Ancient Greece History Overview

Ancient Greece

• Ancient Greece was the first civilization in Europe, developing around the eastern Mediterranean Sea.
• It was the birthplace of democracy and saw the emergence of powerful cities, great thinkers, and scientists.

Aegean Civilizations

• Civilization in the eastern Mediterranean began around 3000 BC on the island of Crete.
• The Minoans were skilled sailors who accumulated wealth through trade.
• Around 1500 BC, the powerful town of Mycenae on the southern Greek mainland conquered and took control of Crete.
• Three centuries later, the Dorians invaded Greece from the north and drove the Mycenaeans out to Asia.

City States

• After 1000 BC, the Dorians and Ionians settled in eastern Greece and built large cities, each with their own governments, armies, and independence.
• The two most powerful city-states were Sparta and Athens.
• Sparta was a dominant city-state focused on war, with a strong army and a history of conquering neighboring cities and enslaving their populations.
• Athens, on the other hand, concentrated on trade, science, and other fields, and was the first city to establish a democratic government.

Persian Wars

• Around 500 BC, the Persian Empire under Darius I invaded many Greek cities on the Asian coast.
• By 490 BC, the Persians attacked the Greek mainland, but were defeated by Greek armies under Spartan leadership.

Peloponnesian War

• Under the rule of Pericles, Athens became the most powerful city-state and controlled much of eastern Greece.
• Pericles sought to make Athens a beautiful city with many temples, and art, philosophy, and general knowledge became prominent.
• Sparta, fearing Athens' growing power, began a war against Athens in 431 BC, which eventually led to Athens' surrender.

Macedonian Rule

• As Greek city-states weakened, Macedonia, a kingdom to the north of Greece, grew stronger and eventually conquered all of Greece under King Philipp II.
• His son, Alexander, came to power in 336 BC and went on to conquer Persia and spread Greek ideas and culture throughout western Asia and the Middle East.

Roman Rule

• In 140 BC, Rome took over Greece and the city-states, and they remained under Roman rule until 395 AD, when they became part of the Byzantine Empire.

Daily Life in Ancient Greece

• Men were the heads of most Greek families, and richer families had slaves who were commanded by the wives.
• Women usually married at a young age, while men married later.
• Ancient Greek society was divided into citizens and non-citizens, with citizens being free men and noblemen who owned land and participated in government.
• Education in Athens focused on general subjects like music, writing, mathematics, and reading, as well as physical exercise.
• Education in Sparta was geared towards military training, with boys being sent to military schools to become good soldiers.
• The Greek diet consisted of food made from grains, fish, eggs, vegetables, and fruit.
• Greek men and women wore garments made of linen or wool, with women's garments typically covering their legs down to their ankles.