Ancient Greece was divided into many city-states because of its geography. Ancient Greek government evolved slowly. Before 800 BC, kings ruled Greece. Some kings built large palaces. The Acropolis was built by a king. Sparta had two kings, unlike other city -states that had only one. Usually the kings in Sparta were brothers or cousins. Kingship ended in the Dark Ages, except for Sparta.
Aristocracy was started by a small clique of wealthy families. They ran the government.
In Athens in about 500 BC, democracy began. Men gathered to vote on things of importance.
Jurymen, officials and council members were elected into positions in government.Voting was the way the Athenians chose their governments way of running things.
Tyrants were people who ruled any way they wanted and they took power by force. There was a wise saying "power corrupts" meaning too much power is a bad thing. Between 600 BCE and 500 BCE the most important city-states were ruled by tyrants.
There were no lawyers in ancient Greece, an orator was able to state your case if you couldn't.
Aside from kings in Sparta there were 5 other officials called ephors (F-ers).
Thursday, April 9, 2009
ENTERTAINMENT
Kids played with toys in ancient Greece, they had toys like dolls and wooden horses. They also played many games. Story telling played a great role in ancient Greek entertainment. They also enjoyed poems.
Theater started in the classical period. Theatres were built outside.The Athenians loved theater and held regular competitive festivals. Tragedy was thought of as a high art form with its mythical tales retelling the fall down of a hero. Painted back drops and elaborate costumes were what the Greeks used in theater. Public entertainers were people who performed on the streets. Entertainment was both mild and vicious.
Two of the ancient Greek instruments were the lyre and flute. The double flute was made of 2 pipes with holes. The lyre was a hand held harp.
At a symposium they would dance or they would tell stories. An Iliad was a poem acting the final year of the Trojan war. The Odyssey was a poem from the famous poet Homer.
In ancient Greece there were 2 main types of entertainment, track and field and theater. The ancient Greeks also liked giving parties, hunting and fishing. They used pipes,harps and other hand made instruments.
Theater started in the classical period. Theatres were built outside.The Athenians loved theater and held regular competitive festivals. Tragedy was thought of as a high art form with its mythical tales retelling the fall down of a hero. Painted back drops and elaborate costumes were what the Greeks used in theater. Public entertainers were people who performed on the streets. Entertainment was both mild and vicious.
Two of the ancient Greek instruments were the lyre and flute. The double flute was made of 2 pipes with holes. The lyre was a hand held harp.
At a symposium they would dance or they would tell stories. An Iliad was a poem acting the final year of the Trojan war. The Odyssey was a poem from the famous poet Homer.
In ancient Greece there were 2 main types of entertainment, track and field and theater. The ancient Greeks also liked giving parties, hunting and fishing. They used pipes,harps and other hand made instruments.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
OLYMPICS
The first Olympics Games were thought to be held by the banks of the Alpheus River and perhaps the first race was a chariot race. Chariot racing is just one of the many events in the ancient Greek Olympics. In 776 BC the first true Olympic games were held and that year became the first year of the Olympiad calendar. The games were held every four years to honor the god Zeus.
During the Olympics, wars between city-states were put on hold. If you won the Olympics you didn't have to pay taxes. The Olympic games were a test of strength. The first winner of a foot race was Corybos from Elis. The games were expanded in 472 BCE from 1 day to 5 days. By 384 BC there were 18 Olympic events.
The winner recieved a wreath of olive branches from a sacred olive tree that grew behind the temple of Zeus, which according to some stories, Hercules, founder of the games, had planted.
Today the Olympics are similar and different than 3000 years ago. They would not have bobsledding, skating or biking. Sports such as javelin, discus, wrestling and boxing are old and new.
GYM means place where men go naked. Only men that were free and spoke Greek could compete in the Olympic games. Women were not allowed the compete in or watch the Olympic games.
A noble man entered 7 chariots in the games to make Athens look wealthy and powerful.
The Greeks invented many sports. The Ilisthmos games were staged every 2 years, in Cornith. The Pythian games were held every 4 years near Delphi.
However,the most popular games were the Olympic games held at Olympia in the south-west part of Greece. No one knows the order of the games. There were 4 different types of races in the Olympics.
The first woman to compete in the modern Olympics was in 1912.
But really the first woman to compete was in 396 BC she was the Spatin princess, Kyniska. She won a chariot race but was barred from getting her prize in person.
Women held their own games every 4 years in honor of hera.
During the Olympics, wars between city-states were put on hold. If you won the Olympics you didn't have to pay taxes. The Olympic games were a test of strength. The first winner of a foot race was Corybos from Elis. The games were expanded in 472 BCE from 1 day to 5 days. By 384 BC there were 18 Olympic events.
The winner recieved a wreath of olive branches from a sacred olive tree that grew behind the temple of Zeus, which according to some stories, Hercules, founder of the games, had planted.
Today the Olympics are similar and different than 3000 years ago. They would not have bobsledding, skating or biking. Sports such as javelin, discus, wrestling and boxing are old and new.
GYM means place where men go naked. Only men that were free and spoke Greek could compete in the Olympic games. Women were not allowed the compete in or watch the Olympic games.
A noble man entered 7 chariots in the games to make Athens look wealthy and powerful.
The Greeks invented many sports. The Ilisthmos games were staged every 2 years, in Cornith. The Pythian games were held every 4 years near Delphi.
However,the most popular games were the Olympic games held at Olympia in the south-west part of Greece. No one knows the order of the games. There were 4 different types of races in the Olympics.
The first woman to compete in the modern Olympics was in 1912.
But really the first woman to compete was in 396 BC she was the Spatin princess, Kyniska. She won a chariot race but was barred from getting her prize in person.
Women held their own games every 4 years in honor of hera.
Monday, March 2, 2009
MONEY $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Greek money is called Drachma. They are made of gold, silver, bronze and electrum. Each state has their own coin. 6 obols = 1 drachma. 100 drachmas =1 mina. 60 minas=1 talent. 4 drachmas = 1 stater. Money is very important in every civilization.
Money replaced the bartering system. Bartering was where one person traded an item for another item. Not everything can be bartered. For example, a banker provides a service, not a product.
The Greeks copied currency from the kingdom of Lydia in Asia Minor. Patterns were imprinted on the coins. The Greeks carried their money in small pouches or in their mouth. They did not know about germs. Money was in different shapes and sizes.
Today one Canadian dollar is worth 208.3333 Greek Drachma
Money replaced the bartering system. Bartering was where one person traded an item for another item. Not everything can be bartered. For example, a banker provides a service, not a product.
The Greeks copied currency from the kingdom of Lydia in Asia Minor. Patterns were imprinted on the coins. The Greeks carried their money in small pouches or in their mouth. They did not know about germs. Money was in different shapes and sizes.
Today one Canadian dollar is worth 208.3333 Greek Drachma
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
WAR!!!!
The Greeks used swords, shields and armor. They made their weapons out of iron and bronze. Their ships had a big wooden nose to ram other ships. The Greeks also used catapults. The soldiers used bows and arrows.
The wars between Persia and Greece took place in the early part of the 5th century BC. Persia had a huge empire and had every intention of adding Greece to it. Education in Athens differed from education in Sparta. In Sparta, at age 7 boys were taken from their parents and put in state boarding schools. To the Spartans physical fitness was more important than anything else.
In Sparta discipline and obedience was key to training boys. In school, boys were taught to endure cold, pain and hunger. In Sparta boys were not allowed to cry, be afraid of the dark or throw temper tantrums. In Sparta's military schools, boys hair was cut short and they went bare foot.
The wars between Persia and Greece took place in the early part of the 5th century BC. Persia had a huge empire and had every intention of adding Greece to it. Education in Athens differed from education in Sparta. In Sparta, at age 7 boys were taken from their parents and put in state boarding schools. To the Spartans physical fitness was more important than anything else.
In Sparta discipline and obedience was key to training boys. In school, boys were taught to endure cold, pain and hunger. In Sparta boys were not allowed to cry, be afraid of the dark or throw temper tantrums. In Sparta's military schools, boys hair was cut short and they went bare foot.
FOOD
The Ancient Greeks ate a great variety of different food. They had black pudding which was made of animal blood and fat. Greece had fish, olives, squid, and octopus bread.
The Greeks either farmed or hunted their food. Slaves collected food and brought it to their owner and then cooked it for their master.
The Ancient Greeks ate a variety of vegetables. They did not eat rice or potatoes. Every one drank wine. The Ancient Greeks mixed their wine with water to dilute it. Fresh water was scarce so bathing was not allowed. They didn't use cutlery, they would cut the food into small pieces and eat it with their fingers. Men ate on couches and women ate on chairs.
After dinner parties were called a symposium.
Slaves followed the instructions of the ancient Greek wives. To the Ancient Greeks, nuts and figs were considered a delicacies. The Ancient Greeks also ate wild birds. They ate brains and drank goat milk.
The Greeks either farmed or hunted their food. Slaves collected food and brought it to their owner and then cooked it for their master.
The Ancient Greeks ate a variety of vegetables. They did not eat rice or potatoes. Every one drank wine. The Ancient Greeks mixed their wine with water to dilute it. Fresh water was scarce so bathing was not allowed. They didn't use cutlery, they would cut the food into small pieces and eat it with their fingers. Men ate on couches and women ate on chairs.
After dinner parties were called a symposium.
Slaves followed the instructions of the ancient Greek wives. To the Ancient Greeks, nuts and figs were considered a delicacies. The Ancient Greeks also ate wild birds. They ate brains and drank goat milk.
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