Mediterranean Classical Civilization

GREEKS AND ROMANS

Vocab Alexander the Great

Extended Greek Empire into Persia and India

Hellenistic Period (After ATG died) Greek culture merged with ME. Alexandria becomes important

Punic Wars (264-146 BCE) Between Roman republic and Phoenicians in Carthage Hannibal defeated and Rome take N Africa and Greece

Julius Caesar Dictator of Roman Republic who made it an empire

Constantine End of Roman empire moves capital allows Christianity to flourish

Greek city-states “Polis” in Greek means city-state. United in language and religion but not gov

Socrates Philosopher Encouraged students to challenge conventional wisdom

Plato Socrates pupil Thought people could approach perfect forms of truth, beauty and

goodness

Aristotle Student of Plato developed logic and reasoning in Western sense stressed moderation

Iliad (Homer) Greek poem about the Trojan Wars

Doric, Ionic, Corinthian Types of columns

Battle of Marathon Persians invaded Greece and were defeated at Marathon

King Xerxes Persian king that invaded Greece ultimately defeated

Battle of Thermopylae Spartan King Leonidas and 300 take on Persian army Defeated but bought time

for Greeks

Zoroastrianism Persian religion developed by Zoroaster (600 BCE) Taught life is struggle good vs

evil Humans choose

Olympic Games Held at Olympia in honor of Zeus

Peloponnesian Wars (431-404 BCE) Athens vs Sparta Sparta wins but Greek city-states are weakened

Alexandria Seaport in Egypt founded by Alexander Center of Hellenistic culture

Carthage Ancient Phoenician city-state N Africa (Tunisia) Rome defeats

Hannibal Carthaginian general led troops into Italy 2nd Punic War Lost

Augustus Caesar (63 BCE-14 BCE) Grandnephew of Julius Caesar Restored order to Rome 1st emperor

Polis Greek word for city-state

Herodotus Greek historian called the “Father of History” wrote of Persian Wars

Pythagoras Hellenistic mathematician basic geometric theorems still used today

Euclid Hellenistic mathematician “Father of Geometry”

Ptolemy Hellenistic astronomer dealing with geocentric theory

Vergil (Virgil) Roman poet wrote the Aeneid

Indo-EuropeansSame as the Aryans

Move into Greek islands (particularly Crete)

Influenced by Nile and T&E Civilizations

Eventually the Mycenae Kingdom emerges (1400 BCE)Trojan Wars (depicted by

Homer)Iliad is about the last year

Eventually destroyed by invaders

Aeneas escaping Troy Helps found Rome

PersiaModern day Iran

Major influence

Had absorbed many Mesopotamian traits

Cyrus the Great (550 BCE)Established an large empire

Tolerant of local customsAdvanced iron technologyDeveloped Zoroastrianism

Good vs evil and man must choose

Art celebrating their rulers

Ultimately had little influence on Med coast but Persian language and culture lasted in area of Iran until today

Conquered by Alexander the Great

Rise of Greek Civilization800-600 BCE

1. Strong city-states (why could this be a problem?)Gov worked well b/c of mountains and terrain

2. Trade developed3. Common language (From Phoenician alphabet)4. Common culture (including gods)5. Olympic Games (Why?)

Sparta and Athens emerge as the most powerful

Olympic GamesStarted in 776 BC

Running (originally the only sport) JumpingDiscusBoxingEquestrianPankration

Athens vs Sparta2 leading city-states

Worked together to defeat the Persians

Spread culture to S Italy and TurkeyAthens

Diverse commercial state with slavesArt, architecture and intellectual advancesLeadership was direct democracy

SpartaStrong military aristocracy with slaves

AthensPericles (most famous politician)

Aristocrat that ruled by influence and negotiationAllowed each citizen to participateAssemblies to

1. select officials2. pass laws

Restrained some Athenians trying to expandCouldn’t ultimately stop them

Peloponnesian War431-404 BCE

Athens vs Sparta (Sparta wins)

Philip II of MacedonEventually conquered those cities

in 338 BCEAlexander the Great takes over

Extends empire to 1. ME 2. India 3. Egypt

Dies at age 33 and empire is splitStart of Hellenistic Period

Hellenistic Period

Comes from Hellenes (AKA Greek)1. Not much

political innovation but consolidates Greek Civ

2. Trade flourished3. Scientific study

increase4. Alexandria

becomes educational center

ROME

Final phase of classical Mediterranean civilizationSubjugated Greek and Hellenistic Kingdoms (1st century)

Began in 800 BCE

Etruscans (616 BCE) Introduced the archBuilt 1st sewers and walls Introduced gladiator games and chariot racesOverthrown by Roman aristocrats (509 BCE)

Establish more elaborate political institutions for city-state

Begins Roman Republic

Roman RepublicExtends over the Italian

Peninsula

Social class1. Patricians2. Plebeians

Cincinnatus (519-430 BCE)Early roman hero Patrician becomes dictator during

warWins the war gives up power and

returns to his farmServe for greater good

Punic Wars

264-146 BCE

Fought Carthage (Phoenician city)Hannibal invades Italy (Over the

Alps)Wins and controls much of Roman

area for 15 yearsEventually defeated by Scipio

Africanus

Carthage is destroyed

Spread salt around the city WHY?

Rome now controls Northern Africa and Greece

Roman Republic End Government becomes unstable

Victorious generals want more power Poor rebel

60 BCE Caesar, Crassus and Pompey (1st

Triumvirate) Crassus dies and Pompey aligns with Senate

Caesar wins Gallic Wars (51 BCE) Gives Rome present day Belgium and France

Caesar invades Britain

Ordered to step down but crosses the Rubicon instead Leads to Civil War Caesar wins but is murdered Ides of March

(15th 44 BCE)

2nd Triumvirate

Octavian (Caesar’s adopted son and heir) Joins with Mark Anthony and Marcus LepidusDefeat Caesars assassins

In fighting leads to: Lepidus being exiledMark Anthony commits suicide after being defeated

Cleopatra commits suicide soon afterHer son (Julius Caesar’s son) was executedPtolemaic Dynasty ends

Octavian becomes Augustus Caesar 27 BCE

Roman EmpireGovernment

1. Kept Senate but now mostly for show

2. Larger organizational capacity than city-states

3. Tolerance of local rule, customs and religion WHY?

4. Military held tremendous power

5. Law based on 1. objective judges not personal whim2. promoted fairness based on commonsense

Story of slave being shaved

Roman EmpireBuilt vast public works

Built to entertain and distractColosseum (Flavian Amphiteater)

Gladiator games etcCircus Maximus

“bread and circus”Public bathsTheaters

Built for military and tradeRoadsHarbors

Roman ReligionDidn’t create a significant world class religion

Christianity did arise from the Roman Empire

Belief in spirits and gods and goddesses that regulate life

Provided stories on how the world came to be but not how to behave/act ethically

Roman ReligionOfficial religion

Allowed other religions as long as it didn’t interfere with loyalty to the state

What religion was persecuted at times? Why?

Public ceremonies

Jupiter (Zeus) Faun

Apollo Flora

Neptune Bacchus

Mars Ceres

Venus Cupid

Roman ReligionMany common people not attracted to this

Many turn to “mystery” religionsSecret rituals

Creates a further divide between upper and lower class

EconomyMostly farmers

Tied to religious events and rituals for harvest

Belief in afterlife WHY?

Many farmers forced to be under large landlords

Further leads to class division

Pax Romana27 BC- 180 AD

Time of relative peace in the Roman Empire

Empire continued to expandFought on borders but not much in the empire

Ends when Marcus Aurelius dies

Minoan CultureCrete

2700-1450 BCE

Known for building columns etc (influenced Greeks etc)

Cultural center was Knossos

Hellenistic SocietyUsed math to explain nature

Made advances in geometry in medicine

Comparing Greece to Rome

DifferencesG- known for politics (Athens- direct democracy)R- known for engineering

SimilaritiesDeveloped large commercial estates (little agr. Advances)Had slaves (agriculture, household, tutors, entertainment,

mines) Involved citizens (although G sometimes elected tyrants)Strong militaryWorship of godsPublic worksMost common gov was aristocratic democracyBoth colonized overseas areas

Rome compared Han Empire

Similar to HanCultural traditions established Imperial roads connected to Silk RoadPeace in the empireExpansion of the empireLong established central gov. followed by bad leaders

Different from HanH- Confidence in trained officialsR- confidence in lawsH- Assimilated the people they ruled (unified them)R- Allowed people to keep customs for loyaltyR- created monumental architectureH- Gov positions based on scholarly achievement