Classical

Greece from
3000 BC. - 343 BC
Annex N 1 Geography of
Greece

1.

INTRODUCTION.................................................................................1

2.

CULTURES OF THE MOUNTAINS AND THE SEA......................................1

2.1.
2.2.
2.3.

3.

WARRING CITY-STATES......................................................................2
3.1.
3.2.
3.3.
3.4.
3.5.
3.6.
3.7.
3.8.
3.9.
3.10.

4.

GEOGRAPHY SHAPES GREEK LIFE.........................................................................1

MYCENAEAN CIVILIZATION DEVELOPS....................................................................1
GREEK CULTURE DECLINES UNDER THE DORIANS....................................................2

RULE AND ORDER IN GREEK CITY-STATES.............................................................2

GREEK POLITICAL STRUCTURES...........................................................................2
TYRANTS SEIZE POWER.....................................................................................2
ATHENS BUILDS A LIMITED DEMOCRACY................................................................3
BUILDING DEMOCRACY......................................................................................3
ATHENIAN EDUCATION.......................................................................................3
SPARTA BUILDS A MILITARY STATE........................................................................4
SPARTA DOMINATES MESSENIANS.........................................................................4
SPARTAS GOVERNMENT AND SOCIETY..................................................................4
SPARTAN DAILY LIFE.......................................................................................... 4

THE PERSIAN WARS..........................................................................5

Table of Annexes
YANNEX N 1 GEOGRAPHY OF GREECE............................................................................................................................................................ 1

Greece
1. Introduction
This topic is about the Greek Civilization from 3000 BC to 343
BC. This is not when they were the primitive civilization is when they
start gaining power from all the Mediterranean World. Starting with
the Minoans until we reach the part where Alexander the Great was
starting to be taught by Aristotle.

2. Cultures of the Mountains and the Sea

In Ancient Greece the islands were not united, they were Greek
people however with different civilization. By 3000 BC a civilization
called Minoans emerge and settle in the Island of Crete. This people
will soon have control over the Mediterranean.

2.1.

Geography Shapes Greek Life

Greece is basically consists of mountainous areas with more

than two thousand islands. The islands that were in the edges of
other main lands were also part of Greece. Mostly all the geography
shaped the Greeks.
The sea shaped Greece as the rivers shaped other civilization.
The seas that surrounded them help in transportation and trade. It
was mostly trade since they lacked of natural resources.
The mountains covered three forth of the area. Meaning that
Greece had to develop a system of government in which small
independent communities rule the land. In this period of time
traveling by land was frequently impossible because of the scarce
roads. A very small portion of Greeks land was arable. Even the
rivers were not apt to make irrigation possible. This is why Greece has
a low population because they couldnt afford to have food. Maybe
the idea of having riches or more farmland, stimulate them to start
colonizing.
1. The climate also encouraged them, since the climate varied;
when the temperature was right enough the men could go out
to participate in events. These events were commonly public to
decide what to do, exchange new, discuss etc.

2.2.

Mycenaean Civilization Develops

In 2000 BC a civilization called the Mycenaean settle in Greece.

Mycenae was located in southern Greece main land. It had its
defensive wall to make Mycenae a heartened city. Many warlike rulers

Greece
emerge that started ruling other cities like Tiryns and Athens. They
ruled form 1600 to 1100 BC Greece.

In 1500 BC they
communicated with the Minoans, where they both traded with
each other. The Mycenaeans then implemented their writing
system, religious practice etc. Three hundred years later the
Trojan War took place that lasted for ten years. This was
because of Prince Paris that kidnapped Helen the kings wife.
This event was thought to be illusory however excavation found
they were wrong.

2.3.

Greek culture Declines Under the Dorians

Not long after that war the Mycenae declined. Sea raiders
attack them and burned their city into pieces. After, this new people
settle in Greece; called Dorians. During this age Greece was lost, with
no writing, nothing found of this era.
Homer was one of the best
story tellers. He wrote many
epics including the Iliad. The
Iliad is about Achilles in the
Trojan War. After this Greece
develop myths about gods and

mythical creatures. Also the

myths were to explain season
change, thunders, floods,
disasters etc. One goddess that
protected the city of Athens was
Athena; Zeus favorite daughter.

3. Warring City-States
3.1.

Rule and Order in Greek City-States

In 750 B.C. the city state or polis was the fundamental

political unit in Ancient Greece. A polis was made up of a city
and its surrounding countryside, which in that time included
numerous villages. A city state was home to fewer than 10,000
residents and at the market place also known as acropolis,
citizens gathered to discuss city government.

3.2.

Greek Political Structures

Greek city-states had many different forms of

government. In a monarchy, a single person called a king ruled
the government. Others adopted an aristocracy, a government
ruled by a small group of noble, landowning families. Rich
families often gained political power after serving in the kings
military cavalry. Then, as trade expanded, a new class of
wealthy merchants and artisans emerged and when they
became stronger, started to share power with nobility. This then
formed an oligarchy, a government ruled by a few powerful
people.

3.3.

Tyrants Seize Power

In many city-states many problems occurred between rulers and

common people. Powerful individuals seized control of the
government by appealing to the common people for support, these
rulers were called tyrants. Tyrants were seen looked upon as good
leaders who would work for interests of ordinary people. They did
works such as setting building programs to provide jobs and housing
for their supporters.

3.4.

Athens Builds a Limited Democracy

Athens went through power struggles between the rich and the
poor. Athenians avoided major political problems by making timely
reforms. It didnt take long for Athenians to adopt the idea of
democracy, a way of government in which people rule and citizens
directly participate in political decision making.
3.5.

Building Democracy
3

The first step towards democracy came to be when a

nobleman named Draco took power. In 621 B.C. he developed a
legal code based on the idea that all Athenians, rich or poor,
were equal under the law. These ideas of his dealt with
criminals, making death a sentence to any kind of crime. This
code also upheld such practices as debt slavery. In 594 B.C.
Solon introduced more democratic reforms stating that no
citizen should own another citizen, her outlawed debt slavery.
He also introduced the legal concept that any citizen could
bring charges against wrongdoers. He also gave the order that
all citizens regardless of class, could participate in the Athenian
assembly. Around 500 B.C. Cleisthenes broke up the power of
the nobility by organizing citizens into ten groups based on
where they lived rather than on their wealth. He created the
Council of Five Hundred which proposed the laws and counseled
the assembly. He increased power of assembly by allowing all
citizens to submit laws for debate and passage. His reforms
allowed citizens to participate in a limited democracy. However
only free adult male were considered citizens, women, slaves
and foreigners were excluded from citizenship and had few
rights.

3.6.

Athenian Education

Only sons of wealthy families received formal education.

Schooling began around the age of seven and largely prepared boys
to be good citizens. They studied reading, grammar, poetry, history,
mathematics and music. Boys also received training in logic and
public speaking lessons since in the future they were expected to
debate issues in assemblies. Greeks also took part of each day to
train their body and spent in athletic activities. When the boys got
older they were sent to military school to help them prepare for an
important part for citizenship-defending Athens. Athenian girls did not
attend school, but were educated at home by their mothers or other
household female members. They were taught who to be good
mothers and wives, as well as how to take care of household. Only
some women got to take their education further in studies and if they
were good they could become writers.

3.7.

Sparta Builds a Military State

4

Sparta is located in the southern part of Greece also

known as the Peloponnesus. Sparta was very different from
other city-states, especially Athens, instead of democracy
Sparta built a military state.

3.8.

Sparta Dominates Messenians

Around 725 B.C. Sparta conquered the region of Messenia

and took over their land. Messenians became helots, peasants
forced to stay on the land they worked. Each year the Spartans
demanded half of the helots crops. After a time, Messenians
became mad and tried of Spartans harsh rules and revolted.
Spartans just barely put down with the revolt and shocked with
their vulnerability, dedicated themselves to making Sparta a
strong city-state.

3.9.

Spartas Government and Society

Spartan government had many branches. An assembly

was composed of all Spartan citizens, elected officials and voted
on major issues. The Council of Elders proposed laws on which
the assembly voted. Five elected officials carried out the laws
passed by the assembly. These men also controlled education
and prosecuted court cases. Two Kings ruled over Spartas
military forces. The Spartan social order consisted of several
groups. The first group consisted of the citizens descended from
the original inhabitants such as the ruling families of the region.
The second group was made up noncitizens that were free,
worked in commerce and industry. The last class consisted of
the helots, who worked in fields or as house servants.

3.10.

Spartan Daily Life

Sparta had the most powerful army in Greece. However,

Spartan people paid a high price for their military supremacy. In
Spartan daily life, all kind of individual expression was
discouraged. Spartans did not value the arts, literature, or other
artistic and intellectual pursuits. They valued duty, strength and
discipline over freedom, individuality, beauty and learning. Men
were expected to serve in the army until the age of 60, their
daily life w3as centered in military training. Boys left their home
at the age of seven and moved into army barracks, where they
stayed until they were 30 years old. They spent their time
marching, training and farming and they never stopped their
activities, even in bad weathers. Spartan girls also led very
5

harsh lives. They received some military training, and they also
ran, wrestled and played sports. Girls were taught to put service
to Sparta above everything. Spartan women had considerable
freedom, especially in running the family estates when their
husbands were on active military service.

4. The Persian Wars

The Persian Wars was fought by Athens and Persia. It
began in Iona in the coast of Anatolia. However Persia
conquered that area. So, Athens sent ships to help them. In 490
BC the greatest battle took place between Athens and Persia in
Marathon. The Athenians were outnumbered however they were
arrange in phalanx. Thanks to this formation the Athenians did
not lost many men as while Persia did. Pheidippides run 26
miles to tell Athenians they won in the Battle of Marathon.
After Darius died, Xerxes took control. He commanded
troops to invade Greece. However when he reached a narrow
mountain Greeks and Spartans were waiting for them. The
Persian were still advancing however now Spartans were
holding them back so Athens retreat. Then Themistocles said to
fight at the sea were his great ships are waiting for them.
Those great ships were small but pack with heavy armor. Last
the Athenian had defeated again Persia in The Battle of Plataea.
The Persian wars lead to consequences to Greece.
However they were good consequences making the city sates
allied and detecting freedom. With more reformation to Greece
they were entering their own Golden Age.