CLASSICAL GREECE AND ROME

REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. Name the two most important city-states in Ancient Greece and describe their political systems

2. Name the characteristics of Greek and Roman architecture

3. Who was Rome's opponent in the Punic Wars?

4. What was Rome's political system before it became an empire?

5. Name the 3 most important Greek philosophers

PEOPLE AND PLACESPericlesAlexander the GreatJulius CaesarConstantineAthensSpartaRomeCarthage

BEGINNINGS OF GREECE

RVC influence on islands like Crete by 2000 B.C.EGreece taken over by Indo-Europeans by 1700 B.C.ECrete influenced Mycenae(featured in Iliad)Destroyed by more Indo-Europeans around 800 B.C.E

GREECE OVERVIEW

Geography matters for city-statesEach city-state had different

governmentLinked by trade, Olympics(Owl

house always won), Phoenician language

Colonies in places like south ItalyCooperated to defeat Persians

FALL OF GREECE

After victory over Persia was the Golden AgeEnded by the Peloponnesian Wars(431-404 B.C.E)Macedonian kings expandedFirst Philip II, then AlexanderHellenism in places like Alexandria

ALEXANDER'S EMPIRE

RISE OF ROME

Originally a monarchy beginning around 800 B.C.E, then aristocratic republic by 509 B.C.E

Expanded over all of ItalyVictory over Carthage in three Punic Wars(264-146 B.C.E)Civil wars between generals, eventually Julius Caesar victorious, then

assassinatedAugustus Caesar first emperor in 27 B.C.EProsperity until death of Marcus Aurelius in 180 C.E

RUIN OF ROME

Slow decline until final fall in 476 C.EEconomic and population lossConstantine and Diocletian tried to

reverse tideGovernment no longer effectiveArmy relied on foreignersDestroyed by nomads

POLITICS-GREECE

Rule by strongmen was commonUpper-class idea of active citizenshipIn Athens general assemblies met every 10 days for direct democracyOnly citizens could participateJudges and other executives chosenOther city-states like Sparta had aristocratic assemblies

POLITICS-ROMEOriginally a republic with elected

magistratesTwo consuls had executive power in

the SenateDictators in times of crisisOratory was importantWriters like Cicero wrote extensively

about different political forms and participation

POLITICS OF AN EMPIRE

Senate became meaninglessLocal autonomy prevailedFair and reasonable law above allBread and circusesTolerance of all religions except

sometimes ChristianityEmphasis on conquest

RELIGION

Same gods, different namesGods were like a soap opera, inspiring a great literary traditionLeft people dissatisfied causing mystery religionsThinkers like Aristotle said don't be like the godsUpper-class searched for other ethical systems, like the Stoic idea of inner

moral independence

CHRISTIANITY

Began in Roman province JudeaUsed Rome's roadsScapegoatsRefused to place state firstUsed by Constantine to unite

PHILOSOPHY

Socrates said to question conventional wisdom to improve the soul

Plato said that reason could understand True, Good and, Beautiful

Seeking rationality in the universe

SCIENCE

The Greeks got a lot wrongExample would be PtolemyGeometry excellent under Euclid

and PythagorasRomans just preserved but were

great engineersGreeks on ships, Rome on roads

ARCHITECTURE

GREECEColumnsDoric, Ionic, and CorinthianBrightly painted

ROMEGreat engineersDomes on rectangular buildingsVillas built around central courtyardBoth loved monumental

architecture

ARCHITECTURE EXAMPLES

GREECE ROME

WRITTEN ARTS

Realism and about godsIn theater invented tragedy and comedyWriters like Sophocles preferred tragediesLiterary epics for bothPoetry more important in Rome

VISUAL ARTS

Sculpture important for both, less innovation by Rome

Realistic but beautifulExcellent ceramicsRome known more for athlectics

ECONOMYMost were farmers who were often freeLater in times of decline became tenantsTough soil led to olive/grape farming, which caused debtsAlso reason for coloniesTrade very important(state regulated grain)Trade outside Mediterranean but imbalanced

SLAVERY

Slaves were for grunt work or servantsOccasionally tutorsCame from conquered peoplesElaborate ways to justifyNo need for agricultural improvements

FAMILY

Patriarchy though women had vital roles

Female infanticideEventually family courtsNot as bad as China

Overall, though the Classical Mediterranean did not produce the lasting civilization of China or India or have

the same practical outlook, the ideas of Greece and Rome are still important today, as you can tell by visiting

Washington D.C.