Classical Greece cobblearning古典希腊cobblearning.net.ppt

Socrates’ Legacy Student, Plato, writes of Socrates’ life, spreads and furthers philosophical thinking Founds the Academy in Athens Plato’s student, Aristotle, would be the personal tutor of Alexander the Great Aristotle furthered science significantly Sparta Builds a Military State Sparta was cut off from the rest of Greece by the Gulf of Corinth. It contrasted sharply with the other city-states, especially in the fact that it chose to create a military form of government. Around 725 BC, the Spartans conquered the Messenians, turning them into helots, which were forced laborers. Each year, the Spartans demanded half of their crops. In 650 they revolted, but the outnumbered Spartans managed to crush the rebellion. This was the wake-up call that led to the strengthening of their military. Sparta’s Government and Society There was an assembly which was composed of all Spartan citizens, which voted on major issues. The Counsel of Elders were made up of 30 older citizens, proposed these laws. Five elected officials carried out these laws, and two kings ruled over the military. There was a three-tiered social class: citizens descended from the original inhabitants of the region, free non-citizens who worked in agriculture and industry, and the helots, who basically had no rights. Warring City-States Athenians and Spartans Go To War Leaders in both cities wanted war, b/c they felt their cities had the advantage. When the Peloponnesian War began, Athens had the stronger navy, while Sparta had the stronger army. It’s inland position also made attack by sea difficult. The Spartans marched into Athens, burning food supplies; a plague that killed a third of the people in Athens helped the Spartans win. Sparta Gains Victory In 421 BC, the two sides signed a truce because they were exhausted. That truce was broken in 415, when the Athenians sent a huge fleet sailing to Sicily to destroy Syracuse, one of Sparta’s allies. The idea backfired badly – their whole fleet and a