ANCIENT GREECE

• archipelago – a group of islands
• comedy – in literature, a creative work with a happy ending
• Hellenization  – the spread of Greek culture and language
• isthmus  – a thin strip of land that connects two larger pieces of land
• lavish  – large and excessive
• oligarchy [OL-i-gahr-kee] – a system of government in which a few people govern
• philosopher [fi-LOS-uh-fer] – a person who investigates the truth and principles of life
• rival [RAHY-vuhl] – a person, team, country, or thing competing for the same goal
• tragedy – in literature, a creative work with a sad ending such as the death of a major character

   

   
• The Minoans formed the first European civilization.
• The Minoans were a seafaring people on the island of Crete.
• The Minoans sailed the Mediterranean Sea to trade with other cultures.
• The Minoan culture left behind lavish palaces and beautiful artwork.
• The Mycenaean [mahy-si-NEE-uhn] culture lived on the Peloponnesian [pel-uh-puh-NEE- shuhn] Peninsula.
• The Isthmus of Corinth connects the peninsula to the rest of Europe.
• The Mycenaeans believed their kings were descendants of Zeus, king of the gods.
• The Mycenaeans were more interested in conquest than trade.
• Famous Greek heroes such as Agamemnon [ag-uh-MEM-non], Achilles, and Odysseus [oh-DIS-ee-uhs] took part in the war.
• Homer later wrote legendary epic poems: The Iliad [IL-ee-uhd] and The Odyssey.
• The Iliad tells of the Trojan War.
• The Odyssey tells of Ulysses’ journey home after the war.
• Ancient Greeks called Greece “Hellas.”
• After the Mycenaean culture, Greece broke up into city-states.
• The city-states shared a language and background but were different in many ways.
• Each of the city-states had its own form of government and laws.
• Some city-states were ruled by an oligarchy.
• An oligarchy is a government in which a few powerful rulers govern.
• Tyrants seized power and ruled alone in some city-states.
• Though city-states sometimes worked together, they were rivals.
• The biggest rivalry was between Athens and Sparta.
• Athens was the largest city-state.
• The Athenians developed a democratic government.
• Citizens attended the assembly of the people to discuss and vote on important issues.
• All free, adult male sons of Athenian citizens could vote.
• Athenian democratic ideas influenced the development of the United States government.
• Sparta differed from Athens.
• The Spartans believed they were descendants of the mighty half-god Hercules.
• Instead of democracy, an oligarchy of two kings ruled in Sparta.
• King Lycurgus was Sparta’s lawgiver.
• He created a military state in Sparta.