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Ancient Greece

• Things we are going to study:
• Physical features of ancient Greece
• - Landscape, building structures etc
• Roles of key groups in Athenian and Spartan society
• -citizens, women, slaves
• Influence of law and religion
• Significant beliefs, values and practices of the ancient Greeks, with a particular emphasis on everyday life

Physical features of ancient Greece

• The ancient Greek civilisation sprang up in an area known as the Peloponnese, on the shores of the Aegean Sea. The land is mostly mountainous and the climate moderate throughout the year, with wet winters and warm, dry summers – a very different geography and climate to Egypt
• Aegean Sea
• The region of the Mediterranean where the Greeks first settled is called the Aegean Sea. Greek city-states formed all along the Aegean coastline and on the many islands in the Aegean Sea. The people of Greece used the Aegean to travel from city to city. The Aegean also provided fish for the people to eat.
• Mountains
• The land of Greece is full of mountains. Around 80% of the Greek mainland is mountainous. This made it difficult to make long journeys by land. The hills also formed natural barriers between the major city-states. The tallest mountain in Greece is Mount Olympus. The Ancient Greeks believed that their gods (the Twelve Olympians) lived at the top of Mount Olympus.
• Islands
• The Aegean Sea is home to over 1000 islands. The Greeks settled on many of these islands including Crete (the largest of the islands), Rhodes, Chios, and Delos.
• Climate
• The climate in Ancient Greece generally featured hot summers and mild winters. Because it was so hot, most people wore lightweight clothing throughout most of the year. They would put on a cloak or wrap during the colder days of the winter months.
• Regions of Greece
• The mountains and seas of Ancient Greece formed several natural areas:
• Peloponnese - The Peloponnese is a large peninsula located at the southern tip of the Greek mainland. It is almost an island and only connects to the mainland by a small strip of land called the Isthmus of Corinth. The Peloponnese was home to several major Greek city-states including Sparta, Corinth, and Argos.
• Central Greece - Just north of the Peloponnese is Central Greece. Central Greece was home to the famous region of Attica and the city-state of Athens.
• Northern Greece - Northern Greece is sometimes broken up into three major regions including Thessaly, Epirus, and Macedonia. Mount Olympus is located in Northern Greece.
• Islands - Major groupings of the Greek isles include the Cyclades Islands, the Dodecanese, and the Northern Aegean Islands.
• Major Cities
• The Ancient Greeks spoke the same language and had similar cultures. They were not one large empire, however, but were divided into many powerful city-states such as Athens, Sparta, and Thebes.
• Greek Settlements
• The Greeks set up colonies throughout the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. This included settlements in modern-day Italy, France, Spain, Turkey, and parts of North Africa. These colonies helped to spread the Greek culture throughout the region.

Minoen