PROJECT

MAJOR CIVILIZATIONS OF WORLD

• Cultural Development of Greeks
• Persian Empire: An Overview
• Roman Empire:
1. Rise and Growth
2 Society and Culture
. 3. Decline
 CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT OF GREEKS
KEY FEATURES OF GREEK CULTURE:
1. Shared Identify: Common language (Greek); Religion (Polytheism)
2. Political Diversity: Every state maintain own form of government ranging from monarchy to
democracy.
3. Athens as Center of Learning and Democracy: Philosophy, Sciences, Arts and Intellectualism
(Socrates, Plato, Aristotle)
4. Art and Architecture: Sculpture and iconic structures like the Parthenon
5. Literature and Theatre: Drama tradition; tragedies by Sophocles and comedies by Aristophanes
6. Sports: The Olympic Games, a pan-Greek festival of athletic competition
7. Colonization : The Greeks established colonies throughout the Mediterranean and Black Sea
regions
8. The Persian Wars: The Persian Wars, which saw the Greek city-states unite against a common
enemy, fostered a sense of collective identity and boosted Greek confidence and cultural
development.
9. The Peloponnesian War: The Peloponnesian War, a conflict between Athens and Sparta, weakened
both city-states and marked the decline of Greek dominance.
 PERSIAN EMPIRE : OVERVIEW
The Persian Empire, also known as the Achaemenid Empire, was a vast and influential empire that
spanned from modern-day Iran to parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa, lasting roughly from 559 to 331 BCE,
and founded by Cyrus the Great.
FOUNDATION AND EXPANSION
1. Cyrus, The Great: Leader of Persian tribal kingdom; led foundation of Persian Empire in 550 BC.
2. Military Power: Victories over the Medes, Lydians, and Neo-Babylonians.
3. Extent: Vast territory, including modern-day Iran, Egypt, Turkey, and parts of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the
Balkans.
KEY FEATURES
1. Administrative Structure: Central and Provincial; Provinces called Satrapies, each
under Satrap (Governor)
2. Infrastructure: Extensive road networks
3. Religious Tolerance:
4. Zoroastrianism: A monotheistic religion founded by the prophet Zoroaster, became
the dominant religion of the Persian Empire.
5. Decline: Internal rebellions; Invasion of Alexander
 RISE AND GROWTH OF ROMAN EMPIRE
ing as a small city-state, rose to prominence through military expansion, political maneuvering, and cultural
influence, eventually encompassing vast territories across Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East
EARLY FOUNDATION AND EXPANSION
1. From Republic to Empire: Established in 6th century BC; initially controlled Italian peninsula and gradually to Mediterranean region.
2. Punic Wars: Between Roman Empire and Carthage (a powerful city-state in North Africa) to control Mediterranean
3. Military and Expansion:
4. Conquest and Cultural Influence: Conquest brought wealth, resources (slaves); cultural exchange (art, philosophy, science)
5. Civil Wars and rise of Emperors: Internal conflicts and civil wars in the 1st century BCE led to the rise of powerful figures like Julius Caesar
and eventually to the establishment of the Roman Empire under Augustus in 27 BCE

THE ROMAN EMPIRE

1. Augustus and Principate: Augustus, the first Roman emperor, established a system of government known as the "principate,"
which combined elements of the republic with imperial power.
2. Pax Romana: The period of peace and prosperity known as the "Pax Romana" (Roman Peace) saw significant cultural and
economic growth, with monumental public buildings like the Colosseum and aqueducts being constructed.
3. Territorial Expansion: Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East.
4. Internal Challenges: Economic instability, political corruption, and military overextension.
5. Division and Decline: In 395 CE, the Roman Empire was formally divided into the Western and Eastern Roman Empires. The
Western Roman Empire eventually fell to invasions and internal strife in 476 CE, while the Eastern Roman Empire (the Byzantine
Empire) continued for another thousand years, eventually falling to the Ottoman Turks in 1453 CE.
 CULTURE OF ROMAN EMPIRE
The Roman Empire's culture adopted influences, particularly from the Greeks. Which encompassing art, literature, architecture, religion, and daily
life, which profoundly shaped the Western world. Influence from Etruscans, particularly in areas like religious rituals and social life.
1. Public Entertainment: Music, dance, drama, drinking
2. Architecture and Engineering: Arches, domes, roads, first and public buildings.
3. Literature: Language was Latin; authors like Virgil, Cicero, and Seneca
4. Social Structure: Roman society was hierarchical, with citizens, slaves, and foreigners forming different social strata.

Patriarchal Society: Which meant society of wealthy and commons;

there were also some voluntary organisations. SOCIETY OF ROMAN EMPIRE
1. Social Classes: Patricians (wealthy elite, who initially held most political power and land ownership); Plebeians (farmers,
artisans, and merchants); Slaves (often prisoners of war or those captured in raids); Freedmen (former slaves who had gained
their freedom, often with significant wealth and influence); Equestrians (wealthy merchants and landowners who were not
part of the patrician class, but still held considerable influence); Clients or Servants (individuals who relied on the patronage of
powerful Romans for protection and support in exchange for their loyalty and labor)
2. Gender Roles: Patriarchal Society: (men holding the primary roles in public life and decision-making); women were
primarily responsible for managing the household and raising children, though some women from wealthy families had
considerable influence;
Legal Status (women had limited legal rights and were under the authority of their fathers or husbands)
3. Daily Life: Family (father holding authority over his household); Religion (practiced a polytheistic religion, with gods and
goddesses); Entertainment (chariot races, gladiatorial contests, and theater performances); Dress (Clothing and jewelry
indicated a person's social status.)
 DECLINE OF ROMAN EMPIRE
1. Internal Factors: Political Instability: (frequent changes in leadership, civil wars, and the rise of ambitious
generals weakened the central authority); Economic Problems (inflation, high taxes, and reliance on slave
labor created economic hardship and social unrest); Military Overextension (the vast empire struggled to
defend its borders, leading to resource strain and military defeats); Social Unrest (the widening gap
between the rich and poor, along with the decline of the traditional Roman values, contributed to social
unrest and instability); Rise of Christianity (became the dominant religion after Emperor Constantine's
Edict of Milan in 313 AD. While it provided a new sense of unity and morality, it also contributed to shifts in
political power, with the Church growing in influence, often challenging imperial authority)
2. External Factors: Barbarian Invasions (Germanic tribes, such as the Visigoths, Ostrogoths, and Vandals,
encroached upon Roman territory, eventually sacking Rome in 410 CE); The Huns (led by Attila, posed a
significant threat to the empire in the 5th century, further destabilizing the Western Roman Empire); The
Eastern Roman Empire (later known as the Byzantine Empire, continued for another thousand years, while
the Western Roman Empire fell in 476 AD)
3. Key Events: Division of the Empire (emperor Diocletian divided the Roman Empire into Eastern and
Western halves in 284 AD, which led to further weakening of the Western Empire); Sacking of Rome
(Visigoths sacked Rome in 410 AD, a major blow to the empire's prestige and power; the Germanic leader
Odoacer deposed the last Roman emperor of the West, Romulus Augustulus, marking the end of the
Western Roman Empire.