Greece Flashcards
Early civilizations
Aegean civilizations (2000-1150 BCE)
Crete- Minoan culture
Mainland-Mycenean: Trojan war
Trading societies
Invasion of Southeastern Euro
About 1200 BCE tribes invaded.
Greek Dark ages
Over time, tribes merged into the Greeks (Hellenes). (1150-800BCE) Political and social development was low.
Common language and religion emerged.
Archaic period (800-500 BCE)
More advancement.
Key city-states
Corinth and Thebes
Sparta and Athens
Sparta
rigid, slave-holding dictator ship that created the Greek world’s most effective and feared army.
Athens
Culturally and politically advanced city that became wealthy through trade and power.
Oligarchies
Rule by the few. Political power rests in the hands of a small elite group, generally chosen by wealthy.
Greek women
Treated as social and political inferiors.
Democracy (Athens)
Rule by the people. Reached its peak in Athens under Pericles. (women and slaves excluded) most representative government in the ancient world.
Classical Period (500-338 BCE)
Two major wars with the Persians-Persians attempted to invade but are driven out.
Peloponnesian war (431-401 BCE)
Sparta won the war.
Weakened the Greek city-states and left them open to Persian influenced. Were then conquered by Macedonians.
Alexander the Great (356-323 BCE)
Most successful military campaigns of all time.
Died at age 33 from exhaustion, alcoholism and fever.
Lead an army more than 20,000 miles lasting almost 3,600 days.
Preserved Greek culture and helped it spread.
Ancient city of Alexandria in Egypt with the Great Library became hot spot for trade, learning, and culture.
Hellenism
More wordily and rational than other ancient traditions.
Science was important. from 600s to 300s BCE thinkers outlined many basic laws of geometry, physics, mathematics, and astronomy.
Hellenism cont.
Celebration of life.
Greek writer’s created the worlds first literary masterpieces.
