ANCIENT

I ' . A Historical Overview of Greece

Greece is located on a peninsula jutting out into the Mediterranean Sea. The Aegean Sea is to the east and the Ionian Sea is to the west. A thin strip of land connects Greece's northern mainland to the Peloponnesus, which is another name for southern Greece. Here the climate and land are poor for farming, but this location is perfect for seafaring-the have al­ ways been excellent fishermen and sailors.

Around 2000 B.C., a tribe called Mycenaeans settled in the Peloponnesus. In 1194 B.C., they attacked the city of Troy on the eastern coast of the Aegean Sea. This began the Trojan War. A blind poet named re- ...______.. corded the deeds of the heroes of the Trojan War in the llliad. Homer's other famous epic poem, the , told the adventures of a Trojan War hero as he traveled home to Greece after the war.

Ancient Greeks believed many gods and goddesses controlled the world and lived in the sky on Mt. Olympus.

The mountains and valleys on the mainland of Greece isolated people from each other and caused them to form their own city-states. Everyone thought that their city-state was the best. The Greeks' pride in their own city-state kept them from uniting into a strong country.

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T.S. Denison & Co., Inc. 5 Ancient Civilizatwns-{;reece One of these important city-states was Athens. The people of Athens were divided into three social classes: the upper class, free male land­ holding citizens born in Athens; the middle class, foreign-born merchants; and the lower class, which were slaves. All citizens took part in the government, which was the beginning of what we call a "democracy" today. (The women of Athens were not considered citizens because they could not take part in the government.) During the reign of the leader ,Athens enjoyed thirty years of growth in the arts and sciences, a period known as the Golden Age.

Sparta was another well-known city-state which was a military society made up of three social classes: the upper class, adult free male citizens; the middle class, foreign-born merchants; and the lower class, slaves called Helots who had been taken as prisoners after wars. Although women could own property in , they were. not considered citizens.

Two major periods of war arose in an­ cient Greece. The Persian Wars were twenty years of fighting between the Persianinvad­ ers and the Greeks. The Greeks won in 480 B.C., and the Golden Age began. Later, the Spartans attacked the Athenians and fought a twenty-five-year war known as the Peloponnesian War. Sparta defeated Athens in 404 B.C., and the Golden Age ended.

In 338 B.C., Greece was conquered by , who ruled all of the known world until his death in 323 B.C. This began the Hellenistic Age, a time when Greek culture combined with and influenced the cultures of Eastern lands also conquered by Alexander. In 31 B.C. the Roman army con­ quered Greece.

T.S. Denison & Co., Inc. 6 Ancient Civilizations-Greece '1 I

Geography

The country of Greece is on a peninsula located in the Mediterranean Sea in south­ eastern Europe. The Aegean Sea lies to the east and the Ionian Sea lies to the west. A thin strip of land links the southern part of the mainland, called the Peloponnesus, to the northern part.

Mountains and small valleys divide the land into many small areas, each one cut off from its neighbors. During the time of , each area became a mini-country, or a city-state. The soil was full of rocks and farm­ ing was difficult; growing enough food for everyone was not easy.

However, the Greeks were close to the sea. No part of Greece is more than eighty-five miles (137 km) from shoreline, so the Greeks became expert sailors. They used their knowl­ edge of the sea to fish, to trade with other peoples, and to colonize other small islands in the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas.

Greece has a warm, dry climate. Because it is only about 40° north of the equator, sum­ mers are very hot and winter temperatures seldom freeze the crops. Rainfall averages between twenty and fifty inches (60-127 em) per year.

T.S. Denison & Co., Inc. 7 Ancient Civilizaticms--Greece FARMING (1) the A s in most of the early civilizations, agriculture in Ancient Greece was the .t\rnost important occupation and employed most people. Around 6000 B.C., people from the ea~tern Mediterraneall regions settled in eastern Greece and began to ens farm the land. In the folloVving centuri.es, it became traditional for Greek freemen m- to own land and their wealth was indicated by the size of their property and the lere number of animals they owned. Some smaller farrnel~ could not afford slaves and just managed to scrape a living for their familie..o;;. If there was a crop failure, poor farmers could not u, ually support themselves and would have to work for their 1en 1and OVvl1ers on larger e.."tates or seek work in the city. There were no huge farming me Coin from a Greek colony ill $()llthem estates run by hundreds of slaves as in the later Roman Empire, but there were Italy, Agroin motif hows tlit slaves used on the larger farms owned by noble families or rich landowners from importance oi this crop. the cities. 'l{ay With so many mountains, soil in Greece was generally poor. Most of the Copy of va..", in the good farmland was near the coast, though there were well-watered areas British Museum like one about 20 km northwest of Corinth which was famous for its fruit uld sho\\'ing the olive and vegetables. Bread was the most important food, so barley, wheat (in ced harvest. Olives \Vel<' more fertile areas) and other grains were the main crops. Athens could picked by hand or dislodged from the only grow about 30 percent of its grain requirement~, so large quantities trees \l.ith sticks, This had to be imported. Olives were also an important crop. Poor fanners pot was made in could plant olive trees for they would grow on pOOl' soil. Some oliw'A'i were Athens about 520 B.C. eaten but most were pre..<;sed to obtain oil for cooking and lighting, or for export to sell or barter for other goods. In the city-state of Athens it was a criminal offence to dig up an olive tree, possibly because they took so long to mature, but probably because of their importance to the economy.

Activity Box How did the Greeks pick their olives? L The most important crops were grains and

\'\·11en did early settlers first cultivate the 7. What was the most important food made from land in Greece? farm produce?

3. Which city-state grew fine fruit and vegetables? 8. Which Greeks could own land?

4. Why was olive oil so important? 9. Why could olive trees grow on motmtain slopes?

5. Olive trees grow qUickly. True or False? 10. Which city-state had to import grain? Greece

1. Identify the fol­ lowing on your map (refer to a map of an­ cient Greece in an en­ -..-.. cyclopedia):

• Mediterranean Sea • Aegean Sea • Ionian Sea • Peloponnesus • Crete • Persia • Macedonia • City of Athens • City of Sparta • City of Troy • City of Alexan­ dria (in Egypt) • Pindus Moun­ tains • Griva Mountains

2. Shade the water blue, the land tan, and the mountain ranges gray.

3. Greece is a land of mountains and rocky soil. If you had lived in ancient Greece, how would you have fed your family? ______

4. The coastline of Greece has many harbors-which is considered the most important? Why do you think many Greeks choose to make their living from the sea? ------

T.S. Denison & Co., Inc. 9 Ancient Civilizations-Creece N Read the paragraph for background information. Then use the map to answer the questions. w E The Minoans lived entirely surrounded by water on the island of Crete. Sometimes known as s the Bull-Jumpers for a popular sport on the island, they might be better iWlown as the ship­ builders of the ancient world. They were the first civilization to have a navy.

Without their navy, the Minoans might never have developed to the extent that they did. Elsewhere in the Mediterranean Sea, ancient pirates controlled the waters. They would also land at towns and cities along the coast and attack the people to steal their goods. The navy kept the Minoans safe and allowed the culture to flourish.

The Minoans produced two famous forms of artwork. They covered their walls in colorful frescoes-paintings made on wet plaster. They also made beautiful sculptures and vessels from bronze and pottery. During the middle Minoan period, writing was developed and palaces were built. The first sophisticated form of writing from the area is now called Linear A. A later form that came from the Greeks is known as Linear B.

1. What was Linear A and how does it relate to Knossos?

2. Which island is closest to 35°N and 24°E?

3. Look at the scale and the measures of latitude and latitude. Why is this information necessary when comparing the map to other maps?

4. How many palace sites are shown on the map?

5. When did the Minoan culture first become established on Crete?

6. Which sea is south of Crete?

7. What are the approximate coordinates of Myrtos in latitude and longitude?

8. If you travel directly west from Kato Zakro, which palace will you come to next? Which settlement?

9. Which palace is closest to Mount Ida?

10. How far is Chrysi from Koufonision?

20 The Minoans N Cl os o c:: ~... Minoan palace site .c..... Principal Minoan settlement

"\

[ MINOAN CIVILIZATION TIMELiNe j

3400 BoC 3100 BoC 2800 BoC 2500 BoC 2200 BoC 1900 BoC 1600 BoC 1300 BoC 1000 BoC 700 BoC

Bronze Age begins on Crete ~ Early Minoan palaces erected at Knossos 6. ,..-- A. Destruction of early Minoan palaces at Knossos A Final destruction of Minoan palaces at Knossos

~ Linear A in common use over Crete .4. Palaces rebuilt at Knossos .£. Linear B comes into use

Maps: Ancient Civilizations

The city of Mycenae was located at the northernmost end of the Gulf of Argolis. After the Minoans were destroyed by a combination of natural events (earthquakes\and volcanic erup­ tions), the Mycenaeans decided to take over the island of Crete. From what remained of the people there, they learned to build ships. Using bronze shields and weapons, they used the ships they built to sail around the Aegean Sea, conquer people, and establish colonies. While there were other strong cities during the time, the Mycenaeans were the strongest force. They were the first people to rule the area that would someday become Greece.

Before Greece would rise as a great civilization, the Aegean region once more fell into separate city-states. The area was invaded from the sea by barbarians (sometimes known as Philistines) and from the land by the bar­ barians called Dorians. They had no language and left little evidence of their rule, so this period in ancient Greek civilization is called the Greek Dark Ages.

1. Add the city of Mycenae to your map.

2. Athens and Marathon are located in which section of early Greece?

3. Which city is west of Mt. Par~assus?

4. About how far is Athens from the city of Marathon?

5. What are the approximate coordinates of latitude and longitude for Mt. Olympus?

6. Later in history, one of the major Greek cities fought off the Persians at the tiny seaport town of Marathon. Most likely, which city was it? Why?

7. Name two mountains shown on the map.

8. Which city is located at approximately 38°N and 23°E?

9. Which city is closer to Corinth: Olympia or Sparta?

10. Which region is north of Boeotia?

24 Early Greece Early Greece 25 Athens

Located on the northeastern peninsula of Greece, Athens has always been one of the country's most important cities. It was settled around the I I Acropolis, a hillside in Athens where buildings were constructed in I honor of the city's patron goddess, Athena. The buildings were used as a fort and later as temples of worship to Athena. You can see the ruins of the Acropolis today in Athens.

The Athenians had three social classes. The upper class was made up of adult males who owned land and were the only people who could be citizens. Women in Athens remained in the home and could not vote or own property. The middle class were merchants from other countries who could possess wealth, but were foreigners and could not vote as citizens. The lower class was made up of slaves.

The form of democratic government began in Athens. All citizens belonged to the Assembly and talked about the passed laws. A smaller group of citizens, called the Council of Five Hundred, were chosen by lottery to carry out the laws.

One of the most famous Athenian storytellers was the blind poet, Homer. His epic poem, the flliad, tells the story of Greeks attacking the city-state of Troy during the Trojan War. His next poem, called the Odyssey, follows the adventures of the Greek hero, Odysseus (sometimes ) called Ulysses) as he tried to get home for ten years after the Trojan War.

Athenians believed a person should keep physically fit,learn about the past and present, and serve humanity by taking part in the govern­ ment.

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T.S. Denison &: Co., Inc. 10 Ancient Civilizations-Greece Sparta

Sparta was a military city-state located near the center of the lower peninsula-otherwise known as the Peloponnesus. The goal of the government was to train good soldiers. Spartans did not believe the people should take part in the government and discouraged trade and new ideas with other city-states.

The upper class in Sparta was made up of male citizens born in Sparta. Even though Spartan women were not citizens, they were allowed certain freedoms in society. They took part in sporting events, business dealings, and could own property. The middle class were foreign-born merchants living in the city-state. The lower class were slaves called Helots, who were prisoners defeated by Spartans in wars. The Helots were forced to farm land and work for the Spartans. There were thousands more Helots than Spartan citizens living in Sparta. A I>DLt CLASS When a Spartan boy was seven years old, he was taken from his family and sent to an army train­ ing camp. The training was diffi­ cult, even cruel. If a boy was not , strong enough to stand the train­ I ,J I ing, he was left to die. If he sur­ vived, he became a soldier for life. The highest honor was to die fighting for Sparta.

Life was not easy for girls, either. If a baby was born a girl or deformed, the father had the right to leave it on a hillside to die. Girls were taught to raise chil­ dren and run the household. Life was hard in ancient Sparta.

T.S. Denison & Co., Inc. 12 Ancient Civilizations-Creece Daily Life

A typical day in ancient Greece would start at sunrise with a light breakfast. Craftsmen would work in their shops, usually connected to their house. Businessmen would gather in the agora, the public meeting place in the center of the city, to discuss business matters. Boys over the age of five went to school.

Women and girls stayed at home and oversaw the slaves as they did their household chores. Women also cooked, cared for young children, and wove cloth. The ancient Greeks often wore a garment called a chiton, which was made by pinning or sewing together two rectangles of cloth, leaving holes for the head and arms. The loose-fitting garment was gathered at the waist with a cord or rope. Sometimes Greeks wore an over-mantle called a himation, which was a plain oblong of wool cloth with decorated borders.

After a citizen was finished in the agora, he spent part of the day at the gymnasium, which is similar to a health club today. He exercised, bathed, and had his body massaged with scented oils.

In the evening around sun­ set, the family ate the main meal of the day, which in­ cluded breads; fruits; and small game, such as deer or rabbit. Singers and dancers provided entertainment for festive occasions.

T.S. Denison & Co., Inc. 15 Ancient CiTJilizations-Creece LANGUAGE (1)

he Mycenaeans had used the Linear B script, which was then forgotten when their civilization went into decline after the Dorian invasions. After these Dark Ages (ca. 1200-800 B.C) , when writing skills Tdisappeared, the Greeks began to trade with the Phoenicians, who lived in the eastern Mediterranean where Lebanon is today. Around 800 B.C., they borrowed letters from the Phoenician alphabet which had been used from around 1000 B.C The Greeks added extra signs for vowels as the original Phoenician alphabet contained only consonants. The Phoenicians spoke the vowel sounds but did not write them down. In the Greek system, a single character (a grapheme) represents asingle sound (a phoneme), e.g., the "p" in "put," "spin" and "top." Around 500 B.C., the Greeks began to write from left to right after years of writing in both directions. Greek writers wrote on paper made from papyrus from Egypt but very few of their rolls have survived. The Romans, admirers of Greek culture, made many copies of Greek writings when Greece became part of the Roman Empire and these have been a source of knowledge for scholars studying ancient Greece. Classical Greek Early Greek alphabet 200 B.C. Name of Greek Modem alphabet letter alphabet 800 B.C. Capital Small letter A A c1 alpha A ;::: B F' beta B . I z • no C ~ C z ...,6 b- e delta D j;' E E epsil on "e"as soinufed et E • no F ~ F r T' I gamma G 'I) "e" $O~~ 8 8 H eta ill H 8 as Y S I L iota I • no] ~ ] K K K kappa K r 1\ :A lambda L /'" M t-"- mu M /V' N v nu N . "0" sound 0 0 0 OIIl1cron as in hot 0 x r 11 IT pi P x ~ noQ ~ Q f> P p rho R ~ L 6 <; sigma S T T I tau T \ y T v upsilon U

~ noV,W ~ V,W :$: - E- xi X • noY ~ Y .None Z Z, zeta Z None e e theta TH None 4> cp phi PH None X x chi KH None +' 'l' psi PS "0" sound None n lA) oIQega as in cold 0 CWorid Teachers Press* www.worldteacherspress.com Ancient Greece -11- Gods and Goddesses

The ancient Greeks wanted an explanation for the things in nature that they could not control, such as the creation of the world, the rising and setting of the sun, and the changing sea­ sons. They believed many gods controlled the world. Before starting a new task, the Greeks prayed to the gods. If the task was some­ thing important, such as a sea voyage or a war, a sac­ rifice of food or animals was made to the gods. The Greeks also offered sacri­ fices to the gods when things went wrong-they believed the gods were angry and that they needed to appease them.

Zeus was the supreme god and reigned over the earth in his home on Mt. Olympus. He made his wife, Hera, jealous by falling in love with many mortal women. His daughter Athena was the goddess of wisdom and war. Zeus' son Apollo was the sun-god; and Apollo's twin sister, Artemis, was the goddess of the moon. Zeus' son Hermes was the messenger of the gods. Hermes could travel down from Olympus to earth and to the seas, ruled by Zeus' brother, Poseidon; and to the underworld of the dead, ruled by Zeus' other brother, Hades. The Greeks believed that gods and goddesses looked human, but were much larger and more powerful.

T.5. Denison & Co., Inc. 18 Ancient Civilizations-Greece GODS AND GODDESSES (1) Huge statue of Zeus in his temple at Olympia a1 he Greeks worshipped dozens of gods 1)'. Tand goddesses. They believed they were immortal and that they watched over all aspects of as their lives. The most important and most powerful gods were the 12 Olympians (the Pantheon) who lived on Mount Olympus, the highest mountain in to Greece. This group of 12 wa...:; recognized from the fifth century B.C. Like the writer Homer, the Greeks thought their gods were like humans, as they ::t married, had children, quarreled among ;e themselves, and had human failings like jealousy !e and anger. However, they also thought that only 's the gods and goddesses had the power to control a person's fate. 111e gods ate special food called ambrosia and drank nectar a..<; they dealt with the e lives of ordinary mortals on Earth. Prayers to the gods on Mount Olympus were offered \\-'ith hand.:; in the air, whereas prayers to gods of the underworld were recited with hands lowered. If people wanted a special favor from the gods, they would sacrifice an animal at an outside shrine or altar. Worship took place outside a temple, which was regarded as the home of the god. Though the Olympian gods and goddesses were worshipped all over Greece, some had special links with particular places or regions, like Athena with the city of Athens. This statue of Zeus in gold and ivory was regarded as one of the Seven Wonders of the World at that time. It was made by Pheidias, one of the greatest of the Greek sculptors, in the latter part of the fUth century B,C. The statue was 12 meters high and placed iIllhe imler chamber of the tempJe of Zeu.s.

1. Color in the statue of Zeus 011 his throne. Remember it was made of gold and ivory. 2. List the characteristics believed to be possessed by the gods, under the follOwing headings.

Human-like Not Human-like The Golden Age of Athens

After the Persian Wars ended, Athens enjoyed a period of thirty years known as the GoldenAge. During this time Athens was ruled by Pericles, a wise and intelligent leader. Pericles was re­ sponsible for building the temples on the Acropolis. The most famous build­ ing he built was the Parthenon.

The Greeks were also 'fine artists. Examples of sculpture and pottery from the Golden Age show realistic human figures and graceful designs.

The Golden Age produced many great philosophers. taught his students to always ask questions, especially of those in authority. His pupil, , taught that our lives should be guided by honor, goodness, and love. Plato's student, , taught that people needed to learn to live together in harmony.

History and science were also important during the Golden Age. , known as the Father of History, left written records of the Persian Wars. , the Father of Medicine, believed sickness had natural causes.

Theatre and plays were invented during the Golden Age. The men (no women) actors wore long black robes and heavy masks. A few actors performed in the center of the stage, while a group, or chorus, stood on the side and chanted the story for the audience.

T.S. Denison & Co., Inc. 20 , Ancient Civilizations-Greece Greek Wars

Because the Greeks were divided by land and loyalties into city­ states, they were never a strong nation.

By 500 B.C., Greek colonies to the east on the Aegean Sea were attacked by their neighboring en­ .emy, Persia. Even though the A the­ nians and Spar­ tans did not like each other, they fought together for twenty years against Persia. King Darius' Per­ sian forces out­ ) numbered the Greeks at Mara­ thon, but the Greeks won. A soldier ran the twenty-six miles from Marathon to Athens to tell the

<. news, and today a twenty-six-mile race is called a marathon. The fi­ nal battle occurred at Salamis, where '. Darius' son, Xerxes, surren­ dered to the Greeks. These were known as the Persian Wars.

The other ma- jor wartime in an- cient Greece was a civil war. After the Persian Wars, leaders in Athens formed an alliance with other Greek city-states for protection, called the Delian League. Sparta reluctantly agreed to join. As years passed, the Delian League developed into a trade group, and Athens became increasingly powerful. Sparta did not want to belong to this trade group and rebelled in 431 B.C. by declaring war on Athens. Most of the battles took place on the Peloponnesus, so this war was known as the Peloponnesian War. After 30 years, Sparta defeated Athens, and the Golden Age ended .

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T.S. Denison &: Co., Inc, 23 Ancient Civilizations-Greece Greek Wars Crossword

1.

2.

7.

8.

9.

11. 10.

ACROSS: 4. The person who ran twenty-six miles to Rome to tell the news of the victory at Marathon. 6. League of Greek city-states formed for protection and trade. 8. Name of the thirty-year war between Athens and Sparta. 11. King of Persia who lost at Marathon. 12. Greece's long-time enemy to the north; fought with Greece for twenty years.

DOWN: 1. Countries who agree to defend each other. 2. A twenty-six mile race. 3. Having this is being true to your city-state. 5. New settlement started by people who keep their ties with their native country. 7. Persian ruler who surrendered to the Greeks at Salamis. 9. City-state that wanted to leave the Delian League. 10. In the case of war, when people from the same country fight each other.

T.S. Denison & Co., Inc. 25 Ancient Civilizations-Creeae Alexander the Great The most famous person from ancient Greece was not from Greece at all! He was Alexander the Great from Macedonia, a country northeast of Greece, now known as Bulgaria. During his life he conquered all the known countries of the world.

Alexander was born 'in 356 B.C. while his fa­ ther, Philip, was king of Macedonia. Alexander was famous for his wisdom and bravery. When Philip's men could not tame a horse, Alexander calmly walked up to it, turned its head toward the sun so that it would not be frightened by its own shadow anymore, and rode away. He named the horse Bucephalus, and they rode together into every battle.

When Alexander was twenty years old, Philip was assassinated and Alexander became Macedonia's king. His first task was to conquer Greece, then Persia, Egypt, and India. By age thirty he had conquered the world.

Alexander knew that to keep the world at peace, he had to allow the conquered people some freedoms. He let them speak their own lan­ guages and live their lives as they wanted, as long as they paid him their tribute, or taxes.

Alexander founded the city of Alexandria in Egypt and built the world's first library there. He died in Babylon at age thirty-three in 323 B.C. Although many believed that he died of a fever, some thought he may have been poisoned. T.S. Denison & Co., Inc. 26 Ancient Civilizations---Creece I j Achievements

Much of our present-day culture is a result of the Greeks and their civilization. The most prominent gift from Greece was the beginnings of a democratic form of government, where all the citizens had an equal voice in running the country. In addition, Greeks developed ideas we use today in medicine, physics, biology, and math. and formed geometry theories, and believed all things were made up of atoms.

Great thinkers arose from Greece. The three most well-known ancient philosophers were Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle.

Greeks are famous for their architec­ ture. The temples on the Acropolis were held up by huge columns that were wide at the base and narrowed at the top. The most common order, or style, of col~ ..: _. umns was the Doric column which was squared at the capital, or top~ Ionic col­ umns were designed next and had curls at the capital, like a ram's horns. The last order of columns developed was Corinthian, whose ornate design re­ sembled grape leaves.

Many of our English words today have a Greek base. The Greek alphabet consisted of twenty-four letters, from alpha to omega.

Every four years we celebrate the Olympic Games, named in honor of the Greek gods' games on Mt. Olympus.

T.S. Denison &: Co., Inc. 29 Ancient Civilizations-Greece Back~round on Ancient Greece

eople have lived in the beautiful Pbut harsh land of Greece for Europe thousands of years. The ancient Greeks were a single people, but they didn't have a single ruler. Instead, Greece was run as a loosely united group of city-states (or poleis). Especially after 800 B.C., these city-states began to grow stronger through trade and by devel­ oping their own industries such as making wine and olive oil, fine pot­ tery, and metalworking. Of the Greek city-states, Athens Mediterranean Sea and Sparta differed the most from each other. Athens was the most sophisticated and important city in Greece. Athenians focused on cre­ ative pursuits, the life of the mind, Africa and the development of trade. They also wanted to spread their ideas, particularly the idea of democracy, Artists such as Pheidias made beau­ accepted the help of the Romans. to other parts of Greece. tiful sculptures, mathematicians such Greece was later absorbed into the The Spartans lived on the large as Pythagoras wrote theorems we Roman Empire. The Romans thought Peloponnesian peninsula south of still use today, and playwrights such the Greeks were cultured and sophis­ Athens in a region called Laconia. as and wrote ticated but unable to govern them­ Their focus was on military disci­ some of the greatest plays of all selves. Many Greeks became slaves pline and self-defense to an extreme time. Thinkers called sophists began and pedagogues for Roman children. rarely seen in history. Sparta led the teaching in the marketplace. One of Peloponnesian League, a group of the most famous was Socrates, who The Olympics city-states including Megara, taught Plato, who would later teach The first Olympics took place in Corinth, and Argos that banded Aristotle-a chain of three great Olympia, Greece, in 776 B.C. The together for self-defense. philosophers. games were held to honor Zeus, the u '" king of the gods. In the beginning, J Q ·; !il-'" The Golden Age ) ~ Greek Against Greek the Olympics consisted of only one • 0- This play is set during Athens's ,u t: Tensions grew between Athens and footrace but later included many 0.. Golden Age. During this 50-year peri­ ZI Sparta and erupted into a bitter civil events. The games had a deep reli­ ~ od, which began with the defeat of j war; the Peloponnesian War was gious significance to the Greeks, who a ~ ~ the Persians in 479 B.C., Athenian ~ ::l fought between 431 and 404 B.C. The believed in the power of the body. J civilization reachetl its height. Under ::; ~ . Spartan victory was helped by a These religious ceremonies were so • ::l a ... the leadership of Pericles, Athens plague that hit Athens. Eventually, important to the Greek city-states that 2 underwent a massive building proj­ j ~ however, Sparta's dominance faltered they would even halt wars to hold the ~ 5: ect that included the Parthenon and when the city-state of Thebes rose games. Although the games were held , • the temple of Athene Nike, and other V> up and defeated Sparta. The Greeks in several other locations, Olympia ;r buildings in the Acropolis (literally, 2 "0 would learn a sad lesson when they was the most important. Only men iii' high place of the city). There was an ·ii g'" . lost the unity among the city-states. were allowed to attend the games ~ incredible outpouring of creativity: ( ;l As they fought each other, they because the athletes were naked. .; .... ::T''" 2 " ,~ , I'D '"0 ~ c: , r! ~ ~ ~ Thinking and Discussing Spartans, warning them about what ORDER OR FREEDOM? : The Greeks Vocabulary Athenians were like. Copy the fol­ highly valued freedom and individ­ chiton: a short tunic worn by lowing excerpt to share and discuss ual choice. Greek men with students: The city-states were successful helot: a Spartan slave "And you have never considered what when they were united, but failed Kryptela: Spartan secret police manner of men are these Athenians when they fought each other. . . . They are revolutionary, . .. while Talk about the pros and cons of pankratlum: a sport that was a mixture of boxing and wrestling you are conservative. They are bold many people or groups working beyond their strength; . . . Whereas it pedagogus: a slave whose respon­ independently; for example, this is your nature, though strong, to act independence can cause chaos and sibility is to look after a Greek child's education feebly; . . . they hope to gain some­ disorganization but it can also lead thing by leaving their homes; but you to great creativity. Extend the strlgll: a curved, dull-bladed knife are afraid that any new enterprise used for wiping off sweat discussion to the role of working may imperil what you have already. independently in the classroom. Zeus: chief god of the Greeks When conquerors, they pursue their When is working independently in victory to the utmost; when defeated, the classroom most effective and they fall back the least. Their bodies when is it least effective? students make laurel crowns out of construction paper for the winners. they devote to their country as though THE SPARTAN EXAMPLE: Long ago, they belonged to other men; their true the historian Xenophon (ZEH-nuh­ GREEK ROOTS: Many words in the self is their mind . . . If a man should fuhn) wrote the following about English language have Greek origins. say of them that they were born nei­ Sparta: "The most extraordinary Ask students if they can figure out ther to have peace themselves nor to thing of all is that despite the uni­ the English translations of the fol­ allow peace to other men, he would versal praise for [Sparta's society], lowing Greek words: schole (school), simply speak the truth ... not a single city is willing to copy philosophia (), demokra­ Then ask students what they think it." Why would cities be reluctant to tia (democracy), komoidia (come­ people in other parts of the world follow the Spartan example? Ask dy), poietes (poet), stadion (stadi­ think of the United States. Guide students to give examples of Spartan um), and athletes (athlete). Display a them in researching articles by for­ life they think deserve praise. dictionary, and look up the words eign journalists about America in above. Show students how to find print or on the Internet. Challenge WOMEN'S WORK: In .the play, the origin of the word. Then divide them to write an opinion piece Crysanthe is relegated to staying at your class into groups and give each declaring whether they agree or home and working, while the Spartan group a dictionary. Time groups to disagree with the article. woman, Atea, runs a business. What see how many words of Greek origin might have caused the roles of men, they can find in fifteen minutes. References women, and children to evolve differ­ *de Camp, L. Sprague. Great Cities ently in Athens and Sparta? Based on GREAT GREEKS: Ask students to research famous Greek leaders, of the Ancient World. New York: the descriptions of children's lives in Dorset Press, 1972. the play, which city-state, Athens or philosophers, artists, and others whose lives continue to affect us Durant, Will. The Life of Greece. Sparta, would boys and girls have New York: Simon and Schuster, preferred to live in? Why? today. Here are a few suggestions: , Alexander, Aristides the 1966. \ Just, Aristotle, Aspasia, Cimon, BOOKS FOR STUDENTS Researching and Doing *Nardo, Don. Life in Ancient Athens. HOLD AN ANCIENT OLYMPICS: Cleisthenes, Euripides, Homer, Leonidas, Lycurgus, Pericles, San Diego: Lucent Books, 2000. Hold your own Olympic foot races. Oxlade, Chris, and David Ballheimer. Ask students to measure a one-stade Phidias, Socrates, , Theseus, • and . Eyewitness Books: Olympics. racecourse on the school grounds. Random House, 1999. (One stade is about 200 meters.) THE CORINTHIAN LETTER: Before Powell, Anton, and Sean Sheehan. Racers may opt to participate in a the Peloponnesian War, the Corin­ Ancient Greece, Revisid Edition. one-, two-, or four-stade race. Have thians sent a letter to their allies, the New York: Facts on File, 2003.

... EDUCATION if he ducation in Ancient Greece was primarily for boys, who began school at six or seven years of age. Boys from Ewealthier families would be accompanied by a personal slave who carried their writing tablets, made sure ~l)ey paid attention in class and prevented them from being truant. Education wasn't free and the private teacher, althy would be paid for his tuition, held his classes in the mornings, for afternoons were devoted to physical activities. !read From the ages of7-14, student<;wenl to primary school and from 14--18 to the gymnasium (secondary school) . At 12, physical education became the most impOItant instruction in schools. The boys exercised in the nude and the timetable included discus throwing, javelin, running, jumping and wrestling. Tbe schools in the city-states varied. Education in Sparta was very strict Blunt end for i ! and the State would take boys away from their families at the age of seven scraping off land I Stylus i or eight. Until the age of 14, Spartan students learned only the basics of old work or other I errors I reading and writing which were considered less important than military I training. Physical training also applied to Spartan girls, a practice frowned i on by other Greek states. Sparta wanted physically strong young men for Sharp end for writing lasn't I its powerful anny and strong young women to bear healthy babies. on the wa.x i I I i ost poor children had no education and probably never learned to i LJlre calle read or write. In the early school years, students were taught reading from I M nany I and writing by a "grammatist" and wrote their work on wax tablets using a stylus, a tool made of wood, bone, or metal. In the later years, students lad to I were taught math, perhaps geometry, by using a bead franIe called an horn abacus, small stones, or even their fingers. They learned the poems of ilion, famous Greek writers like Homer by heart as teachers read them out from mfor scrolls of paper made from the papyrus plant. Boys from wealthy families had private music tutors who taught them how to play the lyre, fiute­ .peda I! tortoise shell pipes. Ii I choolchildren probably had no desks, as vase paintings show them sitting on wooden stools holding their filled i Stablets. Classes were small, around 10 students, and teachers imposed discipline by the use of corporal I punishment. Emphasis was placed on rote learning. I

1. What aspects of ancient Greek education do you like or dislike?

2. Work with a partner/group to make a wax tablet using the following procedure. (a) Find a shallow lid from a small box. (b) Use soft modeling clay (waffiled in the sun) or melted candle wax to fill up the lid. wax (c) Use a sharp wood stick to carve out a message to a partner. (d) Use the blunt end of your writing tool to follow the advice of Ovid, an ancient Roman writer, who said, "Whenever you write, make sure all previous letters have been erased from your tablet." -.. - ~ ...•..

THE ROMAN THREAT

After Rorne had defeated its main rival , , and its general, , the Romans decided to t. .t\action against Philip Vof Macedonia in 200 B.C., for the Greek king had made a peace treaty with Hannibal three-year war ended with the battle of Cynoscephalae. The Romans lost around 700 soldiers but 8.000 (Jre(; soldiers los 1 their lives and thousands were taken prisoner Philip left the battlefield when he realized he had lost When the Romans left Greece in 194 B.C., Antiochus III, king of Syria and the Seleucid Empire, decided to attack Greece, but his anny of over 70000 men was defeated at Magnesia in 190 B.C. by the Roman anny of on1y 30.000 under the command of Lucius Scipio. Rome then made Antiochus sign a treaty forcing him to leave Asia Minor with his army. In later years, Perseus, son of Philip \I, wanted Macedonia to become independent of Roman rule, buOn 168 B.C. Rome sent a strong army under a general called Lucius Paulus. In 167 B.C. at Pydna, his troops drove through gaps in tile Greek phalanx and the Greeks were defeated. Perseus fled and over 20,000 Greeks were slain, while thousands more became slaves. Over 20 years after the battle of Pydna, rebellions in Macedonia, Corinth and some other city-states were harshly dealt with and many Greek lives were lost. From then on most of Alexander's old empire fell into Roman hands.

Activity Box 1. What year was the battle of Cynoscephalae? 6. What happened to the prjsoners of war?

2. Roman soldiers are called 7. 'Which general was Rome's chief rival?

3. Why did Rome fight against Philip V? 8. How many years were there between the battles of Pydna and Magnesia?

4. Who ruJed tlle Seleucid Empire? 9. Whose army defeated a mllitary force more than twice the size of his anny?

5. Which battle did Lucius Paulus win? 10. Cynoscephalae lies (Nw, south, SW) of Pydna. I Timeline of Greek History

3000-1100 B.C. Settlers move into the Greek mainland and build forts at Mycenae; 1194-1214 B.C. Trojan War.

1100-800 B.C. Population declines; buildings destroyed.

800-500 B.C. Homer wrote the Illiad and the Odyssey; rise of the city-states; 776 B.C. first Olympic Games held in Greece.

500-480 B.C. Persian Wars (

460-429 B.C. Pericles rules during the Golden Age of Athens.

431-404 B.C. Peloponnesian War

338 B.C. Greece conquered by Alexander the Great.

323 B.C. Alexander dies.

323-331 B.C. Hellenistic Age

31 B.C.-A.D. 330 Greece under the power of Rome.

T.S. Denison & Co., Inc. 32 Ancient Civilizations-Greece