Ancient Greece was dominated by independent city-states beginning around 750 BC. City-states like Athens and Sparta established colonies throughout the Mediterranean region from 750-550 BC to acquire farmland, trade routes, and wealth. This period of colonization spread Greek culture and ideas while growing the economy and creating political tensions between the aristocracy and a new wealthy merchant class. Tyrants then seized power in many city-states in the 7th-6th centuries BC, gaining support from merchants and peasants by ending aristocratic rule but also violating ideals of law. Athens developed a democratic system while Sparta established an oligarchy. The city-states united briefly against Persia during the Persian Wars in 490-479 BC, resulting in

1. Ancient Greece
World History

2. BY 750 BC
• City-State becomes center of Greek
politics
• Polis: town, city or village and
surrounding area
• Acropolis: fortified place of
refuge; elevated
• Citizens
• Adult males: citizens with
political rights
• Women & children: citizens
without political rights
• Noncitizens: slaves
•Ancient Greece
Rise of City-States

3. • From 750-550 BC Greeks
establish colonies throughout
the region; although new
colony usually independent
from the founding polis
• Factors for colonization
• Good farmland
• Trade
•Ancient Greece
Colonization

4. • Spread of Greek culture & ideas (political)
• Increased trade and industry
• Export pottery, wine, olive oil
• Import timber, wheat, metals, slaves
• New “wealthy” class
• Growth of economy; rise of wealth from trade
• Not the landed aristocracy
• Rise of political competition
Impact of Colonies
•Ancient Greece

5. • The “new” wealthy class brought change to political system
• Aristocracy vs. “new” wealthy class of traders
• Greek Tyrants
• Not tyrant as “our” meaning (oppressive)
• Were rulers that seized power by force from the aristocracy
• Supported by the “new” rich and peasant classes
• Gained and kept power by force (hired soldiers)
• End of Greek Tyranny
• Ended rule of aristocrats but also violated Greek belief in rule of law
• Allowed for development of government
• Democracy and oligarchy
Rise of Tyrants
•Ancient Greece

6. SPARTA AND ATHENS
Sparta Athens
COMPARISON
•Ancient Greece
Sparta and Athens

7. Sparta Athens
Comparison
•Ancient Greece
City-
States
Militaristic
State Control
Oligarch
y
Democracy
Colonization
conquered
Personal
Liberty
Gender
roles
Enemy
of Persia

8. • Greece vs. Persia
• Athens
• Sparta
• Darius (and then Xerxes)
• Immediate Causes
• Persia conquered Ionia (settled by Greeks)
• Ionia revolts– Athens supports/aids the revolt
• Persia defeats the revolt but holds Athens accountable
The Persian Wars
•Ancient Greece

9. • 490 BC
• 10,000 Athenians
• 25,000 Persians
• Darius (Persia)
• Pheidippides
• 480 BC
• 300 Spartans hold the
pass for 3 days
• Xerxes (Persia)
• Salamis & Plataea
• Persian Ships defeated
in small channel
• Plataea 479 BC
•Ancient Greece
Persia Wars

10. • Nationalism
• Rise in Greek Pride--- they defeated Persia!
• Only brief
• United Greek
• Sense of unity from Persian Wars
• 478 BC Establishment of Delian League
• Athenian Golden Age
• Rise of Athens as the #1 City-State
• Age of Pericles 461-429 BC
Consequences/ Results of Persian Wars
•Ancient Greece