Aegean Civilization: Crete, the Island Settled by the Minoans
They developed a thriving trading center from their capital city,
Knossos. A rich economy of finely crafted pottery, gold and silver
jewelry, and elaborate palaces marked the Minoan culture until its
collapse, perhaps due to a natural disaster (a tidal wave may have
destroyed the capital) or foreign invaders. Knossos video clip
Knossos 3D Thera eruption
Like the Minoans, they traded throughout the Aegean and
Mediterranean Seas. Unlike the Minoans they relied on warrior-kings
to rule surrounding villages. Whereas the Minoans portrayed scenes
of nature an sport in their art, the Mycenaeans chose war and
hunting scenes as their subjects. Struggles with neighboring states
led to war with Troy, ending when the Greeks gifted the Trojans
with the famous horse filled with soldiers. Aegean Civilization:
Mycenea, the Mainland
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1.Fighting between Mycenaean cities and invasions by the
Dorians led to the collapse of Mycenea. 2.The once-prosperous
traders reverted to a simpler lifestyle centered on local villages
and less contact with areas outside the Aegean. This internal focus
formed what would become a common Greek culture valuing courage,
honor and excellence 3.This time is also know as the Homeric Age
because much of the knowledge from this time comes from Homers
epics (a long poem that tells the deeds of a great hero), the
Illiad and the Odyssey. Through his writings Greeks saw a heros
struggle for arete as a struggle for excellence of Greek virtue
which they could imitate. The Greek Dark Ages
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A.The Role of the City-States 1.The mountains of the Aegean
peninsula led to isolation; the city became the ultimate source of
authority, protection and livelihood. 2.Polis: city which exercised
the powers usually associated with a national state; a city-state
B.Government of the City-State developed over time in different
forms to serve different needs THE GREEK CITY-STATES
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A monarchy: rule by one the king received the advice of a
council An oligarchy: rule by a few the council assumed the powers
of the king A tyranny: rule by one (by force) the king held
complete control, usually during time of crises A democracy: rule
by the many (the people) each man would be responsible for
government decisions
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AthensSparta Began with a king and progressed to a democracy
Oligarchy led by two kings (foreeign & miltary) and a council
of ephors (domestic political and economic) Maintained the creative
and intellectual heritage of the Minoan and Mycenaean cultures A
thoroughly militaristic state centered on the training of warriors
Encouraged commerce and domestic projects Relative isolation
C.Rivalry of Two City-States
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THE GREEK WARS A.The Persian Wars (Persia vs. Greek
City-States). The basic issue: Persian expansion (militarily)
westward conflicted with Greek expansion (economically) eastward
1.The Battle of Marathon. Athens supported colonies who revolted
against Persian rule in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey). Darius led
his Persians to attack Greece near Athens, but met with defeat.
2.The Battle of Thermopylae. Xerxes continued the war against
Greece by crossing the Hellespont and travelling around the Aegean
Sea to the Peloponnesus. The Greeks, under a defensive league led
by Sparta and supported by an Athenian navy, made their stand at
the narrow mount pass at Thermopylae. The famous defense by 300
Spartans delayed the advance, but could not stop the Persians.
26.326.1
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THE GREEK WARS 3.The Battle of Salamis Bay. The Persians razed
Athens. The people, under the leadership of Themistocles, had
withdrawn to safety. Within a year, the Athenian navy, which the
Spartans had originally not been in favor of building, trapped and
destroyed the Persian fleet. Without support from or a means of
escape by the sea, the remaining Persian army was defeated.
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B.An Athenian Empire 1.After the expulsion of the Persians,
Athens led the Greeks to form a defensive alliance, the Delian
League, against further Persian aggression. Under Pericles, the
Athenians expanded their empire abroad and cultivated democracy at
home. 2.Athens began a direct democracy in which every male citizen
participated in the governing assembly. 3.Building projects
repaired the damage done by the Persians: public building, temples,
and statues to extol Greek greatness.
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C.The Peloponnesian War (Athens vs. Sparta) 1.The success of
Athens and the Delian League bred competition with Sparta and its
supporters, the Peloponnesian League, and eventually brought civil
warGreeks vs. Greeks. 2.The clash between the two city-states
fundamentally favored the Spartans: its militaristic heritage
prompted an offensive strategy and the citys inland location
negated the Athenian navy. Athens, on the other hand, relied on a
defensive position within its walls as supported by the navy. A
plague weakened the Athenians, assuring victory for the Spartans.
3.The weakened Greek states failed to see the growing power of
Macedonia, ready to conquer the quarreling city-states.
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THE GREEK CULTURE A.The Essence of Greek Culture 1.The values
and character of the people: beauty, justice, knowledge,
self-control, balance, creativity, physical ability 2.The Golden
Age: the time which represents the best a society has to offer 3.A
focus on man. The word HUMANITIES describes studies that explain
the characteristics and qualities of man (philosophy, history,
language, etc.). The word HUMANISM describes an approach that puts
man and mans ideas above all else.
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A.The Expressions of Greek Culture 1.Religion. The Greeks
considered religion a necessary part of life. They devoted
themselves to a variety of gods and goddesses who oversaw the world
from Mt. Olympus.
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Ceremonies or rites, called rituals, involved prayers and gifts
to the gods. The Greeks held festivals to honor the gods; the
Olympics grew from these religious festivals.
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Plays became public lessons in morals and social issues.
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In addition, the Greeks sought the will of the gods through the use
of oracles, where the gods communicated to the people through
priests.
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1.Philosophy. The Love of Wisdom; a system of values and
beliefs that guides ones actions. Every philosophy seeks to answer
three basic questions: a.Where did I come from? (the origin of man)
b.What am I doing here? (the purpose of man) c.Where am I going?
(the destiny of man)
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Thales of Miletus. The Father of Philosophy; the first to
explain the origin of the universe in physical, not spiritual,
terms. Sophists. Traveling teachers who argued that man couldnt
understand the universe, that there was no absolute right or wrong,
and that wisdom came from pursuing ones own good.
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Socrates. Philosopher who taught his students to live by
certain ethics a precise code of right and wrong. He used a method
of asking leading questions followed by the analyzing of the
answers (The Socratic Method). He believed knowledge already
existed within each person, the task for each person was to know
thyself. He emphasized reason.
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Plato. A pupil of Socrates; wrote The Republic in which he
described the ideal society in which everyone worked together for
the common good; he believed reality was in the world of ideas
(idealism). Aristotle. A pupil of Plato; known as the father of
classical realism (reality was not in ideas, but in the actual
physical world); he taught that happiness came from virtue and that
virtue was a balance between extreme behaviors; he also established
rules for thinking, called logic (the syllogism)
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All dogs have four legs. Fido is a dog. Fido has four legs. All
dogs have four legs. Fido is a dog. Fido has four legs.
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Epicurus. He believed that human beings were free to follow
their own self-interest and make happiness their goal. It was to be
a life not of physical pleasure, but one free from emotional
turmoil and worry. Stoicism. Unlike the Epicureans, the Stoics
believed happiness came through acceptance of individual destiny,
self-discipline and control of emotions. Diogenes. He believed that
human beings should live according to nature. His followers, called
Cynics, avoided pleasure, wealth and social responsibility.
Happiness came by fulfilling natural needs. Pyrrho. Skeptics lived
on the premise that man knows nothing, nothing is certain and
everything is subject to doubt. Happiness came from accepting what
life presents to you.
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Pythagoras. The universe could be explained in mathematical
terms; the Pythogrean Theorem. Hippocrates. The Father of Medicine;
illness had a natural, physical cause.
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Euclid. The Father of Geometry Archimedes. Mathematician who
developed the concept of pi, invented the water screw, and devised
battering rams and engines of war.
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Herodotus. The Father of History; wrote history, but did not
always distinguish between fact and fiction making him more of a
storyteller. Thucydides. Considered to be the first genuine
historian; emphasized objectivity (writing without a bias)
Aeschylus. Playwright of the Trojan Wars who showed how pride could
bring misfortune and how the gods could humble even the greatest
heroes. Sophocles. Wrote plays that de-emphasized the gods and
placed man as the cause of their own suffering. Aristophanes.
Comedic writer who chose satire to criticize society, mocking
people and institutions.
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Excellence in Art. Greek architecture expressed itself most
importantly by the building of temples. The most famous temples is
the Parthenon. The principles of classical Greek architecture are
the search for calmness, clarity, and the freedom from unnecessary
detail. Builders looked for balance through the use of simple
rectangles surrounded by tall columns.
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Nike of Samothrace
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by myron Greek sculpture portrayed these ideals well. Sculptors
sought a standard of ideal beauty, not the real.
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A.The Rise of Macedonia. Philip II brought peace to the Greek
city-states through war. He appreciated and encouraged the Greek
culture. His ambition to lead the Greeks against the Persians ended
with his assassination. A GREEK EMPIRE
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B. The Conquests of Alexander. A student of Aristotle,
Alexander epitomized the idea of scholar-warriora leader
well-versed both in cultural learning and war. Alexander began a
slow, eleven year conquest of the declining Persian empire, making
his way through Asia Minor, Egypt, and to India where his soldiers
refused to go further.
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Upon reaching Babylon, Alexandersuccumbing to wounds, fever,
and alcoholdied at the age of 32. One of the greatest military
minds of history, he built an empire without ever losing a major
battle, yet failed to provide a way for his vast empire to be
governed. His four generals divided his empire: Egypt (Ptolemy);
Syria and Persia (Selecus); Macedonia and Greece (Cassander); and
Thrace (Lysimachus).
C.The Hellenistic Age (323-100 BC). His military exploits
aside, Alexanders legacy lies with the spreading of Greek culture
throughout Southwest Asia. It became a time in which the people
desired to imitate the Greeks, giving rise to a blending and
uniting of various cultures into what would become the cradle of
western civilization.