Greek Society/Persian War The rise of power and Democracy in Greece

Polis City-State City-State –Many were small towns –Community of relatives, more than the classic definition of “state” –A brotherhood of man  Where justice prevails  Those who fail to follow are animals –Much different than today? –Originally meant a citadel-Acropolis  The agora –Market place/civic center

Hoplite Phalanx A military technique A military technique –Armored men –Spear and shield –8 rows, sometimes more sometimes less –Could withstand a cavalry charge –Hold your ground  Failure to do so would surely mean defeat –Citizen Soldiers  Used to defend lands, especially during harvest

Magna Graecia Expansive Greek Colonization Expansive Greek Colonization –Establishment of polis’  Asia Minor and the Black Sea  Italy and Sicily  Spain  France –Independent and at times beholden to the mother cities –Pan-Hellenic: “all-Greek”  A sense of pride when confronted with different peoples

Tyrants Aristocrats Aristocrats –Move up and gain power  Use of military and support –Ability to hold support  Drainage systems  Water supply  Support of arts and literature  Defense –Their fall  Repression and cruelty  Went against the very ideas of the polis –Rule without answering to a people who admire law and justice doesn’t work

Sparta Not much different than any other polis Not much different than any other polis 1 st Messenian War: 725 bce 1 st Messenian War: 725 bce –Increased population and lack of land –Attack Messina –Reduced population to serfs: Helots 2 nd Messenian War: 650 bce 2 nd Messenian War: 650 bce –Helots rebel with help of other Peloponnesian states –Spartans put down rebellion –A shift occurs in Spartan society

Spartan Society Its all about preparing for war and commitment to the Polis Its all about preparing for war and commitment to the Polis –Birth  Male and female survival depends on being physically fit –7 yrs old: males are taken from their mothers and given to instructors –Athletics, military, and endurance –20 yrs old: enrolled in the Army until 30 –Barracks, companionship –30 yrs old: citizenship, plot of land, ability to marry –60 yrs old: retirement –Women: more freedom than most of Greece, but still beholden to the state

Spartan Gov’t Two kings Two kings –Shared power –A king had to go into battle with his men Council of Elders Council of Elders –28, 60 yrs old, served for life –Judicial functions –Consulted before proposals are put before the assembly of Spartan citizens Assembly of Spartan Citizens Assembly of Spartan Citizens –30 yrs old –Mostly a figure head  Agreeing on decision already made Board of ephors Board of ephors –Check the king –Foreign policy decisions –Guarded against Helots

The Peloponnesian League Spartan defeat of Tegea Spartan defeat of Tegea –Must follow Sparta and provide an Army –Becomes the model –Every Peloponnesian state joins  Except Argos A true army A true army

Athens Aristocratic Rule Aristocratic Rule –Areopagus  Council of nobles –Years of Unrest –Draco: 621 bce  Codifies and publishes laws –Extremely harsh i.e. the term “Draconian” –Solon: 594 bce  Does away with debt and ends slavery  Most important: CASH CROPS –Increases the wealth and power of Athens –Clisthenes: 510 bce  Founder of Democracy  Deme- small town or ward- center of civic life  Assembly of all male ciizens

Athenian Society Farmers Farmers –Hard life, not much leisure Aristocrats Aristocrats –Symposium: Modern version frat life  A lot of leisure  Drinking games  gambling  Sports: chariot races, wrestling, races, etc.

Athenian Religion VERY Polytheistic VERY Polytheistic –Many Gods  Zeus the top dog –Also reverence for mortal men who are brave  Achilles –Oracle at Delphi  Fortune tellers  Consulted before most major decisions made  Especially important during Persian Wars

VERY Polytheistic VERY Polytheistic –Many Gods  Zeus the top dog –Also reverence for mortal: heroism  Achilles –Oracle at Delphi  Fortune tellers  Consulted before most major decisions made

The Persian Wars: Ionian Rebellion Greek polis’ on Asia Minor Greek polis’ on Asia Minor Fall to Lydian King Croesus: 560 bce Fall to Lydian King Croesus: 560 bce –Not too harsh Fall to Persians: 546 bce Fall to Persians: 546 bce –Trouble begins Aristagoras Aristagoras –Urges Persians to sack Naxos  Failure creates fear  Calls for Ionians to rebel  Spartans refuse to help  Athens sends ships  495 BCE Persians reclaim Miletus

Asia Minor

Marathon 490 bce- Persians attack Eretria and sack Naxos 490 bce- Persians attack Eretria and sack Naxos Instead of submitting to Hippias, Athenians revolt Instead of submitting to Hippias, Athenians revolt Confrontation at Marathon Confrontation at Marathon –10,000 against a force of 10 to 1 –Defeat Persians  Lose only 192 men Hiatus for 10 years Hiatus for 10 years

Xeres 481 bce: gathers an army of 1- million and a navy of 600 ships 481 bce: gathers an army of 1- million and a navy of 600 ships –Ships are to provide support and supplies –Marches his men Athens –Crosses at Hellespont –Themistocles  Urges Athens to build a Navy  By 480 bce 200 ships

Hellespont: Miracle!!!

Thermopylae Greatest battle in history Greatest battle in history Narrow pass between mountains and sea Narrow pass between mountains and sea King Leonidas of Sparta King Leonidas of Sparta  Leads 300 Spartans and 8,000 support  Holds off Persian army for 3 days  betrayed –Traitor shows Persian’s a passage –Spartans stay and die

Thermopylae Today

Near Defeat Athens falls and is burned Athens falls and is burned –Citizens escape and destroy crops as they leave…why? Naval battle at Salamis Naval battle at Salamis –Persian fleet strong and faster –Athenian fleet slower  Engage the ships, cross over and burn them –Persian fleet destroyed

Defeat Persian general Mardonius Persian general Mardonius –Holds central Greece Greeks gather the largest army to that time Greeks gather the largest army to that time –Defeat Persians at Plataea: 479 bce  Mardonius is killed  Persians flee

Tensions Greeks continue to engage Persians Greeks continue to engage Persians Athens and Sparta vie for power Athens and Sparta vie for power –Actually Athens doing most of the vying Athenian Navy Athenian Navy –Fleet hit hard in Egypt: 455 bce –War with Persia ends: 449 bce 446 bce 446 bce –Rebellions in Boeotia and Megara break Athenian Army  Spartans invade  Pericles sues for peace instead of fighting –Give up all lands outside of Attica –Spartans recognize Athenian Empire