Minoans + Mycenaeans = “The Greeks”

1. Minoans + Mycenaeans = “The Greeks” Origins of the Greeks: Minoans & Mycenaean 2800 B.C.—1500 B.C

5. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1L-8xLI_5c&feature=fvsr

7. Minoans (2800-1400 BCE) • Lived on island of Crete • Capital is Knossos • Existed during Egypt’s Old Kingdom • Government: Priest-kings • Religion: Polytheists • Cities NOT surrounded by walls • Very peaceful. • Ship Builders, traders, farmers, and fishermen • Overpowered by Mycenaeans by 1400 BC • No complete explanation for why the civilization collapsed http://ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/~tjmoore/Myth3web/05atheseusmincan.jpg.

9. Minoan Art Sculptures, Pottery, and Frescoes

11. Minoans created and traded pottery, leather, bronze armor, and metal jewelry. They also enjoyed sports such as boxing and bull leaping. http://ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/~tjmoore/Myth3web/05atheseusmincan.jpg

12. Minoan Fresco at the Palace of Knossos http://ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/~tjmoore/myth.html.

13. Minoan fresco: Prince of Knossos http://www.graeco-roman.com/items/G4310.htm

14. Minoan Religion Polytheists Main god: Great Goddess, Mother Earth)

15. Minoan Religion • Built shrines on housetops, hilltops, and in caves • Made offerings to gods which included: • Human hair • fruit • flowers • jewels • gold

16. The fall of Minoan civilization is described in the legendary fight of Theseus, a young Greek prince and the Minotaur. Relief Sculpture of Theseus and defeated Minotaur

17. Mycenaeans (2000 - 900 BCE) • Lower Greece (lowlands) • Built fortress-palaces on hilltops • Engaged in farming, herding, olive growing. • Traded: gold & bronze • Learned from Minoans: Shipbuilding, navigation, gold & bronze work, fashions, art, writing. • Better warriors than traders (pirates) • Became most powerful people in Aegean world by 1400 BCE • Trojan War (1200s BCE) • Conquered by Dorians (late 1200’s)

18. The “Dark Age” (1100 -800 BCE) • Civil wars broke out following Trojan War • Dorians conquered Mycenaeans • Aegean world began era of “wandering and killing” • Independent communities developed Layered view of nine major settlements of Troy by Christopher Haussner based on archaelogical excavation. http://ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/~tjmoore/myth4web/05troygold.jpg

19. The Trojan War – History or Myth? • Story of the Trojan War first transcribed by Homer, roughly 500 years after the suggested date! • Can modern Science (Archaeology) prove the story? • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRkWoYaoW0k

20. Greek City-States (700 - 338 BCE)

21. Greek City-States • The Hellenes, or Greeks emerge from the Dark Age • The Polis, or city-state was the center of Greek life • Polis structure: • Acropolis (fortified hill) • Agora (marketplace at foot of acropolis) • Polis included homes, farming villages, fields, and orchards http://www.indiana.edu/~kglowack/athens/acropolis.html

22. Greek Civics and Politics • Civic and personal honor is one and the same • The Polis (city-state) is above everything else Greenblatt, Lemmo. Human Heritage. Glencoe, McGraw-Hill 1995.

23. A New Government • Solon created 1st Constitution (594 BCE) • Set of principles and rules for governing • Purpose: To end oligarchy and to prevent uprising against government by middle and lower class http://www.indiana.edu/~kglowack/athens/images/07.017.JPG

24. The FirstDemocratic Constitution • Created by Cleisthenes in 508 BCE (lasted 300 yrs.) • Limits power of rich & land ownership • All male landowners could vote • All debts were erased • All enslaved due to debt, were freed • All Athenians became citizens and able to participate in government • Assembly created to make laws Representation of Cleisthenes http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/greeks/greekdemocracy_2.shtml

25. The Athenian Government Structure http://norfacad.pvt.k12.va.us/project/pericles/Pericles.htm

26. Greek Religion The most popular priestess was a priestess in the temple of Delphi. The Delphi was the center of the world for Greeks. http://ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/~tjmoore/mythslides1/27delphiview.jpg

27. Gods with human qualities (anthropomorphism) Poseiden The Courtship of Venus and Mars Aphrodite http://ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/~tjmoore/mythslides1/mythslides1.html

28. Greek Theater • Began during festivals honoring the god Dionysus (600 BCE) • Types of Plays • Tragedies • Aeschylus • Sophocles • Euripides • Comedies • Only men could act in plays • A civic responsibility http://ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/~tjmoore/mythslides1/28feastofgods.jpg

29. The Great Greek Philosophers • Socrates • Plato • Aristotle http://www.arts.uwaterloo.ca/PHIL/cpshelle/Gallery/Greek/aristotle.jpg

30. Socrates (469-399 BCE) • Stonemason, spent time arguing with assembly • Taught: Question everything, use step-by-step questioning to final conclusion (Socaratic Method) • Executed for denying gods, corrupting youth, and trying to overthrow gov. Greenblatt, Lemmo. Human Heritage. Glencoe, McGraw-Hill 1995 http://www.btinternet.com/~socratic/

31. Plato (427-347 BCE) • Pupil of Socrates • Recorded speeches of Socrates • Father of Political Science • Founded The Academy to train government leaders • Wrote The Republic & The Dialogues http://plato.evansville.edu/

32. Aristotle (384-322 BCE) • Pupil of Plato at The Academy • Trained in Medicine • “Master of Them That Know” • First to classify plants & animals • Developed final steps in scientific method (Hypothesis and Test) Plato Aristotle http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/history/aristotle.html