Greek Civilization 2000 Years of Greek History

Geography of Greece

• It’s a peninsula• Surrounded by the Ionian, Mediterranean, Aegean,

and the Sea of Crete• Mountainous• Mild climate, not conducive to farming• Wheat, barley, olives, grapes, sheep and goats• Structure created fierce independence

Greek Landscape

Minoans

• Lived on Crete an island southeast of the Greek mainland

• Were not Greek but the 1st Civilization in that region that became Greece

• Made their money by:• Trade

• Ship building

• 1450 B.C. they collapsed (Mycenaean's)

Minoan’s

Mycenaean's• Invaded the Greek mainland around 1900

B.C.

• Became the 1st Greek kings

• Got their name from where they were discovered (Mycenae)

• Would replace the Minoans as the major power in the Mediterranean

• Mycenaean king Agamemnon is famous for his victory in the Trojan War

Mycenaean Death Mask

The Lions Gate

Mycenae Video I

Mycenae Part II

Greek Super Powers

• Sparta • Athens

The Culture of Ancient Greece

1. Greek Mythology

2. Greek Poetry

3. Greek Fables

4. Greek Drama

5. Greek Art

6. Greek Architecture

Greek Mythology

• Explanation of Ancient Greek religion• Homer

• Hesiod

• Homeric Hymns

• The Olympians• 12 Most important

gods

• Lived on Mt. Olympus

Greek Poetry and Fables

• Stories that taught Greek values

• Epics- long poems that told about heroic deeds

• Iliad and the Odyssey• Homer

• Fables- Short tale that teaches a lesson• Aesop (Greek slave)

Greek Drama

• Tragedy• Good to bad fortune

• Comedy• Bad to good

circumstances

• Satyr Plays• Not as serious

• Tragicomedy

Greek Art

• Three main periods of Greek art are:• Archaic• Classical• Hellenistic

• The main physical categories of Greek art• Painting• Sculpture• Architecture• Coin• Design• Pottery

Greek ArchitectureThree different types1. Doric

• Most used• Spartans• Wood/Stone

2. Ionic• Columns were more slender

than Doric• Built higher• Stone

3. Corinthian• Not used much• Fancier• More detail