http://ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/~tjmoore/myth4web/05troygold.jpg.
Minoans + Mycenaeans = The Greeks
Origins of the Greeks: Minoans & Mycenaeans 2800 B.C.E. - 1500 B.C.E.
Minoans (2800-1400 BCE)
• • • • • • • • • Lived on island of Crete Existed during Egypt’s Old Kingdom Government: Priest-kings Religion: Polytheists Cities NOT surrounded by walls Ship Builders & Traders Farming Fishing Overpowered by Mycenaeans by 1400 BCE
http://ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/~tjmoore/Myth3web/05atheseusmincan.jpg.
Minoan Art
Sculptures, Pottery, and Frescoes
Minoans created and traded pottery, leather, bronze armor, and metal jewelry. They also enjoyed sports such as boxing and bull leaping.
http://ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/~tjmoore/Myth3web/05atheseusmincan.jpg
Minoan Fresco at the Palace of Knossos
http://ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/~tjmoore/myth.html.
Minoan fresco: Prince of Knossos
http://www.graeco-roman.com/items/G4310.htm
Minoan Religion
Polytheists
Main god: Great Goddess, Mother Earth)
Minoan Religion
• Built shrines on housetops, hilltops, and in caves
– Why hilltops? – Why caves?
• Offerings included:
– – – – – Human hair fruit flowers jewels gold
Mother Earth
The fall of Minoan civilization is described in the legendary fight of Theseus, a young Greek prince and the Minotaur.
Relief Sculpture of Theseus and defeated Minotaur
http://ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/~tjmoore/Myth3web/05atheseusmincan.jpg
Mycenaeans (2000 - 900 BCE)•
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Lower Greece (lowlands) Built fortress-palaces on hilltops Engaged in farming, herding, olive growing. Traded: gold & bronze Learned from Minoans: Shipbuilding, navigation, gold & bronze work, fashions, art, writing. Better warriors than traders (pirates) Became most powerful people in Aegean world by 1400 BCE Trojan War (1200s BCE) Conquered by Dorians (late 1200’s)
The “Dark Age” (1100 -800 BCE)
• Civil wars broke out following Trojan War • Dorians conquered Mycenaeans • Aegean world began era of “wandering and killing” • Independent communities developed
Layered view of nine major settlements of Troy by Christopher Haussner based on archaelogical excavation.
http://ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/~tjmoore/myth4web/05troygold.jpg
Greek City-States (700 - 338 BCE)
Greek City-States
• The Hellenes, or Greeks emerge from the Dark Age • The Polis, or city-state was the center of Greek life • Polis structure:
– Acropolis (fortified hill) – Agora (marketplace at foot of acropolis) – Polis included homes, farming villages, fields, and orchards http://www.indiana.edu/~kglowack/athens/acropolis.html
Greek Civics and Politics
• Civic and personal honor is one and the same • The Polis (city-state) is above everything else
Greenblatt, Lemmo. Human Heritage. Glencoe, McGraw-Hill 1995.
A New Government
• Solon created 1st Constitution (594 BCE)
– Set of principles and rules for governing
• Purpose: To end oligarchy and to prevent uprising against government by middle and lower class
http://www.indiana.edu/~kglowack/athens/images/07.017.JPG
The First
Democratic Constitution
• Created by Cleisthenes in 508 BCE (lasted 300 yrs.) • Limits power of rich & land ownership • All male landowners could vote • All debts were erased • All enslaved due to debt, were freed • All Athenians became citizens and able to participate in government • Assembly created to make laws
Representation of Cleisthenes
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/greeks/greekdemocracy_2.shtml
The Athenian Government Structure
Pericles Commander-in-Chief Selected by the elected ten generals
Assembly Elected by Athenian males over the age of 20; Served 1 year Made laws
Ten Generals Elected by Assembly Run Army and Navy
Coucil of Five Hundred Served 2 years Chosen by lot among citizens Handled daily business of Athens
http://norfacad.pvt.k12.va.us/project/pericles/Pericles.htm
Greek Religion
The most popular priestess was a priestess in the temple of Delphi. The Delphi was the center of the world for Greeks.
http://ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/~tjmoore/mythslides1/27delphiview.jpg
Gods with human qualities (anthropomorphism)
Poseiden
The Courtship of Venus and Mars
Aphrodite
http://ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/~tjmoore/mythslides1/mythslides1.html
Greek Theater
• Began during festivals honoring the god Dionysus (600 BCE) • Types of Plays
– Tragedies
• Aeschylus • Sophocles • Euripides
– Comedies
• Only men could act in plays • A civic responsibility
http://ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/~tjmoore/mythslides1/28feastofgods.jpg
The Great Greek Philosophers
• Socrates • Plato • Aristotle
http://www.arts.uwaterloo.ca/PHIL/cpshelle/Gallery/Greek/aristotle.jpg
Socrates (469-399 BCE)
Greenblatt, Lemmo. Human Heritage. Glencoe, McGraw-Hill 1995
http://www.btinternet.com/~socratic/
• Stonemason, spent time arguing with assembly • Taught: Question everything, use stepby-step questioning to final conclusion (Socaratic Method) • Executed for denying gods, corrupting youth, and trying to overthrow gov.
Plato (427-347 BCE)
• Pupil of Socrates • Recorded speeches of Socrates • Father of Political Science • Founded The Academy to train government leaders • Wrote The Republic & The Dialogues
http://plato.evansville.edu/
Aristotle (384-322 BCE)
• Pupil of Plato at The Academy • Trained in Medicine • “Master of Them That Know” • First to classify plants & animals • Developed final steps in scientific method (Hypothesis and Test)
Plato
Aristotle
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/history/aristotle.html