Ancient Greece

what is a monarchy

power in the hands of a hereditary figure

what was the military strength

the navy

what was the Odyssey about

About the story line of going home, Odysseus. The Iliad has the main players, Achilles, Odysseus, Abemenon, but at the end strength and wit wins. Achilles was the strongest but he dies from his heal. Homer wrote these stories

what was the religion like in ancient greece

Ancient Egyptian religion encompasses the collection of beliefs, rituals, and mythology originating in ancient Greece in the form of both popular public religion and cult practices. Many ancient Greeks recognized the twelve major Gods and Goddesses. Hellenic polytheists worshiped the ancient greek Gods, including the Olympians, nature divinities, underworld deities (chthonic Gods) and heroes. Both physical and spiritual ancestors are honored. It is primarily a devotional or votive religion, based on the exchange of gifts (offerings) for the Gods' blessings. There were formal rituals which included animal sacrifices and libations, myths to explain the origins of mankind and give the Gods a human face, temples which dominated the urban landscape, city festivals and national sporting and artistic competitions, religion was never far from the mind of an ancient Greek.

what was the literature in sparta

Ancient Greek literature refers to literature written in the Ancient Greek language from the earliest texts until roughly the rise of the Byzantine Empire. The earliest surviving works of literature are the two epic poems The Iliad and The Odyssey. Refers to literature written in Ancient Greek dialects. These works range from the oldest surviving written works in the Greek language. The epic poems attributed to Homer are usually considered the first extant work of Western literature, and they remain giants in the literary canon for their skillful and vivid depictions of war and peace, honor and disgrace, love and hatred.

what was the religion vs. mythology in sparta

Ancient Greek religion encompasses the collection of beliefs, rituals, and mythology originating in ancient greece in the form of both popular public religion and cult practices. Greek religion was tempered by Etruscan cult and belief to form much of the later ancient Roman religion. Religion: the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or Gods. Religion was a particular system of faith and worship, for some people it was a pursuit or interest to which someone ascribes supreme importance. Mythology: a collection of myths, especially one belonging to a particular religious or cultural tradition. Mythology refers to the collected myths of a group of people or to the study of such myths. Myth is a feature of every culture. Myths are usually contained within the system. While myths can be formed outside of religion of national myths, such as Johnny Appleseed, most myths have some connection with religious systems. It could be said that myths are the literary content of religion. Many religious adherents will object to sacred stories being referred to as "literary". REligion can be said to be the structures, institutions, and rules that govern the faithful's participation in their belief system, which is metaphysical in nature and which usually has scriptural support from a range of writings we can loosely divide into two categories. The direct writings necessary to spell out rules of behavior and define beliefs and doctrines clearly enough to create the semblance of coherence among the followers and to distinguish their religion from the next. Indirect and stylized writings that suggest the mysterious qualities of the metaphysical dimensions of the religion, usually without explicit messages attached.

who was considered a citizen

Citizens had a higher status than non-citizens, such as women, slaves or barbarians. Only adult men enjoyed the rights and responsibility of citizenship. Only about 20 percent of the population of Athens were citizens. Women were not citizens and therefore could not vote or have any say in the political process.

what was the education like in athens

Athens was the main educational, intellectual and cultural center of Ancient Greece. The main purpose of education in Ancient Athens was to make citizens trained in the arts, and to prepare them for both peace and war. It was aimed at the cultivation of the students' physical, mental, and moral qualities. Until age six, boys were taught at home by their mother or a male slave. Age six to 14 was primary school. Once the youths were 16, their 'basic education' was complete. The boys who didn't have to work could now study the sciences and philosophy. From the ages of 18 to 20, able bodied men had to take military training for the army or the navy. Girls were taught at home by their mothers or a private tutor. Girls were going to be a stay-at-home mum, to look after and educate their children just as they had been educated. Education - aristocrats; only talking about boys 1) was the most important thing to do 2) boys became educated to be able to participate in government 3) they were educated in literature, physical education and music 4) began school at the age of 7 5) preparing boys for politics and societal needs education was important to produce a well rounded child and society Education was much more valued in Athens than Sparta, now it was much more advanced

what is a polis

By the time Homer's epics were composed, each Greek community had begun to organize itself into a polis, or city-state. A polis was more than just a city. It was a community with its own government.

what was the development of the polis (democracy)

By the time Homer's epics were composed, each Greek community had begun to organize itself into a polis, or city-state. A polis was more than just a city. It was a community with its own government. The government of a polis ruled a wide area that included not only the city but its surrounding villages and countryside as well. The area and population of a polis were generally small. All the citizens of the polis could gather to make decisions as a single group. A typical polis was usually built on two levels. The word polis gave rise to the term politics, that art and practice of government. Some city-states were monarchies, ruled by a king. In early times the polis was governed by an aristocracy, a hereditary class of rulers. The polis had three kinds of inhabitants: citizens (who could vote), and slaves, who had few rights at all. Citizens felt strong pride and loyalty toward their polis. Greeks believed that a good citizen should always be willing to sacrifice for his city. He should be prepared to die for his polis, if necessary. "The polis was the framework of Greek life." Greeks identified with their city. If their polis was a success, so where they. Throughout the history of ancient Greece, the polis played a key role in Greek life.

what is a citizens

Citizens had to be born in the polis of a particular city. Citizens also had to be free, meaning that slaves were not citizens and, therefore, did not have to be treated as equals. Essentially, citizens in ancient Greece were free, native-born males.

what were the Greek Gods in Ancient Greece

Encompassed a myriad of Gods, each representing a certain facet of the human condition, and even abstract ideas such as justice and wisdom could have their own personification. The most important gods, were the Olympian Gods led b y Zeus. These were Athena, Apollo, Poseidon, Hades, Hera, Aphrodite, Demeter, Ares, Artemis, Hades, Hephaestus, and Dionysus. These Gods were believed to reside on mt. Olympos and would have been recognised across the Greece, albeit, with some local variations and perhaps particular attributes and associations. In the greek imagination, literature, and art, the Gods were given human bodies and characters - both good and bad - and just as ordinary men and women, thye married, had children, fought, and had human affairs in Greek mythology. Gods became patrons of cities.

what was the government like in sparta

Government Direct democracy - pure democracl direct parti ipation in government Assembly - political body of Athens All free adult male citizens had the right to attend Meeting took place 40 times a year All citizens had the right oto speak from poorest to richest Voted on legislation Determined how to handle foreign policy Boule - 500 person council Which issue should go before assembly Members of council chosen at random from assembly Enforced assembly decisions Council subcommittees Handeld finances Maintained religious rites Spartan Government Was an oligarchy Made up Two kings and a council of elders (28) who limited their power; this council created laws, and consited of the highest in society An assembly of citizens "voted" with up or down vote To become a citizen you had to be a direct descendant of the Dorian invaders (the Dorains took over the Mycenaeans) ( important, Helots were colonized by the Spartans but they were still Greek) Sical Class Spartan citizen, or Spartiates, who were full citiznes Perioeci, who were neither slaves nor citizens. The perioeci, whose name means "dwellers-around", worked as craftsmen and traders, and built weapons for the Spartans The Helots, or serfs/ slaves Women - had equal rights but could not vote

what was the drama in sparta

Greek theatre began in the 6th century BCE in Athens with the performance of tragedy plays at religious festivals. These, in turn, inspired the genre of Greek comedy plays.Some origins of tragedy linked the rise of the genre to an earlier art form, the lyrical performance of epic poetry. Plays were performed in an open-air theatre with wonderful acoustics and seemingly open to all of the male populace. The plot of a tragedy was almost always inspired by episodes from Greek mythology which was apart of the Greek religion. There were Greek comedies along with the tragedies in which their origins are somewhat lost. Although innovations occurred, a comedy play followed a conventional structure. There was next a legacy, which were new plays that were continuously being written and performed, and with the formation of actors' guilds in the 3rd century BCE and the mobility of professional troupes, Greek theatre continued to spread across the Mediterranean with theatres becoming a common feature of the urban landscape from Magna Graecia to Asia Minor.

what is aristocracy

In Ancient Greece, a polis, or a Greek city-state, could be governed by a monarch, an aristocracy, or by a democracy, a form of government where citizens create laws for themselves. Aristocracy is a form of government that place power in the hands of a small, privileged ruling class. The term derives from the Greek aristokratia, meaning "rule of the best". Aristocrats, or the ruling elites, tend to enjoy both social and economic prestige as well as political power. The Spartiates in Sparta, the eupatridae in Athens or the Optimates in Rome are examples of aristocracy.

what was the form of government in athens

In Athens there was a democracy. The main political body of Athens was the assembly, which all free adult male citizens had the right to attend. Everyone who attended the assembly had the right to speak, from the poorest farmer to the richest aristocrat. The council of the Athenian government helped decide which issues should come before the assembly. The government's third key component was the court system. There were many different courts. Juries in Athens were much larger than modern juries. As democracy grew stronger in Athens, older governmental bodies lost power. Athens was not a complete democracy, accounting that women could not vote or hold office. Slaves had not right not even foreigners of other Greek city-states, they had to be citizens. Athenian democracy depended on active citizen involvement. A political system in which citizens participate directly in decision making is called a direct democracy. IT worked because the population of the city-state was small and because of the commitment and hard work of citizens. In the democracy along with the assembly, there were juries, a boule (council of 500), archons, and council subcommittees. Juries were chosen at random, from 201 to more than 1,00 jurors might sit for a trial. An archon accounted for nine judges chosen annually at random. A boule prepared the bills to be voted on by assembly and they also enforced assembly decisions. In council subcommittees they handled finances and maintained religious rites.

what were the women like in sparta

In Sparta, women enjoyed more rights and freedoms than did women in other city-states. Spartan women could sell their property. Like their brothers, Spartan girls were educated and trained in sports. Such Spartan customs shocked the Greeks of other city-states.

what was the revering or respecting of spartan women

In terms of revering or respecting them, the spartan women who had a tombstone is when they died from child birth. Because, they were doing a sort of sacrifice for the state. If the man who died in battle you get a tombstone. Needed women to have children for the future.

how did the geography of greece help them

Less than one quarter of land could be used to grow crops. Fertile land was in lowland valleys and plains, people settled in farming communities here. Isolated by the sea, brought contact with wider world. Civilians becoming skillful sailors and merchants. Greek fishing and trading ships crisscrossed the waters of the Mediterranean Sea to the south, the Aegean Sea to the east, and the Ionian Sea to the west. This led to contact with the older, more complex cultures of North Africa and Asia.

what was the family life in sparta

Men and women did not live together, but met occasionally for procreation. Mothers had little responsibility for the care of their children, they were not as tied to the home as most Greek women were. Husbands were only a minor part of their lives, and except in matters relating to the military were generally their own masters. The Spartans did not have a family life as we think of it, there is evidence that in some cases at least Spartan men and women had close ties to their children and with each other.

what were the men like in athens

Men had the dominant role in public life in ancient Greece. Metics (men that were not Athenian-born) had to pay taxes and serve in the military, by these men did not have voting privileges. Only men engaged in politics and public events, while women were often encouraged to stay in the home. The Olympic games were for males only, while in another part of Olympia.

what were the colonies like in ancient greece

More than thirty Greek city-states had multiple colonies around the Mediterranean world, with the most active being Miletus, of the Ionian League, with ninety colonies stretching throughout the Mediterranean Sea, from the shores of the Black Sea and natolia in the east. The Greeks established colonies in Asia Minor (Turkey), Spain, France, Italy, and Africa. First, the islands around Greece were colonized.

what was the family life in athens

Most Greeks, like most other people throughout history, lived in families with a mother and a father and their children. Usually men got married when they were about twenty-five or thirty years old, but women got married between twelve and sixteen years old. The importance of family in Ancient Athens was largely related not only to citizenship, but also to the family's function of passing on the inheritance of property rights. Property was divided equally among all of the surviving sons, becoming their kleros or lot.

what were the families like in ancient greece

Most Greeks, like most other people throughout history, lived in families with a mother and a father and their children. Usually men got married when they were about twenty-five or thirty years old, but women got married much younger, between twelve and sixteen years old. Men had control over their whole family. The ancient Greek family included all of these people. Girls from rich families got married younger, and girls from poor families got married a little older. Because the girls were so young, they did not have much choice about who they were going to marry. Their fathers or uncles or brothers chose for them.

about citizens

No citizen was a women, child,d slave, or foreigners , the rich people make money when the rich people send their slave to do the work, and the rich people will be directing everything that is going on.

what was the importance of Homer to Ancient Greek history?

No other texts in the western imagination occupy as central a position in the self-definition of Western culture as the two epic poems of Homer, the Iliad and the Odyssey. They both concern the great defining moment of greek culture, the Trojan War. Both tell the story of the Greek struggle to rescue Helen, a Greek queen, from her Trojan captors. This was an important contribution to Greek culture was to provide a common set of values that enshrined the Greeks' own ideas about themselves. The Odyssey is Homer's epic of Odysseus' 10-year struggle to return home after the Trojan War. While Odysseus battles mythical creatures and faces the wrath of the Gods, his wife Penelope and his son Telemachus stave off suitors vying for Penelope's hand and Ithaca's throne long enough for Odysseus to return. Composed nearly 3,000 years ago, they provide the Ancient Greeks and even readers today with a door to their history.

what is the physical geography of greece

Physical geography helped shape Greek life and culture. Greek speakers scattered across the islands and coasts of the mediterranean Sea. Early Greek world layed on two continents, Europe and Asia. Modern Greece occupies a large peninsula that juts into the mediterranean Sea. a peninsula is a land area almost surrounded by water. Greek-speaking people entered lands from the north, settled on mainland Greece. A mainland is an area of land that is part of a continent. Greek speakers also settled on the islands of Aegean Sea. Mainland Greece is divided by mountain ranges. Between ranges lie narrow valleys and small plains. Mountains were good for grazing sheep and goats, but they were too steep and rocky for farming. Greece is a peninsula, provides a lot of resources, military efectiveness, ability to see if people are coming Neg: provides for isolation, because it was mountainess trade had to happen with the ocean. Relied heavily on colonies throughout. Most of the culture would be the same, religion, jobs because of all the colonies that were happening. Advantage to the host but disadvantage to the colonies.

more about the form of government in sparta

Sparta was a city-state on the Peloponnesian Peninsula. Sparta was not a democracy but, they were ruled by two kings. The king's headed Sparta's governing body, the council of elders. Members were elected for life, the oligarchy was the true government of Sparta. To meet its growing need for resources, Sparta turned to conquest. The helots belonged not to individual Spartans but to the polis as a whole. They were forced to farm the land and turn over half the food they raised to Sparta. The helots produced enough food to support the Spartans. The Spartan did not have to farm for a living. GOvernment continued The courts - juried- made up citizens served in the courtes and decided the cases ruling with a majority bote many people served on a jury, number depended on type of crime - law were placed against bribery - areopagus - acouncil of advisers who decided murder cases archons - nine judges hcosen annually at random

what was the formation in spartan government

Spartan formation is a group of soliders, depending on how any soldiers there would be 100 across. The formation was called a phalanx. It woudl create a wall of spears and shields. They would be together closely whih helped them protect themselves from calvary but what defeated a phalanx was another phalanc. Weakness was no mobility and there wasn't any movement.

what were the men like in sparta

Spartan males had plenty of time to train for military service. At seven, they were taken away from their homes for schooling at state expense. Spartan boys did not receive a well-rounded education. Spent most of their time exercising, hunting, and training with weapons. They were taught to obey orders rather than to think for themselves. All their education was directed toward prompt obedience to authority, stout endurance of hardship, and victory or death in battle.

what were the children like in athens

Survival was very difficult for infants born in ancient Athens. An infant with any imperfection, was often killed or abandoned. Sometimes abandoned infants were taken in and adopted by a wealthy family, but most of the time they became a slave of the adoptive family. Boys in Athens usually went to school and learned to read, write and memorize epic works of literature. Girls like their mothers stayed at home to learn domestic jobs such as weaving, working with textile, taking care of children, embroidering and cooking.

what was the writing in ancient greece

The Greeks were the first Europeans to learn to write with an alphabet, and from them alphabetic writing spread to the rest of Europe, eventually leading down to all modern European alphabets. Unlike greek, the Phoenician alphabet only had letters for consonants. The Greeks often used parchment for important documents, such as wills, but papyrus scrolls were still preferred and through more refined. Parchment replaced papyrus as the primary writing surface in the Western world. Greeks was written mainly from left to right in horizontal lines as it is in modern times. The Greek adapted the Phoenician writing system to represent their own language by developing a fully phonetic writing system composed of individual signs arranged in a linear fashion that could represent both consonants and vowels.

what was the illiad about

The Iliad is about the Trojan war, ending it with the Trojan Horse. Mythology was different in Greece than religion, when comparing to other nations. They believed they ruled the world. Greek Gods were humans and they lived in the Heavens, they saw all the little people and they manipulated them. They were the sims culture, we were coded to do it if they wanted us to. The Iliad showcases that the best, starts when in the Heavens there is a grand time but three girls get into a fight about being the preetiest, go down to the meer morals, went to a man and the women bribed them. He chose to have a girl (Helen), but she was married to another guy, the Gods gave her to him and that is how the Trojan War started. Not how it started but it is the understanding of how it became entwined into the culture of the Greeks.

what was the minoan period

The Minoan civilization was an Aegean Bronze Age civilization on the island of Crete and other Aegean islands which flourished. Preceded the Mycenaean civilization of Ancient Greece. The Minoans made a significant contribution to the development of Western European civilization as it is known today. They wre the best for the trade, Phoneicians helped them. They were an island which is why it was a great place for trading, and it was so advanced because of the blending of culture from different places. They had running water, it is destroyed because of a natural disaster, a tidal wave from a volcano, and designates the island, people come and then take over. The Minoans are out.

what was the symbol of athens and what did it represent

The Owl. The owl is an ancient symbol of the wisdom of Athens and is associated with Athena, the Greek Godess. It appeared on coins in Athens as early as 520 BC. The coins were called "glaukes" - after "glaux" the ancient Greek for owl. The coin has to do with the story, when Athena had to fight against the pathridge of Athens. Posideon would see which gift was the best, the olive tree was a good gift. The olive tree became a symbol of economic prosperity. Instead of salt water that Posideon was going to give Athena got an olive tree in trade for the city-state. Giving the gifts to the ancient Kings of Athens. The kings needed the gifts to see which city-state they would roll over.

what happened during the Athens period

The Rise of Politics Democracy - rule by the people Solon - reformed the courts; ended practice of selling poor people into slavery for not paying debt Cleisthenes - was the most important 1) reduced power of the rich 2) increased the power of the assembly 3) created a citizen jury Pericles - paid people to participate in government

what was the Trojan War

The Trojan War was between the Greeks and the people of troy. The strife began after the Trojan prince Paris abducted Helen, wife of Menelaus of Sparta. Warriors from Mycenaean kingdoms sailed across the Aegean to attack troy, a city in Asia Minor. The ten-year long conflict ended when the Greeks tricked the Trojans into accepting a "gift" or a large wooden horse. Greeks hiding in the horse crept out and opened the city gates. The ancient Greeks believed that Troy was located near the Dardanelles and that the trojan War was a historical event of the 13th or 12th century BC, but by the mid-19th century, both the war and the city were widely seen as mythological. The main source for our knowledge of the Trojan War is Homer's Iliad where he recounts 52 days during the final year of the ten year conflict. Happened during the Bronze Age. The siege, punctuated by battles and skirmishes including the storied deaths of the Trojan prince Hector and the nearly-invincible Achilles, lasted more than 10 years until the morning the Greek armies retreated from their camp, leaving a large wooden horse outside the gates of Troy. After the Trojan defeat, the Greeks heroes slowly made their way home.

what were the economics in ancient greece

The economy of ancient Greece was defined largely by the region's dependence on imported goods. As a result of the poor quality of Greece's soil, agricultural trade was of particular importance. Since Greece is a peninsula, they used sea trade, and the Mycenaeans raided other cities because the lack of arable land caused food shortages. Drachma, silver coin of ancient Greece, and the former monetary unit of modern Greece. The drachma was one of the world's earliest coins. The ancient Greek city-states developed a military formation called the phalanx, which were rows of shoulder-to-shoulder hoplites. The hoplites would lock their shields together, and the first few ranks of soldiers would project their spears out over the first rank of shields.

what is the mycenaean period

The first Greeks, in other words, they were the first people to speak the Greek language. The Mycenaeans were influenced by the earlier Minoan civilization, located on the island of Crete. The largest and most important center of the civilization that was named "Mycenaean" after this very citadel. It is the culture Mainland Greek civiliztion, the Dorians were always pushing through, to overtake the Micenaeas, Dorians were known for their tools. Mycenaeans were much more cultured.

what was the education in sparta

The goal of education in Sparta, an authoritarian, military city-state, was to produce soldier-citizens. The purpose of education was to produce a well-drilled, well-disciplined marching army. Spartans believed in a life of discipline, self-denial, and simplicity. Spartan boys were sent to military school at age 6 or 7. At school, they were taught survival skills and other skills necessary to be a great soldier. Girls also went to school at age 6 or 7. No one knows if their school was as cruel or as rugged as the boyd school, but the girls were taught wrestling, gymnastics and combat skills. At age 18 if a Sparta girl passes her skills and fitness test, she would be assigned a husband and allowed to return home. If she failed, she would lose her rights as a citizen, and became a perioikos, a member of the middle class.

what was the symbol of sparta

The image to the left is of the coin "lambda", which is the letter "V" upside down. Its of Zeus's son city-state, and Sparta is named after Zeu's son's daughter. The symbol is of military unlike of Athena which is of wisdom and education. Sparta is known as a cult, which is an organized religion, which you are not allowed to leave. The minute you were born, there was the counselor of elders, who would come and visit the child.If child had any physical defect then the child was killed on the spot. If the child wasn't breathing or showed some sign of weakness, then they would do a special bath for them of wine or water, based on the reaction then they would take them to the Gods on the hill. For seven days they had to prove their valor, they survived if they were strong, but not all babies went to the hill side. They were allowed for the military life style because, the men were separated from the women. Athenians colonized and came to peace with their people allowing for all the events to happen. After hilltop if survived, for seven years they live with their mom because their day was out for war. They are taken for school which is called the agoges, they are always in figth with their colonist which are the helots. The helots work is taking care of military efforts; who they are constantly at war with. The boys were taught obedience, self-control, and courage. At age of 20 they took a physical test, if they pass the test they can be a citizen, joining the military. If they don't pass it they become a "pea". If you got in you continued living in barracks and trained. At the age of 30 you were allowed to live with family and fully retired at 60 where you could potentially participte in the Geousia. At age of 20 you could be married, the piece of land was given with the helots. The men would go to the barracks and the women stayed at home. When you are 60 you retire from the military and then you can go to a higher form of goverment. At 18-20 you would get out of the Agoge. Became an aritocrat from making your own military success.

what were the women like in athens

The roles of Athenian women were primarily those of wife and mother. Athenians lived in a patriarchal society, they selected models for women based on the divine and heroic orders. Athenian women had the same rights and responsibilities as Athenian men. Athenian women did have some significant disabilities at law compared to males. Live slaves and metics, they were denied political freedom.

what was the social order in ancient greece

Ultimately divided into four main social classes: the upper class, the metics, or middle class; the lower class, or freedmen; and the slave class. The upper class consisted of those born to Athenian parents. They were considered the citizens of Athens. People of Ancient Greece became Freedman when they earned enough money to buy their freedom. Most of the middle class were not citizens. Mainly of the middle class was made out of craftsmen, artist, merchants, tradesmen, contractors, managers, and manufactures.

what were the women like in ancient greece

Wealthy greek women hardly ever went out of the house alone. Mostly when they went out it was to go to weddings and funerals and religious ceremonies, or to vitis other women. Poorer women, who didn't have enslaved people to do their work, did go out to get water form the fountain, and sometimes to work in the fields or to sell vegetables or flowers in the marketplace. 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. There were also categories of women which are less well-documented than others such as professional women who worked in shops and as prostitutes and courtesans; the social rules and customs applied to them are even more vague than for the female members of citizen families.

what was the children life in sparta

When a Spartan baby was born, soldiers came to the house and examined it carefully to determine it strength. Spartan children were taught stories of courage and fortitude. Soldiers took the boys from their mothers at age 7, housed them in a dormitory with other boys and trained them as soldiers. Girls were also removed from the home at 7 and sent to school. They learned wrestling, gymnastics, were taught to fight, and endured other physical training.

what was the dark ages

With the fall of the Mycenaeans Greek culture declined. People lost the ability to read and write. The following period, has been called a dark age. During these centuries, mainland greeks migrated across the Aegean, settling the islands and the west coast of Asia Minor, an area the became known as Ionia. The greeks Ionia never forgot the "heroic age" of the mycenaeans. They told and sand stories of the world that existed before the dark age. One of these stories was about the Trojan War. The "Dark Ages" is a historical periodization traditionally referring to the Middle Ages, that asserts that a demographic, cultural, and economic deterioration occurred in Western Europe following the decline of the Roman Empire. Start settling down in islands, polis earliest form of democracy, dark ages economy goes to halt, people lost ability to read and write. If we lose something we once had it, the majority of the population knew how to read and write. If we can't as a society, then we can't move forward as a society, so it seems like we are not advancing. Dorians were the cause of the Dark Ages, and they took over and lost Greek culture. mountain ranges were not fertile lands, so their technology would be more about resources and mostly toward the ocean. Canoes, boats, or ships so they can last in the ocean.

what could a polis or a Greek city-state be governed by?

a monarch, an aristocracy, or by a democracy, a form of government where citizens create laws for themselves.

about a polis

another word for city state each polis had different government structures, economies, and social structures

what is a tyranny

hereditary, sole ruler who took force

what is the agora

it was at the bottom and it was the market place

what is an oligarchy

this is Sparta, power in the hands of a few wealthy citzens

what were most city-states built on

two levels at the top would be the acropolis most public buildings and marble temples were located, this was another reason to feel the Gods