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The Olympics started in the year 776 BC. The Olympic games was originally a festival for Zeus. The prize was a crown of olive leaves and would be hero's to their city-states.
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The people of Miletus asked other city-states to help them overthrow the Persians. The Athenians agreed to help and they conquered Sardis. The Persians were angry with Athens so they crossed the Aegean Sea to punish Athens. The Greeks won and the Persians retreated.
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Sophocles was very important for the influence of the theater. Sophocles wrote over 100 plays but only 7 plays survive now. He was one of the top 3 Greek tragedians. He died at age 90.
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The Parthenon is the most famous building of Greece that has survived. It is a temple to Athena the goddess of wisdom and war. It was built on the Acropolis in Athens. The Athenians considered Athena their patron.
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The Spartans wanted a quick victory and not a long war. Pericles led the Athenians and he knew the Spartans want a quick victory so he hid behind the walls of Athens.The Spartans had a better army but Athens had a better navy so he avoided land war. The Spartans burned the farm land and realized they had no food and went home. The plague came through and killed Pericles.The Spartans won and controlled Athens.
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Plato founded the first institution in the western world. It is called the Academy. The Academy was originally a public garden. One of his students was Aristotle. Aristotle found the Lyceum.
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Alexander the Great was educated by Aristotle, the student of Plato. He gets his title from Aristotle who taught him everything he knows.
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Alexander established the greatest and largest empire the ancient world has ever seen. He conquered 1/3 of the known world. When Alexander was 12 he showed great courage when he tamed a wild horse. He is known for being very power hungry.
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Alexandria is located in Egypt, but was the model Greek town. King Ptolemy ruled Alexandria and began a library that contained 200,000 scrolls. His son continued the works and by 100 BC it had over 700,000 scrolls.
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The Hellenistic period is when the empire was divided among 5 generals who fought each other. Alexander had planned to improve cities with theaters, gymnasiums, and public buildings. Many of the plans were carried out.
