Classical Greece Section 2 Preview Main Idea / Reading Focus Athenian Democracy The Persian Wars...

Classical Greece Section 2

Preview

• Main Idea / Reading Focus

• Athenian Democracy

• The Persian Wars

• Map: Persian Wars

• The Golden Age of Athens

• Faces of History: Pericles

• The Peloponnesian War

• Map: Greece Before the Peloponnesian War

• Quick Facts: Causes and Effects of the Peloponnesian War

The Classical Age


Reading Focus

• What were the characteristics of Athenian democracy?

• How did the Greeks manage to win the Persian Wars?

• What advances were made in the golden age of Athens?

• What led to the outbreak of the Peloponnesian War?

Main Idea

The Classical Age of ancient Greece was marked by great achievements, including the development of democracy, and by ferocious wars.

The Classical Age


The prosperity of Athens was due in large part to its stable and effective government. That government was the world’s first democracy, a form of government run by the people.

• Athens, birthplace of democracy

• Not always democratic city

• First ruled by kings

• Later ruled by aristocrats who had money and power

Beginnings• Most Athenians

poor, had little power over lives

• Gap between rich, poor led to conflict

• Official named Draco reformed laws

Reform • Draco thought way

to end unrest was through harsh punishment

• Belief reflected in Draco’s laws

• Harshness of laws worsened dispute between classes

Draconian Laws

Athenian Democracy


• Solon’s laws relieved tension for a time, did not resolve it

• Tensions flared again after a few decades

• 541 BC, politician Peisistratus took advantage of conflict, seized power

• Peisistratus a tyrant• Claimed to rule for good of

people• Violent but popular• People liked fact that he

pushed aristocrats out, increased trade

Peisistratus

• 590s BC, lawmaker Solon revised laws again, overturned Draco’s harshest laws

• Outlawed debt slavery; tried to reduce poverty by encouraging trade

• Allowed all Athenian men to take part in assembly that governed city, serve on juries

• Only wealthy men could run for, hold political office

Revision of Draconian Laws

Solon and Peisistratus


Cleisthenes

Cleisthenes took over Athens after Peisistratus

• Reforms set stage for Athenian democracy

• Cleisthenes broke up power of noble families

– Divided Athens into 10 tribes based on where people lived

– Made tribes, not families, social groups, basis for elections

– Each tribe elected 50 men to serve on Council of 500, proposed laws

– Each tribe elected one general to lead Athenian army


Athenian Government

• Those allowed to take part in government expected to:

–Vote in all elections

–Serve in office if elected

–Serve on juries

–Serve in military during war

The Nature of Athenian Democracy

• As democracy, Athens ruled by the people, but not all people able to take part in government; only about 10 percent of total population

• Only free male Athenians over age 20 who had completed military training allowed to vote

• Women, immigrants, children, slaves had no role in government


Council of 500• Created by Cleisthenes

• Wrote laws to be voted on by full assembly

Assembly• Included everyone eligible to

serve in government

• All present voted on laws, all important decisions

• Called direct democracy

Courts • Complex series of courts• Members could number up to

6,000• Chosen from the assembly• Heard trials, sentenced

criminals

Height of DemocracyThree Main Bodies

• Athenian democracy consisted of three main bodies—

• Assembly• Council of 500• Courts


• The archon acted as head of both assembly, Council of 500

• Archons elected for term of one year, but could be re-elected many times

• Public servant, could be removed from office, punished if failed to serve people well

Archon• Most governing done by

assembly

• Some elected officials had special roles

• Among elected officials, generals who led city in war

• Another elected official, the archon

Elected Officials

Special Roles


Analyze

What were the key features of Athenian democracy?

Answer(s): direct democracy; only certain men could vote; consisted of assembly, Council of 500, and court system


In the early 400s BC, the Greek city-states came into conflict with the vast Persian Empire, a larger, stronger opponent.

• Roots of Persian Wars lay in region of Ionia, in what is now Turkey

• Ionian city-states founded as Greek colonies, fell under Persian rule, 500s BC

– Ionian Greeks unhappy with Persian rule

– Wanted independence

– Rebelled, 499 BC

Causes of the Conflict• Ionian Greeks asked fellow

Greeks for help

• Athens sent aid, ships

• Persians put down revolt

– Revolt made Persian emperor Darius angry enough to seek revenge

– Planned to punish Ionians’ allies, especially Athens, by attacking Greek mainland

Revenge

The Persian Wars


The First Persian Invasion

• 490 BC, Persians set out to fulfill Darius’s plans for revenge

• Fleet carrying tens of thousands of Persian troops set out for Greece

• Came ashore near town of Marathon, not far from Athens

Marathon

• Legend says Athenian messenger ran from Marathon to Athens after battle to announce Greek victory; died from exhaustion after delivering message

• Legend inspired modern marathon, 26-mile race commemorating dedication, athleticism

Persian Retreat

• Warned in advance, Greeks arrived at Marathon, caught Persians unloading ships, charged in phalanx, tight rectangle formation

• Persians counterattacked, more Greeks closed in, Persians retreated

First Invasion


• Greek victory at Marathon shocked both Greeks, Persians• Athenians could not believe they had defeated stronger foe• Persians humiliated, furious• Darius planned second invasion, but died before invasion launched• Son Xerxes vowed revenge, continued to plan attack on Greece

• 480 BC, 10 years after first invasion, Xerxes set out for Greece

• Hundreds of thousands of soldiers, sailors, animals, weapons, supplies

• Greek accounts say Persian army so huge took week to cross bridge built into Greece

Xerxes

• Faced with invasion, Athenians called on other Greek city-states to help fight off Persians

• Athens, bitter rival, agreed to help

• Had recently built large navy, took charge of Greek fighting ships

• Sparta took charge of Greek armies

Athenians

Preparations for a Second Invasion


Persian army was no longer a match for the Greeks; and within a year the Greeks had won the Persian Wars.

The Greeks worried that they would not have time to prepare their troops for battle. To slow down the Persians, a group of Spartans and their allies gathered in a mountain pass at Thermopylae, through which the Persians would pass to get into Greece.

• Spartans held off entire Persian army for several days

• Persians shown alternate path through mountains; were able to surround, kill Spartans

• Spartans’ sacrifice bought time for Greeks’ defense

The Second Persian Invasion

Second Invasion and Aftermath

• Persians marched south to Athens, attacked, burned city; needed fleet to bring additional supplies

• Athenian commander lured fleet into narrow strait

• Greek warships cut them to pieces

After Thermopylae


Sequence

What events led to the Greek victory in the Persian Wars?

Answer(s): Athens and Sparta allied to fight the Persians; Spartans held off the Persians at Thermopylae, allowing Athens to prepare; Persian supplies were cut off when the Greek fleet destroyed their ships; Spartans led the Greek army to defeat the Persians at Plataea


As leaders in the Persian Wars, Athens and Sparta became the two most powerful, influential city-states in Greece. After the wars, Athens entered a golden age as the center of Greek culture and politics.

• After Persian Wars city-states banded together to defend each other, punish Persia

• Largest, richest of alliance members was Athens

Alliance

• Alliance’s treasury kept on islands of Delos

• Alliance known as Delian League

• Athens controlled ships, money

• League grew in membership, power

Delian League

• Some members resented Athenian dominance

• Members who tried to quit attacked by league fleet, forced back into alliance

• League became Athenian empire

Increased Influence

The Golden Age of Athens


A City in Ruins

• People wanted to rebuild Athens after Persian Wars

• Some money for rebuilding came from within Athens

• Substantial amount came from treasury of Delian League

Height of Culture

• Grandest temple, Parthenon, dedicated to goddess Athena

• Athenians expanded port, built new roads, constructed high walls around city

• Rebuilt Athens considered height of Greek culture, sophistication

Collective Funds to Rebuild

• Other members of League not happy Athenians used collective funds to rebuild city, but none powerful enough to stop Athens

• Rebuilding began at top, with acropolis, series of grand temples

Rebuilding Athens


Much of the rebuilding of Athens was due to one man—Pericles, a skilled politician and gifted public speaker.

• 460s, elected one of Athens’ generals, became Athens’ most influential politician

• Great champion of democracy

– Introduced payment for those who served in public offices, on juries

– Encouraged Athenians to introduce democracy elsewhere

Pericles • Commissioned building

Parthenon, other monuments

– Hired artists, sculptors to decorate them

• Wanted Athens to be most glorious city in Greece

– Believed it had best government, noblest people, monuments to prove superiority

Patron of the Arts

The Age of Pericles


Life in the Golden Age

Trade brought great wealth to Athens.

• Merchants from other parts of world moved to city, bringing own foods, customs

• Athens very cosmopolitan as result

– Grand festivals, public celebrations, events

– Athletic games and city theaters

– Athens was the heart of Greek culture


Draw Conclusions

What made the 400s a golden age in Athens?

Answer(s): trade brought great wealth; cosmopolitan city; city rebuilt; center of Greek culture and politics


As the leader of the Delian League, Athens was the richest, mightiest polis in Greece. Being rich and mighty brought many powerful rivals, the greatest of which was Sparta, which wanted to end its dominance.

• Tensions built between Delian, Peloponnesian Leagues

• Mutual fear led to war between Athens, Sparta

Tension Built

• Athens feared military might of another league

• Sparta feared loss of trading

• 431 BC, the two declared war

• Lasted many years

War

The Peloponnesian War

Peloponnesian League

• Sparta head of Peloponnesian League, allied city-states

• Formed 500s BC, to provide protection, security for members


War in Greece

• Initially neither side gained much advantage

• Sparta, allies dominated land; Athens, allies dominated sea

• Athenians avoided land battles; neither side won more than minor victories

Sparta’s Victory

• 415 BC, war broke out again; Sparta took to sea as well as land, destroyed Athenian fleet; Athens surrendered 404 BC

• Peloponnesian War almost destroyed Athens; Sparta also exhausted by war

Plague and Peace

• 430, 429 BC, plague struck Athens, changed course of war

• Pericles, Athens’ leader through beginning of war, among dead

• After plague, fighting heated up until truce in 421 BC

The Course of War


Cycle of Warfare

After victory, Sparta’s army tried to act as Greece’s dominant power

• Sparta’s wealth, resources badly strained, power worn down

• Spartans could not keep control of Greece

• City-state of Thebes defeated Sparta, could not maintain control either

• Struggle for power led to long cycle of warfare that left all Greece vulnerable to attack

• 340s BC, Macedonia, Greek-speaking kingdom to north, swept in, took control of all Greece


Identify Cause and Effect

What caused the Peloponnesian War?

Answer(s): mutual fear; Sparta feared Athens would stop it from trading, Athens feared the military might of the Peloponnesian League

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