Mediterranean Society: The Greek Phase Greece Mediterranean Society: The Greek Phase
Early Development of Greek Society Minoan society Island of Crete Major city: Knossos Center of maritime trade Series of natural disasters after 1700 B.C.E. Earthquakes, eruptions, tidal waves Foreign invasions Crete falls under foreign domination – Mycenaean
Classical Greece, 800-350 B.C.E.
Chaos in the Mediterranean Trojan War, ~1200 B.C.E. Homer’s Iliad, Odyssey Political turmoil, chaos from 1100-800 B.C.E. Mycenaean civilization disappears Allows for development of individual city-states
The Polis City-state Urban center, dominating surrounding rural areas Highly independent character Monarchies “Tyrannies,” not necessarily oppressive Early democracies
Sparta Highly militarized society Subjugated peoples: helots Serfs, tied to land Outnumbered Spartans 10:1 by 600 B.C.E. Military society to control threat of rebellion
Spartan Society Authoritarian Boys removed from families at age seven Received state sponsored education/training Active military service follows Some relaxation of discipline by 400 B.C.E. Women enjoyed more freedoms than other Greek city-states Slaves performed most household chores
Athenian Society Maritime trade brings increasing prosperity beginning seventh century B.C.E. Aristocrats dominate smaller landholders Increasing socio-economic tensions Small landowners fell into debt Created class conflict
Solon and Athenian Democracy Aristocrat Solon mediates crisis Aristocrats to keep large landholdings But forgive debts, banned debt slavery Removed family restrictions against participating in public life Instituted paid civil service
Athens Development of early democracy the Ekklesia the Boule “Rule by the people” Free adult males only Women, slaves, foreigners excluded the Ekklesia a sovereign governing body that wrote laws and dictated foreign policy the Boule a council of 500 representatives from the ten Athenian tribes Chosen by lottery the Dikasteria the popular courts in which citizens argued cases before a group of lottery-selected jurors.
Pericles r. 461-429 B.C.E. High point of democracy Aristocratic but popular Massive public works Improved Athens Provided jobs Encouraged cultural development
Greek Colonization & War Population expansion drives colonization Coastal Mediterranean, Black Sea Leads to conflict – Persian Wars (500-479 BCE) Greek city-states (Ionia) revolted against Persia Darius (then Xerxes) invaded Greece Battle of Marathon (490 BCE) Battle of Thermopylae (480 BCE)
Classical Greece and the Mediterranean Basin, 800-500 B.C.E.
The Peloponnesian War Civil war in Greece, 431-404 B.C.E. Escalated from rivalry resulting from Persian War City-States allied with either Athens or Sparta Athens forced to surrender Left Greece weakened Macedonians (led by Philip II r. 359-336 B.C.E) conquers Greece by 338 BCE
Alexander of Macedon Hellenistic Era – “to imitate the Greeks” “Alexander the Great,” son of Philip II Rapid expansion throughout Mediterranean Conquered Syria Egypt Turkey Persia NW India Hellenistic Era – “to imitate the Greeks”
Alexander’s Empire, ca. 323 B.C.E.
The Hellenistic Empires After Alexander’s death, competition for empire Divided by generals Antigonus: Greece and Macedon Ptolemy: Egypt Seleucus: Persian Achaemenid Empire Economic integration
Philosophy Socrates (470-399 B.C.E.) Plato (430-347 B.C.E.) Aristotle The Socratic method Plato (430-347 B.C.E.) The Republic Philosopher kings Theory of Forms or Ideas Aristotle Emphasis on empirical findings, reason (observability, experience)
Science and Mathematics Use of observable evidence, rational thought (Aristotle) Pythagoras - systematic approach to mathematics Hippocrates - human anatomy and physiology
Greek Theology Polytheism Zeus principal god Religious cults
Tragic Drama Evolution from public presentations of cultic rituals Major playwrights (fifth century B.C.E.) Aeschylus Sophocles – Antigone, Oedipus Euripides Comedy: Aristophanes