ANCIENT AND
CLASSICAL GREECE
CIVILIZATION COMES TO
EUROPE
PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY
• The Land
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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
PHYSICAL MAP OF AREA
MINOAN SOCIETY
• Knossos
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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
THE ISLAND OF CRETE
MYCENAEAN GREECE
• Mycenaean society
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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
ANCIENT GREECE
THE GREEK DARK AGES
• 800 TO 500 BCE
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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
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Indo-Europeans who settled in area
Tribes include Dorians, Attics, Achaeans
Originally aristocratic societies
Warfare, slavery, and trade common
GREEK TRIBES
THE POLIS
• Greek City-State
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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
POLIS OF ATTICA
POLITICAL FORMS
• Archon: Greek for “ruler” – English “archy”
• Kratien: Greek for “to rule” – English “cracy”
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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 (Sparta’s 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)
SPARTA
• Sparta
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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
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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
LACONIA: SPARTA
• Athens
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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
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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
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
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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
THE GREEK WORLD
GREEK MILITARY
• Based on citizen soldiers
– Lightly armed, armored foot soldiers (Hoplites)
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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
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
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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
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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
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
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.)
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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
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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
ALEXANDER’S EMPIRE
HELLENISTIC EMPIRES
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The Hellenistic Era: Age of Alexander and his successors
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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
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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
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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
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The Seleucid empire Mesopotamia, Persia, India
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The capital of Ptolemaic empire, at the mouth of the Nile
Cultural center: the famous Alexandria Museum and Alexandria Library
More Greek influence than in Egypt
Greek, Macedonian colonists flocked to new Greek
Colonists created a Mediterranean-style urban society
Parthians, Bactrians, Mauryans, Romans were all Hellenistic
HELLENISTIC WORLD
INTEGRATION OF
MEDITERRANEAN
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Trade
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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
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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
FAMILY AND SOCIETY
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Greek society in Homer's works
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Heroic warriors and outspoken wives in Homer's world
Strong-willed human beings clashed constantly
Highest achieve was arete
Aristocracy (landed elites) vs. common
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Over years, aristocracy gradually came to control most states
Held most of the social, political power
Patriarchal society
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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
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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
RATIONITY AND PHILOSOPHY
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The formation of Greek cultural traditions
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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.)
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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"
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Plato (430-347 B.C.E.)
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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.)
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Critical scrutiny to traditional ethical teachings
Was condemned to death on charge of corrupting Athenian youths
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
Legacy of Greek philosophy
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Intellectual authorities for European philosophers until 17th century
Intellectual inspiration for Christian and Islamic theologians.
Provided a powerful intellectual framework for future generations
GREEK RELIGION & FINE ARTS
• Greek Polytheism
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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
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