Greek civilisation
The civilization of Ancient Greece emerged into the light of world history in the 8th century BC. Normally it is regarded as coming to an end when Greece fell to the Romans, in 146 BC.
The Greeks were known for their art of sculpting, philosophy and culture. Greece is located to the east of Italy.
People from all around the world travelled to Greece to learn rhetoric.
Apollonius of Rhodes : Apollonius of Rhodes was an Ancient Greek author, best known for the Argonautica, an epic poem about Jason and the Argonauts and their quest for the Golden Fleece.
Athens : Athens is the birth place of democracy and the heart of the Ancient Greek civilization. Athens was named after the Greek goddess Athena. She was the goddess of wisdom, war, and civilization and the patron of the city of Athens. In classic education Athens taught athletics, music, astrology, medical and natural sciences,arithmetics, etc. Athens’ biggest strength was mobility.
Sparta : Sparta was a prominent city-state in ancient Greece.It was a warrior society in ancient Greece that reached the height of its power after defeating rival city-state Athens in the Peloponnesian War (431-404 B.C.). Spartan culture was centered on loyalty to the state and military service.
Difference between Greeks and Persians :-
Persian religion was greatly monotheistic – Zoroastrianism = teachings of the prophet Zoroaster. Unlike the Greeks, the Persians avoided animal sacrifice. There was freedom of religion under their empire.
Greek Culture was heavily influenced by Egyptian and other eastern civilizations in its beginnings, but converted them in such a way that they became the basis of Roman and all Western Culture till today. Many of the ancient Greek people recognized the major (Olympian) gods and goddesses.
Persia was a monarchy (ruled by kings).
Greece was made up of independent city-states who had different types of government. Sparta was ruled by an oligarchy whereas Athens was a democracy. Persian women were more respected and more equal to men unlike Greeks who didn’t give women any rights.
Greeks payed a lot of importance on human form in sculpting whereas Persians payed a lot of attention on facial features.
What happened at the bay of Marathon?
In 490 B.C.E., the Persian navy sailed down the coast of Greece and landed at the bay of Marathon, about 40 miles north of Athens. The Athenian army moved to block the Persians’ advance and trapped them on the plains around the bay. Finally, on the fifth day, the Greeks attacked.
Thucydides was an Athenian historian and general. His history of the Peloponasean war recounts the fifth century BC war between Sparta and Athens until the year 411 BC.
Herodotus was an Ancient Greek history who is also called the ‘father of history’.
In this class we were given a brief about the Greek civilisation.
AYUSHI JAIN 