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First Stop: Ancient Greece

Athens – in 2010!

Athens – in 2010!

Athens - Acropolis

The Geography of Greece • Mountains – Hindered communication and unification – Caused growth of independent city-states

• Seas and seaports – Peninsula with irregular coastline – Seaports encouraged development of trade

• Poor farmland – Few crops could be grown – Forced to trade – Became leading traders of Aegean and eastern Mediterranean

Greece and the Greek Colonies

Greek City-states… the POLIS • All political, social and religious activities took place in the polis (or city-state) • Polis: town, city, village & surrounding countryside. • Three groups: citizens with political rights (adult males), citizens without political rights (women & children), and noncitizens (slaves and resident aliens). • Isolated, independent citystates, differing values • Aristocracy to Oligarchy • Increase in rich-poor gap – Tyranny (Tyrants) • Athenians push for Democracy – rule of the people • But…not women!

A comparison between two Greek city-states ATHENS

• Democracy…all citizens (free males) participated in government activities • All citizens were equal before the law • Women and slaves were denied citizenship • Young Athenians developed their artistic, and intellectual sides. • Philosophy, mathematics, science, and drama flourished. • Pursued individual wealth • Individuality very important • Individual quest for happiness important

SPARTA

• Totalitarianism: form of government that uses force & power to rule its own people. • Spartan society was divided into 3 groups; • 1. slaves…provided food and labor • 2. women…taught to be fit, brave, patriotic, and make babies for Sparta • 3. Men…all became warriors – Newborn babies judged to be weak were killed – Boys at the age of 7 were taken from home to live in army barracks and received military training – They were barefoot and wore minimal clothing to toughen them up • Gave up wealth as unpatriotic • All men glorify war! • State before the individual is most important; no room for individuality

Athenian Values • Oath of native born, male, Athenian citizens at 18 years, received a shield and a spear • “Never to disgrace his holy arms, never to forsake his comrade in ranks, but to fight for the holy temples and the common welfare, alone or with others; to leave his country not in a worse, but in a better state than he found it, to obey the magistrates and the laws, and defend them against attacks; finally to hold in honor the religion of his country.” • What does this oath reveal about Athenian values?

Tour of the Acropolis The Acropolis is the term used to refer to the hill in the center of Athens. The ancient Athenians placed their most Important buildings upon this hill to keep them safe from attack. While the First buildings on the Acropolis were constructed in the 6th Century B.C., the current existing structures were built during the era of Pericles in the 5th century B.C.

We will start our tour at the Propylaia, then we will look at the Parthenon, Erechtheion, and the Theater of Dionysus, and end at the Areopagus.

Continue to Theater and Areopagus

START

Model of what Acropolis would have looked like by the 4th Century B.C. Our travel route is in red.

Current Remains of the Acropolis. Parthenon

Erechtheion

Propylaia

ACROPOLIS

Many believe that the Acropolis is the most important ancient monument in the Western world. It is a remnant of Pericles’ “city.” Pericles rebuilt the Acropolis after the Persians burned it down in480 B.C. as part of the Persian Wars. On the left you can see the Propylaia, the towering entrance to the Acropolis. After making your way up the ramp, you enter the Panathenaic Way, which is the road that goes through the Acropolis.

PARTHENON

The word Parthenon means “virgin’s apartment.” It is the largest doric temple ever built in Greece. It was constructed completely of marble. The purpose of the building was to house the great statue of the goddess Athena and as the treasury for tribute money. Building began in 447 B.C. and was completed in 438 B.C. It consists of eight columns on either end and seventeen columns on each side.

ERECHTHEION

The Erechtheion is the most sacred part of the Acropolis. According to Ancient Greek legend, it was on this spot that Poseidon struck the ground with his tridents and where Athena produced the first olive tree. Building began in 421 B.C. and was completed in 406 B.C. This building served as a religious shrine to the god Athena and Poseidon.

THEATRE of DIONYSUS The Theatre of Dionysus was a major open air theatre in ancient Greece, built at the foot of the Athenian Acropolis. Dedicated to Dionysus, the god of plays and wine (among other things), the theatre could seat as many as 17,000 people. It became the prototype for all Theatres of ancient Greece. It was the first stone theatre ever built — cut into the southern cliff face of the Acropolis — and the birthplace of Greek tragedy. The remains of a restored and redesigned Roman version can still be seen at the site today

AREOPAGUS

Located near the Acropolis, the Areopagus is where the first Athenian council met and where democracy began. Later it became the location of homicide trials. In 51 AD, Saint Paul preached Christianity on the famous rock and and gained his first Greek convert. Below the Areopagus lies the Agora.

AGORA The term agora means market, and this area was Athen’s public meeting place in ancient times. It was the focal point of administrative, commercial, political, and social life.