What happened in the battle of Marathon?

In the V BC Century Athens became in the most important polis in Greece. However, it had a one terrible enemy, Persian Empire. Along some years Athens and Persian Empire were in war. They combated many glorious battle but only some of them have became in history. This is the case of the Marathon Battle.

In 490 BC the Empire Persian had conquered all Minor Asia and the most of lands of the east territories of Asia and only left Greece and the most valuos city, Athens. The batlle was occored in Marathon , a plain between the location of two armies. Athens sent to the best army, the hoplites, and said to their women and childs that if they wouldn't come back, They should kill.

The battle was longer than Athens citizens had thought and when it finished They only had a bit time to warn to the Athens' people that They had won. One soldier had to run the distance between the two cities ( 42 kilometers ) and could warn to the citizens and then he dead.

This event is represented in all Olimpic Games like a Marathon competition and is one of the most importants proves in the Games.

a. What happened in Marathon?
b. What are the two Empires who were combating?
c. Look at the picture and answer:
 
1.  What day did the battle of Marathon happen?
2. How many Greeks are there ? And persians?
3. Who won the battle?

The spreading of ancient Greeks

Greece was a civilization that needed to trade to develop itself. Greeks surfed tle Mediteranean Sea since centuries ago and They knew all you have to know of this skill. They searched , mainly, metals.

When They arrived to an interesting place they could create a colony. This was a city , like a greek polis, that depended on one greek polis ( metropoli ) but beteen two cities, metropoli and colony, only existed a trade agreement. This system as well let send people who didn't have job or house or opportunities to grow in the polis and the government found a solution with this emigration.

Greeks expanded by different teritories and established many colonies such a Empòriom, Massàlia o Rhodes. The three most important areas taht Greek colonized were Magna Italy ( south of Italy ), East of Iberian Peninsula, South of France and areas near Black Sea.

Greeks brought language, culture, religion and arts but, besides, they took new tools or method to improve their production, economic or social systems.

1. Look the picture

a. Where are the main polis?

b. What were the main routes of greeks?

c. What areas were more colonizated?

d. Can you say the name of some colonies?

The Greek Polis

We've explained yet what polis were but we are goint to developing more this question. Each greek polis had their own laws, costums, political system or army. Two of the most important polis were Sparta and Athens. Along time these polis were faced but when greek territory was  threatened they joined.

Their battle tried to choose which could be the most important and rich polis in the area although there were many differents between they. Sparta was a polis with a population dedicated to fight. Their citizens were educated in the useful of weapons, in combat and to endure a lot of pain. Regarding this their political system was aristochratic and very elitist, that means, the goverment belonged to richest and most important people. 

However, Athens was originally like Sparta but over the years was transformed until belonged in the first democratic system in the history. It wasn't a perfect democracy because only citizens could join and in Athens no all people were citizen, only men ( whom parents were citizens ). The rest of people ( women, metecs, slaves..) weren't citizens and so they didn't have neither rights nor privileges.

The step from oligarquic system ( like Sparta ) to democratic system was very slow and started when some people who helped to defend the city in many ocassions gave their rights to join in the decisions of the city. Some philosofical strenghened that position and, step by step, started the firts referedum and the creation of different government institutions. However , we cann't forgot only citizens could vote and join in the political.

1. Define oligarquic and democratic system

2. Who were aristochratic people?

3. Look the picture and answer the questions :

a.What are the differences in educational system? and women?

b.What did city defend the war like a success? Why ?

4. Look the picture :

a. How did Pericles define democracy?

b. What were the ancient political systems?

c. May a state be a democrathic monarchy? Think about that

The difficult to create an empire in Greece

At the beginning of VII aC century one civilization started to convert in one of he most important civilization of our history : Greeks. They appeared in Greek Peninsule, in southern of Europe, and were originally a group of different people ( aqueos, doris i micènics )who lived in this area but , in a steady evolution , They finished sharing language and religion. This process included many battles among all these cultures and, finally were the doris who occupied the most of territory.

Some of the most important problems in this age and site were the phisical features of Greece : mountains and rivers didn't let a good communication between cities and towns therefore the most of cities became in polis ( cities that had own laws and territory to manage ).

The problem was the cities fought among them to achive the power in the area while They joined when a common enemy tried to atack the greek area.

How did Greek generate a global idea about religion, world or education ?

As we've said language and religion were common and this helped to greeks to felt part of a same culture. However, the educational system strengthened that idea. All children learnt history since classical books such as Iliada o Odyssea which wrote about the adventures of Troja or Ullyses.

Other aspects importants about religion were Greeks were Polyteisthic ( that means they believed in a lot of Gods ) and their gods were anthropomorphic ( Were like humans )

1. Define poli, language and doris

2. Write the main features of Greek civilization

3. Explain which were the problems ?

4. Now, you can do a outline

5. Look at the picture and answer the questions : 

a. What are the countries that close Greece?
b. Can you write the name of 2 mountains? And polis?
c. Describe where Athens is