Launch of Ancient Greece Bundle - Part I
Jonathan Ketchell
This month we celebrate one of the cornerstones of Western Civilization: Ancient Greece. From the way we think to the buildings we see, the achievements of one of humanity’s brightest civilizations are everywhere to be seen and felt. Their mathematical theories are still taught in school, the meaning of their myths still debated, their contribution to philosophy eternal and who could forget the invention of direct democracy?
To coincide with the launch of our Ancient Greece Bundle here’s the first part of our overview of the bundle, available for purchase once you log into your Sutori account. To view the timelines, you will need to sign up to Sutori. Our colorful, interesting, and engaging timelines will amaze your students!
1. The Geography of Greece
To understand history we must also understand geography. It may sound obvious but it is sometimes overlooked. To take just one example, the strong independence of the Greek city-states, although united by the same language and culture, can be partly explained by where they lived on. Greek cities developed in the valleys between mountains or on the plains on the coast and, as a result, they developed their own identity and ways of doing things.
A fun and engaging timeline for kids which looks at the climate, the fauna, flora and geographical features of the Greece. Serves as the perfect introduction to the Ancient Greek Civilization.
Did You Know? Asiatic Lions used to roam Greece during the time of Herakles. Hunted down for centuries, today they can only be found in India.
2. The History of Ancient Greece
A timeline which can be used as a reference at any time. After a brief overview of how we organize time through dates (BC and AD), the timeline takes the students through the Archaic and Classical periods of Ancient Greece. Along the way, students learn of all the major historical events as well as get an overview of Greek science and culture.
Did You Know? Alexander the Great had one of the largest empires in history, that stretched from Greece all the way to India, before his sudden death at the age of 32. Like few other military commanders, he never lost a battle.
3. Athens and Sparta: A Day in the Life
First-person narratives are a great way to directly immerse yourself into a story. What was it like for children growing up in Athens and Sparta? This timeline follows Amaltheia, an Athenian 11 year old girl and Nicandros, a 12 year old Spartan boy, going about in their daily lives. The contrast between cultured Athens and militaristic Sparta will no doubt captivate your students who furthermore will be asked to make comparisons with their own lives!
Did You Know? Although Athens had discovered democracy, had cultured, creative citizens, Spartan society was more equal for women. Athenian women were confined for the most part to the household, while Spartan women had more liberty, they owned land and were responsible to defend the city if the army was away.
4. The Ancient Olympic Games (featured timeline of the month on Sutori)
One of our great modern sporting traditions was born in Greece. What were the sports they practiced? Who got to participate? How did athletes take care of themselves? Many amphoras (vases) portray Olympic sports, images of which help to create a very colorful timeline. Comparisons with our modern Olympic games make the timeline all that more relevant and interesting to students.
Did You Know? In Ancient Olympics, there were no weight categories just an age one. A very skinny boxer could therefore fight against a big muscled one!
5. The Battle of Marathon
When looking back at history, hindsight enables us to see the key moments, those that could have significantly altered the course of history. One of those was the battle of Marathon where the Greeks fought and pushed back the invading Persian army. Had the Persians won, what would have become of the Greek culture at a time where its art, science and culture had not even begun to flourish yet? Students are transported back to the heat of the plains of Marathon in 490 BC as they relive the battle through the eyes of Athenian General Miltiades.
Did You Know? Legend has it that a Greek messenger named Pheidippides ran two days and nights for over 150 miles from Athens to Sparta to get help against the approaching Persians. Another legend states that after the battle he ran 26 miles back to Athens to announce victory and warn of the Persian fleet’s arrival. The modern marathon race was born out of this second legend, a race which covers the same distance between Marathon and Athens.
If you have any questions or comments, then please don’t hesitate to reach out to us via Twitter (@Sutori) or else you can contact me directly at jonathan@sutori.com.