Ancient Greece

Chapter 4 Section 1

Minoans

• 2500BC to 1450BC• Centered on island of Crete provided both protection and

industry (lumber and trade)• Controlled Mediterranean trade - strong economy• Murals depict a wealthy, socially active population (jewels,

gold, dancing, sports)• http://www.dilos.com/region/crete/minoan_pictures.html• Polytheistic -- more than one god -- with Earth Mother as the

top deity 1350 BC the fall of Crete -- 2 theories: Tidal wave disaster or

conquered by mainland Mycenaeans

Mycenaeans

• Rapid population growth forced people to move from Central Asia to the Balkan Peninsula (probably attracted to the climate, fertile lands and wealth discovered through trade)

• Overran the Hellenes, the native people of Greece, and divided the region into small self sufficient kingdoms - aided by the geography

• City of Mycenae was the center of industry and gov’t

Mycenaeans Con’t

• To make kingdoms self-sufficient, taxes were collected in goods/produce (Much like the feudal system of the Middle Ages peasants/nobles/kings)

• Minoan trade influenced and improved Mycenaean technology and sea power (Irony: the Minoans help probably brought about their own downfall)

• Division and infighting over money destroyed the Mycenaean kingdoms by 1100BC

• Division led to the Dorian Invasion

Dorians

• 1100BC to 800BC• Northern Greek invaders attracted to Mycenaean

wealth (like the aliens in Independence Day they conquer destroy and move on)

• Dorians brought a Dark Age to Greece - focus of the Dorians was wealth and consumption not generating culture and production

• A Dark Age refers to a decline in language, arts, skills, trade et.

Ionians

• Retreating Mycenaeans ended up on the west coast of Asia Minor (Ionia) and began to rebuild the culture using the Phoenician alphabet

• By 750BC the Ionians began to return to the Greek peninsula and established the Hellenic civilizations that lasted until 336BC

• Bards -- singing storytellers -- were the link to Greek culture during the Dark Age

• History, customs and values were carried on in the tales and songs of the Bards

Poets and Heroes

• The Iliad and Odyssey– Written by the blind poet Homer during the 700’s BC

• Iliad - Tale of Achilles and the Trojan War• Odyssey - Tale of Odysseus’ 10 year journey

home from the war• The Iliad is a story that is used as the foundation

of Greek Society and education. Greeks learn how to “be Greek” by learning the values of Pride, Strength, Religion, Love, Patriotism, and Loyalty

Oracles

• Priests thought to be able to interpret Apollo’s (God of Prophecy) messages in exchange for gifts - meat, jewels, wine etc. (similar to bargaining with God for answers or a good test grade, but different than christianity in that the Christians offer themselves to God NOT a slaughtered goat)

• Located in most Greek cities, the most famous was the Oracle at Delphi

• Worked through vague interpretation

Gods and Goddesses

• The Greeks placed themselves on the level of Gods by giving human qualities to the Gods. This shows PRIDE and WORTH IN THE INDIVIDUAL

• Gods behaved like humans (marriage, jealousy, anger, etc) with superhuman power

• Greek women were given more equality than many of other civilizations because of the number of female Goddesses Ex. Athena (Wisdom) Demeter (Agriculture), Aphrodite (Love/Beauty)

• Zeus was the Chief Diety

Gods Con’t

• 12 Most important gods lived on Mount Olympus and each controlled an element of the world (Neptune and the Sea , Zeus and the Sky, Pluto and the Underworld)

• Every Four Years a series of Athletic competitions would be held to honor Zeus (Olympics)

• The Play was invented by Greeks to honor Dionysis (the god of wine and fertility). An audience would stand around a hillside while a chorus chanted a story, from this a theatre was developed as well as actors and plays to express values etc.

Essential Questions

• Discuss the culture of the 4 early Greek Civilizations

• Explain how the Greek people felt differently about their religion than others ancient civilizations. Determine what enabled them to approach their gods differently.

• What made Ancient Greece the first modern western civilization?