1 Geography of Ancient Greece. The Size Greece occupied about 45,000 square miles– about the size...
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Transcript of 1 Geography of Ancient Greece. The Size Greece occupied about 45,000 square miles– about the size...
1
Geography of Ancient Greece
The Size
• Greece occupied about 45,000 square miles– about the size of Louisiana
• Many islands
• Spread culture through colonization
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The Sea
• Greece is a Peninsula surrounded by water
• Aegean Sea (to the East)• Ionian Sea (to the West)• Black Sea (to the North-West)• Mediterranean Sea (to the South)
• Trade was imperative because Greece was not rich in natural resources.
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The Land
• Mountains covered 75% of Greece– Mount Olympus (highest, home of Greek
Gods)– Made for difficult travel, but good protection
• Fertile Valleys covered 25% and made for the living areas known as city-states
• Not enough fresh-water to feed a large population (only about 2 million people)
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The Climate
• Moderate temperatures• Only rains in winter• Led to outdoor living
– Agora (marketplace)– Gymnasium– Political meetings– Theatre– Religious ceremonies
• Participation in city-states was a DUTY & a VIRTUE
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The Bronze Age
• Island Life– Minoan Life
• Mainland Life– Mycenaean Life– Trojan War
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Minoan Society
• On Island of Crete (to the South)• Height of power from 2000-1400 BC• Lived a prosperous life from trade
• Evidence that women shared social equality
Minoan’s
• No use of Greek language or religion but influenced Greece
• Made contact with advanced Egypt and mainland Greece
• The cause for the end of Minoan Civilization is debated– Some historians claim a tsunami triggered by a
volcanic eruption on a nearby island– Most however believe it was due to invasion by the
Mycenaeans8
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Mycenaean Society
• Lived on Mainland of Greece• Flourished from 1600-1200 B.C.• Migrated from India, Egypt, and other lands• Walled-cities for protection• Most were farmers living
outside of walls• Commercial network selling
pottery spread from Syria to
Italy
Mycenaean Warriors
• Prided themselves on heroic deeds in battle.
• Evidence of battle through Homer’s poetry
• Enormous wealth from war/
• plunder & trade– even indoor plumbing
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Trojan War
• Famous Mycenaean War
• Happened around 1200 B.C.
• Trojan prince had taken
Helen, wife of a Greek king.
• Trojan Horse
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Dark Ages
• Dorians
• Homer
• Arete
• The Olympics
• Religion/ Mythology
A Mycenaean Death Mask
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Dorian Migration
• Mycenaean Society was destroyed by invaders around 1200 B.C.
• From 1150-750 B.C., distant relatives known as the Dorians settled there.
• They destroyed trade and lost all writing (causing the term “Dark Ages”)
• Many Greeks left mainland and moved to Ionia
End of Dark Ages
• Iron replaces bronze and for weapons and farming tools
• Phoenician alphabet (24 letters) is adopted and makes learning to read and write easier
• Homer’s work appears
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Homer
» The most famous “bard” during the Dark Ages.
» Children had to memorize his work as a way of learning history.
» Explained that Greek society was based on agriculture and warrior-aristocracy controlled the wealth and the power.
» Stories carried values that will be appreciated through the times, “that virtue is better policy than vice.”-- Odyssey
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The Iliad Story of Trojan War
The Slaying of Hector
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The OdysseyStory of a Odysseus, a hero’s journey home
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Arete
• To Strive for excellence, show courage, and win fame and honor
• It is won in a struggle or contest to protect family, friends, or your own honor/ reputation
• Homer the Greeks a model of Arete through his epics
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The Olympics
• Competition took place in Olympia every four years, beginning in 776 B.C.
• Lasted 5 days
• Halted all wars
• Winners crowned with a
wreath of olive leaves
• Real prize was Arete
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Mount Olympus
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Gods and Goddesses
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Gods and Goddesses
• Very human, with human emotions, but immortal
• Gathered at Mount Olympus
• MYTHS – stories about gods intended to explain mysteries of nature and human existence
• Religion was closely linked to government and polis’ pride.