GREECE THE GREEK POLIS SSWH3 The student will examine the political, philosophical, and cultural interaction of Classical Mediterranean societies from 700 BCE to 400 CE.

The polis was the ancient Greek city-state. The polis was the ancient Greek city-state. The word politics comes from this Greek word. The word politics comes from this Greek word. In the ancient world, it was the central urban area that could also have controlled the surrounding countryside. In the ancient world, it was the central urban area that could also have controlled the surrounding countryside. The word polis could also refer to the city's body of citizens. The word polis could also refer to the city's body of citizens. polis is often translated as "city-state.“ polis is often translated as "city-state.“city-state Athens, Sparta, Thebes, Corinth, etc. Athens, Sparta, Thebes, Corinth, etc. AthensSpartaThebes AthensSpartaThebes

Independent and self governing; 30,000 to 300,000 in population Independent and self governing; 30,000 to 300,000 in population All spoke Greek, believed in the pantheon of gods, practiced forms of government, and had the same culture. All spoke Greek, believed in the pantheon of gods, practiced forms of government, and had the same culture.

PARTS/ELEMENTS OF POLIS Self-governance, autonomy and independence (city-state) Self-governance, autonomy and independence (city-state) Agora: the social hub and financial marketplace, on and around a centrally located large open space Agora: the social hub and financial marketplace, on and around a centrally located large open space Agora Acropolis: the citadel on highest point in city Acropolis: the citadel on highest point in city Acropolis

GREEK FORMS OF GOVERNMENT Political Structures Found in Greece Political Structures Found in Greece 1.Monarchy: rule by a single person 2.Aristocracy: gov’t ruled by a small group of families 3.Oligarchy: gov’t ruled by a few powerful people 4.Tyrants: leaders for the interest of ordinary people

II. Athens and Sparta A. Athens: 1.Larger than Sparta 2.Democracy: rule by the people 3.Wealthy boys only ones educated 4.Many of the Greek artistic and intellectual achievements came out of Athens 5.Economy based on trade; city open to outsiders 6.Women were subordinate and kept out of public 7.Strong Navy

Athens Education Education –Focused on the arts and philosophy –From age 7 to age 14 Privatized – parents had to pay Privatized – parents had to pay –Studied grammar, arithmetic, geometry, music and gymnastics, the Iliad and Odyssey At later ages, rhetoric was added At later ages, rhetoric was added –2 years of military training at age 18

Athens and Sparta (cont’d) B. Sparta: 1.Small with a huge slave population called helots 2.Military state – Strong Army 3.Boys and Girls trained physically 4.Economy based on farming/war 5.Oligarchy 6.women considered equals – Why? 7.Closed society- very paranoid- did not like outsiders 8.No city walls

Sparta Education/Military Training Education/Military Training –All Spartan male citizens were required to become soldiers Birth to age 7: all children raised by mother Birth to age 7: all children raised by mother Age 7: male children taken from their homes; all live in barracks and are organized into groups of 60; children play games, learn about Spartan customs, and learn how to survive Age 7: male children taken from their homes; all live in barracks and are organized into groups of 60; children play games, learn about Spartan customs, and learn how to survive Age 12: each student received an older Spartan soldier as a mentor; continue to live in barracks Age 12: each student received an older Spartan soldier as a mentor; continue to live in barracks

Sparta Education/Military Training Education/Military Training Age 20: Allowed to marry, but lived in barracks Age 20: Allowed to marry, but lived in barracks Age 30: Became member of Assembly, allowed to live at home Age 30: Became member of Assembly, allowed to live at home Age 60: Retired from army, eligible to be elected member of Council of Elders Age 60: Retired from army, eligible to be elected member of Council of Elders

Sparta Status of Women Status of Women –More free than in other parts of Greece Could own property, move about the city, etc. Could own property, move about the city, etc. Could not participate in politics Could not participate in politics –Married later (19 as opposed to 14) –Received an education and physical training –Were expected to manage husband’s affairs during war

Persian Wars Persian Wars 1.Greece vs. Persia at Ionia; coast of Anatoli 2.10,000 Greeks (Athenians) vs. 25,000 Persians 3.Battle of Thermopylae (480 B.C.E.) “300” Spartans “300” Spartans 4.Athenians arranged in Phalanx: ea. Soldier stood side by side with spear and shield 5.Pheidippides runs from Marathon to Athens 6.Greeks win! GREEK WARS

Peloponnesian Wars Peloponnesian Wars 1.Athens vs. Sparta 2.Sparta eventually wins 3.Sparta tears down Athens’ walls & eliminates the navy 4.Sparta then dominated the other Greek city- states

Battle of Thermopylae. Modern memorial to Leonidas and the 300. Battle of Thermopylae. Modern memorial to Leonidas and the 300..

Famous Greeks Philosophy Philosophy –Socrates (469 B.C.E. – 399 B.C.E.) Taught by questioning his followers- Socratic Method Taught by questioning his followers- Socratic Method Believed in absolute Truth Believed in absolute Truth Virtue of the unexamined life – questioning of everything? Virtue of the unexamined life – questioning of everything? Convicted of corrupting the youth of Athens and sentenced to death; drank hemlock to commit suicide Convicted of corrupting the youth of Athens and sentenced to death; drank hemlock to commit suicide

SOCRATES Rather than upholding a status quo and accepting the development of what he perceived as immorality within his region, Socrates questioned the collective notion of "might makes right" that he felt was common in Greece during this period. Plato refers to Socrates as the "gadfly" of the state (as the gadfly stings the horse into action, so Socrates stung various Athenians), insofar as he irritated some people with considerations of justice and the pursuit of goodness. His attempts to improve the Athenians' sense of justice may have been the source of his execution. Rather than upholding a status quo and accepting the development of what he perceived as immorality within his region, Socrates questioned the collective notion of "might makes right" that he felt was common in Greece during this period. Plato refers to Socrates as the "gadfly" of the state (as the gadfly stings the horse into action, so Socrates stung various Athenians), insofar as he irritated some people with considerations of justice and the pursuit of goodness. His attempts to improve the Athenians' sense of justice may have been the source of his execution.gadfly

Death of Socrates Jacques-Louis David (1748–1825)

Famous Greeks, cntd Plato Plato Socrates most famous student Socrates most famous student Founded and taught at the Academy-1 st institution of higher learning in world Founded and taught at the Academy-1 st institution of higher learning in world Wrote of a perfectly governed society: Only the elite would vote for what was best for all of the people Wrote of a perfectly governed society: Only the elite would vote for what was best for all of the people Appearances are deceiving, only through search for truth can you find it Appearances are deceiving, only through search for truth can you find it Most famous works: Most famous works: –Republic – philosophical government; best is by the learned

PLATO’S REPUBLIC The Republic The Republic Socratic dialogue written by Plato around 380 BC concerning the definition of justice and the order and character of the just city-state and the just man Socratic dialogue written by Plato around 380 BC concerning the definition of justice and the order and character of the just city-state and the just man Socratic dialoguePlatojusticecity-state Socratic dialoguePlatojusticecity-state MAIN IDEA: HIS VISION OF A PERFECTLY GOVERNED SOCIETY MAIN IDEA: HIS VISION OF A PERFECTLY GOVERNED SOCIETY ANTI-DEMOCRACY ANTI-DEMOCRACY SOCIETY OF 3 GROUPS SOCIETY OF 3 GROUPS 1 FARMERS AND ARTISANS 1 FARMERS AND ARTISANS 2 WARRIORS 2 WARRIORS 3 RULING CLASS 3 RULING CLASS A PHILOSOPHER-KING WOULD BE CHOSEN FROM THE RULING CLASS. A PHILOSOPHER-KING WOULD BE CHOSEN FROM THE RULING CLASS.

Famous Greeks, cntd Aristotle Aristotle –Student of Plato; teacher of Alexander the Great –Founded and taught at the Lyceum –Taught about the importance of logic –Major Works: Physics – earth as center of solar system; observed information and classified by similiarities/differences Physics – earth as center of solar system; observed information and classified by similiarities/differences Politics – practical politics; perfect system put power in middle class & classified all types of gov’t Politics – practical politics; perfect system put power in middle class & classified all types of gov’t

Greek Culture Philosophy Philosophy – S ocrates – absolute truth Taught – P lato – appearances are deceiving Taught – A ristotle – trust logic

ALEXANDER THE GREAT July 356 – June 323 BC July 356 – June 323 BC King at age 20 King at age 20 By the age of thirty, he had created one of the largest empires of the ancient world, stretching from the Ionian Sea to the Himalayas By the age of thirty, he had created one of the largest empires of the ancient world, stretching from the Ionian Sea to the Himalayaslargest empiresancient worldIonian SeaHimalayaslargest empiresancient worldIonian SeaHimalayas He was undefeated in battle and is considered one of history's most successful commanders He was undefeated in battle and is considered one of history's most successful commanders Died at age 32 (Malaria?) Died at age 32 (Malaria?)

Alexander's legacy includes the cultural diffusion (spread of cultural beliefs and social activities from one group to another) his conquests engendered Alexander's legacy includes the cultural diffusion (spread of cultural beliefs and social activities from one group to another) his conquests engenderedcultural diffusioncultural diffusion He founded some twenty cities that bore his name, most notably Alexandria in Egypt He founded some twenty cities that bore his name, most notably Alexandria in Egypttwenty cities that bore his nameAlexandriatwenty cities that bore his nameAlexandria Alexander's settlement of Greek colonists and the resulting spread of Greek culture in the east resulted in a new Hellenistic civilization Alexander's settlement of Greek colonists and the resulting spread of Greek culture in the east resulted in a new Hellenistic civilizationsettlementHellenistic civilizationsettlementHellenistic civilization

Hellenistic Culture Hellenistic Culture Hellenistic Culture Greek (Hellenic) blended with Egyptian, Persian, and Indian influencesGreek (Hellenic) blended with Egyptian, Persian, and Indian influences  Scholars Provided most scientific knowledge Provided most scientific knowledge Euclid: mathematician (geometry) Euclid: mathematician (geometry) Archimedes: pi, lever, screw, and pulley Archimedes: pi, lever, screw, and pulley  Art – Colossus of Rhodes – sculpture

Polytheism The Greeks and Romans practiced polytheistic religions with numerous gods and goddesses whose origins were established through traditional stories of mythology. The Greeks and Romans practiced polytheistic religions with numerous gods and goddesses whose origins were established through traditional stories of mythology.

Polytheism in the Greek and Roman world The Greeks and Romans shared many of the same religious concepts –including the personification of deities. Deities typically had power over specific areas of the natural or social world- for example, god of war, god of love, god of wisdom, god of the sea, etc The Greeks and Romans shared many of the same religious concepts –including the personification of deities. Deities typically had power over specific areas of the natural or social world- for example, god of war, god of love, god of wisdom, god of the sea, etc