Classical Greece

Examples of Classical Greece in the following topics:

• The Rise of Classical Greece

  • Classical Greece rose after the fall of the Athenian tyrants and the institution of Cleisthenes' democratic reforms, and lasted throughout the 5th and 4th centuries BCE.
  • Classical Greece was a 200-year period in Greek culture lasting from the 5th to the 4th centuries BCE.
  • Classical Greece also had a powerful influence on the Roman Empire, and greatly influenced the foundations of Western civilization.
  • The classical period was preceded by the Archaic period, and was succeeded by the Hellenistic period.
  • Understand the significance of Cleisthenes' reforms to the rise of Classical Greece

• Sparta

  • Sparta, known for its militaristic culture and unequaled women's rights, was a dominant military power in classical Greece.
  • Around 650 BCE, it rose to become the dominant military power in ancient Greece.
  • In the later classical period, Sparta fought amongst Athens, Thebes, and Persia for supremacy within the region.
  • Female Spartan citizens enjoyed status, power, and respect that was unequaled in the rest of the classical world.
  • The map shows the political structure of Greece in the Archaic Age.

• Archaic Greece

  • It also laid the groundwork for the classical period, both politically and culturally.
  • However, thorough written histories, such as those that exist from the Greek classical period, are lacking.
  • The Archaic period saw significant urbanization and the development of the concept of the polis as it was used in classical Greece.
  • However, the polis did not become the dominant form of sociopolitical organization throughout Greece during the Archaic period, and in the north and west of the country it did not become dominant until later in the classical period.
  • Archaic Greece from the mid-7th century onward has been referred to as an "age of tyrants."

• The Rise of the Macedon

  • Macedon rose from a small kingdom on the periphery of classical Greek affairs, to a dominant player in the Hellenic world and beyond, within the span of 25 years between 359 and 336 BCE.
  • In the aftermath of the Peloponnesian War, Sparta rose as a hegemonic power in classical Greece.
  • For the next nine years, Epaminondas and Theban general Pelopidas further extended Theban power and influence via a series of campaigns throughout Greece, bringing almost every city-state in Greece into the conflict.
  • Philip earned immense prestige and secured Macedon’s position in the Hellenic world during his involvement in the Third Sacred War, which began in Greece in 356 BCE.
  • He did not attempt to advance further into central Greece, however, because the Athenians occupied Thermopylae.

• Classical Greek Architecture

  • Classical Greek architecture can be divided into three separate styles: the Doric Order, the Ionic Order, and the Corinthian Order.
  • Classical Greek architecture is highly formalized in structure and decoration, and is best known for its temples, many of which are found throughout the region as substantially intact ruins.
  • Revivals of Classicism have also brought about renewed interest in the architectural styles of ancient Greece.
  • The Doric Order developed on mainland Greece and spread to Italy.
  • The Parthenon is considered the most important surviving building of classical Greece and the zenith of Doric Order architecture.

• The Phoenicians

  • They were famed in Classical Greece and Rome as "traders in purple," which refers to their monopoly on the precious purple dye of the Murex snail, used for royal clothing, among other things.
  • It is important to note that Phoenicia is a Classical Greek term used to refer to the region of the major Canaanite port towns, and does not correspond exactly to a cultural identity that would have been recognized by the Phoenicians themselves.
  • Their civilization was organized in city-states, similar to that of ancient Greece.
  • He gained control of the other Phoenician cities peacefully, and the rise of Hellenistic Greece gradually ousted the remnants of Phoenicia's former dominance over the Eastern Mediterranean trade routes.

• The Classic Period of the Maya

  • The Classic period lasted from 250 to 900 CE and was the peak of the Maya civilization.
  • The Classic period lasted from 250 to 900 CE.
  • The political relationship between Classic Maya city-states has been likened to the relationships between city-states in Classical Greece and Renaissance Italy.
  • The Classic Maya Collapse refers to the decline of the Maya Classic Period and abandonment of the Classic Period Maya cities of the southern Maya lowlands of Mesoamerica between the 8th and 9th centuries.
  • Early Classic period (c. 250–600 CE).

• Athenian Society

  • Classical Athenian society was structured as a democratic patriarchy that strived towards egalitarian ideals.

• The Persian Wars

  • The Persian Wars (499-449 BCE) were fought between the Achaemenid Empire and the Hellenic world during the Greek classical period.
  • Greeks of the classical period believed, and historians generally agree, that in the aftermath of the fall of Mycenaean civilization, many Greek tribes emigrated and settled in Asia Minor.
  • After the failure of the first Persian invasion, Darius raised a large army with the intent of invading Greece again.
  • However, in 486 BCE, Darius’s Egyptian subjects revolted, postponing any advancement against Greece.
  • Xerxes quickly crushed the Egyptians and resumed preparations to invade Greece.

• FK Grade 6 Reading Level

  • Greece in turn was influenced by the cultures encountered during his conquests.
  • Classical Greek ideals stemming from this period evolved into distinct forms grouped together as Hellenistic.
  • Alexander's death was so sudden that when reports of his death reached Greece, they were not believed.