Classical GreeceClassical Greece

Two Centuries of Thought, Two Centuries of Thought, Drama, Art, and WarDrama, Art, and War

55thth Century Classical Century Classical

Attic TragedyAttic Tragedy Major form of Greek poetryMajor form of Greek poetry Submitted to archonSubmitted to archon

Publicly funded-literallyPublicly funded-literally Most performed in the theater of Dionysus (God)Most performed in the theater of Dionysus (God) Made people think about issues of the dayMade people think about issues of the day Almost always chosen from mythologyAlmost always chosen from mythology

Old ComedyOld Comedy Mostly political comedies/satiresMostly political comedies/satires Like Colbert Report or Daily Show todayLike Colbert Report or Daily Show today

Architecture and SculptureArchitecture and Sculpture

PericlesPericles Undertook extensive building program on the Undertook extensive building program on the

AcropolisAcropolis ParthenonParthenon TheatersTheaters TemplesTemples

Representation of the Greatness and power of Representation of the Greatness and power of AthensAthens

Not military, but civilizationNot military, but civilization

ColumnsColumns Doric, Ionic, and CorinthianDoric, Ionic, and Corinthian

Philosophy/HistoryPhilosophy/History AtomistsAtomists

World consists of tiny, solid, indivisible, unchangeable World consists of tiny, solid, indivisible, unchangeable particlesparticles

When joined they create colors and shapes (i.e. what we When joined they create colors and shapes (i.e. what we seesee

SophistsSophists Traveled and were paid to teachTraveled and were paid to teach Law was a creation, not part of natureLaw was a creation, not part of nature

How does this fit with the idea of the polis?How does this fit with the idea of the polis? HistoryHistory

Herodotus-Persian WarHerodotus-Persian War used evidence of legends and oracles-reliable?used evidence of legends and oracles-reliable?

Thucydides-Peloponnesian WarThucydides-Peloponnesian War Much more scientific in his appraochMuch more scientific in his appraoch

44thth Century Classical Century Classical

Internal and external strife evident in Internal and external strife evident in worksworks Class conflictClass conflict Professionalism in the militaryProfessionalism in the military Reduction in citizenship populationReduction in citizenship population Increased resident alien populationIncreased resident alien population

Drama/ArtDrama/Art

Turn away from polis and exploration Turn away from polis and exploration of the individual selfof the individual self Daily life now the subjectDaily life now the subject

Menander-Menander- Domestic tragicomedyDomestic tragicomedy

Like modern day sitcomsLike modern day sitcoms Everything will work out in the endEverything will work out in the end

SculptureSculpture Away from the ideal to the realAway from the ideal to the real

AmphitheaterAmphitheater

PhilosophyPhilosophy

Socrates-469-399 bceSocrates-469-399 bce Search for truth about human affairsSearch for truth about human affairs Questioned and at times condemned democracyQuestioned and at times condemned democracy IndividualismIndividualism

All got him into a lot of troubleAll got him into a lot of trouble 399 bce399 bce

Condemned to death for bringing new gods into the Condemned to death for bringing new gods into the citycity

More importantly his ideas and teaching blamed for More importantly his ideas and teaching blamed for Athenian loss in Peloponnesian WarAthenian loss in Peloponnesian War

Drinks the HemlockDrinks the Hemlock Believed in the PolisBelieved in the Polis

Philosophy Con’tPhilosophy Con’t

The Cynic SchoolThe Cynic School Diogenes of Sinope-400-325Diogenes of Sinope-400-325

Kosmopolites- citizen of the world not the polisKosmopolites- citizen of the world not the polis Satisfication in natural needsSatisfication in natural needs

Not natural is not indecent Not natural is not indecent Ridiculed religious observationsRidiculed religious observations

Plato-429-347 bcePlato-429-347 bce Student of SocratesStudent of Socrates

Provides the only documentation of Socrates’ Provides the only documentation of Socrates’ teachingteaching

360-founded the academy that last until 6360-founded the academy that last until 6thth century ce century ce Believed in the virtues of the polisBelieved in the virtues of the polis Search for goodness Search for goodness

Aristotle- 384-322 bceAristotle- 384-322 bce

336 bc- Lyceum336 bc- Lyceum Gathering, ordering, and analyzing human Gathering, ordering, and analyzing human

knowledgeknowledge TeleologicalTeleological

Purpose went beyond the individual human beingPurpose went beyond the individual human being The good lifeThe good life

Moderate wealth, comfort and pleasureModerate wealth, comfort and pleasure The importance of the middle-classThe importance of the middle-class

Rich-=arrogantRich-=arrogant Poor-=malicePoor-=malice Middle=class- stabilityMiddle=class- stability

Defender of the polisDefender of the polis

Peloponnesian WarPeloponnesian War

Dilean LeagueDilean League CausesCauses

Civil War on EpidamnusCivil War on Epidamnus Corinth-ally of SpartaCorinth-ally of Sparta

Also had 2Also had 2ndnd largest fleet in Agean largest fleet in Agean Corcyra- allied with AthensCorcyra- allied with Athens

Broke 30 years peace after first warBroke 30 years peace after first war 432 bce- Spartans meet to consider situation432 bce- Spartans meet to consider situation

Athens (by now an empire) seen as threat to Athens (by now an empire) seen as threat to enslave all of Greeceenslave all of Greece

Vote for warVote for war

Con’tCon’t

Spartans StrategySpartans Strategy Invade, threaten crops, engaged in hoplite Invade, threaten crops, engaged in hoplite

battle, and win.battle, and win. Athenian strategyAthenian strategy

Allow destruction of landAllow destruction of land Show Sparta they could not hurt AthensShow Sparta they could not hurt Athens Use Navy on Peloponnesian League alliesUse Navy on Peloponnesian League allies Force them to urge Sparta to sue for peaceForce them to urge Sparta to sue for peace 429 bce429 bce

Confined and lack of food creates famineConfined and lack of food creates famine Pericles die Pericles die

Athens RiseAthens Rise

Cleon takes powerCleon takes power More aggressive tacticsMore aggressive tactics Spartan sue for peace, but Athens continues Spartan sue for peace, but Athens continues

warwar Try to take Megara and Broetia-failTry to take Megara and Broetia-fail

423 bce truce423 bce truce

BrasidasBrasidas Takes Spartan Army to Thrace and MacedoniaTakes Spartan Army to Thrace and Macedonia

422 bce-Cleon meets with his own army422 bce-Cleon meets with his own army Both men dieBoth men die 421 bce- Peace of Nicias421 bce- Peace of Nicias

Athens FallAthens Fall Peace never heldPeace never held

Neither side carried out commitmentsNeither side carried out commitments Failure of ratificationFailure of ratification 415 bce Athenian attack on Sicily415 bce Athenian attack on Sicily

413 bce- end in failure and naval weakness413 bce- end in failure and naval weakness Persians join with alliance with SpartaPersians join with alliance with Sparta 405 bce- Athenian fleet destroyed at 405 bce- Athenian fleet destroyed at

AegospotamiAegospotami Could not rebuild anotherCould not rebuild another

LysanderLysander Cuts off food supply at HellespontCuts off food supply at Hellespont 404 bce- 404 bce- Athens starved into submissionAthens starved into submission Installs oligarchic state in Athens- Thirty TyrantsInstalls oligarchic state in Athens- Thirty Tyrants

Power shiftsPower shifts

Sparta a weak empireSparta a weak empire War with Persia over Asia minor costlyWar with Persia over Asia minor costly Persians support ThebesPersians support Thebes

Corinthian War- 395-387 bceCorinthian War- 395-387 bce Sparta falls, Thebes in powerSparta falls, Thebes in power

ResultsResults Athenians and Peloponnesian coalition rise upAthenians and Peloponnesian coalition rise up Thebes falls from powerThebes falls from power Revolts forces Athens to abandon most of Revolts forces Athens to abandon most of

empireempire