city states of greece
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City States of Greece. Geography of Greece. Peninsula jutting into the Mediterranean Sea Made up of over 4000 islands Surrounded by three seas Mediterranean Sea Ionian Sea Aegean Sea The Greeks became great sailors and colonized many lands. The Land of Greece. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
City States of Greece
Geography of Greece• Peninsula jutting into
the Mediterranean Sea • Made up of over 4000
islands• Surrounded by three
seas– Mediterranean Sea– Ionian Sea– Aegean Sea
• The Greeks became great sailors and colonized many lands
The Land of Greece• Rugged mountains,
deep valleys• Terrain shaped
politics of Grecians– Mountains divided
cities from each other = ISOLATION!
– Led to many different forms of government
– Made communication & overland trade difficult
• Only about 20% of land was good for farming
• Trade was lifeline
Central Greece – very ruggedterrain, not good for agriculture
Rise of City States• City states =
independent cities (like who?)
• Polis = “City”• Center of polis = Acropolis • Acropolis = fortified hill
Acropolis ofAthens
Greek Politics: Different strokes for different folks
• Because of physical isolation, many different government forms were invented– Tyranny: one person w/
absolute power to rule– Monarchy / Aristocracy:
king w/ advisor nobles– Oligarchy: small group
rules– Democracy: people rule
• Citizen soldiers protected polis
Armies of the City States• Iron weapons were cheap &
very common; owned by virtually all Greeks– Bronze armor though (lighter,
better metallurgy)• Led to the rise of the citizen-
soldier• Called “hoplite”
– Armed with long (6-8’) spear & a short sword (used only in emergency)
– Armored with bronze breast plate, helmet, shield
– Fought together with friends from young age (lower chance to run away)
Phalanx: Fact . . .
• Group of hoplites fighting in formation
• Formation a solid block of spears, men
• Each man protected the man to his left with his shield (tended to drift right)
• Relatively few casualties (too tired to pursue)
Phalanx: . . . and Fiction
The historical phalanx
The 300 phalanx
The City State of Sparta• Located in Southern
Peloponnese peninsula, made up of five villages
• Spartans conquered neighboring Messenians, enslaving them
• Around 600 BC, Messenians revolted– Spartans almost defeated– Changed government to
make state supreme: Purpose?
– Purpose: survival of Sparta
Original territory of Sparta; by500 BC, they controlled up toRed line across middle of pic
The City State Sparta• Education (“Agoge”)
– Male education dedicated to developing physical, mental, moral, social Spartan
– Brutal training lasted 11 years, from age 7 years
– Taught how to fight, steal, live off land, endure terrible hardship
– They were simply the best in Greece
– Spartiates = full citizens
– Women were treated = to men, but could not be citizens
The City State Sparta• Class structure: three
classes– Helots = Messenians
• Conquered people were essentially slaves
• Subject to cruel, brutal treatment by all
– Spartans (“Spartiates”)• Any resident of original five
villages who completed agoge• Their life was dedicated to
protecting the state– Perioikoi (Honors!)
• Non citizen resident of Sparta• Farmers, merchants who were
not citizens
The City State Sparta• Government
– Monarchy: Two kings (hereditary rulers; agoge; military, political, religious leaders)
– Oligarchy: Council of Elders (Senate)• 28 spartiates, 60+ years• Day to day decisions
– Democracy: Assembly• All spartiates, 18+ • Vote yes or no only
– Five Ephors• Any spartiate• Responsible for best interests
of state• Indep. of king, senate, assembly (beat king)
2 SpartanKings
Ephors(Overseers)
Assembly of Spartiates
Council of Elders(Senate)
Non Spartans (Periokoi, Helots) – no political rights
Perspective: Spartan Military Success
• The Spartan army was defeated only 6 times in battle, in almost 250 years– Athenians (2x)– Thebans (2x)– Argives (1x)– Persians (1x)
• Simply the finest Greek land force, ever – but at what cost?
The City State Athens
• Located on European mainland, near coast– Oldest continuously
inhabited city in Europe (3000+ years)
• City was a port, only 8 km from sea Artist’s rendition of Athens, ca. 400 BC
The City State Athens• Law code first written
around 621 BC– Unfair law written by
Draco (“Draconian”)• Most punishments =
death• Can’t pay debt =
slavery to creditor– People rejected &
threatened civil war• New code written in
594 BC, by Solon– Allowed more land to
poor farmers– No more debt slavery – Encouraged trade,
commerce (middle class)
Draco - Lawgiver
Solon – lawgiver
Athenian Democracy• Athenian democracy
(“demos” = people; “cratia” = rule) arose about 510 BC– All citizens split into ten artificial
“tribes”; citizens attended assembly to hear debate and vote
– Assembly was both a legislature and a supreme court
– Offices filled by lot (random chance)
– Ten Strategos (generals) elected for 1 year term
– Assembly had power to ostracize, or banish, citizens for 10 years
Athenian Democracy• Who were citizens?
– Males who completed their military training
– Disallowed majority of Athenians• Slaves, women, debtors
• Direct democracy– Citizens heard debate and
voted directly on issues– Citizens expected to serve
as government officials, if chosen
– Absolute majority rule (50% +1)
Legacy of Athenian Democracy
• Most stable democracy in Greece
• Gave people voice in government
• Rule of law (all subject to rules of society)
• Democracy spread throughout Mediterranean world, including Rome
• Huge influence on USA, too
Other City States• Thebes
– Often fought with Athens– “Sacred Band” = core of
army• 150 homosexual couples
(bravest soldiers on battlefield)
• Professional soldiers• Beat Spartans twice!
• Corinth– Strategic location astride
isthmus– Often allied with Sparta