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Essential Questions

1. How did geogrpahy affect ancient Greece?

2. What was the importance of Minoan civilization?

3. What was the importance of Mycenean civilization?

4. What features of ancient Greece are shown in Homer's poems?

5. What was of polis?

6. What was the importance of the Greek colonies?

7. What was the philosophy of Sparata?

8. What is an oligarchy?

9. What were the reforms of Cleisthenes?

10. How did the Greeks win the Persian Wars?

11. How did Pericles change Athens?

12. What is direct democracy?

13. What was the outcome of the Peloponnesian War?

14. What is the role of the Greek gods?

15. What are the themes of tragedies?

16. What were the philosophies of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle?

17. What is expressed in Greek architecture and art?

18. Who was Alexander the Great?

19. What is Hellenistic culture?

20. What is Stoicism?

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Complete notes-fill in anything you missed.

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How did geography impact the development of Greek civilizations?

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How did geography impact the development of Greek civilizations?

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Were the Greeks monotheistic or polytheistic? What qualities did their gods possess? What role do myths play in the lives of ancient greeks?

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Greek Mythology: Gods, Goddesses & Legends - HISTORY

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Greek mythology, and its ancient stories of gods, goddesses, heroes and monsters, is one of the oldest and most influential groups of legends in human civilization.

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What do you think this depicts? Explain and support you answer.

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What did Greek art depict? What style did they focus on?

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What building is this? What type of columns are used?

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Which city state was focused on strength?

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In ancient times, Greece wasn't a single country like it is today. It was made up of lots of smaller states. These states were always squabbling and often went to war. Sparta and Athens fought a long war, called the Peloponnesian War, from 431 to 404BC.

Only the threat of invasion by a foreign enemy made the Greeks forget their quarrels and fight on the same side. Their biggest enemy were the Persians, who came from an area around modern day Iran.

The Persian kings tried to conquer Greece a few times between 490 to 449BC, but the Greeks managed to fight them off. In the end, it was the Greeks who conquered Persia, when Alexander the Great defeated the Persian Empire in the 330s.

The backbone of the Greek army was the 'hoplite'. He was a foot soldier, who fought with a long spear and used a large round shield for protection.

In battle, hoplites fought as a team. They lined up in ranks and locked their shields together with just their spears pointing over the top. This formation was known as a 'phalanx'.

Enemy soldiers saw only a wall of spears and shields moving towards them. It was tough to break through once a phalanx started marching forward.

The Greeks had archers and cavalry too, but it was the phalanx that won many famous battles.

Click on the hoplite to find out about his weapons and armour

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A hoplite had to pay for his armour himself, unless his father was killed in battle. Then he was given his father's equipment.

Fighting wars was what the Spartans did best. Greeks said that in battle one Spartan was worth several other men.

The Spartans believed that strict discipline and a tough upbringing was the secret to making the best soldiers. Boys left their families at seven to begin their 23-year-long training to become a soldier. Only those who went through this gruelling training system were considered true Spartan citizens.

It was a hard life. A boy was only allowed one tunic and had to walk everywhere barefoot, even in cold weather. They weren't given much food either, so often had to steal.

Girls were expected to be physically fit too. They weren't allowed to be soldiers, but they did compete against the boys at sport. Spartan women also had more freedom than other Greek women. A wife ran the family farm and gave orders to the slaves (known as 'helots').

Spartan mothers told their sons before they left for battle, "Come back with your shield, or on it." Dead Spartans were carried home on their shields - only a coward would drop his shield and run away.

Click on each of the scenes to find out about some famous ancient Greek battles

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Learn about the ancient Greeks at way, including how the army fought, famous battles and the Spartan soldier state in this KS2 History guide from BBC Bitesize.

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Section 5 Alexander and the Hellenistic Era In 359 B.C., Philip II came to the throne in Macedonia and built a powerful army. He longed to unite Greece and Macedonia. Fearful of Philip's intentions, the Greeks formed a defensive alliance, but they were defeated.