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GREEK CIVILIZATION:
Religion, Persian Wars, Golden
Age of Athens and Pericles,
Peloponessian Wars, and
Greek Achievements
8th grade MYP Level: Subject: Individuals and Societies

Teacher: Ms. Malena Galvez

Religion The Greek religion explains natural phenomena through their myths
and legends. The Greeks learned to explain natural phenomena, what
they did not understand, and how they should live especially through
their myths.

The Greeks had hundreds of gods and goddesses. Each god controlled
one aspect of their lives. They believed that the gods protected them
and their city-states but they had to do rituals and sacrifices.

12 were the most important gods, they were called the Olympian
gods. These gods lived in Mount Olympus which is the highest
mountain in Greece.

These gods were very powerful and they had human characteristics
so they were not perfect. They had all human feelings: they loved,
hated, betrayed, argued, were jealous, etc. The Greeks believed on
the same gods but each polis had its god protector. For example, the
god protector of Athens was Athena.

The Greeks had sacred or holy locations where the gods appeared,
one of the was the Oracle of Delphi (priests had visions of the future).
The Olympic Games happened every 4 years, all city-states
participated through their athletes who participated in honor to their
gods.

Oracle at Delphi

Myths about heroes were an important part of their religious

traditions. These stories taught the Greeks about who they were, and
where they came from. Some of these heroes were Hercules (son of
Zeus with godlike strength), and Theseus (killed Minotaur). The
Greeks followed the example of these heroes but the tragic deaths of
their heroes with too much pride taught the Greeks not to be
arrogants or pretend to be godlike. Only the heroes were.

Hercules Theseus in the Laberynth

GREEK GODS (study all of the listed below)

Zeus = god of the sky and lightning, king of the gods

Hera = goddess of marriage and women, queen of gods

Poseidon = god of the sea and earthquakes

Athena = goddess of wisdom

Apollo = god of prophecy, healing, poetry, music, and the sun

Ares = god of war

Aphrodite = god of love

Dionysus = god of wine

Hermes = messenger god, god of trade

Persian Wars War between the Persian Empire and the Greek city/states.
Causes:
(1) unhappiness of Greek colonies under Persian rule located in
Ionia (today Turkey). They rebelled and were attacked by the
Persian army. They asked Greece for help and the Athenians
sent troops but the Persians won.
(2) King Darius got mad because Ionia received help especially
from Athens. He decided to declare war to Athens and the
other city-states that helped. This was Darius revenge.

First Invasion: Persians attacked Athens directed by Darius.

Battle of Marathon: Athenians won.

Second Invasion: Persians attacked Athens. Sparta among other city-

states helped Athens. Xerxes, son of Darius directed.
Battle of Thermopylae: Spartans surprised Persians but a traitor
helped Persians to defeat the Spartans.
Battle of Salamis: Persians attacked Athens … Athenians surprised
them in an attack with their warships. Athenians won.
Battle of Platea: Sparta attacked the Persians who were weak d short
of supplies after Salamis. Spartan won.

Persia surrendered and agreed to peace.

The Greeks won the Persian Wars

 As a result of the Persian Wars, Athens and Sparta became the two
Golden Age of Athens and most powerful city-states in Greece.
Pericles
Athens became the most popular and powerful city-state in Greece.
Athens became the center of Greek culture and politics during the
best time in its development called ATHENS GOLDEN AGE.

After the Persian Wars, the Greeks united through an alliance called a
league. It was called the Delian League and its center of operations
was in the island of Delos. Athens directed and controlled the alliance
it as it was the most powerful city-state. This alliance was to protect
and defend Greece from Persia.

After the Persian Wars, Athens dedicated to rebuild it in stone and

marble. They started with its Acropolis, built temples around it. The
most important temple which was very famous was The Parthenon. It
was dedicated to Athena.
 They also expanded their port, built roads and walls around the city.

Pericles was the leader responsible for the reconstruction of Athens.

He was the most important politician for many years. He introduced
democracy into Athens and into the rest of Greece. He stayed in
power for many years as he was re-elected many times. He started to
pay the people who served the government.

Pericles encouraged the arts so he was known as the Patron of the

Arts. He hired sculptors and artists to decorate the different temples
that were built including the Acropolis.

During this golden Age of Athens created by Pericles, it turned to be a

very international city. They had in Athens festivals, public
celebrations, and public events. Religious games were organized and
dramas were played in the city, built for that purpose. Athens became
in this way the heart of the Greek culture.

Peloponnesian War Causes: because Athens grew so powerful, enemies appeared, among
them Sparta especially. Sparta wanted to limit Athens power and
control over the rest of Greece.

Sparta had also formed another league called the Peloponnesian

League. It was formed after the Delian League. Athens dominated the
sea and Sparta the land. Lots of conflicts appeared between the two
leagues until war started between both. Temporary peace was
declared when Athens was invaded with a plague that killed a lot of
people among them Pericles. War re-started when Athens attacked
one of Sparta´s allies. During the time of temporary peace, Sparta
dedicated to build a fleet so when the war re-started they attacked
Athens by land and sea. Athens was almost destroyed and defeated.
 Consequences: Sparta was so weak because of the war that it could
not control Greece. Small wars happen as the different city-states
wanted to control Greece but couldn´t until Alexander of Macedonia
appeared and controlled all of them.

Greek Achievements at least Philosophy: Socrates, Plato, Aristotles

one for each category
Literature: Homer with the Iliad and Odyssey; POETRY: Sappho,
Pindar, Hesiod

History: Herodotus and Thucydides

Drama: tragedy: Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides; comedy:

Aristophanes

Architecture and Art:

Monumental architecture: Parthenon decorated with statues and

columns of different styles
Sculpture: discobolus by Miron

Phidias: the greatest sculpture

Paintings: on vases, plates, murals, wall paintings

Mural painting wall painting