Overview of Greek HistoryHeroic (c. 2000 – 1200)

Poetic (800 – 500)

Militaristic (500 – 400)

Philosophic (400 – 300)

Hellenistic (300 – 100)

Overview of Greek HistoryHeroic (c. 2000 – 1200)

Minoans (?? – 1450)

Mycenaeans (1450 – 1200)

Dorian Invasion (1120)

Dark age until about 800

The earliest Greek civilization was based on the island of Crete

Minoans

Distinctive Minoan art suggests an idealic culture, but his may be overstated.

Minoans

Distinctive “bull-leaping” games have been tied to the myth of the Minotaur

Minoans

The palace of king Minos of Knossos was discovered by Arthur Evans in 1900

Minoans

Mycenaean Greeks from the mainland drove out the Minoans around 1450 b.c.

Minoans

Mycenaeans

Capital at Mycenae but dominated the Mediterranean for 200 years

Mycenaeans (1450 – 1200)

Most famous king was Agamemnon, the ruler of Mycenae c. 1200 b.c.

The “Mask of Agamemnon” discovered by Heinrich Schliemann 1876

Mycenaeans (1450 – 1200)

Capital at Mycenae but dominated the Mediterranean for 200 years

Mycenae is a popular tourist destination in southern Greece

Mycenaeans (1450 – 1200)

Capital at Mycenae but dominated the Mediterranean for 200 years

Most famous king was Agamemnon, the ruler of Mycenae c. 1200 b.c.

Mycenaean history culminates in the Trojan war (c. 1220 b.c.)

•Troy

Mycenae is a popular tourist destination in southern Greece

Mycenaeans (1450 – 1200)

Capital at Mycenae but dominated the Mediterranean for 200 years

Most famous king was Agamemnon, the ruler of Mycenae c. 1200 b.c.

Beware Greeks bearing gifts!

Mycenaean history culminates in the Trojan war (c. 1220 b.c.)

Mycenae is a popular tourist destination in southern Greece

Mycenaeans (1450 – 1200)

Capital at Mycenae but dominated the Mediterranean for 200 years

Most famous king was Agamemnon, the ruler of Mycenae c. 1200 b.c.

The Dorians

Drove the Mycenaeans out of Peloponnese around 1180 b.c.

Mycenaeans migrated to Achaea (Athens) and Ionia (Asia Minor)

Dorians dominated Peloponnese (Sparta and Corinth)

Dark Age in Greece and elsewhere until about 800 b.c.

Overview of Greek HistoryHeroic (c. 2000 – 1200)

Poetic (800 – 500)776: First Olympiad

750: Iliad and Odyssey

Homer

730 – 580: Greek Migration

Two major cities emerge: Athens and Sparta

Overview of Greek HistoryHeroic (c. 2000 – 1200)

Poetic (800 – 500)776: First Olympiad

750: Iliad and Odyssey

730 – 580: Greek Migration

Greece has multiple independent city-states

Tyrants rise to defend the people against aristocracy

630 – 500: Greek Politics

Lycurgus developed the most harsh and militaristic society known to the ancient world

Solon was reputed to be one of the most enlightened law-givers of the ancient world

Overview of Greek HistoryHeroic (c. 2000 – 1200)

Poetic (800 – 500)

Militaristic (500 – 400)First Persian War (494 – 490)

Time of Preparation (490 – 481)Themistocles argued for building a navy

The Oracle of Delphi gave hope in a “Wooden Wall”

Overview of Greek HistoryHeroic (c. 2000 – 1200)

Poetic (800 – 500)

Militaristic (500 – 400)First Persian War (494 – 490)

Time of Preparation (490 – 481)Themistocles argued for building a navy

Nearby silver mines provided the financing

The Oracle of Delphi gave hope in a “Wooden Wall”

Overview of Greek HistoryHeroic (c. 2000 – 1200)

Poetic (800 – 500)

Militaristic (500 – 400)First Persian War (494 – 490)

Second Persian War (481 – 479)

Formation of Delian League (479)

Overview of Greek HistoryHeroic (c. 2000 – 1200)

Poetic (800 – 500)

Militaristic (500 – 400)First Persian War (494 – 490)

Second Persian War (481 – 479)

Formation of Delian League (479)

The Age of Pericles (470 – 430)

Completion of Parthenon (438)

The most famous symbol of the Greek golden age – built with funds flowing from the Delian League into Athens

Overview of Greek HistoryHeroic (c. 2000 – 1200)

Poetic (800 – 500)

Militaristic (500 – 400)First Persian War (494 – 490)

Second Persian War (481 – 479)

Formation of Delian League (479)

The Age of Pericles (470 – 430)

Completion of Parthenon (438)

Peloponnesian Wars (434 – 404)

Overview of Greek HistoryHeroic (c. 2000 – 1200)

Poetic (800 – 500)

Militaristic (500 – 400)

Philosophic (400 – 300)Death of Socrates in 399Athens recovers independence from Sparta in 394Plato establishes his Academy in 385

Overview of Greek HistoryHeroic (c. 2000 – 1200)

Poetic (800 – 500)

Militaristic (500 – 400)

Philosophic (400 – 300)Death of Socrates in 399Athens recovers independence from Sparta in 394Plato establishes his Academy in 385

Overview of Greek HistoryHeroic (c. 2000 – 1200)

Poetic (800 – 500)

Militaristic (500 – 400)

Philosophic (400 – 300)Death of Socrates in 399Athens recovers independence from Sparta in 394Plato establishes his Academy in 385Boeotian League maintains relative calm in Greece

Philip II rules Macedon (359 – 336)

Aristotle tutors Alexander (343 – 340)

Overview of Greek HistoryHeroic (c. 2000 – 1200)

Poetic (800 – 500)

Militaristic (500 – 400)

Philosophic (400 – 300)Death of Socrates in 399Athens recovers independence from Sparta in 394Plato establishes his Academy in 385Boeotian League maintains relative calm in Greece

Philip II rules Macedon (359 – 336)

Aristotle tutors Alexander (343 – 340)

Overview of Greek HistoryHeroic (c. 2000 – 1200)

Poetic (800 – 500)

Militaristic (500 – 400)

Philosophic (400 – 300)Death of Socrates in 399Athens recovers independence from Sparta in 394Plato establishes his Academy in 385Boeotian League maintains relative calm in Greece

Philip II rules Macedon (359 – 336)

Aristotle tutors Alexander (343 – 340)

Aristotle establishes the Lyceum (335)

Overview of Greek HistoryHeroic (c. 2000 – 1200)

Poetic (800 – 500)

Militaristic (500 – 400)

Philosophic (400 – 300)

Hellenistic (300 – 100)Alexander’s Campaigns (334 – 323)

Four-fold division of Alexander’s Empire (310)

Greece falls to Roman control (200)

Maccabean Revolt (165)

Rise of Imperial Rome (100)