Ancient Greek

Civilization
500-323 B.C

Arko Bagchi
Geography  Greece is a
peninsula about
189 times bigger
than Singapore in
the Mediterranean
Sea.
 It’s very close to
Egypt & the old
Persian empire
(includes Turkey)
and Rome.
 Geography

 Greece is mountainous
 Ancient Greek
communities often
developed
independently because
of the mountains, thus
they were diverse
 As a result, they fought
each other a lot for
power & resources
Technology results from
necessity
 Since Greek coastal cities
were sandwiched between
the ocean and the sea, they
developed an awesome
navy for trading and
fighting.
 They fought amongst
themselves and with other
nations for power &
wealth.
Technology results from scarcity
 All cities need fresh
water. This is a
Greek aqueduct,
basically a brick
water pipe for
distribution of water
in the areas away
from source.
Technology results from scarcity

Terrace farming
designed by the
Greeks saves water
and soil in
mountainous
environments
where there was
shortage of good
water supply and
fertile land
Greek Inventions
 The Greeks
invented dice. (They
use to play lot of
board games and
gamble a lot : )
 Greek Invention
 The Greeks
invented the crane
and many other
equipment still used
in modern days .
 Greece – The Birth of Olympics

According to history the first OLYMPICS took place in 776 BC. They
became a central aspect of Greek culture and in many ways were the
most important factor uniting the Greeks, except for their language and
mythology.
 Greece – The Birth of Olympics

The Greeks were the

original Olympians.
Their scientists studied the
best way to perform sports!!
 Greek Architecture
 Greeks invented
arches and columns.
 This obviously took
advanced
mathematics to
design and
construct.
More Greek Architecture

The Parthenon
 The Acropolis of Athens
Erechtheion
Erechtheum King’s
Pinakotheke Shrine Theater of
Parthenon Dionysius

Stoa of
Odeum of Herodes Eumenes Sanctuary of
Atticus (Roman) Asclepius
More Greek Architecture
 Greek Military- Art of warfare
 This is a catapult, a
Greek invention.
 It could throw 300
pound stones at
walls and buildings
to demolish enemy
habitats
Greek Military
 The picture of a
Hoplite, a Greek
infantry soldier.
 Hoplites were
middle-class
freemen who had to
pay for their own
weapon and shield.
 Greek Military
 This is a phalanx.
 Soldiers got in a
tight box. They
each had a large
shield and a 9 foot
long spear.
Flame-thrower!!!!!
Greek religion was polytheistic.

Polytheism is the
worship or belief
in multiple gods
Political: Athens was the first
democracy.
 Democracy: type of government where
people vote.
 Well, actually, Athens was a direct
democracy where people voted on
everything.
Political: democracy
In the Assembly, every male
citizen was not only entitled to
attend as often as he pleased but
also had the right to debate, offer
amendments, and vote on
proposals. Every man had a say
in whether to declare war or stay
in peace. Basically any thing that
required a government decision,
all male citizens were allowed to
participate .
 Political terms

 All of Greece wasn’t

a democracy.
 Most of Greece was
a monarchy a type of
government ruled by
a king or queen.
 At right is Pericles, a
good king of Athens.
Sparta
 Sparta was an isolated
city-state that was
culturally and politically
different from Athens.
 Sparta was an
oligarchy, government
ruled by a few. They
had 2 kings.
 During the
Peloponnesian Sparta
sacked Athens.
 Sparta
 Spartan society was
obsessed with war.
 Boys were sent to
military school at a
young age.
 Boys who are born
unhealthy were left to
die on mountainsides
Athens

 Athenians were
tough but were
encouraged to
engage in
activities like art,
philosophy,
music.
Alexander the Great
 Alexander was not
from Athens, but
Macedonia.
 Alexander was a
brilliant military
strategist.
 He was one of the
greatest ruler of all
times
Alexander conquered the Persian
empire and controlled the largest
empire the world has ever seen.
Alexander spread Hellenistic
culture throughout Asia.
 Hellenistic is a fancy
word for Greek.
 Alexander spread
Greek technology
and ideas
throughout his
empire
 Greece – The rise and fall
Greek civilization started around 2000 B.C. By 1600 B.C., the Greek
people had built fortified cities in the major valleys and many people were
educated. Greece then had several wars, including the Trojan War around
1200 B.C., which threw them into what is known as the Dark Age.
During the DARK AGE, knowledge of writing was lost and most people
lived in isolated villages. The Dark Age ended in about 800 B.C when the
Greeks started to write again with an alphabet based on that of the
Phoenicians.
During that time, many city-states emerged and struggled with each other
for power for hundreds of years after that. In 480 B.C., the Greeks
UNITED to defeat the invading Persians, but the alliance didn’t last long.
Around 477 B.C., two city-states, ATHENS AND SPARTA, became the
dominant powers in that region and constantly fought each other for
power. Greece had its GOLDEN AGE in Athens around 477 - 431 B.C.
 Greece – The rise and fall
In 334 B.C., ALEXANDER THE GREAT, leader of the country of
Macedonia to the north, conquered the Greeks and started what
is called the HELLENISTIC AGE. Greece unwillingly remained
under Macedonian control until the Romans conquered both
Macedonia and Greece around 140 B.C.

The ROMANS then spread the knowledge of the ancient Greek

philosophers throughout their empire. The Roman Empire lasted
as a unified empire until 395 A.D. when it was split into the
eastern and western empires.

Greece became part of the eastern or BYZANTINE EMPIRE and

Greek literature became the basis for learning in Byzantine
institutions, especially in Constantinople, its capital. When
Constantinople was destroyed by the Turks in 1453 A.D., the
Greek literature stored there spread to the rest of Europe and
helped start the RENAISSANCE.
Thank you!