ARCH 212 ANCIENT GREECE LECTURE 8 2024.ppt

Greece

2. SOURCES ON ANCIENT GREECE

3. NEOLITHIC FOUNDATION OF GREECE

4. POLEIS (CITY-STATES) 800 BCE

Polis is citadel: villagers clustered around them
Were cult centers (acropolis) for guardian deities, e.g. Athena
Served as market centers (agora)
600 BCE city-states arose due to competition, population growth
250 walled poleis, e.g.: Sparta, Athens CITY-STATE
500 BCE city states ruled by oligarchs
Oligarchy was opposed due tyranny & social hierarchies

Privileged citizens were native-born male landowners
Army - Phalange (heavy armor) and hoplites infantry army
Started Olympics Games from 776 in honor Zeus BCE IMPORTANCE ?
Adopted Mycenaean Script for trade & personal use PHALANGE HOPLITE
Competition led to frequent wars MYCENAEAN SCRIPT
 e.g.: Peloponnesian War 431-404 BCE
 Between Athens and Sparta
THE CITY: STATES -SPARTA

5. SPARTA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TI_3bJkrOA
Location: Peloponnesus
Had arable land; used
SPARTAN GOVT & CLASSES
Open male assembly
 Elected Council of 30 men over 60 years old
 Had 2 kings from 2 wealthy families ROLES?
Citizen-soldiers could vote; didn’t farm
Helots EXPLAIN
WARRIOR TRADITION
Boys’ recruited at age 7; lived in barracks ADVANTAGES?
Active service at 20-30 years
At 40 joined council of elders
Promoted equality; austere lifestyle
Women had more equality than other Greeks
CITY STATES THE EXAMPLE OF ATHENS

6. ATHENS
Located in Attica coast – relied on sea
By 600 BCE ruled by noble tyrants
Growing trade led to social inequalities
Underclass were mostly slaves, landless, foreigners
SOLON’S SOLUTIONS TO INEQUALITY
Solon leader in 594 BCE; a poet & a general
Policies:
 1. Cancelled debt-bondage
 2. Est. popular assembly & legislature
 3. But failed to redistribute land
PERICLES 423-449 BCE & DEMOCRACY
Est. direct democracy
1. Assembly met 4 times per month
 Males over 18 years could have say in policy PARTHENON PERICLES
2. Council of 500 men age 30 ratified policies
3. Strengthened citizen-jury system
4. Climax of the Greek “Golden Age”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvnTx80yhIg
COLONIZATION AND HELLENISTIC SYTHESIS

7. PATTERNS OF COLONIZATION 500- 140 BCE
COLONIZATION: REASONS
500 BCE overpopulation of the peninsula
 Not good for agric; trade, expansion
 Thus needed land for grain, timber, gold, etc.
AREA OF COLONIZATION :
Mediterranean., Black Sea, Aegean Sea, N. Africa
 Est. 400+ colonies independent colonies
 1. Non-centralized colonization
 2. No home govt. control; mostly male
 3. But retained ties with original homeland
SUCCESS & EFFECTS OF COLONIZATION
By 600 BCE more Greeks in the colonies than the city-states
New leaders called tyrants opposed oligarchs ROLES
Led to HELLENISTIC SYNTHESIS
 1. Dominant Greek culture, language, etc.
 2. Pan-Hellenic festivals - Olympic Games
 3. Acquisition of resources – tin & timber
 4. Boosted trade in pottery, wines; pottery
 5. Wealth led to urbanization, e.g. Athens, Corinth
 6. Intellectual Renaissance- re-awakening of learning
 7. Led to competition with Phoenicia