Who Were the Ancient Athenians?

Student Notes

Vocabulary

Ancient - refers to something from a time more than 2500 years ago

BCE - Before Common Era (was traditionally called Before Christ)

city-state -  a city and its surrounding countryside that controls it. It is independent of other cities. 

tyrants - a rulers who seizes power and govern in a harsh, cruel way

peninsula - a landform that is surrounded by mostly water with a portion of the land being connected to the mainland. 

Read through pages 54 and 55.  While reading, think about the following questions:

1. What are the beliefs and values that shaped democracy in Athens?

2. What role did citizens play in Athenian democracy?

The ancient Greeks lived along the northeastern Mediterranean Sea, with a wide variety of topography: mainland, peninsulas, and many islands.Similar to many other cultures, with being so close to the sea, the Greeks were able to travel easily by water. 

The oldest Greek civilization was located on the island of Crete. The Minoan civilization lived on the island, traded with other cultures and countries along the Mediterranean coast lines, and had a strong naval empire. In approximately 1450 BCE a nearby volcano erupted and destroyed much of the island. Shortly after, the Achaean and Dorian tribes from Northern Europe invaded the Minoan civilization, to never be revived. 

During this time, other places in Greece were becoming civilized and these city were being built. Some of these cities were city-states, while others were seeking to have state matters dealt with in a democratic way. One of the greates cities of its time was Athens. 

Today, Greece has many similarities to other countries such as hospitals, schools, modern transportation systems. One unique characteristic of Athens is the architecture. Although many of these buildings are now considered ruins, the are protected by law. This law prevents any construction to these sites, as well as many historical sites still in use, unless it has been approved by Ministerial Decrees (order by the council). 

Greece is a mountainous country with a landscape that is rugged. With many communities being isolated from each other, each developed city-states. Characteristics of a city-state are:

• self-governed

• own laws created

• own army 

As is similar to many other countries, many city-states were controlled by tyrants. These powerful rulers demanded obedience from their people. However, this is not what Athens was like. Athens developed a system of government that allowed for citizens to make important decisions and share in  the responsibility of maintaining a democratic society. Over time, other city-states followed and became democracies. 

Map Work

When preparing maps, always label your locations in pencil, shade the location lightly, followed by writing over-top of the penciled in names with a fine-point marker (not a sharpie).

Your task:

1. Label the following bodies of water on the map in blue pencil crayons:

   1. Mediterranean Sea

   2. Aegean Sea

   3. Sea of Crete

2. Label the island of Crete

3. Label the following cities and add others if you like:

   1. Knossos

   2. Athens

   3. Sparta

   4. Argos

   5. Troy

   6. Delphi

4. Label the following areas

   1. Thrace

   2. Euboea

   3. Lydia

   4. Peloponnesus