Early Civilizations in Greece 1900 – 133 B.C.E

The Impact of Geography Hot, Dry, Mountainous and surrounded by the Sea

Mountains 80% of Greece is made up of mountains. Limited plains for large scale farming. The Greek peninsula is divided by the Pindus Mountains, highest peak Mt. Olympus. Rugged landscape isolated Greeks from one another, communities were fiercely independent.

Sea East the Ionian Sea South the Mediterranean Sea Greece is surrounded on 3 sides by the Sea: East the Ionian Sea South the Mediterranean Sea West the Aegean Sea Rugged coastline provided many good harbors. Most Greeks lived no more then 60 km from the water, on the mainland or islands. Naturally, Greeks were seafaring trading people.

Minoans 2700 – 1450 B.C.E. By 2800 B.C.E Minoans established a Bronze age civilization on the island of Crete. Although not Greek, Minoans had a great influence on Greece.

Minoans Civilization King Minos of Crete ruled from great city of Knossos. Established a large sea empire based on trade. Greatly expanded knowledge and new technologies via mixing with many far away civilizations. In 1450 B.C.E Minos was invaded and destroyed by mainland Greeks, the Mycenaeans.

Mycenaeans 1600 – 1100 B.C.E Mycenae means fortified city. Warrior culture. Large commercial network throughout Mediterranean. Lead by King Agamemnon who sacked Troy. Invaded by Greeks from the north, by 1100 B.C.E. Mycenaean civilization collapsed.

Collapse of Mycenaean Civilization Dark Age (1100-750 B.C.E.) Earthquakes destroy many cities. Kingdoms began battling each other. Many fled and settled in Asia Minor and around the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas. Life becomes more agrarian (rural/farming oriented). Iron replaced bronze, to make tools and weapons. Phoenician alphabet adopted, 24 letter system made literacy much easier. Homer writes Iliad and Odyssey describing heroics of the Trojan Wars.

The Trojan War The Iliad & the Odyssey, written by Homer The city of Troy controlled many of the trade routes between the Aegean Sea and the Black sea – made the Mycenaean people jealous 1250 BCE – Mycenaeans banded together under the king to attack Troy Struggle began when Troy’s prince Paris kidnapped Helen, the wife of Menelaus, the king of Sparta Menelaus and Agamemnon of Mycenae enlisted the other Greek rulers to save Helen.

Trojan war cont’d… Trojan horse – famous story – Greek warriors burned their tents and sailed away to lead Trojans to believe that they had fled. On the shore they left a large wooden horse. The Trojans pilled it into their place of assembly and discussed what to do with it. Destroy it with fire? Throw it off a cliff? Offering to the gods? Decided leave the horse standing unharmed inside their gates. The Greek warriors hidden inside crept out and attacked the Trojans that night – killing many and destroying their city. In Homer’s version of the tale the war raged on for 10 years before the Mycenaeans were victorious – destroying the city and driving the Trojans into exile.

Fact or Fiction? Since Homer wrote the story many years after it happened, he was a little off on a few points: No chariots in battle Bodies weren’t cremated until later—buried in tombs instead No temples existed in this period Homer’s kings were limited compared to the real kings of the time

Fact or Fiction? Troy was discovered by Schliemann (archaeologist) Thought to be ruins of the ancient city but actually nine different cities built on same site Later digs proved that a city on one level had been destroyed in a battle around 1240 BCE but it was no more than a simple, fortified town. So… the Battle lasted for 10 years in Homer’s story, but the ruins show only a simple fortified town…so could it really have lasted 10 years?

The Nine “Layers” of Ancient Troy

Greek Mythology https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGD1K3i1xRU

The Olympians Zeus Hestia Hades Athena Hera Ares Artemis Apollo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJCm8W5RZes&feature=share Aphrodite love Artemis hunting Zeus Earth and sky Apollo sun Hestia home Hades underworld Athena wisdom Demeter vegetation Poseidon sea Hera marriage Ares war Dionysus Fertility/wine

Classical Greece and the rise of the Greek City-States - Polis Greeks gradually developed small, secure and independent communities. Polis was the central focus of Greek life. Populations varied from hundreds to 300,000 -Athens. People of the Polis shared common identity and common goals. More like a town than a city – walled centre surrounded by farmland and smaller villages.

Polis Two exceptions: Athens and surrounding villages (Attica) – covered 2500 square kms Sparta – controlled two-fifths of Peloponnese Always battling each other… but formed alliances against outside invaders Paused fighting for the Olympics

Polis continued… Four Major Types of governments: Oligarchy: Ruled by a small group Monarchy: Ruled by a King or Queen Democracy: Ruled by Citizens Theocracy: Ruled by Religious Leaders Also different Cultures will form within miles of each other.

Citizenship – as an idea – originated in Ancient Greece Citizenship – as an idea – originated in Ancient Greece. It is the belief that certain individuals are entitled to rights and privileges such as having a vote in the government. Although the Greeks invented it, each city state had its own ideas about who got to be citizens.

Greek City-States Polis Homer; “We must rather regard every citizen as belonging to the state.” Good for the Polis but not so good for Greece, lots of fighting between the City States. Military transition; from aristocrats on horseback to hoplites, heavily armored infantry. Advanced weapons and tactics, phalanx.

The Greek Warriors - Hoplites heavy infantry citizen militia – mostly middle class, as they had to pay for their own armor (except for Sparta) Battles were short – (1-2 hrs) Most likely due to the weight of their armor (50-60lbs).

Armour and Weapons A hoplite typically had a breastplate, a bronze helmet, as well as greaves (for the shins) and other armour. Bowl-shaped wooden shield that was about 1m  across. The primary weapon was a spear around 2.7 meters in length. As this frequently broke upon charging, Hoplites also carried a smaller 60 cm thrusting, close combat sword. The total cost of military battle armament was roughly equivalent to a mid-sized car.

Tactics Strength was shock combat – direct full on attack! Goal was to break the enemy’s line and encircle them!

The Phalanx Phalanx is the primary offensive strategy Line of heavy infantry, standing shoulder to shoulder, shields linked, forming a line of spears that was nearly impossible to penetrate. The only weakness was from behind

Naval warfare Naval warship the Trireme, long, narrow, fast. Square rig sail 3 layers of rowers hence the name Trireme Troop transporter. Front of ship iron ram, basic idea - ram and immobilize enemy ships.

Tyranny in the City-States Due to Greek control of trade in the seas around them a new wealthy merchant class emerged. Some of these merchants became tyrants, seizing power by force, and were supported by the poor common people who were tired of aristocratic rule. This ended the rule of the aristocrats. Tyranny did not last long and soon it gave way to the development of democracy, rule of the many! Some Polis stayed true to government by oligarchy, rule by the few.

Social Structure: Athenians Citizens: (adult males who were born in Athens) Upper class Middle class Merchants Artisans/Craftspeople Farmers Wives & Children of Citizens Resident Foreigners (Metics) Slaves

Social Structure: Spartans Spartiates – adult males over age of 30 who were born in Sparta Wives & Children of Citizens Resident Foreigners (Perioikoi) Helots (slaves)

Family Life – more general… Athenians: Mothers were responsible for raising the children Fathers occupied with matters outside of the home Grandmothers/grandfathers helped with children sometimes Festivals – feasts and offerings to the gods marked important events for children’s lives – celebrate the presentation of the newborn; celebrate the leaving of infancy; naming celebrations

Education: Athenians Formal education began in early childhood for boys only; schooling was expensive – mostly for children of wealthy; Age seven Private tutor or sent boy to grammatikos to learn reading, writing, and arithmetic; State required that all young boys learn to read and write; also had to develop physically and culturally – music lessons to learn to sing and play an instrument like the lyre; manners and morals were important as well; Once they were about 14 the boys would become an apprentice – although some would go to a different school to learn moral philosophy, oratory and rhetoric.

Education: Sparta One purpose = to create an efficient garrison of hoplites to control the helots. Newborns were inspected for any mental or physical weakness (if something was found they may be left to die); babies who passed the test were raised in an environment designed to harden them – naked, no crying or whimpering, absolute obedience, endure pain without complaint. At 7 boys were removed from their homes and sent to live in barracks; barefoot, one piece of clothing, beds of thistle and reeds; Physical exercise to become good soldiers; learned laws of Sparta and memorized the poems of Homer.

Women: general Women in Greece had very few rights and very little freedom. Once a Greek woman married she passed from her father’s home into her husband’s keeping. Arranged marriage = very business-like Dowry!