Classical Greece

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Classical Greece

• SS.A.2.4.4, SS.B.2.4.1-3

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Persia vs. Greece

• 546 B.C. the Persian empire take Ionian Greek
  city-states in Asia Minor
• 499 B.C. Ionian cities revolt against the
  Persian Empire, helped by Athenian Navy
• 490 B.C. Persian army lands on the plain of
  Marathon, lead by King Darius, but was defeated
  by the Athenian army

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Athenian Trireme Warship
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Persia vs. Greece

• 486 B.C. Darius dies, replaced by Xerxes
• Xerxes invades Greece with a huge force of about
  180,000 troops and thousands of battle and supply
  ships
• By this time the Athens had rebuilt its navy to
  about 200 warships
• Greeks and Persians meet at the main road to
  central GreeceThermopylae

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Persia vs. Greece

• Persians win at Thermopylae, due to advice from a
  Greek traitor
• Persians move on Athens, and Athenians abandon
  their city
• Persian and Athenian navies clash near island of
  SalamisAthenians win
• 479 B.C. Largest Greek force to that point
  defeat Persians at Plataea

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Rise of Athens

• After defeat of the Persians, Athens rises as the
  leader of the Greek world, create a defensive
  alliancethe Delian League
• Delian League based on island of Delos
• Under Athenian leadership, most Greek cities in
  the Aegean were freed from Persian control
• 454 B.C. Control of Delian treasury moved to
  Athens, creating Athenian Empire

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Age of Pericles Democracy

• 461-429 B.C. Pericles rises as central figure in
  Athenian politics, expanding empire and allowing
  democracy to flourish
• Direct Democracy people directly participate in
  government decision making through mass meetings
• Assembly43,000 men over 18, meeting every ten
  days, but attendance averaged around 5,500

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Athenian Democracy

• Pericles thought Athenians should be proud of
  their democracy
• He expanded participation by lower-class citizens
  by paying officials
• 10 Generals were directors of policy
• Ostracism, ban people from city for period of 10
  yearspottery fragment (ostrakon)
• Athenscenter of Greek culture

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Great Peloponnesian War

• After war with Persians, Greece split between
  Athenian Empire Sparta
• 431 B.C. War breaks out in Greece
• Athenian strategy stay behind city walls, and
  get supplies from navy and colonies
• Spartan strategy surround Athens, force them to
  fight outside walls
• Pericles knew Spartans would win open battle

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Trouble In Athens

• Second year of war, plague breaks out in Athens,
  killing 1/3 of city population, including
  Pericles
• Athens continues fighting for 25 years
• 405 B.C. Athenian fleet destroyed at Hellespont,
  Athenian Empire falls
• For next 66 years Athens, Sparta and Thebes
  dominate Greek politics

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Life In Athens

• Before plague, Athens was largest city in Greece
  with 150,000 citizens
• 43,000 voting men, 35,000 non-citizens, 100,000
  slaves
• Economy based on farming and trade
• Main products were sheep, grapes and olives
• Imported 50-80 of its grain

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Athenian Family Life Women

• Familyhusband, wife, children, other familial
  dependents and slaves
• Women could participate in festivals, but were
  otherwise excluded from public life
• Women always had male protection
• Womans jobchildbearing, housekeeping or
  supervise slaves
• Women married at 14 or 15
• Women could usually read and play instruments

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