Greek Government and Society

Greek Government and Society CH 5 Section 2

Some review • Who were the earliest known Greeks? • Who defeated the earliest known Greeks? • Who lived on the island of Crete and had to develop sea trade?

The Homeric age • The Iliad and Odyssey are gathered together and written down around 700 BCE • The Stories are credited to Homer, No Not that Homer! • A blind poet • Has anyone read them?

The truth is that no one knows who wrote the poems • {The Iliad tells the story of the Trojan War} • Helen of Troy, the wife of a Mycenaean king, runs off with Paris (not Hilton), a Trojan prince, back to Troy • This leads to 10 years of war filled with some of the greatest battle scenes in the movies to that time. • Achilles shows looking like Brad Pitt • He is supposedly invincible except his Achilles heel and of coarse that is where he gets shot by Paris (not Hilton)

So this Siege of Troy lasts a long time and the Mycenaean's decide to give up when they can’t get into the walls of the city • But First they are going to leave a gift for the City of Troy no strings attached • The Mycenaean's gather up all the wood they can find and build a giant horse and wheel it to the door of the city • The people of Troy see the Gift and think • “We do deserve a giant horse for our trouble. Maybe those Mycenaean's aren't so bad after all. Drag that thing inside.” • but they bring more than they think in with them

After everyone passes out the troops hiding inside jump out, open the gates, and kill everyone • This is the story of the Trojan Horse • The battle of Troy actually happened the ruins of the city have been unearthed and there is a picture on the next slide • The Odyssey is about Odysseus and his trip home from the Trojan war • It takes him 10 years to get to Ithaca (home) cause the Gods are working against him, they send him off course and wreck him on islands • He does eventually make it home to find a number of suitors trying to take his wife • He kills them all

Greek Religious Beliefs • The Greek religion did not expect personal morality like other religions of the time • Instead they looked at religion for three things • To Explain Nature, the cause of lightning, thunder, the seasons • To explain emotions that caused people to lose self control • They thought religion could bring them benefits here and now like long life {NOT a preparation for the afterlife or salvation from sin}

Religion • The Greeks created Myths or traditional stories about gods, goddesses, or heroes • The gods had human qualities and personalities • The gods were believed to live on Mt Olympus in North Greece

Zeus • King of the Gods • Had a daughter and son • {The Olympic games were held every 4 years in honor of him}

Athena • Daughter of Zeus • Protector of wisdom and womanly goodness • Athens was named for her

Apollo • Son of Zeus • God of light, music, and poetry

Dionysus • Greek god of fertility and wine

Religion Continued • The Greeks believed that the gods spoke to them through oracles and would travel to these oracles to ask questions about the future • They tried to please the gods through sow of strength and bravery in athletic contests • The most important of these contests were the Olympic games held every four years to honor Zeus held the fist time in 776 BC • Originally only men could compete in or watch the games • Competitions included boxing, wrestling, and foot races

Greek Government: From Kings to Democracy • City-States were originally small kingdoms ruled by warrior chieftains from a hilltop fortress • Wealthy land owners were asked to support their rule and form their armies • Land owners were the only ones who could afford horses, chariots, and bronze weapons • Over time the small group of land owners, known as aristocrats, or “best men” in Greek, • Nobles started to gain more land and power in Greece • by 700 BC they had overthrown their kings and taken power

{Aristocracies • Originally the word aristocracy meant “ruled by the best”} • Over time it became the word for the privileged upper class • {These aristocracies are groups of nobles that came to rule the Greek city-states} • They held a monopoly over the military and controlled the economy • {They even held control over religion} • They acted as judges, determining the city-states laws and punishments

Hoplite • A new form of infantry that carried long spears they fought in closely spaced rows • This was a non aristocratic soldier that demanded more say in Govt. • The chariots and cavalry of the aristocrats were no match for the Hoplites formations • The soldiers in 300 are similar but the real ones wore armor

Tyrant • {Someone who illegally took power but had the peoples support} • Between 650 and 500 BC tyrants ruled many Greek city-states • They ended the nobles fight for power and promoted trade • At first they rule well but in some cases they become unjust • Tyrant now means someone who uses absolute power brutally

Popular Government • The city-states would take power back from the tyrants and the idea of popular government took root • This idea that the people could and should rule themselves • Democracy or government in which the citizens take part developed in places like Athens. • Full rights were only allowed to free men • Women and slaves had no political rights • Other city-states like Sparta maintained kings or went back to the aristocratic government

Section Review • What book tells the story of the Trojan war? • The Olympic games were held every 4 years in honor of who? • Aristocracy originally means ______ __ ___ _____. • Someone who took power but had the peoples support?

The End?

Greek Government and Society