Classical Europe: 500 BCE - 500 CE
Rome & Greece
Political
Rome-
http://greece.mrdonn.org/athensdemocracy.html
http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/greekmapsall/a/70107greekgeogr.htm
http://www.ushistory.org/civ/6a.asp
http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Roman_Republic.html
http://greece.mrdonn.org/athensdemocracy.html
http://www.historyofmacedonia.org/AncientMacedonia/AlexandertheGreat.html
- The Romans started a republic, a system of government where the citizens of Rome elected representatives to govern. Aristocracy and the elites were the dominating class. Toward the end of the Roman empire, the Senate became the dominant power. The Senate in Rome helped decide the laws that were passed in Rome.
- In 449 BCE the 12 Tables were established. These are the first written laws in Rome that gave its citizens official rights and equality.
- The Persian wars between Greece and Persia occurred around 498 BCE. It first started with the Greek attack of Sardis, a Persian city. The Persians answered with forces being sent to the city of Marathon but were hit with a Greek victory. In 480 BCE Persian forces defeated the Greeks at Thermopylae, but were defeated and conquered at the Battle of Salamis.
- Alexander the Great was a Macedonian who ruled over the Greeks around 334 BCE. He was a great military commander. Alexander successfully defeated the Persians who had an army of 40,000 men. He helped spread Greek culture to Asia minor, Egypt, Mesopotamia, and even India.
- Athens was the birthplace of Democracy. Athens was the only city in Greece that had a democracy for the next 100 years, and it gave the citizens of Athens an active role in the government. Majority vote is what determined which laws would be passed. The democracy came to an end once Sparta defeated Athens.
http://greece.mrdonn.org/athensdemocracy.html
http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/greekmapsall/a/70107greekgeogr.htm
http://www.ushistory.org/civ/6a.asp
http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Roman_Republic.html
http://greece.mrdonn.org/athensdemocracy.html
http://www.historyofmacedonia.org/AncientMacedonia/AlexandertheGreat.html
Economy
Rome-
Greece-
http://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/obo-9780195389661/obo-9780195389661-0120.xml
http://history-world.org/greece%20economy.htm
http://www.fleur-de-coin.com/currency/greek-coin-history
http://wps.ablongman.com/long_stearns_wc_4/17/4389/1123706.cw/index.html
- The Romans established trade routes by both land and sea. The great land roads were known for the fast mobilization of Legions.
- Coins in Rome were made of bronze, silver, and copper. They were circulated around Rome which made it one of the world's most developed coinage system. Roman coins were highly detailed and used by rulers to spread propaganda.
- Rome's economy was based on agriculture and the slave trade. Rome became highly dependent on grain which led to the expansion of Rome, and the dependence on other civilizations like Egypt to import grain. Mining was one of the largest industries in Rome as well. Luxury goods from China such as silk was also imported into Rome for the elites.
Greece-
- Trade in Greece was very reliant on agriculture. Since their mountainous terrain made farming difficult for them, they were reliant on sea going trade too. The Greeks traded olive oil, crafts, and manufactured goods.
- The economy depended on agriculture as well as sea going trade too. The economy was split into militarized aristocracy and a large group of free land owners. Because of Greece's many wars, they became dependent on slaves. Merchants in Greece were extremely important, but they were not top of the social group.
- Coins in Greece varied among each individual city state. Coins usually had many symbols and depicted Greek leaders or Gods. Northern Greece contained rich silver deposits which many of the coins were manufactured from. The coins were not only used for commerce, but expressed Greek art and religious values.
- The Greeks held a more philosophical view on life rather than a scientific view. Their technological innovations were shown in their architecture. China and India were far more advanced in mathematics and science.
http://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/obo-9780195389661/obo-9780195389661-0120.xml
http://history-world.org/greece%20economy.htm
http://www.fleur-de-coin.com/currency/greek-coin-history
http://wps.ablongman.com/long_stearns_wc_4/17/4389/1123706.cw/index.html
Religion
Rome-
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/ancient_rome_and_religion.htm
http://www.ancient.eu.com/Greek_Religion/
- Roman Gods were used to describe everyday life events. The Romans had many different Gods to describe different things. In the Roman Empire, temples were built for worshipping these Gods as well as making animal sacrifices to them. Around 27 BC, the emperor of Rome was also worshipping as a God.
- Toward the end of the Roman Empire, the Catholic church became the church of Rome. The Pope acted as the head of the church as well as the head of the Sate.
- Emperors in Rome such as Julius Ceasar believed in divine rule, and even traced his ancestors back to divine rule.
- Gods in Greece were used to describe natural disasters as well as everyday life events. Animal sacrifices and temples were built to worship the Gods just as in ancient Rome. Many myths and stories were developed about the Gods and great heroes. The Greeks gave the Gods human faces and believed they could intervene with human affairs.
- The Greek rituals consisted of Animal sacrifices as well as pouring of libations. The animals being sacrificed were always the same gender as the God it was being sacrificed too. Priests would preside over religious ceremonies and prayers,
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/ancient_rome_and_religion.htm
http://www.ancient.eu.com/Greek_Religion/
Society
- Greece-
- Males in Greece had full legal status, the right to vote, own public property, and hold positions in public office.
- Despite the male dominance, there was a diverse social class in Greece consisting of slaves, women, elites, and immigrants.
- The class consisted of the aristoi or the "best people" (upper class), the middle class, and the periokoi.
- Women in Greece were inferior to me. They were not allowed to vote, hold political positions, own land, or inherit land from their father. Women's husband was chosen by their father. Spartan women had somewhat different rights. They had to train nude like men, own land, and drink wine.
Rome-
- Men in Rome were dominant as well. Roman classes included, the patricians, equestrians, the plebeians, and the slave groups.
- Women in Rome were still inferior to men. By law, punishments were more severe to women than to men. Women were expected to work at home.
http://www.pbs.org/empires/romans/empire/women.html
http://www.mariamilani.com/ancient_rome/rome_social_structure_class.htm
http://www.pbs.org/empires/romans/empire/order.html
Intellectual
Greece-
Rome-
http://www.storyofmathematics.com/roman.html
http://www.ancient-literature.com/rome.html
- Plato and Aristotle – These two figures were the most important
philosophers in classical Greece. Plato was a student of Socrates. Although he had many interests in politics, he is best known
for his philosophical views. One of his best known ideas is the Theory of Ideas, which states that we cannot have notions about beauty, justice, or
virtue without knowledge of these things from an earlier time. Aristotle was a student of Plato. He was the first person to
develop the idea of logic. Aristotle presented many mathematical and scientific ideas that were accepted until modern era. - Greek literature developed out of the earlier form of oral storytelling. The theater was also a way for the Greeks to share their stories. Plays were used to bring honor to the gods and goddesses as well as entertain the citizens. Homer was a blind poet who wrote two great pieces of literature called the Iliad and the Odyssey.
Rome-
- Although the Romans had little use for mathematics at this time, Roman numerals are still used today. They were used to a great extent in trade in Europe. However, since writing Roman numerals or every day arithmetic was not easy, the Romans mostly used an abacus, which came from Babylonian and Greek culture. Romans developed the concept of the arc, which was a great architectural achievement. The Roman numerals did not have a concept of zero, which made them hard to use.
- Roman literature was written in Latin. These Latin works of literature were influenced by the Greeks and their literature. Roman literature
included many authors and poets. The most important include Seneca the Young, Vergil the poet, Lucan the epic poet, and Horace the lyric poet and satirist.
http://www.storyofmathematics.com/roman.html
http://www.ancient-literature.com/rome.html
Arts and Architecture
Rome-