Week 2:
The Rise of Greek Civilization
Introduction: Greek Legacies
Scientific research
Philosophy
Fine arts (art, architecture, literature, drama, poetry)
Democracy
Value of the individual
Toleration of dissent/open criticism
Competitive spirit
Timeline
Greek Bronze Age: Minoans & Mycenaens
(ca. 2900 - 1100 BCE)
Greek Dark Ages
(ca. 1150 - 750 BCE)
Age of Colonization
(ca. 750 – 500 BCE)
Persian Wars
(490 – 478 BCE)
Early History of Greece
Bronze Age civilizations of
•
Crete (Minoan)
•
Greek mainland (Mycenean)
Timeline:
Bronze Age Greece
Early Minoan / Early Helladic / Old Kingdom
(ca. 2900 – 1900 BCE)
Middle Minoan / Middle Helladic / Middle Kingdom
(ca. 1900 – 1600 BCE)
Late Minoan / Late Helladic (Mycenean) / New Kingdom
(ca. 1600 – 1150 BCE)
Minoan Civilization
Named for Minos, legendary king of Crete (cf. the Minotaur,
the Labyrinth, Daedalus & Icarus)
Flourished ca. 1900 – 1500 BCE
Linear A
Island location:
•
Large fleet
•
Isolated position
Peaceful,
Prosperous
society
Minoan Civilization
Peaceful, prosperous civilization
Cities/architecture
Status of women
Art (esp. pottery)
Minoan Civilization
What happened to the Minoans?
Mycenean Civilization
Flourished ca. 1600-1200 BCE
Linear B
City-states (Mycenae, Pylos, Athens, etc.)
More war-like
Wealthy
*Trojan War*
Mycenaean Civilization
What happened to the Mycenaeans?
Weakened from war, raids, internal conflict?
Dorian tribes invade?
Greek Dark Ages!
Greek Dark Ages
Chaos, displacement (Dorians move in, conquer
or kick out inhabitants)
Illiteracy returns (lack of written records)
Poverty (crude architecture)
World of the Dark Ages
Government
•
Kings have to consult council of nobles
Society
•
Class division: nobles, thetes, landless laborers,
slaves
•
Importance of religion
Values
•
Manliness, courage, excellence → personal honor
Birth of the Polis
Dark Age chaos
mountainous terrain
acropolis
few natural
resources
near the sea
stability, security
trade revival
new type of agriculture
Birth of the Polis
trade revival
Phoenician
alphabet
new type of agriculture
Egyptian
architecture,
sculpture
settlements grow
poleis develop
independent farmers
rise
of
democracy
The Polis
Central focus of political, cultural, religious,
social life → citizens intensely loyal to polis
Main qualities:
•
Self-sufficient, politically independent unit
•
Small scale
•
Tightly-knit, personal
The Polis
On the positive side:
•
People work hard for the state
On the negative side:
•
Rivalries & wars between poleis
•
Also, internal class conflicts
Common Greek Identity
Language
Religion, customs
•
Athletic contests honoring the gods
City-states form leagues
•
Delphic Amphityony
•
Peloponnesian League
Timeline
Greek Bronze Age: Minoans & Mycenaens
(ca. 2900 - 1100 BCE)
Greek Dark Ages
(ca. 1150 - 750 BCE)
Age of Colonization
(ca. 750 – 500 BCE)
Persian Wars
(490 – 478 BCE)
Age of Colonization
New agriculture types > population growth
Land can’t support population > farmers go into
debt
What to do with the surplus population?
Colonize!
Age of Colonization
Site for the colony (good soil, enough natural
resources, defensible land, good spot for trade)
Independent, but close ties to the mother city
(metropolis)
Settled all around Mediterranean
Age of Colonization
Colonies relieved population pressures
Less overcrowding > easier for farmers
Provided resources to mother cities
Supported craftsman (making goods for export)
Age of Colonization
Fostered sense of cultural identity (Panhellenic
spirit)
•
Comparing selves with people from other
areas (barbarians)
Question!
The Greek colonization movement around 750 BCE
occurred primarily because of:
a)
Fear of the Dorian invasion
b)
Overpopulation of Greek lands
c)
Need to escape from internal disputes between city-states
d)
Desire to trade and make money
Answer!
The Greek colonization movement around 750 BCE
occurred primarily because of:
a)
Fear of the Dorian invasion
b)
Overpopulation of Greek lands
c)
Need to escape from internal disputes between city-states
d)
Desire to trade and make money
Hoplite Phalanx
A compact formation of heavily armored soldiers
(“hoplites”) with spears & overlapping shields
Hoplites included
farmers, craftsmen,
merchants
Crucial for development
of poleis &
for colonization
Hoplite Phalanx
New Concept of Warfare
Battles become short, brutal, head-on clashes
Wars resolved quickly
Rise of Greek Democracy
Two main paths to democracy:
•
In agricultural poleis, farmer-hoplites gain more
political power gradually, peacefully
•
In commercial poleis, disgruntled nobles (w/
frustrated middle class) seize power, set up
tyranny; later, a revolution and tyrant replaced by
more democratic government
Early Greek Democracy
High value placed on equality (at least among
citizens)
Polis largely dominated by middle class (small
landholders, merchants, craftsmen)
Scope and damage of war limited by hoplite
style of warfare
Important Poleis
Sparta
Athens
Rise of Sparta
Instead of colonizing, conquered neighboring
Messenians
•
First Messenian War, ca. 725 BCE
•
Second Messenian War, ca. 650 BCE
Turned Messenians into slave-farmers (Helots)
Rise of Sparta
Constantly on guard against Helot revolt
Became military state
This shaped many aspects of Spartan society…
Rise of Sparta
Infants
•
Would be inspected for weakness, defects
•
State judged whether should live or die
Rise of Sparta
Boys
•
Age 7 – go to live in barracks
•
Age 12 – Spartan training truly begins
•
Age 18 – two years in secret police
•
Age 20 – enter army
•
Age 30 – full citizen
•
Age 50 – able to move home
Rise of Sparta
Girls
•
Arduous training and exercise in order to bear
strong, healthy children
•
Supervise Helots and run farms
•
More liberated, outspoken, free
Rise of Sparta
Government
•
Two kings – lead army
•
Five officials (ephors) + council of elders
•
Assembly of all Spartan men – vote on issues
•
Incredibly stable system, with checks &
balances
•
Led Peloponnesian League
Rise of Sparta
Produced incredible soldiers
•
Physical prowess
•
Discipline
•
Intense training
•
Loyal to the polis above all
Question!
The Spartans felt compelled to make the army the
primary focus of their society because:
a)
Of the threat of conquest by Corinth
b)
Of the danger of a Persian invasion
c)
They wanted to conquer the Peloponnesus
d)
Of the threat of rebellion by their slaves
Answer!
The Spartans felt compelled to make the army the
primary focus of their society because:
a)
Of the threat of conquest by Corinth
b)
Of the danger of a Persian invasion
c)
They wanted to conquer the Peloponnesus
d)
Of the threat of rebellion by their slaves
Athens
Rise of Athens
When Attica was united, conquered people made
Athenian citizens (cf Spartan Helots)
Aristocratic rule, council of nobles
•
Archons (magistrates), but limited power
632 BCE Cylon attempts a coup
621 BCE Draco commissioned to write laws
600 BCE Solon given powers to reform state
Solon’s Economic Reforms
Outlawed export of grain, encouraged olive &
grape cultivation
•
Profits used to import grain from Black Sea
Developed trade & manufacturing in Athens
•
Especially pottery
Abolished debts & debt slavery
Solon’s Political Reforms
Wealth, not birth, now determined whether
someone could hold public office
Council of 400 (includes middle classes)
Poorest citizens admitted into popular assembly
and juries
Citizenship extended to immigrant tradesmen,
merchants, artisans
The Tyrant Peisistratus
After several failed tries, seizes power in 546 BCE
Public works and urban improvement ~ provided
lower classes with land & jobs on building projects
Economic prosperity ~ secured grain supply by
gaining control of town in Black Sea region
( → eventual clash with Persia)
The arts
•
Had scholars compile the definitive Iliad
•
Greek tragic drama evolved
Fall of Tyranny in Athens
Peistratus’s son Hippias ruled oppressively
Hippias driven out by Spartan soldiers
Spartans driven out by Cleisthenes
Cleisthenes’s Reforms
Established 10 tribes to break up old factions
•
Only loyalty to Athens remained
Council of 400 becomes council of 500
Gives popular assembly (of all Athenian citizens)
more power
•
Main law-making body
•
Financial & foreign affairs duties
•
Open debates
Timeline
Greek Bronze Age: Minoans & Mycenaens
(ca. 2900 - 1100 BCE)
Greek Dark Ages
(ca. 1150 - 750 BCE)
Age of Colonization
(ca. 750 – 500 BCE)
Persian Wars
(490 – 478 BCE)