• • The Persians, a group of Indo-European speaking tribes from Inner Eurasia, arrived on the Iranian plateau sometime between 1500 and 1000 BCE. In the mid 6 th century BCE, Cyrus II, the leader of the Achaemenids, which was one of these Persian tribes, successfully conquered a rival group, the Medes, seizing control of upper Mesopotamia. Thus the first Persian empire began.

The four-winged guardian figure representing Cyrus the Great, a bas relief found at Pasargadae, on top of which was once inscribed in three languages the sentence

"I am Cyrus the king, an Achaemenian.”

Zoroastrianism

is the ancient, pre Islamic religion of Persia. It survives there in isolated areas but more prosperously in India, where the descendants of Zoroastrian Persian immigrants are known as Parsis, or Parsees. In India the religion is called Parsiism.

Founded by the Persian prophet and reformer Zoroaster in the 6th century BCE,

Zoroastrianism contains both monotheistic and dualistic features.

The concepts of one God, judgment, heaven and hell likely influenced the major Western religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and spread throughout the Persian empire and beyond.

Zoroaster (a.k.a. Zarathustra) Modern Zoroastrian Temple in Iran

Manuscript portion of the Zend Avesta, the Zoroastrian scripture

.

• • Regions into which the Persian empire expanded under Cyrus: o Anatolia o Syria o Babylon Later Achaemenid rulers would expand into Egypt and take control of Silk Road routes in central Asia – stretching to the Indus River Valley.

The Persian Empire at its height was the largest the world had ever seen.

Political Structure/ Government Administration

The vast Persian Empire was the most

culturally diverse

empire that had ever existed

. It linked the east with the west

and ruled cities where people of every class and culture rubbed shoulders and ideas. It was a huge crucible of cultural and social cross-fertilization. To rule it, the Persians had to invent new administrative tools. It was Darius I who,

building on the administrative systems inherited from the Assyrians and Babylonians

, reorganized the empire. He established twenty provinces (called satrapies), each with its governor, military commander, and treasurer, who reported separately to the king. In addition, there was a separate system of inspectors known as the King’s Eyes or the Kings Ears. These inspectors had their own armies and could move against even a military commander if necessary.

The system was so effective in preventing rebellion, corruption, and harsh rule that it was copied again and again, even in modern times. /

Info from the website “World History for Us All”

http://worldhistoryforusall.sdsu.edu/

The Mediterranean Region

•One of the three main centers of classical civilization •Centered first in Greece, then Rome, but also influenced by Persian, Egyptian, and other Middle Eastern cultures •Had some limited trade contacts with China and India (for example, during Han and Gupta empires)

India and Greece Articles

Things to focus on and take notes over:

•

Be sure you can define caste and territorial sovereignty.

•

Be sure you can explain how these systems developed in India and the Greek city-states

•

What does the article say about the Vedas, Brahmanas, and Upanishads?

•

What was the Greek polis?

•

What were the limitations of the Polis?

•

T-chart or Venn Diagram comparing classical Greece and India may be helpful

•

What does Aristotle say about the development of the Polis? How and why did it develop according to Aristotle’s historical record?

Ancient Greece

Early People of the Aegean Sea

• The Minoans

: (2000-1400 B.C.E.) A very advanced civilization centered on the island of based on the sea.

Crete . The Minoans traded with Egypt and Mesopotamia, and had an economy

• The Mycenaeans

: (1400 B.C.E. – 1200 B.C.E.) An Indo European group who conquered most of the Greek mainland and many Aegean islands including Crete. - The Mycenaeans absorbed much of Minoan culture, and also traded with Egypt and Mesopotamia.

-They lived in city-states ruled by kings.

-They may have been involved in a war with the Kingdom of Troy ( Trojan War ) around 1250 B.C.E.

•The Dorians 1100 B.C.E.

: Another Indo-European speaking group who moved south through the Balkan peninsula to invade Mycenaean lands around •The period from about 1100 B.C.E. to 800 B.C.E. is sometimes referred to as the

“Dark Age”

of Greek history because civilization regressed. -There are no written records; the skill of writing seems to have been lost.

-Cities were abandoned.

-This is believed to be the period in which the Greek poet

Homer

lived; the

Iliad and the Odyssey

originated during this time.

Geography shaped the development of Greek civilization.

•Greece is mountainous, causing people to rely on the sea for food. This also led to colonization, as people sought farmland. Because the mountains acted as dividers, Greece developed into independent city-states rather than a large unified empire. •The climate is moderate, which led to outdoor markets, public meetings, and theater.

Greek Civilization began to progress again around 750 B.C.E.

•Population grew and people

began to form city-states, ports, harbors, and colonies throughout the Mediterranean.

•Through trade and colonization,

Greek culture and ideas spread throughout the Mediterranean from Spain to Egypt.

•As Greek city-states developed,

different government systems arose. Rivalries between city-states also arose, the most famous being between Athens and Sparta .

The Parthenon, Athens

DORIC IONIC CORINTHIAN The Doric style was simple and sturdy with a plain top.

The Ionic style was more elegant and thin with a curled top.

The Corinthian style was very ornate with a top that looked like leaves.

You can actually SEE ancient and medieval remains of Athens in a busy subway station.

Athens underground

This early Christian grave was found when the subway system was built.

More subway artifacts below Athens View from the Acropolis

The Persian Wars

•Began in 546 B.C.E. when Persian leader

Cyrus II city-states located in Ionia.

conquered the Greek

•In 499 B.C.E. Ionians revolted against Persian rule but were defeated by

Persian leader Darius I.

•A loose alliance of Greek city-states formed and defeated the Persians

at the famous Battle of Marathon.

•The Persians withdrew into Asia Minor, but returned 10 years later under

Xerxes (son of Darius I.)

•A strong alliance of Greek city-states defeated the Persians (Sparta led

the land forces, Athens the naval forces.)

•Effects of the Persian Wars: Athens emerged as the most powerful city-

state; the Delian League was formed (which became known as the “Athenian Empire.”)

•The period following the Persian wars is known as the Golden Age of

Greece/Athens. It is also known as the Age of Pericles (461 B.C.E. – 429 B.C.E.)

•The Greek historian

Herodotus wrote a history of the Persian Wars.

The Peloponnesian War

•After the Persian Wars, Athens began to control the

made some other city-states resentful.

Delian League, which

•Sparta became the leader of the anti-Athens alliance. •The Peloponnesian War lasted from 431 B.C. to 404 B.C. •Athens dominated the early years of the war due to their strong navy. •Persian aid to Sparta, along with the plague that hit Athens, led to Sparta’s

victory.

•The Greek historian

Thucydides wrote a history of the Peloponnesian War.

•Effects of the Peloponnesian War:

1. Athens no longer dominated the Greek world 2. land was destroyed throughout Greece 3. decline in population 4. governments weakened due to disputes and fighting among the Greek city-states 5. this weakened state made Greece vulnerable to Macedonian invasion

Philosophy in Classical Greece

Socrates Plato Aristotle

Philosophy: The use of reason and argument in seeking truth and knowledge of reality, especially regarding the causes and nature of things and of the principles governing existence, the material universe, and human behavior.

In classical Greece, there was a tendency to approach questions about the universe, creation, the natural world, and human behavior from a rational, logical perspective rather than in mythological terms , as in most classical civilizations.

•The word words, philosophy phileîn is made up of two Greek , which means to love, sophía , which means wisdom . and •The Sophists were traveling teachers in classical Greece. They generally taught rhetoric, logic, and how to win favor in the political world.

•Socrates was such a teacher in Athens, (d. 399 B.C.E.) although classical sources claim he never accepted monetary payment, and he often criticized the Sophists.

•Socrates taught by asking questions and challenging students to examine their own views and beliefs. He said we should question everything, even government, institutions, teachers, and ourselves. •Socrates never wrote down any of his teachings or ideas; all we know of his life comes from his students, including Plato, who wrote about Socrates in The Apology.

The Words of Socrates (according to his students) “The unexamined life is not worth living.” “I am the wisest man alive, for I know one thing, and that is that I know nothing.” “True wisdom comes to each of us when we realize how little we understand about life, ourselves, and the world around us.” “To find yourself, think for yourself.” “He is richest who is content with the least” “What you cannot enforce, do not command.” "Employ your time in improving yourself by other men's writings, so that you shall gain easily what others have labored hard for." "May the outward and inward man be at one."

“The Death of Socrates” painted by Jaques- Louis David in 1787 C.E.

In 399 B.C.E. Socrates was condemned to death by a jury of Athenian citizens. His questioning of the government and powerful people within Athens led him to be charged with “corrupting the youth of the city and interfering with religion.” He died by drinking poisonous hemlock juice.

Socrates' student Plato was born to an aristocratic family in Athens. After the death of Socrates, Plato carried on much of his former teacher's work and eventually founded his own school, the Academy, in 385 B.C.E.

The most famous of Plato's works is a dialogue called the most influential works in Western philosophy.

The Republic Essentially, it deals with the central problem of how to live a good life. Plato examines this theme by addressing questions such as: , which is one of •What is justice in the state? •What would an ideal state be like? •How should the citizens of a state be educated?

•What kinds of arts should be encouraged?

•Who should do the governing and for what rewards?

•What is the nature of the soul?

P L A T O

Aristotle (384 B.C.E. – 322 B.C.E.) was born in Macedonia, but spent 20 years of his life in Athens, at Plato’s Academy.

Around age 38 he became tutor to the son of the King of Macedon, who would later be known as Alexander the Great. Aristotle was a philosopher and a scientist. He wrote a great deal of literature on many topics, including political science, ethics, physics, biology, and religion.

He came back to Athens with Alexander's approval in 335 B.C.E. and established his own school, writing. the Lyceum, spending most of the rest of his life engaged there in research, teaching, and A R I S T O T L E

Athens and Sparta

.

• • • • •

The population in both increase during the 8 elite.

th Athens -7 th and Sparta began to centuries B.C.E. This caused political and economic strain as both city states dealt with the need for more land and food to support their populations. In both city-states, a growing underclass provided challenges to the ruling

Athens

Attica Leadership maintained order by considering the interests of various groups. This pattern led to the formation of the world’s first democracy.

Citizenship was limited to adult males – who were not slaves A series of reforms provided rights, representation, and more opportunities to the lower class citizens; by the 5 reach it’s height as a democratic city-state.

th century B.C.E. Athens would The golden age of Athens, when the Parthenon was built, lasted from 460 B.C.E. to 429 B.C.E., during the reign of a leader named Pericles.

• • • • • •

Sparta

Peloponnesus Conquered people became helots, or servants of the Spartan State.

1. helots could form families, but not leave the land on which they worked to produce food for Sparta 2. By the 6 th c. B.C.E. the Helots outnumbered citizens by about 10:1. Due to the constant threat of rebellion, Sparta devoted most resources to maintaining a powerful military.

Spartans discouraged distinctions based on wealth and social class.

Honor and distinction in Sparta was based on military and athletic achievements and talents.

In the English language, spartan is an adjective which implies simplicity, frugality, severity, and sternness.

This Fresco is titled “The School of Athens,” and was created by an Italian Renaissance artist called Raphael. It shows the romanticized view of ancient Greece that Renaissance Italians held.

Statue of the goddess Athena, the patron goddess of Athens. She was the goddess of war and wisdom.

SPARTA A Spartan depiction of Ares, the god of war Leonidas, the most famous Spartan ruler and general.

A Spartan Warrior.

Spartan women held more rights than most women of the ancient world. They received education, and could participate in athletic events. Often, when Spartan men were away fighting wars, women ran things at home. This was considered “scandalous” by ancient standards.

After the Peloponnesian War, Greece was conquered by the Macedonians.

Alexand er the Great

The Empire of Alexander the Great

•Macedonia is located north of Greece on the

Balkan Peninsula

. The Macedonians were greatly influenced by Greek culture •Philip II , who became king of Macedonia in 359 B.C., wanted to unite the Greek city-states under Macedonian rule.

•Philip II also wanted to destroy the Persian Empire.

•By 338 B.C. Philip had conquered most of Greece, but was assassinated in 336 B.C.

•Philip’s son

Alexander

attacked Persia in 334 B.C.

•Alexander quickly acquired Phoenicia, Egypt, Mesopotamia, and the rest of the Persian Empire – his empire stretched to the border of India – the largest empire to date.

•Alexander wanted to create an empire which blended the best of Greek and Persian culture.

•Alexander died in 326 B.C., and his empire was divided into three domains, each controlled by one of his former generals: 1. Ptolemy – Egypt, Libya, part of Syria 2. Seleucus – Syria, Mesopotamia, Iran, Afghanistan 3. Antigonus – Macedonia, Greece

Hellenism

• Hellenism refers to the blending of Greek, Persian, Egyptian, and North Indian cultures which resulted from Alexander’s empire.

• Alexandria, Egypt became a center for Hellenistic culture.

*large harbor with a famous lighthouse (one of the seven ancient wonders) *the world’s first museum *a center for science and research • Hellenistic Philosophy: *

Cynicism

(cynics criticized materialism) *

Epicureanism

(avoid joy and pain, live simply) *

Stoicism

(reason over emotion) • Hellenistic science: *

Aristarchus

– said the Earth revolves around the sun *

Eratosthenes

– estimated the Earth’s circumference *

Euclid

- wrote

The Elements of Geometry

*

Archimedes

- developed the compound pulley *

Hippocrates

- advanced medicine and set ethical standards for doctors

Early Rome

•Neolithic cultures formed as early as 5000 B.C.E. •Indo-European groups migrated into the area between 2000

B.C.E. – 1000 B.C.E.

•The Greeks first came into contact with Italian peoples

around 900 B.C.E.

•The Etruscans ruled northern Italy from 900 B.C.E. to 500

B.C.E

• other Italian peoples included the Latins (ancestors of the

Romans), Oscans, and Umbrians.

•Social classes began to form (plebeians and patricians). • Eventually, the Latins took control from the Etruscans, and

Rome became a republic in 509 B.C.

•Beginning with the Republic and ending with the fall of the

Western Roman Empire, Roman civilization lasted about 1000 years.

•The first 500 years – the Republic •The second 500 years – the Empire •The first part of the Republic was characterized by a struggle

of plebeians against Patricians. The plebeians wanted a voice in government.

•In 450 B.C. the plebeians gained some rights when the

Twelve Tables, a written law code, was created.

“The Making of an Empire”

National Geographic article on the Roman Empire.

Focus on the following when taking notes to prepare for the article quiz: •How did the Roman empire develop, and what characterized the Roman government, economy, and society?

•In what ways did Roman civilization influence the development of western civilization?

•The article makes comparisons between the Roman Empire and the modern day United States. Make a list of these similarities.