Greek experience mc kaych5

CHAPTER 5The Greek Experience,

3500–100 B.C.E.

Study Questions:

What were the key features of the governments of Athens and Sparta? How does Athenian democracy compare to democracy in our modern world?

The term “classical period” implies enduring traditions. What were the lasting cultural and intellectual achievements of the classical period?

Did the interaction between different cultures expand mankind’s knowledge? What lasting influences did the Hellenistic world make in the realms of religion, philosophy, and science?

I. Hellas: The Land and the Polis,ca. 3500–ca. 800 B.C.E.

A. The Minoans and Mycenaeans1. The flourishing culture that developed on the island of Crete has been named

Minoan by archaeologists, after the mythical king Minos. Trade with mainland populations opened up economic opportunities to exchange numerous goods.

2. Social hierarchies developed, with a king and a group of nobles at the head. The Knossos, the largest structure from Minoan society, is an example of the construction abilities of this complex society. The Knossos had over a thousand rooms and featured indoor plumbing.

3. Mycenaean Greeks, located in the Peloponnesus, established cities throughout the mainland. Mycenaean kings grew wealthy and eventually conquered the Minoans, but the Mycenaeans continued to fight other populations.

4. Following the fall of the Minoan and Mycenaean kingdoms, the “Dark Age” of Greece began. However, traditional stories of the people and their heroes were continued and were later collected in two epic poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey, both of which are attributed to Homer.

I. Hellas: The Land and the Polis,ca. 3500–ca. 800 B.C.E.

• B. The Development of the Polis• 1. The polis, or city-state, became the central political

unit in Greece. The polis included the city and its surrounding rural countryside, the chora, which supported the urban population. The polis was protected by soldiers known as hoplites.

• 2. A variety of types of government could be found in the poleis. These types of government included democracy, oligarchy, and tyranny.

How does this sculpture reflect key elements of Spartan identity?

II. Population and Politics in the Archaic Age,ca. 800–500 B.C.E.

A. Greece’s Overseas Expansion• 1. Greek colonies were established in the Aegean,

Black, and Mediterranean Seas, creating a widespread Greek culture.


• B. The Growth of Sparta• 1. Under intense pressure from non-nobles, the aristocrats of

Sparta instituted the Lycurgan regimen, which gave equal rights to all Spartan citizens. The Lycurgan system had the citizens aligning with the Spartan city-state.

• 2. Military training became an important aspect of the Spartan identity. Through their training Spartan men were instilled with the values of doing with little and liking it.


• C. The Evolution of Athens• 1. Draco published the first Athenian law code in an effort to

establish a law for all citizens. His harsh code is the origin of the term draconian.

• 2. Solon wrote poems about injustices and gained the trust of the common people.

• 3. The ideas and efforts of Solon influenced the transition of Athenian government into a democracy, though this democracy did not include women, slaves, or outsiders.

III. Thought and Culture in the Classical Period,500–338 B.C.E.

• A. The Deadly Conflicts, 499–404 B.C.E.• 1. Confrontations began between the Persian Empire and

Greek city-states along the Ionian coast. The Greeks defeated the Persians at the battle of Marathon. Later, the Persian king Xerxes led a massive invasion of Greece. Although the Persians occupied Athens, they were defeated in the battle of Salamis by the Greek navy and at Plataea by the Greek army.

• 2. Although Sparta and Athens were unified in defeating Persia, the two city-states fought each other during the Peloponnesian War. The bloody conflict left both city-states weak and vulnerable.


• B. Athenian Arts in the Age of Pericles• 1. The Athenian leader Pericles established many of the classic

buildings of Athens following the Persian wars. The Parthenon, a temple dedicated to the goddess Athena, was one of many structures built to celebrate Athens’s victory over Persia.

• 2. Athenian culture included the development of drama. Classic Greek playwrights included Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Aristophanes.


• C. Daily Life and Social Conditions in Athens• 1. The Greek family included the dominant male of the

household. Women had little involvement in public affairs, and their status was restricted by law.

• 2. Prostitution was legal in Athens. Sophisticated escorts known as hetaerae served men as social and sexual partners. Same-sex relations were accepted throughout the Greek city-states. Relationships between young males and their older tutors were celebrated throughout the arts. Sexual desire and procreation, though important, were not necessarily linked together.


D. Greek Religion in the Classical Period1. The Greeks were polytheists, worshiping deities who acted like mortals.

According to their beliefs, the gods lived on Mount Olympus and included Zeus, Hera, Apollo, and many others. There were no religious texts or ethical guidelines.

2. Religious festivities included athletic contests at Olympia that inspired the modern Olympic games and other contests that featured musical and literary competitions.

III. Thought and Culture in the Classical Period,

500–338 B.C.E.• E. The Flowering of Philosophy• 1. Hippocrates is considered to be the father of Western

medicine.• 2. Socrates questioned Athenian traditions. Conflict developed

between Socrates and the government; he was put on trial and then executed.

• 3. Plato, a student of Socrates, focused his own philosophy on issues of justice.

• 4. Aristotle, a student of Plato, focused on the concept of purpose.

IV. Hellenistic Society, 336–100 B.C.E.

A. From Polis to Monarchy, 404–200 B.C.E.• 1. The Peloponnesian War left the Greek city-states weak

and vulnerable. Philip II of Macedonia won control of Greece and united the Greek states with his kingdom. Following Philip’s assassination, Philip’s son Alexander took charge of his father’s kingdom.

• 2. Alexander set out to conquer the rest of Asia, eventually pushing into the territories of the Indus River valley of India. He continued into Arab regions and died in Babylon. Several of Alexander’s generals then fought to control the empire, which was eventually divided into thirds.


B. Building a Shared Society• 1. The most significant outcome of Alexander’s empire was

the spread of Greek culture and ideas. Greek traditions blended with other cultures, creating a society in which Greek cities granted citizenship to Hellenized natives.

• 2. Alexander’s former empire was drawn into three independent Hellenized kingdoms. The Seleucid kings ruled in Asia Minor. The Antigonids controlled the Macedonian kingdom in Europe. The Ptolemaic kings ruled Egypt.

1. Although the city of Ay Khanoum was situated very far from the original cultural centers of Classical Greece, on the present-day border between Russian and Afghanistan, its Hellenistic rulers brought with them elements of Greek culture. Can you find any evidence of such elements in the image on the plate?


C. The Growth of Trade and Commerce• 1. The vast territory once under the control of Alexander was

linked together by routes conducive to caravan trade. The trade spawned economic growth.

• 2. Traditional commodities, agricultural goods, and raw materials were transported on the overland routes reaching into new territories. New goods such as silk were included in the economic trade. Not all economic opportunities were positive; piracy became a constant threat to caravans.

V. Hellenistic Religion, Philosophy, and Science

• A. Religion in the Hellenistic World• 1. Religious thought also traveled the overland trail routes. As the

traditional Greek religions confronted Eastern religions, aspects of both were incorporated into the so-called mystery religions.

• 2. Egyptian mythology became popular in the Hellenistic world. Isis became the most important goddess of the Hellenistic world.

• B. Philosophy and Its Guidance for Life• 1. Greek and Eastern ideas influenced the philosophy of Epicureanism,

which sought peace in a tumultuous world.• 2. Stoicism was the most popular of the Hellenistic philosophies. The

Stoics believed that living a virtuous life was the most important thing and that people could achieve happiness only when living in accordance with nature.

V. Hellenistic Religion, Philosophy, and Science

C. Hellenistic Science and Medicine• 1. Euclid compiled the textbook The Elements of Geometry.• 2. Archimedes devised new military technology and

engineered numerous types of tools.• 3. Herophilus dissected corpses and documented his

observations. He discovered the nervous system and also studied the brain, liver, lungs, and uterus.

Greek experience mc kaych5

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