Classical Greece and Rome
Greece was not politically unified unlike most other civilizations. Greece's geography prevented it from being unified because the city-states were separated geographically and couldn't communicate effectively. In each of these city-states, they had different forms of government. Athens was the first city to create a Direct Democracy in Greece. While Sparta created one of the first Oligarchies. Greece is known most for their philosophers, scientists, mathematicians, and artists. Greece is the most influential civilization in which many got their ideas from.
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The Roman Republic was started in modern day Rome, Italy. It was the first civilization to create an Indirect Democracy in Rome. Rome had a polytheistic religion in which were heavily influenced from Greece. Rome built the Colosseum, aqueducts, underground sewage systems, concrete engineering , and used many artistic styles from Greece. One of their emperors, Julius Caesar, made the Roman Republic to the Roman Empire. He made large conquests and expanded the empire to one of the world's largest. The fall of the Roman Empire was caused by the Visigoths. Then it split into the Byzantine Empire and The Western Roman Empire.
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Athens and SpartaAthens and Sparta were both Greek city-states but where different from each other. Athens was more of an intellectual city which held the greatest philosophers of all time like Aristotle, Socrates, and Plato. Athens was a democracy while Sparta was an oligarchy. Sparta was more of a military based city in which they conquered other city-states around them. Both of their societies were patriarchal.
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Rome's expansion to an empireRome became an empire under the power of Augustus Caesar in 31 BCE. After defeating and conquering Carthage , they became the strongest force in the Mediterranean. They had a large, well structured army, in which helped them able to conquer others. Every country that they conquered, they would let them be, and treat them well in order to prevent riots from happening.
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Greece's influence on RomeThe Greeks had a large impact to the culture of the Romans due to their Hellenistic Culture. Temples like the Parthenon were built around the Roman empire to worship their deities. The Greek gods and goddesses were copied by the Romans but they changed their names. The Romans also used Greek art and arquitecture for their own use and they made it better.
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Vocab:
Direct Democracy: Form of government in which the people vote on decisions directly.
Indirect Democracy: Form of government in which people vote on representatives for them to make changes in the law.
Oligarchy: Form of government in which a small group of people hold all the power of the people.
Parthenon: Greek temple in Athens dedicated to the goddess, Athena, who is considered as the patron goddess of the city.
Hellenistic Culture: Anything related to the Greek culture or language.
Direct Democracy: Form of government in which the people vote on decisions directly.
Indirect Democracy: Form of government in which people vote on representatives for them to make changes in the law.
Oligarchy: Form of government in which a small group of people hold all the power of the people.
Parthenon: Greek temple in Athens dedicated to the goddess, Athena, who is considered as the patron goddess of the city.
Hellenistic Culture: Anything related to the Greek culture or language.