The Greeks of the Ancient World

The Minoan Culture 2nd millennium BCE 2nd millennium BCE The mythical king Minos The mythical king Minos The larger land of Crete The larger land of Crete The citadel—Mycenae The citadel—Mycenae The palace—Pylos The palace—Pylos With centers of wealth and power With centers of wealth and power Its language the early form of Greek Its language the early form of Greek

The Dark Age of Greece Palaces destroyed by fire in the last century of the millennium BCE Palaces destroyed by fire in the last century of the millennium BCE Written language lost and the Greeks were illiterate for the next few hundred of years Written language lost and the Greeks were illiterate for the next few hundred of years Only a body of oral epic poetry left that was the raw material of Homer Only a body of oral epic poetry left that was the raw material of Homer

Homer and His Epics 8 century BCE — Greeks learned how to write again 8 century BCE — Greeks learned how to write again Shaping the oral epic poetry into written form Shaping the oral epic poetry into written form The Iliad and The Odyssey The Iliad and The Odyssey The basis of an education and a whole culture The basis of an education and a whole culture

A Completely Different World View Pantheism Pantheism The arbitrary tendencies of gods The arbitrary tendencies of gods The disorder of the world The disorder of the world A ruler of heaven that can be feared, laughed at, cheated, blamed and admired at the same time A ruler of heaven that can be feared, laughed at, cheated, blamed and admired at the same time Gods ’ sublime disregard of humans Gods ’ sublime disregard of humans The limited power of Zeus The limited power of Zeus

A Completely Different World View the blind forces of universe which are not necessarily connected with morality the blind forces of universe which are not necessarily connected with morality Death is a human fear, just as the courage to face it is a human quality Death is a human fear, just as the courage to face it is a human quality Our real admiration are not toward gods but toward mortals [vs. The Old Testament] Our real admiration are not toward gods but toward mortals [vs. The Old Testament]

City-States of Greece Geographical features: mountain barriers and scattered islands Geographical features: mountain barriers and scattered islands Differing from each other in custom, political constitution, and even dialect Differing from each other in custom, political constitution, and even dialect Rivals and fierce competitors Rivals and fierce competitors 8th-7th centuries BCE: age of great expansion — all over the Mediterranean coast 8th-7th centuries BCE: age of great expansion — all over the Mediterranean coast Adapting the Phoenician system of writing Adapting the Phoenician system of writing

Athens & Sparta: 5 th BCE Leading the combined Greek resistance to the Persian invasion ( BCE) Leading the combined Greek resistance to the Persian invasion ( BCE)

Athens vs. Sparta Athens Athens ---Direct democracy ---Leader of a naval alliance: fleet (Aegean Sea & coast of Asia Minor) (Aegean Sea & coast of Asia Minor) Sparta Sparta ---rigidly conservative in government ---individuals reared & trained for the state ’ s business business ---superior in land army

The Peloponnesian War BCE BCE With Athens ’ s surrendering to Sparta With Athens ’ s surrendering to Sparta The exhaustion of Greek city states The exhaustion of Greek city states Subjugated by Macedon: Subjugated by Macedon: ---King Philip  Alexander: (Ptolemy) ---Hellenistic age ( BCE) ---the expansion of the Greek culture under Alexander: language, buildings, gymnasium, theater  (the writing of the Gospels)

The rise & decline of Athenian values The delicate balance between the individual freedom and the demands of the state The delicate balance between the individual freedom and the demands of the state ---the individual versatility and grace ---the spirit of reverence

A patriarchal class society 3 groups excluded from participation in democracy: 3 groups excluded from participation in democracy: ---women (could not own property, hold office or vote) ---resident aliens ---slaves

Intellectual revolution caused by the war Critical reevaluation of traditional values Critical reevaluation of traditional values Innovations in education Innovations in education The appearance of the Sophists, teachers for the art of public speaking and related subjects The appearance of the Sophists, teachers for the art of public speaking and related subjects ---the appearance of liberal education The deterioration of the Sophists The deterioration of the Sophists

The Sophists ’ Influence: both positive & negative The appeal to human intelligence (the canon of probability) The appeal to human intelligence (the canon of probability) ---attack on myth and concepts of gods ---undermining traditional moral convictions: appeal to the self-interest of the audience ---men as the measure of all things: new forms of creativity in art (poetry, painting sculpture) and thoughts ---the Athenian rhetoric: contribution to Rome

The Socratic philosophy Taking no fees, unlike the Sophists Taking no fees, unlike the Sophists Issues such as justice, truth of peity Issues such as justice, truth of peity The dialectic method: a search for truth through questions & answers The dialectic method: a search for truth through questions & answers To expose the illogicality of his opponent ’ s position but did not often provide a substitute for the belief he had destroyed To expose the illogicality of his opponent ’ s position but did not often provide a substitute for the belief he had destroyed Distrust of public life Distrust of public life

The influence of Socrates the Athenians ’ exasperation the Athenians ’ exasperation Socrates sentenced to death for the insistence of his doctrine Socrates sentenced to death for the insistence of his doctrine Plato and Aristotle revolutionized philosophy and laid the foundations for later ancient and European philosophical thought. Plato and Aristotle revolutionized philosophy and laid the foundations for later ancient and European philosophical thought.