Classical Mediterranean

1
Classical Mediterranean

• Chapter 4
• Pg. 76-95

2
Persian Tradition

• Key civilizations rose neighboring influencing
  the Mediterranean
• Persian Empire during Greek Era
• Sassanid Empire during Roman Era
• Cultural contributions include
• Zoroastrianism

3
Patterns in Classical Greece

• 800BCE-500BCE early Greek diversity, common
  language from Phoenicians
• 500BCE-431BCE Greek city-states flourish
  expand
• 431BCE-338BCE decline due to Peloponnesian Wars
• 338BCE-100BCE Alexander the Great Hellenistic
  period

4
Patterns in Classical Rome

• 509BCE-45BCE Roman Republic expands vigorously
• 27BCE-180CE Roman Empires peace prosperity
• 180CE-476CE Roman Empire declines as society
  loses effectiveness

5
Political Institutions
1 of 3

• Political theory citizenship create cultural
  preoccupation with gov

6
Political Institutions - Greece
2 of 3

• Characteristic Greek city-states innovate two
  forms
• Direct democracy decisions made by voting
  citizens attending assemblies
• Aristocratic assembly aristocrats gather to
  check executive power

7
Political Institutions - Rome
3 of 3

• Common threads of Roman politics
• Local autonomy religious freedom
• Codified objective law held territory together
  limited aristocratic privilege
• Function based on military, infrastructure,
  entertainment

8
Religion Culture
1 of 3

• Religion polytheism classical mythology
  regulating human powers nature
• Christianity only historically significant
  during Romes decline
• Had clear limitations

9
Religion Culture
2 of 3

• Philosophies fulfilled some religious shortfalls
  through
• Ethical codes of moderation
• Abstract theories about human nature
• Science math weak empirically
• Yet contributed geometry, anatomy, engineering
• Art literature
• Sculpture, Plays, Poems

10
Religion Culture

• Architecture engineering
• Roman aqueducts
• Greek Parthenon
• Column styles

3 of 3
11
Economy Society
1 of 2

• Commercial agriculture dominated
• Free farmers indebted to landlords
• Olive grape agriculture required trade
  expansion
• Slavery was a key ingredient
• Hindered production technology

12
Economy Society
2 of 2

• Families patriarchal, but women had some rights
• Rural culture differed significantly than urban
  cultural legacy

13
Toward the Fall of Rome

• Decline after 180 CE fall in 476
• More definitive than other civs
• Result of
• Loss of territory population
• Political Economic ineffectiveness
• Nomadic invasions

14
Global Connections

• Greek connections framed by belief in own
  superiority
• Roman connections complex due to size, diversity
  of population, economic clout, yet confidence in
  own style

15
Question

• What are the short-term long-term effects of
  the Mediterranean civilizations lack of a
  dominant unifying religion?