LibGuides CMS: Fuller Middle School: Mrs. Machado: Ancient Greece

Background Information

	Who were the ancient Greeks? About 2,500 years ago Greece was one of the most important places in the ancient world. The Greeks were great thinkers, warriors, writers, actors, athletes, artists, architects and politicians. The Greeks called themselves Hellenes and their land was Hellas.
	Ancient Greece More than 2,500 years ago, the Greeks developed one of the most civilizations of the ancient world.
	Life in Ancient Greece About 2,500 years ago, Greece was one of the most important places in the world.
	Ancient Greece Ancient Greece was home to the ancient Greek people. Ancient Greece lasted for more than one thousand years. The ancient Greeks had times of success and times of setbacks. Ancient Greek culture changed the world and still influences people.
	Ancient Greece The area that is now Greece was home to the first civilizations in Europe. Ancient Greece had powerful cities, great thinkers called philosophers, and fine art. The idea of democracy—rule by the people—also came from ancient Greece.

Religion

	Gods, Goddesses and Heroes The ancient Greeks were polytheistic — that is, they worshipped many gods. Their major gods and goddesses lived at the top of Mount Olympus, the highest mountain in Greece, and myths described their lives and actions.
	Ancient Greek Gods and Goddesses The ancient Greeks believed their worlds was controlled by various gods and goddess.
	Delphi Delphi was an ancient religious sanctuary dedicated to the Greek god Apollo. Developed in the 8th century B.C., the sanctuary was home to the Oracle of Delphi and the priestess Pythia...
	Meet the Greek Gods

Politics

	Ancient Greek Forms of Government The government of many ancient Greek city-states passed through four stages: monarchy, oligarchy, tyranny, and democracy.
	Democracy: Ancient Greece Democracy in ancient Greece served as one of the first forms of self-rule government in the ancient world. The system and ideas employed by the ancient Greeks had profound influences on how democracy developed, and its impact on the formation of the U.S. government.
	Government The Ancient Greeks may be most famous for their ideas and philosophies on government and politics. It was in Greece, and particularly Athens, that democracy was first conceived and used as a primary form of government.
	City States Ancient Greece wasn't a single country or empire united under a single government, it was made up of a number of city-states. At the center of each city-state was a powerful city. The city ruled the lands and area around it. Sometimes it also ruled smaller less-powerful cities. The Greek name for a city-state was "polis."
	Democracy The word democracy literally means “rule by the people.” It is derived from a Greek word coined from the words demos (“people”) and kratos (“rule”) in the middle of the 5th century bc as a name for the political system that existed at the time in some of the cities of Greece, notably Athens.
	7 Points to Know About Ancient Greek Government You may have heard that ancient Greece invented democracy, but democracy was only one type of government employed by the Greeks, and when it first evolved, many Greeks thought it a bad idea.

	Alexander the Great (356–323 bc). More than any other world conqueror, Alexander III of Macedon, or ancient Macedonia, deserves to be called the Great. Although he died before the age of 33, he conquered an enormous empire—from Macedonia to Egypt and from Greece to part of India—and gave a new direction to history.
	Alexander the Great Alexander the Great was an ancient Macedonian ruler and one of history’s greatest military minds who, as King of Macedonia and Persia, established the largest empire the ancient world had ever seen.
	Pericles The so-called golden age of Athenian culture flourished under the leadership of Pericles (495-429 B.C.), a brilliant general, orator, patron of the arts and politician—”the first citizen” of democratic Athens, according to the historian Thucydides.

The Ancient Greeks at War

In ancient times, Greece wasn't a single country like it is today.
It was made up of lots of smaller states.
These states were always squabbling and often went to war.
Sparta and Athens fought a long war, called the Peloponnesian War, from 431 to 404BC.

Ancient Greeks: Soldiers and War
The Ancient Greek city-states often fought each other. Sometimes groups of city-states would unite to fight other groups of city-states in large wars. Rarely, the Greek city-states would unite together to fight a common enemy such as the Persians in the Persian Wars.

Peloponnesian War
The Ancient Greek city-states often fought each other. Sometimes groups of city-states would unite to fight other groups of city-states in large wars. Rarely, the Greek city-states would unite together to fight a common enemy such as the Persians in the Persian Wars.

Encyclopedias
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Databases
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Geography

	Chief Cities and Divisions This map shows the chief cities and divisions of ancient Greece, which included settlements in Asia Minor, the island of Sicily, and southern Italy. Some of these cities have survived into modern times, often under the same name.
	Major Trade Routes of Ancient Greece and Phoenicia (interactive) Click on the text in the legend to see the major cities, colonies, and trade routes of ancient Greece and Phoenicia as well as the major trade commodities.
	Geography The ancient civilization of Greece was located in southeastern Europe along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The geography of the region helped to shape the government and culture of the Ancient Greeks.
	Ancient Greece (map and fast facts) About 2,500 years ago, Greece was one of the most important places in the world.

Achievements and Inventions

	Art and Architecture The arts reflect the society that creates them. Nowhere is this truer than in the case of the ancient Greeks. Through their temples, sculpture, and pottery, the Greeks incorporated a fundamental principle of their culture: arete. To the Greeks, arete meant excellence and reaching one's full potential.
	Ancient Greek Architecture The architects of classical Greece came up with many sophisticated techniques to make their buildings look perfectly even. They crafted horizontal planes with a very slight upward U-shape and columns that were fatter in the middle than at the ends. Without these innovations, the buildings would appear to sag; with them, they looked flawless and majestic.
	Greek Architecture That Changed History Discover the ancient buildings that are still influencing architecture today.
	Striking Photos of Classical Greek Architecture Temples and monuments built in ancient Greece were so commanding, their ruins remain impressive thousands of years later.
	Architecture The Ancient Greeks had a unique style of architecture that is still copied today in government buildings and major monuments throughout the world. Greek architecture is known for tall columns, intricate detail, symmetry, harmony, and balance. The Greeks built all sorts of buildings. The main examples of Greek architecture that survive today are the large temples that they built to their gods.
	Parthenon The Parthenon is a resplendent marble temple built between 447 and 432 B.C. during the height of the ancient Greek Empire. Dedicated to the Greek goddess Athena, the Parthenon sits high atop a compound of temples known as the Acropolis of Athens.
	Acropolis The Acropolis of Athens is one of the most famous ancient archaeological sites in the world. Located on a limestone hill high above Athens, Greece, the Acropolis has been inhabited since prehistoric times. Over the centuries, the Acropolis was many things: a home to kings, a citadel, a mythical home of the gods, a religious center and a tourist attraction.

Do you know the Greek alphabet?
The Greek alphabet is over 2,500 years old and it still works today! Even though it's quite old, the Greeks weren't the first to invent an alphabet. That honor goes to an ancient culture known as the Phoenicians.

Alphabet
The Ancient Greeks developed an alphabet for writing. Their common language and writing was one of the things that bound the Greeks together. The Greek alphabet is still used today. It is even used in the United States where Greek letters are popular as mathematical symbols and are used in college fraternities and sororities.

	Art The Ancient Greeks became known for their perfection in art. During the classical era they developed their own style that historians would later call the Severe Style.
	Images of Ancient Greek Art Examples of ancient Greek art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Click each image to see a full-size photographs.
	Ancient Greek Pottery Greek pottery has four main types: Geometric, Corinthian, Athenian Black-figure, and Athenian red-figure pottery.

	Euclid Euclid was an ancient Greek mathematician. He is best known for his work with geometry.
	Thales of Miletus (624?–546? bc). The Greek philosopher, astronomer, statesman, and mathematician Thales was renowned as one of the legendary Seven Wise Men (Sophoi) of antiquity. Thales has been credited with the discovery of five theorems in geometry.

Ancient Greek Medicine
In Ancient Greek Medicine illness was initially regarded as a divine punishment and healing as, quite literally, a gift from the gods. However, by the 5th century BCE, there were attempts to identify the material causes for illnesses rather than spiritual ones and this led to a move away from superstition towards scientific inquiry, although, in reality, the two would never be wholly separated.

	How did the Olympic Games begin? The Greeks loved sport and the Olympic Games were the biggest sporting event in the ancient calendar.
	Ancient Greece: The Olympic Games The ancient Greeks loved competition of all sorts. Each year, the various city-states of Greece sent athletes to festivals of games, which were held to honor the gods.
	The Real Story of the Ancient Olympic Games The ancient Olympic Games were primarily a part of a religious festival in honor of Zeus, the father of the Greek gods and goddesses. The festival and the games were held in Olympia.
	Sports of the Ancient Olympics The ancient Olympics had just a few sports events. Some of them are still performed in the modern Olympics, although their rules have been updated.
	The Olympic Games The Olympics were an important athletic contest that the Ancient Greeks held in honor of their gods. The first recorded games took place in 776 BCE and were held every four years.

	Ancient Greek Philosophers Greek philosophers were "seekers and lovers of wisdom". They studied and analyzed the world around them using logic and reason. Although we often think of philosophy as religion or "the meaning of life", the Greek philosophers were also scientists.
	Greek Philosophers In ancient Greece, philosophers contemplated and theorized about many different ideas such as human nature, ethics, and moral dilemmas. Ancient Greek philosophers can be categorized into three groups: the Pre-Socratics, the Socratics, and the Post-Socratics.
	Ancient Greek Philosophers The Ancient Greeks developed an entirely new way of thinking about the world, called philosophy, which means love of wisdom.
	Aristotle The Greek philosopher Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) made significant and lasting contributions to nearly every aspect of human knowledge, from logic to biology to ethics and aesthetics.
	Plato The Athenian philosopher Plato (c.428-347 B.C.) is one of the most important figures of the Ancient Greek world and the entire history of Western thought.
	Socrates Viewed by many as the founding figure of Western philosophy, Socrates (469-399 B.C.) is at once the most exemplary and the strangest of the Greek philosophers.
	Greek Philosophy Ancient Greek Philosophy is a system of thought, first developed in the 6th century BCE, which was informed by a focus on the First Cause of observable phenomena.

	Science and Technology The Ancient Greeks became known for their perfection in art. During the classical era they developed their own style that historians would later call the Severe Style.
	Hipparchus (2nd century bc). A prolific and talented Greek astronomer, Hipparchus made fundamental contributions to the advancement of astronomy as a mathematical science.
	Aristarchus of Samos (About 310–230 bc). A Greek astronomer of the 3rd century bc, Aristarchus of Samos was the pioneer of the theory that the Sun is at the center of the universe and that Earth revolves around it.
	Ancient Greek Science The achievements of Ancient Greek Science were amongst the finest in antiquity. Building on Egyptian and Babylonian knowledge, figures such as Thales of Miletus, Pythagoras, and Aristotle developed ideas in mathematics, astronomy, and logic that would influence Western thought, science, and philosophy for centuries to come.

Festival of Dionysus: Masks, Costumes, and Props
Dithyrambs, an early form of Greek theater, were performed by choral groups of 50 men and 50 boys from the different Athenian tribes who would sing and chant the playwright's words in unison.

Drama and Theater
One of the favorite forms of entertainment for the Ancient Greeks was the theater. It began as part of a festival to the Greek god Dionysus, but eventually became a major part of the Greek culture.

Economy

	Food and Agriculture in Ancient Greece The prosperity of the majority of Greek city-states was based on agriculture and the ability to produce the necessary surplus which allowed some citizens to pursue other trades and pastimes and to create a quantity of exported goods so that they could be exchanged for necessities the community lacked.
	Slaves and Slavery Slavery was a common practice during the time period of Ancient Greece. Most Greek families owned at least one slave and slaves were an important part of the culture and economy of Ancient Greece.
	Slavery in Ancient Greece (scroll down or use Table of Contents) The Athenian state rested on a foundation of slavery. Two-fifths (some authorities say four-fifths) of the population were slaves. Slave labor produced much of the wealth that gave the citizens of Athens time and money to pursue art and learning and to serve the state.

	What was it like to live in Ancient Greece? Most people lived in villages or in the countryside. Many Greeks were poor and life was hard, because farmland, water and timber for building were scarce. That's why many Greeks sailed off to find new lands to settle.
	What did ancient Greeks eat? The main foods the Ancient Greeks ate were bread, made from wheat, and porridge, made from barley.
	Clothing and Fashion Because the weather is hot in Greece, the Ancient Greeks wore light and loose clothing. Clothing and cloth was typically made in the home by the servants and the women of the family.
	Clothing and Fashion in Ancient Greece The people who lived in ancient Greece wore clothes designed for comfort and function. Their clothing was simple and loose-fitting, usually draped around their bodies. The ancient Greeks made their own clothes out of long rectangles of fabric, and little sewing was needed.

	Ancient Greek Society Although ancient Greek Society was dominated by the male citizen, with his full legal status, right to vote, hold public office, and own property, the social groups which made up the population of a typical Greek city-state or polis were remarkably diverse.
	Women Women in Ancient Greece were considered second class citizens to men. Before getting married, girls were subject to their father and had to obey his commands. After getting married, wives were subject to their husbands. Women were looked down upon by men and were considered no smarter than children.
	Women in Ancient Greece Women in the ancient Greek world had few rights in comparison to male citizens. Unable to vote, own land, or inherit, a woman's place was in the home and her purpose in life was the rearing of children.

Fuller Middle School: Mrs. Machado: Ancient Greece