The roots of Greek culture are based on interaction of the Mycenaean, Minoan, and Dorian cultures. Mycenaean Civilization develops, these kings rule for a long time because there city – state was very well fortified (natural barriers) and protected. After sometime they come in contact with the Minoan people. Through this they realize the importance of trade by sea. This is when the Greek begin to travel by water.RISEDuring the 1200s B.C.,the Mycenaeans fought a ten-year war against Troy, an independent trading city, this was called the Trojan War.
The story was recorded by Homer in epic poems. There is a belief that he could have made it up. The Greeks began creating myths to explain things in nature. These myths lead to the Greek gods we know today. By 750 B.C., the city-state, or polis, was the fundamental political unit in ancient Greece. A polis was made up of a city and its surrounding countryside, which included numerous villages. Most city-states controlled between 50 and 500square miles of territory. This is where the word acroPOLIS comes from.PEAKAfter Greeks invent drama as an art form; includes chorus,dance, poetry. The silk road is very important because of its importance in Greek trading. The Greeks used the silk road to trade.
Philip II was the father of Alexander the Great. Phillip was king of macedonia. Macedonia was looked down upon the the other city states because of its lack philosophers, sculptors and writers. Instead of these Philip focusing on building a very strong military, which he did. Philip used this military power to invade greece. Greece was defeated and was “ruled” by the Macedonian Kings. Philip II was murdered and his son (Alexander) became King. With Greece now secure, Alexander felt free to carry out his father’s plan to invade and conquer Persia. In 334 B.C., he led 35,000 soldiers across the Hellespont into Anatolia. In the end Alexander defeated Persia and King Darius III. After his defeat King Darius III tried to come to a peace settlement but instead he killed and enslaved the people of Persia he had defeated.
Alexander then went onto Egypt where he was welcomed as a liberatorfrom Persian rule. He was crowned Pharaoh. Alexander thought of himself as a god. When he was in Egypt he visited the oracle. A misspeaking priest told him “oh son of a god” but he meant to say “oh my son” Alexanders ego grew as he conquered more and more land. He began to name cities after himself he called these cities Alexandria.The largest known Hellenistic statue was created on the island of Rhodes. Known as the Colossus of Rhodes, this bronze statue stood more than 100 feet high.
One of theseven wonders of the ancient world, this huge sculpture was toppled by an earth-quake in about 225 B.C. Later, the bronze was sold for scrap.A Greek philosopher named Zeno propose Stoicism. The Stoicsproposed that people should live virtuous lives in harmony with the will of god orthe natural laws that God established to run the universe. Another school of though was Epicureanism it taught that gods who had no interest in humans ruled theuniverse. Epicurus (founder) believed that the only real objects were those that the fivesenses perceived.
