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Ancient Greece: Rise of City-States

This document provides an overview of the rise of ancient Greek civilization. It discusses the Minoan and Mycenaean cultures, the Trojan War as depicted in Homer's epics, Greece's Dark Ages, and the emergence of city-states. It then describes how aristocratic rule gave way to tyrants and eventually democracy in Athens in the 6th century BC under the reforms of Solon. However, democracy in Athens was limited and did not include slaves, women, or foreigners.

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Janki Trivedi
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13 views14 pages

Ancient Greece: Rise of City-States

This document provides an overview of the rise of ancient Greek civilization. It discusses the Minoan and Mycenaean cultures, the Trojan War as depicted in Homer's epics, Greece's Dark Ages, and the emergence of city-states. It then describes how aristocratic rule gave way to tyrants and eventually democracy in Athens in the 6th century BC under the reforms of Solon. However, democracy in Athens was limited and did not include slaves, women, or foreigners.

Uploaded by

Janki Trivedi
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Chapter 6:

The Rise of Ancient Greece


Chapter 6, Section 1: “The Rise of Greek Civilization”

šEpic: A long poem that tells a story


šAcropolis: A high, rocky hill where early
people built cities
šCity-State: A city with its own traditions,
government, and laws; both a city and a
separate independent state
Chapter 6, Section 1: “The Rise of Greek Civilization”

šAristocrat: A member of a rich and powerful


family
šTyrant: A ruler who takes power with the
support of the middle and working classes
šDemocracy: A form of government in which
citizens govern themselves
Greece’s Geographic Setting

• Greece is a country made up of peninsulas.


• Peninsula: An area of land surrounded by water on three sides.
• Mountains are the major landform of Greece. Greece’s islands are
mostly mountain peaks.
• Only about 1/5 of Greece is good for growing crops.
• The geography of Greece made it hard for people from different
communities to get together. (Most people lived on islands
surrounded by water or were separated by mountains.)
• For this reason, ancient Greek communities thought of
themselves as separate countries.
Minoan Civilization

š From about 3000 to about 1100 B.C., Bronze Age people called the
Minoans lived on the island of Crete.
š Washed by the waters of the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas,
Crete was an ideal place for the Minoans to develop a broad sea
trade network.
š A grand palace once stood in the ancient Crete city of Knossos.
š In the middle of the 1400s B.C., Knossos was destroyed, and
Minoan civilization declined.
šPeople from mainland Greece, the Mycenaeans, were
likely the invaders.
The Mycenaeans

šAfter the Mycenaeans came into power, mainland and island


cultures blended. However, the focus of these cultures moved
to the mainland, where the city of Mycenae was located.
šAt the height of their power, around 1400 B.C., the
Mycenaeans controlled the Aegean Sea and parts of the
Mediterranean Sea.
šThe Minoans had gained much of their power through trade.
Although the Mycenaeans traded widely, they relied upon
conquest to spread their power.
The Trojan War

š Greek myth tells the story of the Trojan War, a long struggle
between Greece and the city of Troy. It’s possible that
Mycenaean warriors inspired this legend.
š According to the myths, the Greeks conquered Troy by
using a trick- the Trojan Horse.
š Greek warriors hid inside a huge wooden horse. The
horse was rolled to the city gates. Thinking it was a gift,
the Trojans brought the horse into their city. During the
night, the Greek soldiers climbed out of the horse and let
the rest of the army into Troy.
š The Greeks burned and looted Troy and then returned
home.
The Trojan War, Continued

š Two epics, or long story-telling poems, about the Trojan War


survive today.
š Iliad
š Odyssey
šThese poems are credited to a poet called Homer.
š These poems were important to the Greeks. They taught them what their
gods were like and how the noblest of their heroes behaved.
š Today, people think these poems came from stories memorized by several poets
and passed down by word of mouth through many generations.
š Most historians agree that the Trojan War did not happen exactly as Homer
described it.
The Dark Ages of Greece

š Not long after the end of the Trojan War, civilization in Greece collapsed.
These years (1100s B.C.– 750 B.C.) have been called Greece’s Dark Ages.
šPeople no longer traded for food and other goods beyond Greece due
to poverty.
šThe art of writing was lost due to focus on survival.
š Greece’s Dark Ages were not completely bleak! During this time, families
gradually began to resettle in places where they could grow crops and
raise animals.
šPeople favored places near rocky, protected hills. They would build
structures to protect them from attack. The name for such a fortified hill
was acropolis, meaning “high city.”
City-States Develop

šA city-state is not only a city, but also a separate independent


state. City-states developed around 750 B.C. in Ancient Greece.
Each city-state included a city and the villages and fields
surrounding it.
šBy the end of Greece’s Dark Ages, most city-states were ruled by
aristocrats, members of the rich and powerful families.
A New Type of Ruler

š Gradually, military strength in the cities shifted from aristocrats to


merchants and artisans due to a growing middle class.
š As a result of these changes, aristocratic governments were
often overthrown and replaced by tyrants.
šA tyrant is a ruler who seized power by force.
š Tyrants were usually supported by the middle and working
classes.
š Today, we usually think of tyrants as being cruel and violent. That
was true of some Greek tyrants, but others ruled wisely and well.
Democracy in Greece

š Eventually, the people of many city-states overthrew tyrants. Some of the cities
adopted a form of government called democracy.
š In a democracy, citizens govern themselves.
š The city-state in which democracy was most fully expressed was Athens.
š About 594 B.C., a wise Athenian leader called Solon won the power to reform the
laws. Solon was well known for his fairness. His laws reformed both the economy
and government of Athens.
š One of his first laws canceled all debts and freed citizens who had been
enslaved for having debts.
š Another law allowed any male citizen of Athens aged 18 or older to have a say
in debating important laws.
Democracy in Greece, Continued

š Not everyone living in ancient Athens


benefited from democracy. Only
about 1 in 5 Athenians was a citizen.
šTo be a citizen, a man had to
have an Athenian father and
mother.
šThose enslaved, as well as women
and foreigners, did not take part
in democracy.

Common questions

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The Minoan civilization gained much of its power through establishing a broad sea trade network, while the Mycenaeans relied significantly on conquest to exert their influence over the Aegean and parts of the Mediterranean Sea. This contrast highlights a Minoan focus on trade and cultural exchange versus a Mycenaean emphasis on military dominance .

The Mycenaean civilization's collapse, possibly due to invasions and internal strife, resulted in a loss of writing and decreased trade, marking the Greek Dark Ages where economic stagnation prevailed. Communities became isolated, focusing on subsistence rather than trade, leading to cultural regression and loss of skills such as writing. However, this period also witnessed the gradual resettlement in areas conducive to agriculture, laying groundwork for future recovery .

Homer's epics, the Iliad and the Odyssey, had a profound impact on Greek society by providing a narrative of heroic virtues and identification with cultural ideals. They offered insights into Greek gods and heroic behavior, shaping the Greek moral and ethical framework. Despite their historical inaccuracies, these poems formed a crucial component of Greek education and cultural identity, having been passed down orally and influencing generations .

As the middle class of merchants and artisans grew in wealth and military capability, they began challenging the traditional aristocratic rule. This shift occurred due to socioeconomic changes where increased trade and commerce empowered new social classes, causing many city-states to overthrow aristocrats in favor of tyrants who often had the support of the masses. These tyrants provided an alternative to vested aristocratic interests by potentially offering more inclusive and practical governance solutions .

Solon's reforms laid the foundation for Athenian democracy by creating more equitable laws that cancelled debts and freed debt-slaves, thus addressing economic inequities that could lead to tyranny. He also allowed all male citizens of age to participate in important political debates, slowly shifting power from aristocrats to the broader citizenry, and fostering a politically inclusive environment that promoted democratic principles .

Greece's location, with Crete positioned in the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas, provided the Minoans with access to extensive trade networks with Egypt, Asia Minor, and other Mediterranean cultures. This prime position facilitated the exchange of goods, ideas, and cultural practices, rendering Crete a hub of commercial prosperity and cultural convergence .

Acropolises, meaning "high city," served as fortified refuges against attacks, offering strategic defensive advantages due to their elevated positions. Societally, they symbolized communal strength and unity amidst the instability of the Dark Ages and became central places for community gatherings, signifying both physical and social resilience .

Athenian citizenship was exclusive, granted only to men with Athenian parentage, sidelining women, slaves, and foreigners who composed a significant portion of the populace. This exclusivity reflects the inherent contradictions within Athenian democracy, where only a fraction of the population could participate in governance, revealing deep social and political inequalities underlying the democratic system .

The geography of Greece, characterized by its peninsulas and mountainous terrain, made communication and unity challenging, which led to the development of independent city-states, each with its own government and customs. The separation by water and mountains promoted a sense of independence amongst these city-states, causing ancient Greek communities to operate much like individual countries rather than as a unified nation .

A city-state in ancient Greece consisted of a central city and its surrounding villages and fields, functioning both as a city and an independent state. They emerged due to the geographical barriers that isolated communities, promoting localized governance structures. This organization allowed for self-sufficient and independently governed entities that preserved unique customs and governmental systems, reflecting the challenging terrain and individualized spirit of Greek communities .

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