Ancient Greece. An Introduction Greek city-states were isolated from each other both physically and...

Ancient Greece

An Introduction

Greek city-states were isolated from each other both physically and culturally.Greece had many islands.Large seafaring community.

John Green: The

Persians & Greeks

(start at 5 min)

The Dark Age

1100 BCE – 750 BCEName comes from fact that ‘few records exist’Iron workingPossible no writing system used

The Dark Age: Homer

b. 13-8th century BCEauthor and poetepic poetry: long poems about heroesThe Iliad and The OdysseyUsed as historical documents

City Life

Polis: city-stateAcropolis: fortified area on a hill; refuge or religious center (temples)Agora: market

City Life: Citizenship

Men – citizenship, rightsWomen & Children – citizenship, NO rightsSlaves, laborers, aliens – no citizenship

City Life: Government

Democracy: a government by the people or rule of manyOligarchy: rule by the few

The Spartans

800-600BCESpartan: highly self-disciplinedIn army from age 20-60Lived in barracks, not at homeWomen lived at home, had more freedom

The Spartans

Oligarchy with 2 kings and assemblyNo visitorsNo travelReject philosophy, literature, and the artsThe ART of WAR most important

The Spartans

Socratic Seminar: Watch the videos on Sparta and take notes (1 side total for all 3)

Read the articles “8 Reasons It Wasn’t Easy Being Spartan” & “Sparta Reconsidered: Spartan Women” and highlight information

Write 6 questions (2 comprehension and 4 opinion)

Come prepared to discuss and show all 4 parts

“Spartans”

“Deconstructing History: Spartans”

“Spartans: Implements of Death”

Tuesday 10/13

Athens

7th C. – city-stateOligarchy ruled by aristocratsFarmers sold into slavery when debts not paid

Athens

5th C. BCE ~300,000 peopleCouncil of 500 (affairs of state, treasury, laws)Foundation for democracy

Classical Greece

500-338Foundation of Western society

Pericles

495-429Statesman, oratorAthenian politicsDirect democracy: every male citizen voted on the issues (NOT a representative democracy)Poor citizens could hold office

“Birth of Democracy

”

The Peloponnesian War

“The Peloponnesian War” by artist Jeffrey Lewis

2 parts: Athenian Empire & SpartaWar – 431Athens falls (~404)

Greek Arts, Drama, Philosophy

“concerned with expressing eternal ideals – reason, moderation, balance, and harmony” (p43)

Greek Arts: sculpture

“Greek Sculpture”

Focus on the human formMale nudesRelaxed, self-assured, fit‘ideal beauty’Bronze and marble

Greek Arts: sculpture

Winged Victory/Nik

e190

Venus de Milo

~120

Greek Arts: architecture

Temples with statues and treasuries (for gifts)Columns

Greek Arts: the Parthenon

“Deconstructing History:

The Acropolis”

Built 447-432Dedicated to Athena

Greek Drama

Comedies: mocking satire against powerful men

Tragedies: “love, loss, pride, the abuse of power and the fraught relationships between men and gods” (“The Different…”)

Catharsis: to release or purge emotions Aristotle, Poetics

“Typically the main protagonist of a tragedy commits some terrible crime without realizing how foolish and arrogant he has been. Then, as he slowly realizes his error, the world crumbles around him.” (“The Different…”)

Chorus: narrators, guides, commentators

Greek Drama: Sophocles

400sGreek playwright – tragediesOedipus Rex

Greek Philosophy

Philosophy: organized system of thoughtSocrates

Plato

Aristotle

Alexander the Great

Greek Philosophy: Socrates

“Socrates – Questioning Philosopher”

470-399 BCESculptorLeft no writingsTeaching method: “a q&a format to lead pupils to see things for themselves by using their own reason” (p44)

We have knowledge in us; just need to unlock it

“The unexamined life is not worth living.”

Greek Philosophy: Socrates

Accused of having subversive views

Sentenced to death (hemlock poison)

Did not resist

Greek Philosophy: Plato

428-347 BCEStudent of SocratesFounded the ‘Academy’Wrote a lot; The Republic (about government)

‘Ideal State’ = perfect society1st-philosopher kings2nd- warriors3rd- masses

Believed in equality for the sexes as far as jobs/education

Greek Philosophy: Aristotle

384-322 BCEStudied at The AcademyFoundation of nearly all Western philosophy

Many interests: science (biology, marine biology, meteorology) philosophy

Tutored Alex the GreatWhen Alex died, anti-Macedonian party accused of Aristotle of impiety, he fled, and he later died of disease

“Aristotle”

Macedonia

Kingdom to the north of GreecePhillip II wanted to unify the two nationsDefeated the Greeks in 338Assassinated

Alexander The Great

“Alexander the Great: Mini Bio”

356-323 BCEKing at age 20Military geniusProbably disliked because of cruel behaviorClose to Mother (like who else…)

Alexander The Great

“Alexander the Great: Creating

the Legend”

Alex didn’t automatically get throne after Phillip’s death

Had to conquer the north firstSouthern Greek city-states began to think life w/o Macedonian leader would be better

Alex went to Thebes and slaughtered ~6,000 Thebans killed~30,000 sold into slaveryThebes burned to the groundOther city-states pledged allegiance to Alex

Alexander The Great

“Alexander the Great:

Rise to Power”

AsiaEgyptCreated AlexandriaDefeated the Persians“King of Babylon, King of Asia, King of the Four Quarters of the World”

Alexander The Great

“Alexander the Great:

Mysterious Death”

IranIndiaArmy got mad when he recruited many Persian soldiers and married officers to Persian womenAt 32, died – malaria?

Alexander The Great

“Alexander the Great and the

Situation…” at 2 mins

“…amazingly good at being a dead person.” (John Green)

Hellenistic Era

Hellenistic: to imitate GreeksGreek colonistsSpread culture through art, architecture, science, philosophy, etc.Sculpture spread

Hellenistic Era

3 main dynasties after Alex’s death Syria & PersiaPtolemy in EgyptGreece & Macedonia

MonarchiesVery Greek in manorSpoke a common languageEmphasis on education: Archimedes (Pi); Euclid (geometry)

Ended with a defeat of Marc Antony’s army in 31BCE

Hellenistic Era

Works Cited

"Alexander the Great." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 07 Oct. 2015. <http://www.biography.com/people/alexander-the-great-9180468>.

"Alexander the Great." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 07 Oct. 2015. <http://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/alexander-the-great>.

“Aristotle." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 07 Oct. 2015. <http://www.biography.com/people/aristotle-9188415#teaching>.

Biography.com Editors. "Homer Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 06 Oct. 2015. <http://www.biography.com/people/homer-9342775#legacy>.

"Greek Sculpture." Ancient History Encyclopedia. Ancient History Encyclopedia, n.d. Web. 07 Oct. 2015. <http://www.ancient.eu/Greek_Sculpture/>.

"Hellenistic Greece." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 07 Oct. 2015. <http://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/hellenistic-greece>.

"Plato." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 07 Oct. 2015. <http://www.biography.com/people/plato-9442588#final-years>.

Schrader, Helena P. "Sparta Reconsidered - Spartan Women." Sparta Reconsidered - Spartan Women. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Oct. 2015. <http://elysiumgates.com/~helena/Women.html>.

"Socrates." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 07 Oct. 2015. <http://www.biography.com/people/socrates-9488126>.

"The Different Types of Greek Drama and Their Importance." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 06 Oct. 2015. <http://www.pbs.org/empires/thegreeks/background/24c.html>.