ANCIENT GREECE

ANCIENT GREECE

• Ancient Greece is considered the beginning of the first modern civilization. They created the Democratic Government and the first Olympics. Greece was divided into city-states called Polis, and each city-state had a different god as their centerpiece. For example, Athens' centerpiece was a temple for the god Athena.

LOCATION

• Greece was an area of land between the Aegean Sea and the Ionion Sea. Greece was divided into city-states, which are called Polis. The city-states hardly ever met and worked together. For example, Sparta and Athens were at war even though they are from the same general area: Greece! Athens became the capital of Greece and that was where a truce between Spartans and Athenians was held during the first Olympics.

CITY-STATE

• Like I mentioned, Greece was divided into city-states that hardly ever met and worked together. The only time they would work with each other was when there was a war that would affect them all. There were several city-states and each one had a temple for a god or goddess. For example, Athens had a centerpiece/temple for the goddess Athena. I also mentioned earlier how Athens was the capital of Greece and the Olympics were held there.

GOLDEN AGE

• The Golden Age is a period in Greece's history that marked great achievements. Pericles was the ruler during this time in the 5th century. The golden age was mostly focused on Athens. This was a time when Athens built a strong economy and government. This was necessary to help them make further achievements.

ATHENS

• I have already mentioned a lot about Athens. It was the capital of Greece, the Olympics were held there, the Golden Age was mostly a period of good advances for Athens. Athens was full of great philosophers and people who are very smart. Socrates and his student, Plato, were some of the very greatest. Athens also created the start of the democracy, which is our government today.

ATHENIANS

• Athenians were people who lived in the city-state of Athens. Athenian men focused most of everything on their studies, but they did think physical exercise was healthy, too. Women in Athens were not allowed to do anything but clean the house and work for the family. Going to see plays were the only exception. Women were not allowed to speak for Athens or go to/participate in the Olympic Games.

SPARTA

• Sparta is a city-state that I have mentioned briefly. It was a rival of the city-state Athens. Sparta focused mostly on gaining power and creating wars to do so. When the Persians invaded Greece, Athens and Sparta worked together. After the war, they started to challenge each other to see which city-state is better and helps Greece more.

SPARTAINS

• Spartans are people who live in the city-state Sparta. They were very violent and created brutal armies. When a child was born, if did not look strong, it was left outside on a hill to be eaten by wolves. The children that did grow up were beaten up regularly. Some were even beaten so bad that they were killed before they began to fight for Sparta. When a child was old enough to fight, usually they would have a missing eye, or scars from being beaten.

HELLENISTIC

• There was a time in Greece's history called the Hellenistic period. This pertains to a time when Alexander the Great spread Greek traditions all the way to India. Some evidence of Greek culture in America is that we participate in the Olympics. Rome accepted the twelve Olympians from Greece and renamed them. Some of the buildings in Washington D.C. are based off of the styles of Greek buildings.

DAILY LIFE IN GREECE

• Life in Greece was different from life today in America. While men were supposed to actively participate in the community, women were to stay home and work for the house. Slaves belonged to certain families who were wealthy and even raised the children of the family. Life in Sparta was different from the rest. Women were more active in the community and slaves belonged to the whole city-state rather than a family.

GREEK GOVERNMENT

• There were many different governments in Ancient Greece. There were many city-states creating many government forms. It started with monarchy in all, then a few started oligarchys. Then tyranny sprinkled in a bit in the city-states. The last is the democracy, which started in Athens and let more people speak their opinions. Women were not allowed to speak in a democracy, though.

ALEXANDER THE GREAT

• Alexander the Great is a conqueror who stretched his reign from Greece to India. He spread Greek traditions throughout the world. He was taught by Aristotle, one of the great thinkers. When he was about to conquer more his people convinced him to go home. On the journey home, he fell dead at the age thirty-three. His people split his land and ruled it separately.

PARTHENON

• The Parthenon was the centerpiece of Athens. It was a temple to the Goddess Athena, the goddess of wisdom. Inside the Parthenon stood a statue of the goddess Athena. There was a festival for the Goddess Athena where people gave her gifts and left them at her feet. People are trying to rebuild the once standing Parthenon of Athena.

SOCIAL STRUCTURE

• The social structure in Greece had four groups. This first group, and the highest is the Upper Class, made mostly of the people in Athens. The next one down is the Middle Class, or Metics. Next is the Lower Class, or freed men. Lastly, at the bottom are Slaves, which seem to be at the bottom of every social structure of the countries we have studied.

ATHENA

• Athena is the goddess of wisdom. It is believed that she visits the Parthenon, which is her temple in Athens. The people in Athens celebrate her and bring her gifts, leaving them inside of the Parthenon. She is the symbol of Olive trees, Owls, Snakes, Armor, Helmets, and Spears. Her parents are a combination of Metis and Zeus, and Hera and Zeus.

ZEUS

• Zeus is the king of all of the gods, and his Roman name is Jupiter. His siblings are Hestia, Hades, Hera, Poseidon, and Demeter. He was the youngest of his siblings to be born. His parents were Cronus and Rhea. He represents the Thunderbolt, Eagle, Bull, and the sacred Oak Tree.

POSEIDON

• Poseidon was one of Zeus' brothers. He is the Greek and Roman god of the sea. The name that was given to him by the Romans is the name Neptune. He represents the Trident, Fish, Dolphin, Horse, and Bull. You may notice that Poseidon shares the representation of the Bull with his brother Zeus.