ANCIENT AND CLASSICAL GREECE

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ANCIENT AND CLASSICAL GREECE

• CIVILIZATION COMES TO EUROPE

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PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY

• The Land
• Mountains dominate land cross land travel
  difficult
• Fertile river valleys were center of settlement
• River valleys formed basis of polis
• No place more than a few miles from sea
• Outdoor life common due to temperate climate
• The Sea
• Greece is a series of peninsulas, islands
• Sea travel easier than land communication
• Most Greeks took to the sea
• Economy
• Agriculture Grains, honey, olives, grapes
• Herding Goats, sheep, cattle
• Trade Necessary to make up for lack of resources

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PHYSICAL MAP OF AREA
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MINOAN SOCIETY

• Knossos
• Minoan society arose on Crete, late 3rd
  millennium B.C.E.
• Takes name from legendary king of Knossos, Minos
• Lavish palaces at Knossos, between 2000 and 1700
  B.C.E.
• Linear A, a kind of written language, is found
• Island of Crete
• From 2200 to 1450 B.C.E., center of Mediterranean
  commerce
• Received early influences from Phoenicia and
  Egypt
• Established colonies on Cyprus and islands in the
  Aegean Sea
• Society
• Much evidence of egalitarian society women had
  rights
• Agriculture was important grapes, olives,
  fishing, wheat
• Trade was very important marble, artifacts,
  cloth
• Decline of Minoan Society
• After 1700 B.C.E., earthquakes, volcanic
  eruptions, tsunamis
• After 1450 B.C.E., wealth attracted a number of
  invaders
• By 1100 B.C.E., Crete fell under foreign
  (Hellenic) domination

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THE ISLAND OF CRETE
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MYCENAEAN GREECE

• Mycenaean society
• Indo-European immigrants settled in area, 2000
  B.C.E.
• Adapted Minoan Linear A into their script Linear
  B
• Fortified agricultural settlements in
  Peloponnesus
• Most important settlement was Mycenae
• Society resembled Aryan emphasis on war, trade
• Kingdoms ruled by strongest of nobles constant
  strife
• Chaos in the eastern Mediterranean 1100 to 800
  BCE
• Mycenaeans engaged in Trojan war, about 1200
  B.C.E.
• Troy may have been a Hittite city-state and trade
  rival
• Tomb of Agamemnon, Troy excavated by von
  Schliemann
• Recorded by Homer in the Illiad and the Odyssey
• More invasions by Hellenic tribes
• Sea Peoples
• Later Hellenic invaders moved by sea along coasts
• Seemed to have raided into Palestine, Egypt as
  Philistines

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ANCIENT GREECE
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THE GREEK DARK AGES

• 800 TO 500 BCE
• Called Dark Ages due to loss of writing
• Age remembered through oral traditions
• A period of migration and warfare
• Hellenes spread to Italy, Sicily, Asia Minor,
  Cyprus
• The Hellenes
• Indo-Europeans who settled in area
• Tribes include Dorians, Attics, Achaeans
• Originally aristocratic societies
• Warfare, slavery, and trade common

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GREEK TRIBES
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THE POLIS

• Greek City-State
• Polis city-state Poleis city-states
• Metropolis city of polis
• Acropolis fortified center of city
• Boundaries shaped by geography
• Terms of politics come from POLIS
• Politics, politic, politician, polite, polity
• Police, metropolis, metroplex
• Most important
• Athens
• Sparta

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POLIS OF ATTICA
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POLITICAL FORMS

• Archon Greek for ruler English archy
• Kratien Greek for to rule English cracy
• Demos People Democracy (direct election)
• Aristos The Best Aristocracy (nobles)
• Oligos The Few Oligarchy (rule by select few)
• Monos One Monarchy (rule by a king)
• Di Two Diarchy (Spartas state had 2 kings)
• An None Anarchy (No government)
• Theos God Theocracy (Rule by priests,
  religion)
• Geron Old Man Gerontocracy (rule by elderly)
• Pater Father Patriarchy (rule by males)
• Mater Mother Matriarchy (rule by women)
• Auto Self Autocracy (dictatorial rule)
• Tyrannos Tyrant Tyranny (rule by a dictator)
• Ethnos Ethnic or locals Ethnarchy (rule by the
  local people)

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SPARTA

• Sparta
• Situated in a fertile region of the Peloponnesus
• Began to extend control during the 8th and 7th
  centuries B.C.E.
• Reduced neighboring peoples to the status of
  helots, or servants
• By 6th century B.C.E., helots outnumbered
  Spartans by 10 to 1
• Maintained domination by a powerful military
  machine
• Spartan society
• Discouraged social distinction, observed austere
  lifestyle
• Distinction was drawn by prowess, discipline, and
  military talent
• Commitment to military values was strong
• Society was a military aristocracy state ruled
  by two kings
• Young boys, girls educated in military barracks
• After marriage, men still lived at barracks
  women ran homes
• Women surprisingly free in comparison to other
  Greek women
• All merchants were foreigners licensed by state

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LACONIA SPARTA
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ATHENS

• Athens
• Population growth, economic development caused
  political strain
• Sought to negotiate order by democratic
  principles
• Citizenship was open to free adult males
• Foreigners, slaves, and women had no rights
• Athenian society
• Maritime trade brought about prosperity
• Aristocratic landowners were principal
  beneficiaries
• Owners of small plots began to sell lands, some
  became slaves
• Class tension became intensified, the 6th century
  B.C.E.
• Solon and Athenian democracy
• Solon forged a compromise between the classes
• Opened polis councils for any male citizen
• Pericles (ca. 443-429 B.C.E.)
• The most popular democratic leader of Athens
• Ruled Athens during its Golden Age

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GREECE THE LARGER WORLD

• Greeks founded more than 400 colonies
• Controlled Black, Aegean, Adriatic, Ionian Seas
• Settled Sicily, S. Italy, Corsica, France, Spain,
  Africa
• Settled Coasts of Yugoslavia, Albania, Turkey,
  Cyprus
• Effects of Greek colonization
• Facilitated trade among Mediterranean lands
• Facilitate exchanges between peoples, cultures
• Spread of Greek language and cultural traditions
• Stimulated development of surrounding areas
• Spread civilization to ancient, Neolithic areas
• Warfare increased
• Technology stimulated naval, navigation,
  astronomy

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THE GREEK WORLD
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GREEK MILITARY

• Based on citizen soldiers
• Lightly armed, armored foot soldiers (Hoplites)
• Carry shields, long spear
• All citizens had to furnish own arms, armor
• All citizens expected to fight in army, navy
• All citizens had military training in school
• Fought in massed formations called Phalanx
• Very useful in rugged terrain used 10 long
  pikes
• Easily defeats massed cavalry favored by others
• Greek navy
• Rowed vessels called galleys
• Most famous was the trireme or three oar banked
• Rowed by free citizens
• Fought by ramming other vessels than hand to
  hand
• Greek fleets included larger vessels
• Equites or mounted troops were aristocrats

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THE PERSIAN WARS

• The Persian War (500-479 B.C.E.)
• Cyrus and Darius controlled Anatolia
• Greek cities on Ionian coast revolted, 500 B.C.E.
  
• Darius Invasion
• The battle of Marathon, 490 B.C.E.
• Greeks led by Spartans and Athens battled Persia
  to a draw
• Xerxes Invasion
• To fight Persians, Athenians build a wall of
  wood, or a navy
• Xerxes seized, burned Athens
• Athenian navy destroys Persian in the battle of
  Salamis, 480 B.C.E.
• Persian army retreated back to Anatolia, 479
  B.C.E.
• The Delian League
• Alliance among Greek poleis against Persian
  threat
• Military force from Athens, finance from other
  poleis
• As Persian threat subsided, poleis no longer
  wanted to participate
• Athens uses navy to turn Delian League into
  Athenian Empire

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PELOPONNESIAN WAR

• Pericles Rebuilds Athens
• Athens experiences a Golden Age
• Pericles turns Delian states into Athenian
  colonies
• 30 Year Civil War (431-404 B.C.E.)
• Athens and Allies vs. Sparta and Allies
• Costly victories/defeats and plague wreck city
• Unconditional surrender of Athens, 404 B.C.E.
• Hegemony first by Sparta and then by Thebes
• Constant warfare between leagues, allies
• Spartan hegemony replaced by Theban
• Greece horribly weakened
• Athens remained intellectual center of Greece

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RISE OF MACEDONIA

• The kingdom of Macedon
• A frontier state north of peninsular Greece
• Partially Hellenized society
• Philip of Macedon (re. 359-336 B.C.E.)
• Built a powerful army, overcame the power of clan
  leaders
• Began to offend Greece from 350 B.C.E.
• Brought Greece under control by 338 B.C.E.
• Murdered possibly by wife and son
• Alexander of Macedon and his conquests
• Educated by Aristotle gifted in many areas
• At age 20, Alexander succeeded Philip
• Invaded Persia, controlled Ionia and Anatolia,
  333 B.C.E.
• By 331 B.C.E., controlled Syria, Egypt,
  Mesopotamia
• Invaded Persian homeland and burned Persepolis
• Crossed Indus River by 327 B.C.E.
• Died in 323 B.C.E. at age of 33

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ALEXANDERS EMPIRE
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HELLENISTIC EMPIRES

• The Hellenistic Era Age of Alexander and his
  successors
• Saw a blending of Hellenic (Greek) and Asian,
  Egyptian traditions
• A Greek layer of upper class ruled over an
  Asians, Egyptians
• The Antigonid empire in Greece, Macedonia and
  Thrace
• Continuous tension between the Antigonid rulers
  and Greek cities
• The economy of Athens flourished again through
  trade
• Overpopulation, many moved to the Seleucid empire
  
• The Ptolemaic empire ruled Egypt, Cyprus, often
  Holy Land
• The wealthiest of the Hellenistic empires
• Greek rulers did not interfere in Egyptian
  society
• Efficient organization of agriculture, industry,
  and taxation
• Royal monopolies over textiles, salt, and beer
• Alexandria
• The capital of Ptolemaic empire, at the mouth of
  the Nile
• Cultural center the famous Alexandria Museum and
  Alexandria Library
• The Seleucid empire Mesopotamia, Persia, India
• More Greek influence than in Egypt
• Greek, Macedonian colonists flocked to new Greek
• Colonists created a Mediterranean-style urban
  society

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HELLENISTIC WORLD
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INTEGRATION OF MEDITERRANEAN

• Trade
• Olive oil, wine, in exchange for grain and other
  items
• Trade brought prosperity, population growth,
  colonization
• Merchant ships with 400 tons capacity were common
  
• Some cities relied more on commerce than on
  agriculture
• Controlled slave markets of Eastern Mediterranean
• Trade rivalry with Carthage in North Africa
• Athenian silver drachma was common currency
• Panhellenic festivals
• Sense of being Greek prevailed among all Greeks
• Romans later admitted to Panhellenic, Olympic
  games
• Colonists shared the same religion and language
• Periodic panhellenic festivals reinforced their
  common bonds
• Olympic games, the best known panhellenic
  festival

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FAMILY AND SOCIETY

• Greek society in Homer's works
• Heroic warriors and outspoken wives in Homer's
  world
• Strong-willed human beings clashed constantly
• Highest achieve was arete
• Aristocracy (landed elites) vs. common
• Over years, aristocracy gradually came to control
  most states
• Held most of the social, political power
• Patriarchal society
• Male family heads ruled households, could abandon
  newborns
• Upper-class women wore veils in public,
  accompanied by servants
• Women could not own land but could operate small
  business
• Priestess was the only public position for women
• Spartan women enjoyed higher status than women of
  other poleis
• Common occupation of women was cloth making
• Slavery
• By law, slaves were private chattel property of
  their owners
• Worked as agricultural laborers, domestic
  servants
• Educated or skilled slaves worked as craftsmen,
  business managers
• Slaves were commonly prisoners of war

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RATIONITY AND PHILOSOPHY

• The formation of Greek cultural traditions
• From the 8th century, drew inspirations from
  Mesopotamia and Egypt
• About 800 B.C.E., adapted the Phoenicians'
  alphabet to their own language
• The Greek cultural feature a philosophy based on
  human reason, rationality
• Socrates (470-399 B.C.E.)
• An Athenian philosopher, determined to understand
  human beings
• Encouraged reflection on ethics and morality
• Integrity was more important than wealth and fame
  
• "The unexamined life is not worth living"
• Critical scrutiny to traditional ethical
  teachings
• Was condemned to death on charge of corrupting
  Athenian youths
• Plato (430-347 B.C.E.)
• A zealous disciple of Socrates
• The theory of Forms or Ideas
• His Republic expressed the ideal of philosophical
  kings
• Aristotle (384-322 B.C.E.)
• Plato's disciple, but distrusted theory of Forms
  or Ideas
• Devised rules of logic to construct arguments
  father of western science
• His Nicomedian Ethics became later basis in
  Christianity

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GREEK RELIGION FINE ARTS

• Greek Polytheism
• Atheism considered treason, illogical
• Deities Zeus, Athena, Apollo and many others
• Worship tied to patriotism and civics of the
  polis
• Public worship and house gods
• Various types of religious cults
• Dionysian Rites
• Oracle of Delphi
• The Theatre
• Tragic drama (Aeschylus, Sophocles, and
  Euripides)
• Dramas performed at annual theatrical festivals
• Tragedians explored possibilities, limitations of
  human action
• Comic drama (Aristophanes)
• Lampooned public and political figures
• Art and Architecture
• Both were for public consumption and public
  enjoyment
• Balance, proportion and rationality part of
  design

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HELLENISTIC WORLD VIEWS

• Hellenistic philosophers
• Epicureans
• Identified pleasure as greatest good freedom
  from turmoil, pressure
• Skeptics
• Doubted certainty of knowledge, sought equanimity
  
• Stoics
• Taught individuals duty to aid others, lead
  virtuous lives
• Emphasized inner moral independence and
  tranquillity
• Cultivated by strict discipline of the body and
  mind.
• Religions of salvation
• Many people felt no allegiance to old gods,
  beliefs
• Syncretism Mixing of Greek, foreign beliefs
• Mystery religions
• Promised eternal bliss for true believers
• Foreign Cults
• Egyptian cult of Osiris became very popular
• Worship of Isis favored by women
• Speculation about a single, universal god emerged