Ancient GreeceAncient Greece

By: Alexis WrightBy: Alexis Wright

GeographyGeography

The geography of ancient Greece was The geography of ancient Greece was divided into three regions : the coast, divided into three regions : the coast, the lowlands, and the mountains. the lowlands, and the mountains. Typically, temperatures did not go Typically, temperatures did not go below 40 degrees Fahrenheit with the below 40 degrees Fahrenheit with the exception of the high mountains. exception of the high mountains.

• The climate was hot and dry ; rain The climate was hot and dry ; rain was limited in the winter months.was limited in the winter months.

• Greece was rocky and barren, which Greece was rocky and barren, which made it bad for agriculture. made it bad for agriculture.

GeographyGeography

• With a shortage of land for farming , With a shortage of land for farming , the Greeks relied on trading with the Greeks relied on trading with other places around the other places around the Mediterranean for food, building Mediterranean for food, building supplies, and other goods.supplies, and other goods.

• Central Greece has more mountains Central Greece has more mountains than Northern Greece.than Northern Greece.

• The rocky and uneven soil on the The rocky and uneven soil on the peninsula of Greece allowed for less peninsula of Greece allowed for less than 20% of the land to be farmed.than 20% of the land to be farmed.

GeographyGeography

• Most Greeks lived along the coast, Most Greeks lived along the coast, where the soil was mostly good for where the soil was mostly good for farming.farming.

• The ocean was a gigantic source of land The ocean was a gigantic source of land because the Greeks used it for fishing.because the Greeks used it for fishing.

• The mountainous terrain made land The mountainous terrain made land travel difficult. With no rivers that could travel difficult. With no rivers that could be used for boats (because they would be used for boats (because they would dry up in the summer and overflow in dry up in the summer and overflow in the winter), transportation on the sea the winter), transportation on the sea was very important for the Greeks.was very important for the Greeks.

Geography Geography

GovernmentGovernment

Greece was not yet one country so Greece was not yet one country so there was no central form of there was no central form of government in Ancient Greece. Each government in Ancient Greece. Each city-state had it’s own form of city-state had it’s own form of government. There were four forms government. There were four forms of government; Monarchy, Oligarchy, of government; Monarchy, Oligarchy, Tyranny, and Democracy. All of these Tyranny, and Democracy. All of these governments were ruled by men.governments were ruled by men.

GovernmentGovernment• Monarchy is rule by a Monarchy is rule by a

king. Corinth was a king. Corinth was a monarchy. The king monarchy. The king had many advisors. had many advisors. Together, Corinth’s Together, Corinth’s government solved government solved many problems. many problems.

• Tyranny was rule by Tyranny was rule by a dictator. A dictator a dictator. A dictator is one person who is one person who made all the rules and made all the rules and enforced them with enforced them with threats. threats.

GovernmentGovernment

• Oligarchy is rule Oligarchy is rule by a small group of by a small group of people. Sparta was people. Sparta was an oligarchy. It an oligarchy. It was ruled by two was ruled by two kings, five ephods, kings, five ephods, a council of a council of twenty-eight twenty-eight elders, and a group elders, and a group of citizens.of citizens.

• Democracy was rule Democracy was rule by a citizens, which by a citizens, which included voting in an included voting in an assembly. assembly. Democracy was spilt Democracy was spilt into two different into two different categories; Direct categories; Direct Democracy and Democracy and Representative Representative Democracy. Democracy.

Government Government

• Direct Democracy was a government Direct Democracy was a government in which people voted to make their in which people voted to make their own rules and laws. For example own rules and laws. For example Athens was a Direct Democracy.Athens was a Direct Democracy.

• Representative Democracy was a Representative Democracy was a government in which people voted for government in which people voted for representatives. The representatives representatives. The representatives make the rules and laws that govern make the rules and laws that govern themselves and the people. themselves and the people.

Religion Religion

The Greeks were polytheistic in their The Greeks were polytheistic in their religious beliefs. Polytheistic means they religious beliefs. Polytheistic means they believed in and worshiped many gods. In believed in and worshiped many gods. In Greek mythology (religion), the gods Greek mythology (religion), the gods represented different forms of nature. Their represented different forms of nature. Their religion had no formal structure with the religion had no formal structure with the exception of various festivals held to honor exception of various festivals held to honor the gods. Festivals were a very important the gods. Festivals were a very important part of worshipping the gods. They usually part of worshipping the gods. They usually included a procession and a sacrifice.included a procession and a sacrifice.

Religion Religion • The ancient Greeks The ancient Greeks

built many great built many great temples to their gods. temples to their gods. They built temples in They built temples in about every town for about every town for one god or goddess. one god or goddess. These temples were These temples were not like modern not like modern places of worship for places of worship for ordinary people to ordinary people to pray in. They were pray in. They were homes for statues of homes for statues of gods. gods.

The God ZeusThe God Zeus

Religion Religion

• The priest cared for the temples and The priest cared for the temples and statues of the gods. Priests were statues of the gods. Priests were important people in the community. important people in the community. They were believed to have the power to They were believed to have the power to talk to the gods and so were respected talk to the gods and so were respected and trusted. There were only to ways to and trusted. There were only to ways to become a priest. One was your mother become a priest. One was your mother or father was a priest; or, two you were or father was a priest; or, two you were made priest by a dying priest. A priest’s made priest by a dying priest. A priest’s main job was to look after the temple. main job was to look after the temple.

Religion Religion

• The Greeks believed that the twelve The Greeks believed that the twelve most important gods and goddess lived most important gods and goddess lived at the top of Mount Olympus. They were at the top of Mount Olympus. They were a family and, just like a human family, a family and, just like a human family, they argued and looked after one they argued and looked after one another. Mount Olympus, in northern another. Mount Olympus, in northern Greece, is the highest mountain in the Greece, is the highest mountain in the country. It was believed to be the home country. It was believed to be the home of the gods, because it was often so of the gods, because it was often so cloudy and no one could see its summit.cloudy and no one could see its summit.

Food Food

The Greek diet was very healthy. The Greek diet was very healthy. Food in ancient Greece contained, Food in ancient Greece contained, grains, wheat, barely, fruits, grains, wheat, barely, fruits, vegetables, breads, and cakes. The vegetables, breads, and cakes. The ancient Greeks grew olives, grapes, ancient Greeks grew olives, grapes, figs, and wheat. They also kept figs, and wheat. They also kept goats, for milk and cheese. They ate goats, for milk and cheese. They ate a lot of bread, beans, and olives. a lot of bread, beans, and olives.

Food Food

• The soil by the sea was not as rich as on the The soil by the sea was not as rich as on the plains, so the Greeks used irrigation and plains, so the Greeks used irrigation and crop rotation to keep the soil relatively crop rotation to keep the soil relatively fertile. fertile.

• In some larger Greek city states, meat could In some larger Greek city states, meat could be purchased in cook shops. However, meat be purchased in cook shops. However, meat was rarely eaten, as the Greeks felt that was rarely eaten, as the Greeks felt that just killing and eating a domesticated just killing and eating a domesticated animal (goats) was wrong. The Greeks animal (goats) was wrong. The Greeks would often sacrifice the meat to the gods would often sacrifice the meat to the gods first and then might eat some of the meat.first and then might eat some of the meat.

Food Food

• Breakfast was Breakfast was eaten just after eaten just after sunrise and sunrise and contained bread contained bread dipped in wine.dipped in wine.

• Lunch was also Lunch was also bread dipped in bread dipped in wine, with figs, wine, with figs, olives, cheese, or olives, cheese, or dried fish. dried fish.

• Supper started Supper started around sunset and around sunset and consisted of consisted of veggies, fruits, veggies, fruits, fish, and possibly fish, and possibly honey cake. Sugar honey cake. Sugar was unknown to was unknown to Greeks, so they Greeks, so they used honey as used honey as sweetner. sweetner.

Food Food

• In the summer In the summer months, there months, there were plenty of were plenty of fresh fruits and fresh fruits and veggies to eat. In veggies to eat. In the winter they ate the winter they ate dried fruit and dried fruit and food they had food they had stored like apples.stored like apples.

• Fish was the main Fish was the main source of protein source of protein in the Greek diet. in the Greek diet. It was easy for the It was easy for the Greeks to get fish Greeks to get fish because they were because they were near water.near water.

Food Food • Wine was the main Wine was the main

drink in ancient drink in ancient Greece. It was Greece. It was watered down; to watered down; to drink it straight was drink it straight was very unsophisticated. very unsophisticated. Milk was rarely Milk was rarely drunk, because it too, drunk, because it too, was unsophisticated. was unsophisticated. Milk was used for Milk was used for cheese. Water was cheese. Water was also a possible choice also a possible choice as a drink. as a drink.

FoodFood

• The Greeks did not The Greeks did not have any eating have any eating utensils, so they ate utensils, so they ate with their hands. with their hands. Bread was often used Bread was often used to scoop out thick to scoop out thick soups. Bread was soups. Bread was also used as a also used as a napkin, it was thrown napkin, it was thrown on the floor for dogs on the floor for dogs or slaves to pick up.or slaves to pick up.

Men, Women, And Men, Women, And Children Children

Men had the biggest role for the Men had the biggest role for the most part in public life in ancient most part in public life in ancient Greece. They ran politics and public Greece. They ran politics and public events, while women were often events, while women were often encouraged to stay home.encouraged to stay home.

MenMen

• When men When men entertained, their entertained, their wives were not wives were not invited to the dinner. invited to the dinner.

• The Olympic games The Olympic games were for men only, were for men only, while in another part while in another part of Olympia, the of Olympia, the women had a very women had a very small event in small event in Hera’s honor. Hera’s honor.

WomenWomen

• Women in most Women in most ancient Greek city-ancient Greek city-states had very few states had very few rights. rights.

• They were under They were under the control and the control and protection of their protection of their father, husband, or father, husband, or a male relative for a male relative for their whole lives.their whole lives.

• Women had no role Women had no role in politics. in politics.

• Women that were Women that were wealthy did little or wealthy did little or no work. They stayed no work. They stayed indoors running their indoors running their house holds. The only house holds. The only important job they important job they could have was being could have was being a priest.a priest.

• In Athens, pale skin In Athens, pale skin showed that a women showed that a women was wealthy enough was wealthy enough to stay indoors.to stay indoors.

Women Women

• Also in Athens, Also in Athens, only very poor only very poor women were found women were found outside without a outside without a male escorting her.male escorting her.

• Sheltering women Sheltering women was not as was not as common in other common in other Greek city-states. Greek city-states.

WomenWomen

• For example in For example in Sparta, women had Sparta, women had much more much more freedom and a freedom and a larger role in larger role in society, but were society, but were still not as still not as powerful as men.powerful as men.

• Spartan women Spartan women didn’t have any didn’t have any restrictions, so they restrictions, so they had more freedom had more freedom and responsibilities. and responsibilities. They were able to go They were able to go out in public alone, out in public alone, participate in events participate in events and inherit land. In and inherit land. In the fourth century, the fourth century, over two fifths of the over two fifths of the land in Sparta was land in Sparta was owned by women. owned by women.

Children Children

• Babies born in ancient Greece often Babies born in ancient Greece often had a hard time surviving. Many died had a hard time surviving. Many died in the first few days after they were in the first few days after they were born so, babies didn’t receive names born so, babies didn’t receive names until the 10until the 10thth day of life. day of life.

• If a baby was deformed, it might be If a baby was deformed, it might be abandoned on a mountain. Sometimes abandoned on a mountain. Sometimes abandoned babies were rescued and abandoned babies were rescued and brought up as slaves by another family.brought up as slaves by another family.

Children Children

• In some Greek cities, children were In some Greek cities, children were wrapped up in cloths until they were wrapped up in cloths until they were about two years old to insure straight, about two years old to insure straight, strong, and healthy limbs.strong, and healthy limbs.

• Other Greek city-states such as Sparta, Other Greek city-states such as Sparta, did not do this to children. Children did not do this to children. Children spent most of their time with their spent most of their time with their mother in the women’s part of the house. mother in the women’s part of the house.

ChildrenChildren

• Girls would receive Girls would receive their whole education their whole education and house training in and house training in their homes with their homes with their mothers.their mothers.

• Girls reached puberty Girls reached puberty at age twelve or at age twelve or thirteen. At this time thirteen. At this time they were considered they were considered adults and could be adults and could be married.married.

• Girls took their Girls took their childhood toys and childhood toys and stuffed animals and stuffed animals and left them at the left them at the temple of Artemis. temple of Artemis. This demonstrated This demonstrated that their childhood that their childhood was over and they was over and they were becoming were becoming adults.adults.

ChildrenChildren

• After marrying, the After marrying, the women were women were expected to have a expected to have a baby. Not being baby. Not being able to have able to have children was children was considered a curse considered a curse from the gods.from the gods.

ChildrenChildren• Boys might learn Boys might learn

their father’s trade their father’s trade or go to schools or go to schools around the age of around the age of seven.seven.

• In Sparta, seven year In Sparta, seven year old boys were taken old boys were taken to barracks by the to barracks by the city and raised there. city and raised there. They were trained in They were trained in the military and not the military and not allowed to leave until allowed to leave until they were thirty.they were thirty.

ChildrenChildren

• In other city In other city states, at the age states, at the age of eighteen, boys of eighteen, boys were required to were required to join the army.join the army.

• Many city states Many city states required males to required males to participate in participate in politics at the age politics at the age of thirty.of thirty.