Rise of the City-States By 750 BCE, Greece was dominated by city-states (polis) that included the...
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Transcript of Rise of the City-States By 750 BCE, Greece was dominated by city-states (polis) that included the...
Rise of the City-States• By 750 BCE, Greece was
dominated by city-states (polis) that included the major city and the surrounding countryside (numerous villages).– Had approximately
20,000 people.
– Citizens could take part in government.• Included free, landowning males•Gathered at the fortified hilltop (acropolis) to conduct
business.•Women had very few rights and slaves had no
political rights.
• As a result of overpopulation and the need for more arable land, many city-states turned to colonization.
• City-states unified by language, culture, and religion, but not politically.
• Different forms of government emerged throughout Greece in the different city-states:– Monarchy– Aristocracy– Oligarchy– Direct Democracy
Rise of the City-States (cont.)
Monarchy:• State ruled by a king.• Rule was hereditary
through the king’s family.• Some rulers claimed
divine right - their power to rule comes from the gods.
• Example - Mycenae
Aristocracy:• State ruled by the nobility.• Rule is hereditary and
based on landownership.• Social status and wealth
support rulers’ authority.• Example - Athens (594 BCE)
Rise of the City-States (cont.)
Oligarchy:• State ruled by a small
group of citizens.• Rule based on wealth.• Ruling group controls the
military.• Example - Sparta
Direct Democracy:• State ruled by the citizens.• Rule based on citizenship
(free, landowning male).• Majority rule makes decisions.• Example - Athens (461 BCE)
Greek Religion• Greek religion is known as
mythology, based on exciting stories that offered explanations of natural phenomena, human qualities, and life events rather than moral guidance and an afterlife.
• Mythology was expressed in epic poems - the Iliad and Odyssey
• Polytheistic (belief in many gods) - gods walked the earth with men who were concerned most with keeping the various gods happy.
Important Greek Gods
Hera: Wife of Zeus, protector of marriageZeus: Leader of the gods
Important Greek Gods (cont.)
Athena: Goddess of wisdom and poetry
Apollo: God of sun and poetry
Important Greek Gods (cont.)
Aphrodite: Goddess of love
Poseidon: God of the seas
The Role of Gods• Gods were the center of
Greek life with each city dedicating itself to one god or goddess (Athens = Athena).– It was important to keep
the gods happy.– Built temples and had
festivals to honor them.• Starting in 776 BCE,
Greeks got together every four years in Olympia for a sports festival to honor Zeus.