’s worth of classes on Ancient Greece including two on Athens and Sparta alike.
[2] http://chalk.richmond.edu/education/projects/webunits/greecerome/Greecerelig1.html
This is a good website that provides an outline of Ancient Greek religion.
[3]http://www.indiana.edu/~thtr/2002/lysistrata/women.html
The University of Indian Theatre department provided a belief background chronicling the roles of women in Athens and Spartan society alike. This is a nice shorthand way to showcase the important differences of gender roles within these two prominent Greek city-states.
[4] Nosotro, Rit (2000). Athens and Sparta. Retrieved February 13, 2007, from HyperHistory.Net Web site:http://www.hyperhistory.net/apwh/essays/comp/cw4athensspartap2dz.htm
This website provides a short comparative essay between the city-states of Athens and Sparta.
[5] http://www.studyworld.com/newsite/reportessay/History/European%5CSparta_Vs_Athens.htm Athens Info Guide, (2004). History of Athens, Birthplace of Democracy. Retrieved February 13, 2007, from Athens Info Guide Web site:http://www.athensinfoguide.com/history.htm
This is another short article comparing and contrasting Sparta and Athens.
Describe the status of women and the functions of slaves in ancient Athens.
Focus Question: What was the status of women and slaves in ancient Athens and what was their experience?Amazon wearing trousers and carrying a shield with an attached patterned cloth and a quiver. Attic white-ground alabastron, ca. 470 BC. © Marie-Lan Nguyen / Wikimedia Commons
In Ancient Greece, only adult, non-slave, native males (not foreigners) had the right to vote and participate in government. Education and sporting events were also largely reserved for this group—which, by the way, only comprised 10-20% of the population. Needless to say, this group formed the dominant culture of Ancient Greece.
So what, then, was life like for others, specifically women and slaves?
Because most women and slaves were not literate, they could not write their own stories. We do know some about their lives from the writings of educated men and from art. Much of the information we do have is from Athens and Sparta—it is interesting to see the differences in the lives of women in the two city-states.
Click here for the website Women in the Ancient and Medieval Worlds for background on the roles and status of women in society.
Click here for a pbs summary of the role of women in Athens. It mentions the similarities in treatment between women and slaves in the city-state. Women in Athens
Women…in Athens:
…in Sparta:
(Note—the above comments are relevant only to non-slave women)
Slaves4th century BC funerary relief for a woman, who is greeting her son. Beetween them, a female slave.
"The modern term that is used to refer to the type of slavery found in ancient Athens (and in most other Greek poleis) is 'chattel slavery'. . . That is, Athenian slaves were the living property of their owners; they could be sold at will or they could be beaten and branded and forced to work for their owners like an ox. . . .a slave was considered to be inherently inferior in character to his citizen/owner" (quoted in Ancient Greek Civilization, David Sansone, Second Edition, Wiley-Blackwell, 2009, p. 131).
More information on Athenian women from Minnesota State
Sources:
Thompson, James C. (2005). Women Athens. Retrieved February 14, 2007, from Women in the Ancient World Web site:http://www.womenintheancientworld.com/women%20in%20ancient%20greece.htm
Thompson, James C. (James). Women in Sparta. Retrieved February 14, 2007, from Women in the Ancient World Web site:http://www.womenintheancientworld.com/women%20in%20sparta.htm
In Ancient Greece, only adult, non-slave, native males (not foreigners) had the right to vote and participate in government. Education and sporting events were also largely reserved for this group—which, by the way, only comprised 10-20% of the population. Needless to say, this group formed the dominant culture of Ancient Greece.
So what, then, was life like for others, specifically women and slaves?
Because most women and slaves were not literate, they could not write their own stories. We do know some about their lives from the writings of educated men and from art. Much of the information we do have is from Athens and Sparta—it is interesting to see the differences in the lives of women in the two city-states.
Click here for the website Women in the Ancient and Medieval Worlds for background on the roles and status of women in society.
Click here for a pbs summary of the role of women in Athens. It mentions the similarities in treatment between women and slaves in the city-state. Women in Athens
Women…in Athens:
- Most Athenian philosophers, who were very influential in their time, thought that women had strong emotions and weak minds. (Plato did not, however, hold thisWoman from Athens suburbs by Stackelberg
view—it is also interesting to think about the disparity between the power of Goddesses and the powerlessness of mortal females.) - Women in Ancient Athens were not allowed to own major property—in fact, all she was allowed to own were her clothes, jewelry, and personal slave(s). She could buy some cheap items, but for the most part did not have access to money.
- Elite men in Athens saw non-slave women either as wives or potential wives. This is indicative that women were valued for their function in society rather than their individuality.
- Women usually married shortly after puberty—their husbands were often about 20 years older than they were.
- Each elite Athenian woman had a Guardian (called a kyrios)—this was either her husband or closest male relative. He was assigned to protect her and make decisions regarding her life.
- Wives spent most of their time in the home. Women sometimes gathered with other women for religious ceremonies. They also left the house for occasions such as funerals.
- If a woman was not a wife, chances are she worked to serve men in one of the following ways:
- Prostitutes either worked in brothels (where they were controlled by brothel owners) or on the street, where they may have had more control over their lives—although there were various laws regarding how much they could charge and what they could wear.
- Heretas were hired by men for entertainment—this could include sex but more likely included flirtatious behavior and conversation. Heretas were unusual amoung women in that they were known for their knowledge of the world and their intellectual vigor. Most heretas worked at male gatherings but some entertained in their own homes.
- Concubines were considered to be above prostitutes and Heretas. Concubines had more permanent relationships with men and acted as their mistresses.
- Wives, out of all of these women, were considered the least desirable to men—their role was simply to produce and rear children and run the home.
…in Sparta:
- Women in Sparta could own property—they may have actually owned 1/3 of Sparta.Spartan Woman
- Women could inherit wealth, although probably did not inherit as much as their male counterparts.
- Spartan women, like the men, were bold and powerful. They participated in sports.
- While Spartan women had some influence in politics, it remained largely the domain of men.
- Spartan women, like their Athenian counterparts, held the responsibility of producing offspring. This pressure may have been even stronger in Sparta, since any “imperfect” baby was left to die.
- Spartan girls had more access to arts and education.
- Spartan girls did not have to marry as young as Athenians did, and their husbands were closer in age to them.
- Women only raised their sons until the age of seven—after that their sons went off to rigorous military training.
(Note—the above comments are relevant only to non-slave women)
Slaves4th century BC funerary relief for a woman, who is greeting her son. Beetween them, a female slave.
"The modern term that is used to refer to the type of slavery found in ancient Athens (and in most other Greek poleis) is 'chattel slavery'. . . That is, Athenian slaves were the living property of their owners; they could be sold at will or they could be beaten and branded and forced to work for their owners like an ox. . . .a slave was considered to be inherently inferior in character to his citizen/owner" (quoted in Ancient Greek Civilization, David Sansone, Second Edition, Wiley-Blackwell, 2009, p. 131).
- Enslaved people were not allowed to be citizens, regardless of gender.
- Slavery was thought of as a normal part of life in Ancient Greece.
- Slaves outnumbered adult male citizens in Athens, perhaps by a large number (Ancient Greek Civilization, David Sansone, Second Edition, Wiley-Blackwell, 2009, p. 132).
- One could become a slave if they were captured while traveling or if they were on the losing side of a war. Slavery was different then in the sense that it was not based on the subjugation of an entire people. It was not racially or ethnically based.
- Particularly in Sparta, slaves were responsible for nearly all the agricultural work. Enslaved people could also have the role of attending a certain woman or other important person.
- Many female slaves worked as prostitutes in brothels. They also had to weave or do other tasks for brothel owners.
More information on Athenian women from Minnesota State
Sources:
Thompson, James C. (2005). Women Athens. Retrieved February 14, 2007, from Women in the Ancient World Web site:http://www.womenintheancientworld.com/women%20in%20ancient%20greece.htm
Thompson, James C. (James). Women in Sparta. Retrieved February 14, 2007, from Women in the Ancient World Web site:http://www.womenintheancientworld.com/women%20in%20sparta.htm
Analyze the causes, course, and consequences of the Persian Wars, including the origins of marathons.
Focus Question: What were the causes of the Persian Wars and how did they affect the Greeks’ concept of themselves?
Overview of the Persian Wars , from a website maintained by Professor Skip Knox at Boise State University.
Greek Soldiers
Essential Understandings
The Persian Wars were fought between Greece and Persia from 492-479 BC. Greece, up until this point, was merely a collection of city states without a strong, collective identity. This means that they did not really see themselves as “Greece,” rather, they saw themselves as Athens, Sparta, and so on. But the Persian wars helped to bring them together, helped them form a Greek identity, and defined Greek culture. Here are a few important concepts:
Web-based activities about the Persian Wars, including an interactive map of the battlefield of Plataia, maintained by the British Museum.
Causes of the Persian Wars
The Battle of Marathon was hugely significant for Greece. But Persia, because it was such an enormous empire, considered it a small loss. Persia did seek revenge 9 years later under the new leadership of Xerxes in 481 B.C.E.
Ancient Greek plays, oral histories, and texts by ancient Greek and Roman historians are important primary sources for Greek history. An archive of some texts pertaining to the Persian Wars can be found here.
Gorgo, the Queen of Sparta, is one of the only women mentioned in Herodotus's account of the Persian Wars.
The History of MarathonsStatue of Pheidippides along the Marathon Road
The marathons that we know today have their origins in the Battle of Marathon. Marathons are based on the famous run of a messenger named Pheidippides.
It is said that he ran from the battlefield of Marathon to Athens to announce Greek victory. He then ran to Sparta to ask for help and ran all the way back.
This long journey inspired the marathon in 1896 in the first Olympics in Athens. Marathons as we know them have been around since.
Timeline:Persian Wars—792-479 BCE
Battle of Marathon—490 BCE
Xerxes in Power—486-465 BCE
Xerxis attacked Greece—481 BCE
Mardonius killed/Greek victory—479 BCE
Sources:Hooker, Richard (1996). The Persian Wars. Retrieved March 24, 2007, from Washington State University Web site:http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/GREECE/PERSIAN.HTM
Martin, Thomas R. (Date Unknown). Clash Between Greeks and Persians: The Beginning of the Persain Wars. Retrieved March 24, 2007, from The Perseus Digital Library Web site: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin//ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0009&query=head%3D%23116
Apostolos Greek Tours, (Updated March 26th 2007). Athens Marathon. Retrieved March 26, 2007, from Athens Marathon Web site: http://www.athensmarathon.com/marathon/history.html
Overview of the Persian Wars , from a website maintained by Professor Skip Knox at Boise State University.
Greek Soldiers
Essential Understandings
The Persian Wars were fought between Greece and Persia from 492-479 BC. Greece, up until this point, was merely a collection of city states without a strong, collective identity. This means that they did not really see themselves as “Greece,” rather, they saw themselves as Athens, Sparta, and so on. But the Persian wars helped to bring them together, helped them form a Greek identity, and defined Greek culture. Here are a few important concepts:
- The Persian wars brought different city states together (because they had to work together to fight, which in turn helped them see what they had in common with each other.)
- For the Greeks, the experience of coming into contact with people who were different from them helped them to form their own identity.
- The Greeks felt great pride in their victories against such a great empire. The Persian Wars helped to perpetuate and inspire the growth of Greek culture. They influenced scholarship and theater. For example, the wars were the subject of what is considered the first written history by Herodotus and themes of morality and war also appeared in theater.
Web-based activities about the Persian Wars, including an interactive map of the battlefield of Plataia, maintained by the British Museum.
Causes of the Persian Wars
- At the end of the 6th century B.C.E., Athens and Sparta had some minor conflicts with Lydia and Sardis, which were under the control of the Persian empire. As often happens, Persia wanted revenge and attacked Athens. This attack happened at Marathon in 490 B.C.E under King Darius, and it is considered the most famous battle of the Persian Wars. Greece won, but if it hadn’t it could have been colonized by Persia.
The Battle of Marathon was hugely significant for Greece. But Persia, because it was such an enormous empire, considered it a small loss. Persia did seek revenge 9 years later under the new leadership of Xerxes in 481 B.C.E.
- Athens was prepared for the attack because they spent many years building up their navy, and they were again victorious against Persia.
- The last battle of the Persian Wars was in 479 BC. In this battle, the Spartan king Pausanias led Greece against remaining Persians in the area. Most significant in this battle was the killing of Mardonius, a leader of the Persian army.
Ancient Greek plays, oral histories, and texts by ancient Greek and Roman historians are important primary sources for Greek history. An archive of some texts pertaining to the Persian Wars can be found here.
Gorgo, the Queen of Sparta, is one of the only women mentioned in Herodotus's account of the Persian Wars.
The History of MarathonsStatue of Pheidippides along the Marathon Road
The marathons that we know today have their origins in the Battle of Marathon. Marathons are based on the famous run of a messenger named Pheidippides.
It is said that he ran from the battlefield of Marathon to Athens to announce Greek victory. He then ran to Sparta to ask for help and ran all the way back.
This long journey inspired the marathon in 1896 in the first Olympics in Athens. Marathons as we know them have been around since.
Timeline:Persian Wars—792-479 BCE
Battle of Marathon—490 BCE
Xerxes in Power—486-465 BCE
Xerxis attacked Greece—481 BCE
Mardonius killed/Greek victory—479 BCE
Sources:Hooker, Richard (1996). The Persian Wars. Retrieved March 24, 2007, from Washington State University Web site:http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/GREECE/PERSIAN.HTM
Martin, Thomas R. (Date Unknown). Clash Between Greeks and Persians: The Beginning of the Persain Wars. Retrieved March 24, 2007, from The Perseus Digital Library Web site: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin//ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0009&query=head%3D%23116
Apostolos Greek Tours, (Updated March 26th 2007). Athens Marathon. Retrieved March 26, 2007, from Athens Marathon Web site: http://www.athensmarathon.com/marathon/history.html
Analyze the causes, course, and consequences of the Peloponnesian Wars between Athens and Sparta.
Focus Question: What were the causes, course, and consequences of the Peloponnesian Wars between Athens and Sparta?
Pre-Conflict RelationshipThe Peloponnesian Wars were a series of military conflicts in Ancient Greece between Sparta and Athens between 431-404 BC. Sparta and Athens were the two major city-states (independent cities) in Ancient Greece. Approximately 40 years prior to conflict arising between the two city-states, they were united to fight Persian imperialism. In 479 BC, Sparta and Athens worked together to successfully defend their land from the Persian’s attempt to conquer. However, after the joint defeat of the Persians they began to quarrel among themselves.
Lesson plan from PBS focusing on an Athens/Sparta comparison
Origins of War: Rise of AthensBust of Pericles
After their conflict with the Persians, Athens developed into the most powerful city-state in Greece. Athens was the center of Greek culture and commerce under the leadership of Perciles in what has been termed the Age of Perciles.
Athens created an Empire in two ways. Athens took on the responsibility of defending Greece by creating the Delian League, a military body whose purpose was to ensure security in the region. In addition, Athens began practicing democracy. The majority of male citizens played a role in determining policy through participating in the Assembly (Athens political body). Democracy created a climate in which both the arts and academics flourished. Athens became the most admired city-state in the land. Sparta was concerned by Athens’ growing power in the region – they were scared Athens would eventually use this power to try and control them through imperial pursuits. This motivated Sparta to start military conflict with Athens.
Course of the WarThe war began when Sparta repeatedly attacked Attica (land controlled by Athens) and attempted to ruin the food supply by destroying crops. The Athenians stayed in Athens behind a protective wall. They left the fighting up to their very strong navy, which defended the city and responded to attacks by Sparta by attacking the Peloponnese. A few years into the early war a plague broke out in Athens, which killed around one third of the population. Nevertheless, the Athenians continued to fight against Sparta for twenty seven years. In 404 BC, Sparta successfully destroyed Athens’ navy and then tore down its protective wall. The defeat of the Athenian army forced Athens to surrender and Sparta emerged from the war victorious.
Alexander fighting Darius, the Persian king (mosaic from Pompeii)Battles of the Peloponnesian War
ConsequencesPhillip II of Macedonia
The Peloponnesian Wars changed Greek society; the war resulted in a great deal of destruction and widespread poverty. Additionally, Athens lost its status as the most powerful Greek city-state. Neither Athens, Sparta, nor Thebes could gain full control, resulting in the weakening of the city-state system. The war set the stage for the conquest of Greece by the Macedonians (the people who lived in the mountains north of Greece) in 338. The Macedonian forces were led by Philip II, Alexander the Great's father.
The History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides (431 BCE)
Additional Resources:BBC - Schools - Ancient Greece
Ancient Greece
Kidipede: History for Kids
History of Western Civilization
HISTORYWORLD
Pre-Conflict RelationshipThe Peloponnesian Wars were a series of military conflicts in Ancient Greece between Sparta and Athens between 431-404 BC. Sparta and Athens were the two major city-states (independent cities) in Ancient Greece. Approximately 40 years prior to conflict arising between the two city-states, they were united to fight Persian imperialism. In 479 BC, Sparta and Athens worked together to successfully defend their land from the Persian’s attempt to conquer. However, after the joint defeat of the Persians they began to quarrel among themselves.
Lesson plan from PBS focusing on an Athens/Sparta comparison
Origins of War: Rise of AthensBust of Pericles
After their conflict with the Persians, Athens developed into the most powerful city-state in Greece. Athens was the center of Greek culture and commerce under the leadership of Perciles in what has been termed the Age of Perciles.
Athens created an Empire in two ways. Athens took on the responsibility of defending Greece by creating the Delian League, a military body whose purpose was to ensure security in the region. In addition, Athens began practicing democracy. The majority of male citizens played a role in determining policy through participating in the Assembly (Athens political body). Democracy created a climate in which both the arts and academics flourished. Athens became the most admired city-state in the land. Sparta was concerned by Athens’ growing power in the region – they were scared Athens would eventually use this power to try and control them through imperial pursuits. This motivated Sparta to start military conflict with Athens.
Course of the WarThe war began when Sparta repeatedly attacked Attica (land controlled by Athens) and attempted to ruin the food supply by destroying crops. The Athenians stayed in Athens behind a protective wall. They left the fighting up to their very strong navy, which defended the city and responded to attacks by Sparta by attacking the Peloponnese. A few years into the early war a plague broke out in Athens, which killed around one third of the population. Nevertheless, the Athenians continued to fight against Sparta for twenty seven years. In 404 BC, Sparta successfully destroyed Athens’ navy and then tore down its protective wall. The defeat of the Athenian army forced Athens to surrender and Sparta emerged from the war victorious.
Alexander fighting Darius, the Persian king (mosaic from Pompeii)Battles of the Peloponnesian War
ConsequencesPhillip II of Macedonia
The Peloponnesian Wars changed Greek society; the war resulted in a great deal of destruction and widespread poverty. Additionally, Athens lost its status as the most powerful Greek city-state. Neither Athens, Sparta, nor Thebes could gain full control, resulting in the weakening of the city-state system. The war set the stage for the conquest of Greece by the Macedonians (the people who lived in the mountains north of Greece) in 338. The Macedonian forces were led by Philip II, Alexander the Great's father.
The History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides (431 BCE)
Additional Resources:BBC - Schools - Ancient Greece
Ancient Greece
Kidipede: History for Kids
History of Western Civilization
HISTORYWORLD
Describe rise of Alexander the Great and the spread of Greek culture.
Focus Question: How did Alexander the Great promote the spread of Greek culture?Essential Understandings
For extensive background information, see Alexander the Great from Professor Skip Knox at Boise State University.
See also Alexander The Great: The "Good Sources" from Ancient Warfare Magazine.
Read The Death of Alexander from Arrian of Nicomedia, a early historian who wrote about events that happened 400 years before his lifetime by assembling a wide variety of sources, now lost, in a text known as Anabasis.
Alexander the Great lived from 356-323 B.C.E. and is considered one of the most successful military commanders in history reigning from 336 BCE to the time of his death. During his early years he was personally tutored by Aristotle, who influenced Alexander's respect for Greek culture. He came to power at the age of twenty after the assassination of his father Philip II.
Philip had successfully united many of the city states in Macedon, and as the next king of Macedonia, Alexander continued his conquests. After first overthrowing and conquering the Persian Empire he annexed Anatolia, Syria, Phoenicia, Judea, Gaza, Egypt, Bactria, Mesopotamia as well as parts of India. He additionally planned to extend his empire to the "ends of the world."
Another successful part of Alexander's campaign was his inclusion of foreigners in his army. His "policy of fusion" included the encouragement of intermarriage between foreign women and his soldiers as well as the inclusion of Persians on equal terms into his army. By including those of other cultures in his campaign, Alexander began the spread of Greek life and culture, as evidenced by artifacts from the time period.
As a result, Alexander facilitated the merging of Greek and Middle Eastern cultures. He brought Greek culture into all of the lands that he conquered[1] and he encouraged its spread into Asia. Alexander the Great's, greatest victory was at the Battle of Gaugamela (331 B.C.E.), which is now northern Iraq.
Alexander the Great at the Battle of GaugamelaUpon being given the title of "Great King" of Persia at the age of 25, Alexander the Great for 8 yrs. spread his reign and created an Empire which spanned across 3 continents and covered about 2 million square miles. By means of a network of trade and commerce and united by a common Greek language and culture, Alexander the Great was able to promote and spread the Greek culture to the areas which he conquered.
Alexander died in 323 B.C.E.. It is unclear if his death was induced after a night of drinking, an illness, or poisoning. He died without a successor and thus ushered in the downfall of the Macedonian Empire.
Alexander, Philip II, and Cleopatra Eurydice
Additional Information
Alexander the Great's Empire at its height
Sources
[[#_ftnref1|[1]]
] Hackney, Adam Overview of Alexander the Great . Retrieved March 30, 2007, from Alexander the Great Web Site Web site:http://atgspot.com/alex_web/alexfram.htm
"Alexander the Great." Macedonia FAQ. 08 Feb. 2009: http://faq.macedonia.org/history/alexander.the.great.html
[3] Alexander the Great: Alexander of Macedon Biography. Found on 5 February 2011.http://www.historyofmacedonia.org/AncientMacedonia/AlexandertheGreat.html.
[4] Alexander the Great. Found on 5 February 2011. http://history-world.org/alexander_the_great1.htm .
[5] Alexander the Great. Found on 5 February 2011. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/alexander_the_great.shtml
For extensive background information, see Alexander the Great from Professor Skip Knox at Boise State University.
See also Alexander The Great: The "Good Sources" from Ancient Warfare Magazine.
Read The Death of Alexander from Arrian of Nicomedia, a early historian who wrote about events that happened 400 years before his lifetime by assembling a wide variety of sources, now lost, in a text known as Anabasis.
Alexander the Great lived from 356-323 B.C.E. and is considered one of the most successful military commanders in history reigning from 336 BCE to the time of his death. During his early years he was personally tutored by Aristotle, who influenced Alexander's respect for Greek culture. He came to power at the age of twenty after the assassination of his father Philip II.
Philip had successfully united many of the city states in Macedon, and as the next king of Macedonia, Alexander continued his conquests. After first overthrowing and conquering the Persian Empire he annexed Anatolia, Syria, Phoenicia, Judea, Gaza, Egypt, Bactria, Mesopotamia as well as parts of India. He additionally planned to extend his empire to the "ends of the world."
Another successful part of Alexander's campaign was his inclusion of foreigners in his army. His "policy of fusion" included the encouragement of intermarriage between foreign women and his soldiers as well as the inclusion of Persians on equal terms into his army. By including those of other cultures in his campaign, Alexander began the spread of Greek life and culture, as evidenced by artifacts from the time period.
As a result, Alexander facilitated the merging of Greek and Middle Eastern cultures. He brought Greek culture into all of the lands that he conquered[1] and he encouraged its spread into Asia. Alexander the Great's, greatest victory was at the Battle of Gaugamela (331 B.C.E.), which is now northern Iraq.
Alexander the Great at the Battle of GaugamelaUpon being given the title of "Great King" of Persia at the age of 25, Alexander the Great for 8 yrs. spread his reign and created an Empire which spanned across 3 continents and covered about 2 million square miles. By means of a network of trade and commerce and united by a common Greek language and culture, Alexander the Great was able to promote and spread the Greek culture to the areas which he conquered.
Alexander died in 323 B.C.E.. It is unclear if his death was induced after a night of drinking, an illness, or poisoning. He died without a successor and thus ushered in the downfall of the Macedonian Empire.
Alexander, Philip II, and Cleopatra Eurydice
- The royal family split apart after the defeat of the Greeks at Chaerona, when Phillip II married Cleopatra Eurydice.
- The story goes that Cleopatra's uncle made a statement essentially stating that Phillip II should have a child who is a "legitimate heir" and in response Alexander the Great threw his cup at him for essentially being called a bastard child. In response Phillip II raised his sward and charged at Alexander and in a drunken slumber tripped over his own feet.
- Alexander is quoted as stating to his father: "Here is a man who was making ready to cross from Europe to Asia, and who cannot even cross from one table to another without losing his balance"
Additional Information
- Considered one of the greatest military geniuses of all time
Alexander the Great's Empire at its height
Sources
[[#_ftnref1|[1]]
] Hackney, Adam Overview of Alexander the Great . Retrieved March 30, 2007, from Alexander the Great Web Site Web site:http://atgspot.com/alex_web/alexfram.htm
"Alexander the Great." Macedonia FAQ. 08 Feb. 2009: http://faq.macedonia.org/history/alexander.the.great.html
[3] Alexander the Great: Alexander of Macedon Biography. Found on 5 February 2011.http://www.historyofmacedonia.org/AncientMacedonia/AlexandertheGreat.html.
[4] Alexander the Great. Found on 5 February 2011. http://history-world.org/alexander_the_great1.htm .
[5] Alexander the Great. Found on 5 February 2011. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/alexander_the_great.shtml
Describe the myths and stories of classical Greece; give examples of Greek gods and goddesses, heroes, and events, and where and how we see their names used today.
Focus Question: What was the nature of Greek Mythology, and what do Greek myths tell us about ancient Greek society?
Essential Understandings
The ancient Greeks had a very large, well-developed pantheon of gods and goddesses as well as a myriad of stories about the activities of these gods and goddesses. They also had many stories about heroic mortals who performed nearly impossible feats of strength, intellect, and cunning, usually thanks to their descent from or favor with particular gods. Taken together, these stories of gods and heroes comprised the entirety of what we call Greek mythology. This mythology provides a useful insight into the nature of Greek society and how they thought about the world around them.
One of the most striking features of these mythic stories is how the gods are portrayed as very similar to the mortals who worship them. The gods bicker and quarrel amongst themselves, they fall in love and have affairs, they fall out of love and become moody and unpredictable, they become jealous of each other and try to one-up their rivals, and they use lesser creatures (ie, mortals) as pawns in their games amongst themselves. It is as if the gods are merely enlarged, very powerful humans who live forever.
Zeus
The ancient Greeks viewed the world's events as being controlled by creatures very similar to themselves, and, though deserving of worship and dangerous to anger, the separation between gods and humans was not an unbridgeable gulf by any means.
Zeus and Hera, the king and queen of the Greek gods, looking very much like wealthy Greek mortals
A good example of how this gulf could be bridged is found in the stories of theheroes, the mortals who did great deeds and won eternal fame. These figures in many ways acted as a direct connection between the gods, who had typically either fathered the hero during a relationship with a mortal or favored them especially for some other reason. These mortals had the favor of the gods, and as a result were able to perform tasks beyond the abilities of most mortals, such as Herakles (Hercules) completing the Twelve Labors or Perseus' defeat of Medusa. These heroes were role models to Greek society of the time, and they set the standards for what an ideal Greek could achieve.
Click here for audio versions of Bag of Winds, Narcissus, and Pandora, three better-known Greek myths .
Click here for an online version of Theseus and the Minotaur
Focus Question: How has ancient Greek mythology influenced the modern world, and what uses are they put to today?
The gods and heroes of the ancient Greeks have an impact that continues to be felt today in many different ways. Materially, the ruins of Greek temples to their gods, such as the Parthenon at Athens, are scattered all around the Mediterranean today, and statues of Greek gods and heroes are in museums around the world.
18th-century French engraving of Odysseus (Ulysses) on the island of the lotus-eaters
In addition, the same stories the Greeks were telling thousands of years ago have survived to the present day, and continue to be retold and impact those exposed to them. Many people still read The Illiad and The Odyssey , and movies such as Clash of the Titans and Troy demonstrate the continuing popularity of these stories as examples of heroism and courage.
Click here for a link to learn more about Women in Greek Myths
Helen of Troy by Evelyn de Morgan, 1898
Mortal Women of the Trojan War from Stanford University; includes a section on Helen of Troy.
Click here for more helpful links on Greek Mythology
Documents and Sourceshttp://www.timelessmyths.com/classical/
http://www.theoi.com/
http://www.occultopedia.com/z/zeus.htm
http://www.pantheon.org/areas/mythology/europe/greek/articles.html
Essential Understandings
The ancient Greeks had a very large, well-developed pantheon of gods and goddesses as well as a myriad of stories about the activities of these gods and goddesses. They also had many stories about heroic mortals who performed nearly impossible feats of strength, intellect, and cunning, usually thanks to their descent from or favor with particular gods. Taken together, these stories of gods and heroes comprised the entirety of what we call Greek mythology. This mythology provides a useful insight into the nature of Greek society and how they thought about the world around them.
One of the most striking features of these mythic stories is how the gods are portrayed as very similar to the mortals who worship them. The gods bicker and quarrel amongst themselves, they fall in love and have affairs, they fall out of love and become moody and unpredictable, they become jealous of each other and try to one-up their rivals, and they use lesser creatures (ie, mortals) as pawns in their games amongst themselves. It is as if the gods are merely enlarged, very powerful humans who live forever.
Zeus
The ancient Greeks viewed the world's events as being controlled by creatures very similar to themselves, and, though deserving of worship and dangerous to anger, the separation between gods and humans was not an unbridgeable gulf by any means.
Zeus and Hera, the king and queen of the Greek gods, looking very much like wealthy Greek mortals
A good example of how this gulf could be bridged is found in the stories of theheroes, the mortals who did great deeds and won eternal fame. These figures in many ways acted as a direct connection between the gods, who had typically either fathered the hero during a relationship with a mortal or favored them especially for some other reason. These mortals had the favor of the gods, and as a result were able to perform tasks beyond the abilities of most mortals, such as Herakles (Hercules) completing the Twelve Labors or Perseus' defeat of Medusa. These heroes were role models to Greek society of the time, and they set the standards for what an ideal Greek could achieve.
Click here for audio versions of Bag of Winds, Narcissus, and Pandora, three better-known Greek myths .
Click here for an online version of Theseus and the Minotaur
Focus Question: How has ancient Greek mythology influenced the modern world, and what uses are they put to today?
The gods and heroes of the ancient Greeks have an impact that continues to be felt today in many different ways. Materially, the ruins of Greek temples to their gods, such as the Parthenon at Athens, are scattered all around the Mediterranean today, and statues of Greek gods and heroes are in museums around the world.
18th-century French engraving of Odysseus (Ulysses) on the island of the lotus-eaters
In addition, the same stories the Greeks were telling thousands of years ago have survived to the present day, and continue to be retold and impact those exposed to them. Many people still read The Illiad and The Odyssey , and movies such as Clash of the Titans and Troy demonstrate the continuing popularity of these stories as examples of heroism and courage.
Click here for a link to learn more about Women in Greek Myths
Helen of Troy by Evelyn de Morgan, 1898
Mortal Women of the Trojan War from Stanford University; includes a section on Helen of Troy.
Click here for more helpful links on Greek Mythology
Documents and Sourceshttp://www.timelessmyths.com/classical/
http://www.theoi.com/
http://www.occultopedia.com/z/zeus.htm
http://www.pantheon.org/areas/mythology/europe/greek/articles.html
Explain why the city-states of Greece instituted a tradition of athletic competitions and describe the kinds of sports they featured.
Focus Question: Why did the Greeks start the Olympics as an athletic competition?
Temple of Hera Ruins. This is an exact replica (with the exception of the pool of water) of the Temple of Hera at Olympia, site of the ancient Olympic games. Author: A.J. Camerio
The Ancient Olympics: a Special Exhibit of the Perseus Digital Library Project from the Classics Department at Tufts University.
The Olympic Medal: It's All Greek to Us! from EDSITEment and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
The Olympic Torch--Way Back Then and Now from the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.
Timelines, Maps, and Images of Athletics in Ancient Greece
Essential Understandings
The ancient Olympic Games were a variety of athletic competitions that took place between the major Greek city-states. The games were devised as competitions to honor the most powerful Greek god, Zeus. It is also apparent that these games were largely contests for pride among rival city-states in a divided Greece.
The first Olympic Games took place in Olympia, Greece in the year 776 BC. The first Olympic Games consisted of a running competition called the stadium race. In the following years, events besides running were added, including boxingandwrestling. Boxing consisted of two men hitting each other until one of the fighters admitted defeat, although the rules differed slightly from the rules of today's sport. Boxing also had a more intense format which involved not just the hands but also kicking. This sport was known as "pankration".
Wrestling consisted of trying to throw the opponent to the ground three times on either his hip, back, or shoulder for victory. Chariot racing was done in laps around a track, in some cases with two horses and in others with four. The one given the celebratory olive branch for the winner was not the driver of the chariot but the owner who had financed the rather expensive training.
The same was true for the jockeys in the riding event that also took place around a track. In some cases events were combined into a pentathlon, consisting of Running, Javelin, Discus, Wrestling, and the Jump (similar to what we know as the long jump, but using weights to make the jump further).
Games for Girlsoffers new research from the Archaeological Institute of America on women's participation in athletics in the Ancient Olympic Games and Greek society.
A Perspective of the History of Women'sSport in Ancient Greece
- A link to a pdf that has information on Athletics in Greece with one article devoted to women's participation.
Temple of Hera Ruins. This is an exact replica (with the exception of the pool of water) of the Temple of Hera at Olympia, site of the ancient Olympic games. Author: A.J. Camerio
The Ancient Olympics: a Special Exhibit of the Perseus Digital Library Project from the Classics Department at Tufts University.
The Olympic Medal: It's All Greek to Us! from EDSITEment and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
The Olympic Torch--Way Back Then and Now from the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.
Timelines, Maps, and Images of Athletics in Ancient Greece
Essential Understandings
The ancient Olympic Games were a variety of athletic competitions that took place between the major Greek city-states. The games were devised as competitions to honor the most powerful Greek god, Zeus. It is also apparent that these games were largely contests for pride among rival city-states in a divided Greece.
The first Olympic Games took place in Olympia, Greece in the year 776 BC. The first Olympic Games consisted of a running competition called the stadium race. In the following years, events besides running were added, including boxingandwrestling. Boxing consisted of two men hitting each other until one of the fighters admitted defeat, although the rules differed slightly from the rules of today's sport. Boxing also had a more intense format which involved not just the hands but also kicking. This sport was known as "pankration".
Wrestling consisted of trying to throw the opponent to the ground three times on either his hip, back, or shoulder for victory. Chariot racing was done in laps around a track, in some cases with two horses and in others with four. The one given the celebratory olive branch for the winner was not the driver of the chariot but the owner who had financed the rather expensive training.
The same was true for the jockeys in the riding event that also took place around a track. In some cases events were combined into a pentathlon, consisting of Running, Javelin, Discus, Wrestling, and the Jump (similar to what we know as the long jump, but using weights to make the jump further).
Games for Girlsoffers new research from the Archaeological Institute of America on women's participation in athletics in the Ancient Olympic Games and Greek society.
A Perspective of the History of Women'sSport in Ancient Greece
- A link to a pdf that has information on Athletics in Greece with one article devoted to women's participation.
Describe the purposes and functions of the lyceum, the gymnasium, and the Library of Alexandria, and identify the major accomplishments of the ancient Greeks.
A. Thales (science)
B. Pythagoras and Euclid (mathematics)
C. Hippocrates (medicine)
D. Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle (philosophy)
E. Herodotus, Thucydides, Homer, Aeschylus, Sophocles, Aristophanes, and Euripides (history, poetry, and drama)
F. the Parthenon, the Acropolis, and the Temple of Apollo (architecture)
G. the development of the first complete alphabet with symbols for consonants and vowels
Focus Questions:
The ancient theater of Dodona, Epirus, Greece. Photo on Wikimedia Commons by Onno Zweers
For an interesting topic to discuss with students, see World's Oldest Computer Recreated in Legos from New Scientist magazine.
GymnasiumThe gymnasium functioned as a training facility for competitors in public games.
LyceumThe Lyceum, like the other famous Athenian gymnasia (the Academy and Cynosarges) was more than a space for physical exercise and philosophical discussion, reflection, and study.
This interactive image of Raphael's painting "the School of Athens" allows you to see what a gymnasium like the Lyceum would have been like. All of the figures in the painting are revolutionary Greek men. In the center we see Plato and Aristotle deep in discussion. This painting is not realistic in that all of these men lived at different periods and would never have been in one place together, but the idea of the gymnasium as a place for revolutionary thought can be seen.
Library of AlexandriaThe Library of Alexandria was a major library and cultural center, founded by Alexander the Great, and located on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea in the Egyptian city of Alexandria.
Focus Question: What were the major accomplishments of the ancient Greeks?
Essential UnderstandingsA. Science
B. Mathematics
A diagram depicting the Pythagoras Theorem. PNG image by: de:User:Hubi SVG image by: en:User:FirefoxRocks
Statue of Euclid in the Oxford University Museum of Natural History
C. Medicine
Hippocrates
D. Philosophy
E. History, Poetry and Drama
F. Architecture
G. Alphabet
The Greek alphabet has been used to write the Greek language since about the 9th century BC. It was the first alphabet in the narrow sense, that is, a writing system using a separate symbol for each vowel and consonant alike. It is the oldest alphabetic script in use today. The letters are also used to represent numbers – Greek numerals. In addition to being used for writing modern Greek, its letters are today used as symbols in mathematics and science, particle names in physics, as names of stars, in the names of fraternities and sororities, in the naming of supernumerary tropical cyclones, and for other purposes. The Greek alphabet originated as a modification of the Phenician alphabet and in turn gave rise to the Gothic, Glagolitic, Cyrillic, and Coptic, as well as the Latin alphabet. The Greek alphabet is also considered a possible ancestor of the Armenian alphabet. It is unrelated to Linear B and the Cypriot syllabary, earlier writing systems for Greek.
Click here for an animation of the Greek alphabet.
Sources:
Morison, William, The internet encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2006, from http://www.iep.utm.edu/l/lyceum.htm#H2
Crystal, Ellie, Crystalinks, Ancient Greece, Feb. 2007, from http://www.crystalinks.com/libraryofalexandria.html
Barba, Robertta H., SJSU Virtual Museum, The history of Mathematics, Science, and Technology, 1996, fromhttp://www.sjsu.edu/depts/Museum/aamenu.html#top
Universal Artists, Inc., Ancient Greece, 2006, from http://www.ancientgreece.com/html/mythology_frame.htm
B. Pythagoras and Euclid (mathematics)
C. Hippocrates (medicine)
D. Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle (philosophy)
E. Herodotus, Thucydides, Homer, Aeschylus, Sophocles, Aristophanes, and Euripides (history, poetry, and drama)
F. the Parthenon, the Acropolis, and the Temple of Apollo (architecture)
G. the development of the first complete alphabet with symbols for consonants and vowels
Focus Questions:
- What were the purposes and functions of the lyceum, the gymnasium, and the Library of Alexandria?
- What were the accomplishments of Socrates, Plato, Homer and other Greek philosophers, scientists, and writers?
The ancient theater of Dodona, Epirus, Greece. Photo on Wikimedia Commons by Onno Zweers
For an interesting topic to discuss with students, see World's Oldest Computer Recreated in Legos from New Scientist magazine.
GymnasiumThe gymnasium functioned as a training facility for competitors in public games.
- Gymnasium was also a place for socializing and engaging in intellectual pursuits. The name comes from the Greek termgymnos meaning naked. Athletes competed in the nude, a practice said to encourage aesthetic appreciation of the male body. Some early tyrants feared gymnasia facilitated politically subversive erotic attachments between competitors.
- The gymnasium supplied the means of training and competition formed part of the social and spiritual life of the Greeks from very early on.
- The contests honored the heroes and gods, sometimes forming part of a periodic festival or the funeral rites of a deceased chief. The free and active Greek lifestyle (spent to a great extent in the open air) reinforced the attachment to such sports and after a period of time the contests became a prominent element in Greek culture.
- The victor in religious athletic contests, though he gained no material prize other than a wreath, was rewarded with the honors and respect of his fellow citizens. Training of competitors for the greater contests was a matter of public concern and special buildings were provided by the state for such use, with management entrusted to public officials. A victory in the great religious festivals was an honor for the whole state.
LyceumThe Lyceum, like the other famous Athenian gymnasia (the Academy and Cynosarges) was more than a space for physical exercise and philosophical discussion, reflection, and study.
- The Lyceum contained cults of Hermes, the Muses, and Apollo, to whom the area was dedicated and belonged.
- The Lyceum was also used for military exercises, the marshaling of troops, and for military displays. It encompassed a fairly large area, including large open spaces, buildings, and cult sites.
- The Lyceum was also the place for meetings of the Athenian assembly before the establishment of a permanent meeting area on the Pnyx hill during the fifth century BCE.
- The Lyceum was a place of philosophical discussion and debate well before Aristotle founded his school there in 335 BC.
- The Lyceum was an important early milestone in the development of Western science and philosophy. The complex structure itself, named for its sanctuary to Lycian Apollo, dates from before the 6th century BC, while Aristotle founded his famous school there in 336BC. Aristotle walked in the lyceum's stoae and grounds as he lectured, surrounded by a throng of students, so the philosophical school he founded was called the Peripatetics.
This interactive image of Raphael's painting "the School of Athens" allows you to see what a gymnasium like the Lyceum would have been like. All of the figures in the painting are revolutionary Greek men. In the center we see Plato and Aristotle deep in discussion. This painting is not realistic in that all of these men lived at different periods and would never have been in one place together, but the idea of the gymnasium as a place for revolutionary thought can be seen.
Library of AlexandriaThe Library of Alexandria was a major library and cultural center, founded by Alexander the Great, and located on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea in the Egyptian city of Alexandria.
- In 2004, scientists reported finding the location of the Library, once the largest in the world.
- It is usually assumed to have been founded at the beginning of the 3rd century BC during the reign of Ptolemy II of Egypt after his father had set up the temple of the Muses, the Musaeum (whence we get "Museum").
- The Library is believed to have been burnt down. In this translated verse the Latin poet Lucan describes a fire set by Cesare while at war with Egypt.
Focus Question: What were the major accomplishments of the ancient Greeks?
Essential UnderstandingsA. Science
- Thales of Miletus also known as Thales the Milesian (624-546 BC), was a pre-Socratic Greek philosopher and one of the Seven Sages of Greece. Many regard him as the first philosopher in the Greek tradition as well as the father of science.
B. Mathematics
A diagram depicting the Pythagoras Theorem. PNG image by: de:User:Hubi SVG image by: en:User:FirefoxRocks
- Pythagoras of Samos (582 BC –507 BC) was an Ionian (Greek) mathematician, astronomer, scientist and philosopher, founder of the mathematical, mystic, religious, and scientific society called Pythagoreans.He was called Pytha-goras because Pythian oracle predicted his birth. He is best known for the Pythagorean Theorem which bears his name. Known as "the father of numbers," Pythagoras made influential contributions to philosophy and religious teaching in the late 6th century BC.
Statue of Euclid in the Oxford University Museum of Natural History
- Euclid, is also referred to as Euclid of Alexandria, (330 BC – 275 BC) lived in the city of Alexandria, Egypt, is often considered to be the "father of geometry". His most popular work,Elements is one of the most successful textbooks in the history of mathematics. Euclid also wrote works on perspective, conic sections, spherical geometry, and possibly quadric surfaces. Neither the year nor place of his birth have been established, nor the circumstances of his death.
C. Medicine
Hippocrates
- **Hippocrates of Cos II** or Hippokrates of Kos (460-370 BC) was ancient Greek physician of the Age of Pericles, considered one of the most outstanding figures in the history of medicine. He is often referred to as “The Father of Medicine” in recognition of his lasting contributions to the field as the founder of the Hippocratic School of medicine.
- In particular, he is credited with greatly advancing clinical medicine, summing up the medical knowledge of previous schools, and prescribing practices for physicians through theHippocratic Oath.
D. Philosophy
- Socrates (470-399 BC) is widely credited for laying the foundation for Western philosophy. Socrates is quite possibly the most important and influential philosopher of Greek civilization (though strong cases could also be made for Plato and Aristotle). Socrates disparaged the pleasures of the senses, yet was excited by beauty; he was devoted to the education of the citizens of Athens, yet indifferent to his own sons. The trial and execution of Socrates was the climax of his career and the central event of the dialogues of Plato. Socrates admitted in court that he could have avoided his trial in the first place by abandoning philosophy and going home to mind his own business. After his court conviction, he could have avoided the death penalty by escaping (as he was well able to do so and had willing accomplices). The reason behind his concord with the state's mandate forms a valuable philosophical insight in its own right, and is best articulated by the dialogues themselves, especially Crito.
- Plato (427-347 BC) was also a mathematician, writer of philosophical dialogues, and founder of the Academy in Athens, the first institution of higher learning in the western world. Plato is widely believed to have been a student of Socrates and to have been deeply influenced by his teacher's execution.
- Aristotle (384-March 7, 322 BC) was a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. He wrote on diverse subjects including physics, poetry (including theater), biology, zoology, logic, rhetoric, politics, government, and ethics. Aristotle defines philosophy as "the knowledge of being."
E. History, Poetry and Drama
- Herodotus was a Dorian Greek historian who lived in the 5th century BC (484–425 BC) and is regarded as the “father of history”. He is almost exclusively known for writing The History of Herodotus, a collection of 'inquiries' about the places and peoples he encountered during his wide-ranging travels around the Mediterranean.
- Thuucydides (460 -400 BC) was an ancient Greek historian. Click here for Speeches from Thucydides. He was the author of the History of the Peloponnesian War.>
- Homer was a legendary early Greek poet and aoidos. ("singer") traditionally credited with the composition of The Iliadand The Odyssey. The poems are often dated to the 8th or 7th century BC; whether Homer himself was the actual writer of his works, or whether they were largely gradationally built through oral transmission, is debated by scholars.
- Aeschylus (525-456 BC) was a playwright of Ancient Greece. Often called the “Father of Tragedy”, he is the earliest of the three Greek tragedians whose plays are not entirely lost, the others being Sophocles and Euripides.
- Sophocles (495-406 BC), according to the Suda, wrote 123 plays; in the dramatic competitions of the Festival of Dionysus (where each submission by one playwright consisted of four plays; three tragedies and a satyr play), he won more first prizes (around 20) than any other playwright, and placed second in all others he participated in (Lloyd-Jones 1994: 8).
- Euripides (480–406 BC) was the last of the three great tragedians of classical Athens. Ancient scholars thought that Euripides had written ninety-five plays, although four of those were probably written by Critias. Eighteen of Euripides' plays have survived complete. Euripides is known primarily for having reshaped the formal structure of traditional Attic tragedy by showing strong women characters and smart slaves, and by satirizing many heroes of Greek mythology
- Aristophanes (446-388 BC) was an Old Comic dramatist.
F. Architecture
- The Parthenonis a temple that housed the cult statue of Athena, built in the 5th century BC on the acropolis of Athens. It is the most famous surviving building of ancient Greece, and has been praised as the finest achievement of Greek architecture. Its decorative sculptures are considered one of the high points of Greek art. The Parthenon is an enduring symbol of ancient Greece and of Athenian democracy, and is regarded as one of the world's greatest cultural monuments.
- Nashville TN has a reconstructed Parthenon! The Nashville version of this ancient wonder is built to scale and includes reproductions of the original architecture and artwork, as well as a reproduction of the magnificentchryselephantine cult statue of Athena.
- Acropolis literally means the edge of a town or a high city. For purposes of defense, early settlers naturally chose elevated ground, frequently a hill with precipitous sides, and these early citadels became in many parts of the world the nuclei of large cities which grew up on the surrounding lower ground. The most famous example is the acropolis of Athens, which, by reason of its historical associations and the famous buildings erected upon it, is generally known without qualification as simply "The Acropolis".
- The Acropolis in Athens is home to many monumental structures, such as the Parthenon, the Propylaia, theTemple of Athena Nike, and the Erechtheion.
- The Temple of Apollo at Delphi was believed by the Greeks to be the center of the earth. The temple was home to theOracle of Delphi. The Oracle was a priestess of Apollo who told prophecies to those who came with gifts to the temple.
G. Alphabet
The Greek alphabet has been used to write the Greek language since about the 9th century BC. It was the first alphabet in the narrow sense, that is, a writing system using a separate symbol for each vowel and consonant alike. It is the oldest alphabetic script in use today. The letters are also used to represent numbers – Greek numerals. In addition to being used for writing modern Greek, its letters are today used as symbols in mathematics and science, particle names in physics, as names of stars, in the names of fraternities and sororities, in the naming of supernumerary tropical cyclones, and for other purposes. The Greek alphabet originated as a modification of the Phenician alphabet and in turn gave rise to the Gothic, Glagolitic, Cyrillic, and Coptic, as well as the Latin alphabet. The Greek alphabet is also considered a possible ancestor of the Armenian alphabet. It is unrelated to Linear B and the Cypriot syllabary, earlier writing systems for Greek.
Click here for an animation of the Greek alphabet.
Sources:
Morison, William, The internet encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2006, from http://www.iep.utm.edu/l/lyceum.htm#H2
Crystal, Ellie, Crystalinks, Ancient Greece, Feb. 2007, from http://www.crystalinks.com/libraryofalexandria.html
Barba, Robertta H., SJSU Virtual Museum, The history of Mathematics, Science, and Technology, 1996, fromhttp://www.sjsu.edu/depts/Museum/aamenu.html#top
Universal Artists, Inc., Ancient Greece, 2006, from http://www.ancientgreece.com/html/mythology_frame.htm
https://resourcesforhistoryteachers.wikispaces.com/AncientCivilizations