ANCIENT AND

CLASSICAL GREECE
CIVILIZATION COMES TO
EUROPE

PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY

The Land

Mountains dominate land; cross land travel difficult

Fertile river valleys were center of settlement
River valleys formed basis of polis
No place more than a few miles from sea
Outdoor life common due to temperate climate

The Sea

Greece is a series of peninsulas, islands

Sea travel easier than land communication
Most Greeks took to the sea

Economy

Agriculture: Grains, honey, olives, grapes

Herding: Goats, sheep, cattle
Trade: Necessary to make up for lack of resources

PHYSICAL MAP OF AREA

 Knossos

MINOAN SOCIETY

Minoan society arose on Crete, late 3rd millennium B.C.E.

Takes name from legendary king of Knossos, Minos
Lavish palaces at Knossos, between 2000 and 1700 B.C.E.
Linear A, a kind of written language, is found

Island of Crete

From 2200 to 1450 B.C.E., center of Mediterranean commerce

Received early influences from Phoenicia and Egypt
Established colonies on Cyprus and islands in the Aegean Sea

Society

Much evidence of egalitarian society; women had rights

Agriculture was important: grapes, olives, fishing, wheat
Trade was very important: marble, artifacts, cloth

Decline of Minoan Society

After 1700 B.C.E., earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis

After 1450 B.C.E., wealth attracted a number of invaders
By 1100 B.C.E., Crete fell under foreign (Hellenic) domination

THE ISLAND OF CRETE

MYCENAEAN GREECE
Mycenaean society

Indo-European immigrants settled in area, 2000 B.C.E.

Adapted Minoan Linear A into their script Linear B
Fortified agricultural settlements in Peloponnesus
Most important settlement was Mycenae
Society resembled Aryan: emphasis on war, trade
Kingdoms ruled by strongest of nobles; constant strife

Chaos in the eastern Mediterranean 1100 to 800 BCE

Mycenaeans engaged in Trojan war, about 1200 B.C.E.

Troy may have been a Hittite city-state and trade rival

Tomb of Agamemnon, Troy excavated by von Schliemann
Recorded by Homer in the Illiad and the Odyssey

More invasions by Hellenic tribes

Sea Peoples

Later Hellenic invaders moved by sea along coasts

Seemed to have raided into Palestine, Egypt as Philistines

ANCIENT GREECE

THE GREEK DARK AGES

800 TO 500 BCE

Called Dark Ages due to loss of writing

Age remembered through oral traditions
A period of migration and warfare
Hellenes spread to Italy, Sicily, Asia Minor,
Cyprus

The Hellenes

Indo-Europeans who settled in area

Tribes include Dorians, Attics, Achaeans
Originally aristocratic societies
Warfare, slavery, and trade common

GREEK TRIBES

THE POLIS
Greek City-State

Polis = city-state; Poleis = city-states

Metropolis = city of polis
Acropolis = fortified center of city
Boundaries shaped by geography
Terms of politics come from POLIS

Politics, politic, politician, polite, polity

Police, metropolis, metroplex

Most important
Athens
Sparta

POLIS OF ATTICA

POLITICAL FORMS
Archon: Greek for ruler English archy
Kratien: Greek for to rule English cracy

Demos: People Democracy (direct election)

Aristos: The Best Aristocracy (nobles)
Oligos: The Few Oligarchy (rule by select few)
Monos: One Monarchy (rule by a king)
Di: Two Diarchy (Spartas state had 2 kings)
An: None Anarchy (No government)
Theos: God Theocracy (Rule by priests, religion)
Geron: Old Man Gerontocracy (rule by elderly)
Pater: Father Patriarchy (rule by males)
Mater: Mother Matriarchy (rule by women)
Auto: Self Autocracy (dictatorial rule)
Tyrannos: Tyrant Tyranny (rule by a dictator)
Ethnos: Ethnic or locals Ethnarchy (rule by the local people)

SPARTA
Sparta

Situated in a fertile region of the Peloponnesus

Began to extend control during the 8th and 7th centuries B.C.E.
Reduced neighboring peoples to the status of helots, or servants
By 6th century B.C.E., helots outnumbered Spartans by 10 to 1
Maintained domination by a powerful military machine

Discouraged social distinction, observed austere lifestyle

Distinction was drawn by prowess, discipline, and military talent
Commitment to military values was strong
Society was a military aristocracy; state ruled by two kings
Young boys, girls educated in military barracks
After marriage, men still lived at barracks; women ran homes
Women: surprisingly free in comparison to other Greek women
All merchants were foreigners licensed by state

Spartan society

LACONIA: SPARTA

 Athens

ATHENS

Population growth, economic development caused political strain

Sought to negotiate order by democratic principles
Citizenship was open to free adult males
Foreigners, slaves, and women had no rights

Maritime trade brought about prosperity

Aristocratic landowners were principal beneficiaries
Owners of small plots began to sell lands, some became slaves
Class tension became intensified, the 6th century B.C.E.

Athenian society

Solon and Athenian democracy

Solon forged a compromise between the classes

Opened polis councils for any male citizen

Pericles (ca. 443-429 B.C.E.)

The most popular democratic leader of Athens

Ruled Athens during its Golden Age

GREECE & THE LARGER WORLD

Greeks founded more than 400 colonies
Controlled Black, Aegean, Adriatic, Ionian Seas
Settled Sicily, S. Italy, Corsica, France, Spain, Africa
Settled Coasts of Yugoslavia, Albania, Turkey, Cyprus

Effects of Greek colonization

Facilitated trade among Mediterranean lands

Facilitate exchanges between peoples, cultures
Spread of Greek language and cultural traditions
Stimulated development of surrounding areas
Spread civilization to ancient, Neolithic areas
Warfare increased
Technology stimulated: naval, navigation, astronomy

THE GREEK WORLD

GREEK MILITARY
Based on citizen soldiers

Lightly armed, armored foot soldiers (Hoplites)

Carry shields, long spear

All citizens had to furnish own arms, armor
All citizens expected to fight in army, navy
All citizens had military training in school

Fought in massed formations called Phalanx

Very useful in rugged terrain; used 10 long pikes

Easily defeats massed cavalry favored by others

Greek navy

Rowed vessels called galleys

Most famous was the trireme or three oar banked

Rowed by free citizens
Fought by ramming other vessels; than hand to hand

Greek fleets included larger vessels

Equites or mounted troops were aristocrats

THE PERSIAN WARS

The Persian War (500-479 B.C.E.)

Cyrus and Darius controlled Anatolia

Greek cities on Ionian coast revolted, 500 B.C.E.
Darius Invasion

The battle of Marathon, 490 B.C.E.

Greeks led by Spartans and Athens battled Persia to a draw

Xerxes Invasion

To fight Persians, Athenians build a wall of wood, or a navy

Xerxes seized, burned Athens
Athenian navy destroys Persian in the battle of Salamis, 480 B.C.E.
Persian army retreated back to Anatolia, 479 B.C.E.

The Delian League

Alliance among Greek poleis against Persian threat

Military force from Athens, finance from other poleis
As Persian threat subsided, poleis no longer wanted to participate
Athens uses navy to turn Delian League into Athenian Empire

PELOPONNESIAN WAR
Pericles Rebuilds Athens
Athens experiences a Golden Age
Pericles turns Delian states into Athenian colonies

30 Year Civil War (431-404 B.C.E.)

Athens and Allies vs. Sparta and Allies
Costly victories/defeats and plague wreck city
Unconditional surrender of Athens, 404 B.C.E.

Hegemony first by Sparta and then by Thebes

Constant warfare between leagues, allies
Spartan hegemony replaced by Theban
Greece horribly weakened
Athens remained intellectual center of Greece

RISE OF MACEDONIA
The kingdom of Macedon

A frontier state north of peninsular Greece

Partially Hellenized society

Philip of Macedon (re. 359-336 B.C.E.)

Built a powerful army, overcame the power of clan leaders

Began to offend Greece from 350 B.C.E.
Brought Greece under control by 338 B.C.E.
Murdered possibly by wife and son

Educated by Aristotle; gifted in many areas

At age 20, Alexander succeeded Philip
Invaded Persia, controlled Ionia and Anatolia, 333 B.C.E.
By 331 B.C.E., controlled Syria, Egypt, Mesopotamia
Invaded Persian homeland and burned Persepolis
Crossed Indus River by 327 B.C.E.
Died in 323 B.C.E. at age of 33

Alexander of Macedon and his conquests

ALEXANDERS EMPIRE

HELLENISTIC EMPIRES

The Hellenistic Era: Age of Alexander and his successors

Saw a blending of Hellenic (Greek) and Asian, Egyptian traditions

A Greek layer of upper class ruled over an Asians, Egyptians

The Antigonid empire in Greece, Macedonia and Thrace

Continuous tension between the Antigonid rulers and Greek cities

The economy of Athens flourished again through trade
Overpopulation, many moved to the Seleucid empire

The Ptolemaic empire ruled Egypt, Cyprus, often Holy Land

The wealthiest of the Hellenistic empires
Greek rulers did not interfere in Egyptian society
Efficient organization of agriculture, industry, and taxation
Royal monopolies over textiles, salt, and beer
Alexandria

The capital of Ptolemaic empire, at the mouth of the Nile

Cultural center: the famous Alexandria Museum and Alexandria Library

The Seleucid empire Mesopotamia, Persia, India

More Greek influence than in Egypt

Greek, Macedonian colonists flocked to new Greek
Colonists created a Mediterranean-style urban society

Parthians, Bactrians, Mauryans, Romans were all Hellenistic

HELLENISTIC WORLD

INTEGRATION OF
MEDITERRANEAN

Trade

Olive oil, wine, in exchange for grain and other items

Trade brought prosperity, population growth, colonization
Merchant ships with 400 tons capacity were common
Some cities relied more on commerce than on agriculture
Controlled slave markets of Eastern Mediterranean
Trade rivalry with Carthage in North Africa
Athenian silver drachma was common currency

Panhellenic festivals

Sense of being Greek prevailed among all Greeks

Romans later admitted to Panhellenic, Olympic games
Colonists shared the same religion and language
Periodic panhellenic festivals reinforced their common bonds
Olympic games, the best known panhellenic festival

FAMILY AND SOCIETY

Greek society in Homer's works

Heroic warriors and outspoken wives in Homer's world

Strong-willed human beings clashed constantly
Highest achieve was arete

Aristocracy (landed elites) vs. common

Over years, aristocracy gradually came to control most states

Held most of the social, political power

Patriarchal society

Male family heads ruled households, could abandon newborns

Upper-class women wore veils in public, accompanied by servants
Women could not own land but could operate small business
Priestess was the only public position for women
Spartan women enjoyed higher status than women of other poleis
Common occupation of women was cloth making

Slavery

By law, slaves were private chattel property of their owners

Worked as agricultural laborers, domestic servants
Educated or skilled slaves worked as craftsmen, business managers
Slaves were commonly prisoners of war

RATIONITY AND PHILOSOPHY

The formation of Greek cultural traditions

Socrates (470-399 B.C.E.)

From the 8th century, drew inspirations from Mesopotamia and Egypt
About 800 B.C.E., adapted the Phoenicians' alphabet to their own language
The Greek cultural feature: a philosophy based on human reason, rationality

An Athenian philosopher, determined to understand human beings

Encouraged reflection on ethics and morality

Critical scrutiny to traditional ethical teachings

Was condemned to death on charge of corrupting Athenian youths

A zealous disciple of Socrates

The theory of Forms or Ideas
His Republic expressed the ideal of philosophical kings

Plato's disciple, but distrusted theory of Forms or Ideas

Devised rules of logic to construct arguments; father of western science
His Nicomedian Ethics became later basis in Christianity

Intellectual authorities for European philosophers until 17th century

Intellectual inspiration for Christian and Islamic theologians.
Provided a powerful intellectual framework for future generations

Integrity was more important than wealth and fame

"The unexamined life is not worth living"

Plato (430-347 B.C.E.)

Aristotle (384-322 B.C.E.)

Legacy of Greek philosophy

GREEK RELIGION & FINE ARTS

Greek Polytheism

Atheism considered treason, illogical

Deities: Zeus, Athena, Apollo and many others
Worship tied to patriotism and civics of the polis
Public worship and house gods

Various types of religious cults

Dionysian Rites
Oracle of Delphi

The Theatre

Tragic drama (Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides)

Dramas performed at annual theatrical festivals

Tragedians explored possibilities, limitations of human action
Comic drama (Aristophanes)
Lampooned public and political figures

Art and Architecture

Both were for public consumption and public enjoyment

Balance, proportion and rationality part of design

HELLENISTIC WORLD VIEWS

Hellenistic philosophers
Epicureans

Identified pleasure as greatest good; freedom from turmoil, pressure

Skeptics

Doubted certainty of knowledge, sought equanimity

Stoics

Taught individuals duty to aid others, lead virtuous lives

Emphasized inner moral independence and tranquillity
Cultivated by strict discipline of the body and mind.

Religions of salvation

Many people felt no allegiance to old gods, beliefs

Syncretism: Mixing of Greek, foreign beliefs
Mystery religions
Promised eternal bliss for true believers

Foreign Cults

Egyptian cult of Osiris became very popular

Worship of Isis favored by women

Speculation about a single, universal god emerged