Chapter 6 The Rise of the Greek City-States War and Victory

Greece’s Dark Ages Period between the fall of Mycenae (about 1100 BCE ) until the rise of the Greek city-states in the 9 th century BCE A long period of cultural decline begun, according to legend, by invasion from the iron-weapon possessing Dorians, a tribe from the North During this period, the Greeks lived in small rural communities that often warred with each other

Ceramics during the Dark Ages By the tenth century BCE, elaborate ceramic manufacturies had been established on the outskirts of Athens at Kerameikos cemetery (hence the origin of the word “ceramics” Invented a faster potter’s wheel and new kilns Pots favor abstract geometric designs, sophisticated and complex when one considers the Greek genius for mathematics

Amphora (Two-Handled Vase) Kerameikos Cemetery, Athens Height 21 ¾” 10 th Century BCE Height 28 ½” BCE

Rise of the City-States Gradually, communities began to organize themselves and to exercise authority over their own geographical regions Population largely dedicated to agriculture and agricultural values—a life of hard, honest work and self-reliance Due to colonization, eventually there were as many as 1,500 Greek city-states scattered around the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, including the large colonies in Italy

The City-States of Ancient Greece

The Polis The polis, or city-state, became the focal point of cultural life Typically consisted of an urban center often surrounding some sort of natural citadel, called an acropolis (“the top of the city”). At the foot of the acropolis was the agora, a large open area that served as public meeting place, marketplace, and civic center Greek poleis (pl. of polis) distinguished by their isolation from one another and their fierce independence

Sacred Sanctuaries As early as the 8 th century BCE, rival city-states created sanctuaries, sacred religious sites, where they could come together to share music, religion, poetry, and athletics Delphi—home to the Sanctuary of Apollo, an especially important site. The Greeks believed that through a deep crack in the ground Apollo spoke through the medium of a woman called the Pythia These sanctuaries inspired the city-states, in the spirit of competition, to create the first monumental architecture since Mycenaean times

Model of a Temple, Found in the Sanctuary of Hera, Argos Mid-eighth century BCE

The Classical Orders Classical Greek architecture is composed of three vertical elements—the platform, the column, and the entablature—which comprise its elevation The relationship of these three units is referred to as the elevation, of which there are three orders: Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian

The Classical Orders The Doric, the heaviest of the columns, is sturdy and simple. The Ionic is lighter and more elegant in detail. Last to be developed, the Corinthian, is smaller yet and the most elaborate. It would become a favorite of the Romans

Doric Columns at the Temple of Hera I Pasteum, Italy ca. 560 BCE

Olympia and the Olympic Games The Greeks believed in agonizesthai—“to contend for the prize”--in most aspects of their lives—their pottery, their playwrights, their architecture, their athletes, and their city-states. They were a people driven by competition They date the beginning of their history to 776 BCE, the first formal Panhellenic athletic competition held at a sanctuary dedicated to Hera and Zeus at Olympia In these contests, held every four years, winning was all. There were no second or third prizes

Detail of a Black-Figure Amphora Terra cotta, 24 ½” ca. 530 BCE Euphiletos painter The first contest of the first Olympic Games was a 200-yard dash Greek athletes competed nude. In fact, our word gymnasium derives from the Greek word gymnos, “naked”

Archaic Style Art produced from 600 to 480 BCE Much influence from Egyptian and possibly even Sumerian art Movement from idealized to naturalistic

Male Sculpture and the Cult of the Body The physically fit male not only won accolades in athletic competitions, but he also represented the conditioning and strength of the military forces of a particular polis The male body was also celebrated in a widespread genre of sculpture known as the kouros (pl. kouroi), “young man” They could be found in sanctuaries and cemeteries, most often serving as votive offerings to the gods or as commemorative grave markers

New York Kouros Marble, 6’4” ca. 600 BCE

New York Kouros Serves same funerary function as Egyptian sculpture In the Egyptian manner, the young man’s arms drop stiffly to his side and his fists are clenched. Both heels remain unnaturally cemented to the ground Facial features—wide, oval eyes, sharply delineated brow, carefully knotted hair—recall the Sumerian votive statues Earliest known life-size standing sculpture of a male in Greek art

Menkaure with a Queen ca BCE New York Kouros ca. 600 BCE

Tell AsmarNew York Kouros

Anavysos Kouros Within 60 years the kouroi became distinguished by naturalism, the artist’s desire to represent the human body as it appears in nature Musculature suggests a representation of a real person Close-lipped expression came to be known as an “Archaic smile”

Anavysos Kouros Marble, 6’4” ca. 525 BCE

Female Sculpture—The Kore Kore (pl. korai)—”maiden” Likely a votive offering to Athena, the protector of Athens Clothed (no nude females in Archaic Greek art) Just as the kouroi, the korai became more naturalistic

Peplos Kore Polychromed marble, 47 ½” ca. 530 BCE

Cast Reproduction of the Peplos Kore Named for her garment, a peplos, a rectangle of wool folded at the neck, pinned at the shoulder, and belted Originally painted Arm, probably bearing a gift, was a separate piece

Kore, from Chios (?) Polychromed marble, 21” ca. 520 BCE Wearing a chiton, a linen garment that clings more closely to the body and is gathered to create pleats and folds Remarkable for the amount of original paint on it

Athenian Pottery Extremely high quality clay available in Athens, which turned a deep orange color when fired By the middle of the sixth century BCE, Athens had become a major center of pottery making Moving away from the earlier geometric designs, many of the pots from the Archaic Period depict gods and heroes

Red-Figure Vases Artists used special “slips,” mixtures of clay and water, which they painted over the background around the figures Vase fired in three stages Areas painted with the slip turned black, while the figures emerged red

Death of Sarpedon Red-figure decoration on a calyx krater, 18” ca. 515 BCE

Black-Figure Vases The reverse of the red-figure variety Figures painted with the slip, so after firing they remain black against an unslipped red background

Women at a Fountain House Black-figure decoration on a hydra vase, 20 7/8” ca BCE This hydria, or water jug, shows women carrying similar jugs as they chat at a fountain house, a scene from everyday life