WEEK 2-3: ANCIENT GREECE

POL-110HA Revolution Now!

Democracy in Troubled Times

HISTORY TIPS

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND ABOUT STUDYING HISTORY Bias and Point of View

everyone has a bias when they tell a story or relate events

based on things like background, family, experiences, economics, class, education, culture, religion, etc.

Missing/Incomplete RecordsExact information about ancient events is

often scarceMany records were kept on materials that degraded over time

ANCIENT GREECE OVERVIEW

MAP OF CLASSICAL GREECE(C.450 BCE)

GREEK GEOGRAPHY many plains and river valleys surrounded by

very tall Mountains led to individual Greek communities developing in

isolation the copious amount of coastline

Greeks became known as skilled seafarers

THE GREEK CITY-STATE Developed fully by the

8th Century BCE Essentially self-

contained mini-countries

Citizens identified as belonging both to their city-state and to Greece

Rivalries and occasional cooperation

primarily important during the Archaic and Classical Periods of Ancient Greek history

THE TWO MEANINGS OF THE POLIS (PLURAL POLEIS) City, town, or village

would have a central meeting point for the people If a hill, this was called

the acropolis Evacuation site and

religious center agora was located

below place for people to

assemble and marketplace Community of

citizens

3 GROUPS IN THE POLIS citizens with political rights

adult males political rights and responsibilities

citizens without political rights women and children of male citizens

non-citizens slaves and resident aliens

WHAT MAKES UP ANCIENT GREECE?

ANCIENT GREECE PERIODS

Minoan c.2000-1400 BCE or BC

Mycenaean c.1600-1100 BCE

Dark Ages c.1100-750 BCE

Archaic c.750-480 BCE

Classical c.480-338 BCE

Hellenistic c.338-146 BCE

Roman c.146-330 CE or AD

ANCIENT GREECE PERIOD:MINOAN (C.2000-1400 BCE)

based on the Island of Crete

not ethnically, religiously or linguistically Greek

accepted as having an influence on Greek development

destruction is a matter of some debate possibly tsunami probably conquered by

the Mycenaean force from mainland Greece

ANCIENT GREEK PERIOD:MYCENAEAN (C.1600-1100 BCE)

known for its large fortified cities called palace-centers

complex social structure early form of written

Greek source/setting of Homer’s

account of the Trojan War in the Iliad and the Odyssey

overthrown by Greek speaking invaders from territory to the north massive loss of culture and

structure would follow

ANCIENT GREEK PERIOD:DARK AGES (C.1100-750 BCE)

Massive reduction in farming

Cultural decline Economic decline Population shrinks Mass emigration to

Northern Greece, islands, and Asia Minor (modern Turkey)

Homer’s literary works emerge at the end of the period

Beginnings of the city-states, or polis

ANCIENT GREEK PERIOD:ARCHAIC (C.750-480 BCE)

Resurgence of culture Perfection of the polis, or city-state New military system

Hoplites Phalanx Men responsible for buying own armor

This stabilized class struggle between the aristocrats and the peasants Men who were able to fight for their own city-state began to desire a

voice possible beginnings of a form of democracy

in Sparta in c. 600 BCE (at the latest) and in Athens by c.508-507 BCE

ANCIENT GREEK PERIOD:ARCHAIC (C.750-480 BCE)-COLONIES

Reasons for colonies To create centers of trade To create centers to collect goods To escape the issues on the

mainland Colonial format

Set up as a polis Usually independent of the

mother polis (metropolis) Why was colonization

important? Spread Greek culture Made Greece solidify its identity Increased trade Created a wealthy merchant class

ANCIENT GREEK PERIOD:ARCHAIC (C.750-480 BCE)-TYRANTS

Position of king was eliminated in most city-states by the end of the 8th Century BCE Kings were replaced by aristocrats

The tyrant replaced many aristocrats Tyrants often took control of a

city-state a coup d’état they did not have to obey any laws backed by enemies of the aristocrats kept power by paying for mercenaries kept their backers happy

building projects that brought jobs encouraged business patrons of the arts and culture

ANCIENT GREEK PERIOD:CLASSICAL (C.480-338 BCE)

High point of: art, drama,

architecture, education, and philosophy

Democracy continues to develop

Peloponnesian Wars between Athens and

Sparta Period ended 338 BCE

invasion of Philip II of Macedon He ended the city-states’

power

ANCIENT GREEK PERIOD:CLASSICAL (C.480-338 BCE)-PLAYWRIGHTS Tragedy

Aeschylus 7 of 70-90 plays survive Themes of justice, vengeance, and

obedience Gods were very important in his works

Sophocles Themes of trying to escape fate and the

tragic hero More about characters than the myths People bring themselves down—not the

godsEuripides

18-19 of 92-95 plays survive dealt with individuals and the internal

conflict with good and evil

ANCIENT GREEK PERIOD:CLASSICAL (C.480-338 BCE)-PHILOSOPHERS Socrates

None of his writings remain Executed with hemlock

For corrupting the youth and disrespecting the gods

Known for ethics and logic Critic of democracy Founder of Western philosophy Socratic Method

Plato Student of Socrates Teacher of Aristotle Founder of the Academy in Athens Best known for his Dialogues

Discusses mathematics, ethics, logic, philosophy, rhetoric, and religion

One of the founders of Western philosophy

ANCIENT GREEK PERIOD:CLASSICAL (C.480-338 BCE)-PHILOSOPHERS Aristotle

Student of Plato Teacher of Alexander the Great contributed to the disciplines of physics, poetry, metaphysics,

theatre, music, logic, ethics, rhetoric, biology, zoology, linguistics, and politics

Many of his writings have been lost Those that remain are called the Corpus Aristotelicum

ANCIENT GREEK PERIOD:CLASSICAL (C.480-338 BCE)-PHYSICIAN

HippocratesFather of

Western medicine

Hippocratic Oath One of the oldest

“binding documents” in history

First appeared about 100 years after Hippocrates’ death

ANCIENT GREEK PERIOD:CLASSICAL (C.480-338 BCE)-STATESMAN Pericles

Most influential statesmen and general in Athens between the Persian and Peloponnesian Wars

Basically turned Athens into an empire Champion of Athenian democracy

Understood the importance of culture and the arts

Civic improvements Including new buildings on the

Acropolis Known for giving Pericles’

Funeral Oration As recorded by Thucydides

ANCIENT GREEK PERIOD:CLASSICAL (C.480-338 BCE)-HISTORIANS Herodotus

Widely considered to be the “Father of History” First to attempt a systematic

collection of reasonably verifiable historical facts

Some concern that some of his information might be fiction

Thucydides Widely called the “Father of

Scientific History” More concerned about

systematically verifying evidence and analysis without reference to the gods

History of the Peloponnesian War

ANCIENT GREEK PERIOD:CLASSICAL (C.480-338 BCE)-DELIAN LEAGUE Confederacy of Greek city-states

Led by Athens Founded in 478 BCE

Marketed as mutual defense against Persians Actually a vehicle for Athens to grow their empire

ANCIENT GREEK PERIOD:HELLENISTIC (C.338-146 BCE)

Greek empire reaches its largest size

Alexander the Great King of Macedon Son of Philip II Student of Aristotle Considered be one of the greatest

military commanders in history Conquered the Persian Empire

Spread Greek culture farther East than it had yet gone Particularly Egypt

Largely ended democratic rule in Greece (particularly Athens)

ANCIENT GREEK PERIOD:ROMAN (C.146 BCE-330 CE)

Greece after it was conquered by Rome

Ends when the Emperor Constantine made Constantinople the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire

ATHENS

ATHENS BEFORE DEMOCRACY

Started as a monarchy Monarchy changed to rule by

the aristocracy Councils

Areopagus had the most power Lesser council was made up of 9

Archons Each had a term lasting 1 year

Ecclesia Citizens’ assembly with little power Only “full citizens” could

participate Economic troubles

So severe that farmers sold themselves into slavery to pay their debts

SOLON Chosen by the ruling aristocracy to be the

sole Archon Economic changes

Forgave all current land debt Outlawed using people as collateral for loans Freed people who had been forced into slavery

by debt Created a slave class

Political changes Created the Council of 400 Made wealth—instead of birth—a condition

for political office Allowed for upward mobility

4 classes of wealth with the 1st 2 eligible to be Archon

Heliaea Men of all classes could vote and sit in new

popular court

TYRANNY COMES TO ATHENS

Fall of Aristocratic Power After Solon, various aristocrats

competed for power Pisistratus

Declared himself tyrant in 560 BCE Did not make many obvious

changes Instituted programs designed to

make him popular with specific groups of voters

Hippias Son of Pisistratus More extreme policies than his

father Resulted in his exile

CLEISTHENES THE REFORMER

In power 508-501 BCE Stopped aristocratic takeover and unrest Wanted to reform the system Shifted power to the demes

Villages and townships Placed the demes into 10 tribes cross-secting

regions and social classes 50 men from each sat on the Council of 500

Assembly was made up of all male citizens (maybe 30,000) Final authority on all laws after open debate

Laid the foundations for democracy Increased political participation throughout

geography and social classes Tied to military participation

THE PERSIAN WARS First Persian War (490-479 BCE)

Turned Athens into an Empire Gave the Council of 500 and the Assembly

more important things to talk about The Greeks saw the major

difference between them and the Persians as: CITIZEN vs. SUBJECT

First Persian attack was met by Athenians at the Plain of Marathon 26 miles from Athens

Made the idea of citizen soldiers who bought their own armor important

THE PERSIAN WARS (CONT.)

Athens gets a navy in between Persian invasions Themistocles

convinced the voters that a navy would be a good addition to their military readiness

Invasion of Xerxes (480 BCE) Persians had

About 150,000 troops and 700 warships Greeks planned to hold the only road

so that the Athenian navy could deal with the Persian navy

Greeks were led by King Leonidas of Sparta with 300 Spartans

Athens was evacuated Greek navy, led by Athens, won the

Battle of Salamis

THE DELIAN LEAGUE MAKES ATHENS AN EMPIRE

Greek alliance Controlled by Athens

Created to fight the Persian Empire Begun 478-477 BCE Liberated all remaining Greek city-

states and essentially ended the Persian threat by 469 BCE

Some city-states wanted to leave (or secede from) the League Athens response was to invade

destroyed walls took navy removed their freedom required to pay tribute to Athens

League basically became an extension of Athens Turned them into an empire

5 CHANGES IMPERIAL STATUS BROUGHT TO ATHENS

1)Council of 500 and the Assembly had larger and more significant matters to deal with

2)the empire paid tribute to Athens which allowed Athens to pay some political posts for the first time

3)Athens had the power to force the spread of democracy where possible a few oligarchies were allowed to remain

4)Athens became more elite resulted in a large number (10s of

thousands) of disenfranchised people 5)money and power the empire

brought kept the wealthy Athenians happy enough It would be a while before they considered

oligarchy

OSTRACISM Allowed the removal of any official

who had lost the people’s respect Citizens wrote the name of the

person they felt was most hurting the polis If at least 6,000 votes were cast, the

man with the most votes was exiled for 15 years He could be brought back if the city needed

him Democratic alternative to actual

tyranicide Allowed the people to remove bad

or unsympathetic leaders Gave power to regular citizens Made leaders answerable to the people

THE AGE OF PERICLES Pericles began to lead Athens around the

450s BCE Aristocrat Wanted Athens to break ties with old rival

Sparta Height of Athenian power, culture, and

democracy Democracy increased in popularity with the

people Full citizens above age 18 could participate in

the Assembly May have been as many as 43,000 Only about 6,000 could fit in the meeting place (the

Pnyx) A few respected leaders did most of the talking

Routine administration and bureaucracy was run by the city magistrates Chosen randomly to serve a one year term

10 Generals Chosen to Guide the People Amount of power determined by amount of

respect given to them by the people

THE AGE OF PERICLES:THE PELOPONNESIAN WARS

Athens vs. Sparta 1st Peloponnesian War(c.460-445

BCE) Athens agreed to give up most of land

empire Sparta agreed to recognize Athens’ naval

empire Great Peloponnesian War(431-

404BCE) Athenian conflicts with Spartan allies

Sparta warned Athens to back off Athens hoped for naval battles Sparta hoped to fight Athenian army Plague in Athens in the 2nd year

About 1/3 of the population died Pericles died from the plague in the 3rd year

THE PEACE OF NICIAS AND MORE PELOPONNESIAN WAR

Peace of Nicias (421 BCE) Negotiated by new Athenian leader

(Nicias) After the death of Pericles and those

prominent generals who were in favor of the war

Both sides agreed to a 50 year truce Phase #2 of the War

Began 6 years after the agreement to have a truce lasting 50 years

Started by Pericles’ nephew (Alcibiades) Removed during the campaign for profaning

religion Sicilian attack was disastrous for

Athens and Democracy When they tried to take Syracuse

All of the troops were either killed or captured and sold into slavery

ATHENIAN DEMOCRACY WANES

As Peloponnesian Wars End Democracy was abolished in Athens, and an

oligarchy temporarily (411-410 BCE) took its place

Final loss occurred in 405 BCE with the defeat of the Athenian navy

Athens’ enemies laid siege to the city They surrendered the following year

Sparta became the most powerful city-state

Sparta Spreads Oligarchy With 10 man boards overseen by Spartan

garrisons The 30 Tyrants

Oligarchy with 30 members Set up in Athens by the Spartans Executed 1,500 democratic opponents

Sparta eventually allowed return to Democracy