just lets me pass Flashcards
Ancient Greek history can be divided into three main periods
Archaic, Classical,
and Hellenistic periods.
Archaic Period
800-480 BCE
Archaic Period, Historical Context:
o The Archaic period followed the Greek Dark Ages and preceded the
Classical period.
o It was characterized by the establishment of city-states (poleis) and
urbanisation
o the colonization of the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions.
o Creation of Athens (11-12th century BC) and Sparta (10th century BC)
o Democracy introduced by Solon (638-558)
o Lyric, epic and tragedy emerges in literature
Rise of the polis, the fundamental political unit of ancient
Greece.
c. 800 BCE
Traditional date for the first Olympic Games.
776 BCE
the earliest records of conflict in ancient Greece
Lelantine war (710-650)
First and second Messenian Wars
743-724, 685-668
Draco’s code of laws in Athens, known for their severity.
621 BCE
Solon’s reforms in Athens, which laid the groundwork for
democracy.
594 BCE
Draco
Known for implementing a harsh legal code in Athens.
Solon
Athenian lawmaker whose reforms eased debt slavery and laid
foundations for democracy.
Peisistratos
A tyrant who ruled Athens and promoted cultural and
religious institutions.
Warfare (archaic)
o The Archaic period saw frequent conflicts between city-states.
o The Lelantine War (c. 710-650 BCE) was a significant early conflict
between Chalcis and Eretria on the island of Euboea.
- Persian empire in 500 BC
o I
▪ Darius the great (550-486)
▪ Ionian revolt (499-493)
▪ First Persian assault (492)
▪ Battle of marathon (490)
o II
▪ Xerxes (519-465)
▪ Battle of Thermopylae (480)
▪ Burning down Athens (480)
▪ Battle of salamis (480)
▪ Battle of Plataea (479)
▪ Formation of the Delian league
▪ Peace signed in 449 BC
Classical Period
510-323 BCE
Classical Period Historical Context:
One of the most important periods for creation of western civilisation
o Marked by the Persian Wars, the rise of Athens and Sparta, and the Peloponnesian War.
o Significant cultural and intellectual developments occurred during this time.
Battle of Marathon – Athenian victory over Persian forces.
490 BCE
Battle of Thermopylae and Battle of Salamis – Key battles in the
Persian Wars.
480 BCE
Peloponnesian War – A protracted conflict between Athens
and Sparta.
431-404 BCE:
rise and fall of the spartan empire
405-371 BCE
rise and fall of Athens
371-355 BCE
rise of Macedon and Alexander the great
359-323 BCE
Themistocles
Athenian general who played a crucial role in the Battle of
Salamis.
Pericles
Athenian leader during the Golden Age, promoted arts and
democracy.
Socrates
Philosopher known for his contributions to ethics and
epistemology.
Thucydides
Historian who chronicled the Peloponnesian War.
Leonidas
Spartan king who led Greek forces at the Battle of
Thermopylae.
Persian Wars
499-449 BCE
▪ Included battles such as Marathon, Thermopylae, Salamis, and
Plataea.
▪ Unified Greek city-states against a common enemy, the Persian
Empire.
o Between the wars:
▪ Athens ended up with a powerful fleet after the Persian wars
▪ They formed Delian league to fight Persians
▪ 435 BCE crisis in Epidamnus and democrats had to flee to Corinth
Peloponnesian War
431-404 BCE:
▪ A devastating conflict primarily between Athens and Sparta.
▪ Resulted in the eventual defeat of Athens and a shift in power to
Sparta.
▪ 431- archidanian war
▪ Delian league is getting increasingly powerful and in 431 king of
Sparta attacks Attika- peace in Nicias in 421
▪ 415 attack on Syracuse
▪ Athens attack Sicily but suffer defeat
▪ 413 ionian War/ de
▪ Greeks are weak after the Peloponnesian war
▪ Philip 2 of Macedon takes advantage and attacks the peninsula
▪ Philip 2 creates the League of Corinth in 338 and unifies Greeks
against Persians
▪ Alexander succeeds Philip in 336
▪ He deals with uprisings
▪ Write
▪ Alexander’s conquest 332-323
Hellenistic Period
323-31 BCE
Hellenistic Historical Context:
o Begins with the death of Alexander the Great and ends with the Roman
conquest of the Hellenistic kingdoms.
o Marked by the spread of Greek culture across the Mediterranean and
Near East.
o Greek cultural influence and power was at its peak in Europe, north
Africa, and western Asia
o Prosperity and progress in the arts, exploration, literature, theatre,
architecture, music, mathematics, philosophy, and science.
Death of Alexander the Great.
323 BCE
Diadochi wars
322-301 BCE
Battle of Ipsus – Decisive battle among Alexander’s successors.
301 BCE
Battle of Actium – Octavian’s victory over Mark Antony and
Cleopatra, leading to Roman domination.
31 BCE
Alexander the Great
Macedonian king who created a vast empire and
spread Greek culture.
Ptolemy I Soter
One of Alexander’s generals who founded the Ptolemaic
Kingdom in Egypt.
Seleucus I Nicator
Founder of the Seleucid Empire, another of
Alexander’s generals.
Antigonus I Monophthalmus
nother of Alexander’s generals,
established the Antigonid dynasty.
Wars of the Diadochi
(323-281 BCE):
▪ Series of conflicts among Alexander’s generals (the Diadochi) for
control over his empire.
Battle of Ipsus
301 BCE
▪ Decisive battle that saw the defeat of Antigonus and the partition
of Alexander’s empire among the remaining Diadochi.
Battle of Actium
31 BCE
▪ Naval battle that resulted in Octavian’s (later Augustus) victory
over Mark Antony and Cleopatra, leading to the end of the
Hellenistic period and the rise of Roman supremacy.
Ancient Rome
experienced a complex history marked by significant wars and periods of
peace, crucial for the development of the Roman Republic and later the Roman Empire.
Roman Kingdom
(753-509 BC)
o Foundation of Rome by Romulus.
o Rule by a succession of seven kings, culminating in the overthrow of the
monarchy and establishment of the Republic.
Roman Republic
(509-27 BC)
o Expansion and Internal Conflicts: Rome expanded through Italy,
forming alliances, and defeating enemies. Internal class struggles
between patricians and plebeians were common.
o Punic Wars: Rome’s significant military engagements with Carthage.
o Macedonian Wars: Rome’s conflicts in Greece and Macedonia.
o Civil Wars: Internal conflicts leading to the end of the Republic
Roman Empire
27 BC-476 AD)
o Augustan Peace (Pax Romana): A period of relative peace and stability
under Emperor Augustus. (27 BC- 235 AD)
o Expansion and Consolidation: Continued expansion, securing borders,
and establishing a stable administrative system.
o Decline: A gradual decline due to internal strife, economic troubles, and
invasions.
* In 395 rome splits into eastern (1453) and western (476) empire
Romulus and Remus:
Mythical founders of Rome.
Julius Caesar:
General, consul, and dictator pivotal in the demise of the Roman
Republic.
Augustus (Octavian):
First emperor of Rome, established the Pax Romana.