Greek City Formation

1. Greek City Formation What do we know about the oikos and polis in Homer’s world?

2. Social Organization Poet and Society Greek Household Community and Household Community and Household, Part II The Wealthy In Homer Homeric Wealth Lecture Outline, Part I

3. Detecting Homeric Wealth Homer’s Elite The Polis Homeric Community Homeric Kings Disputes in Homer Homer’s Epic World Conclusions Lecture Outline, Part II

4. Social Organization in Homer’s World • Does the world of Homer belong to a specific historical period? • What period does Homeric society depict? • What cultural and social institutions does Homer mention? • Can we find the 8th Century Greek world in Homer?

5. The Poet and his Relationship to Society • Do oral traditions reflect a society’s present cultural values? • Imaginative Elements in Homer include: Exaggerated wealth Talking Rivers Horses that talk • Archaic elements in Homer include: Bronze weapons Boar’s Tusk Helmet Chariots

6. The Greek oikos or household • We see evidence of the oikos in Homer’s world • Society is household and kinship-bound • The basic social unit is the oikos or household – NOT the individual • Preservation, economic independence and social position • Not just “home” but the family, land, livestock, slaves, and all other property and goods

7. Community and Household in Homer • Family compounds are the norm in Homer • Maximize defenses and work force • Sons leave oikos after marriage; daughters stay with their father’s oikos • Head of household could have children with slaves to increase labor force • “retainers” or non-related men

8. Community and Household in Homer, Part II • Want as many men of fighting age as possible, and biggest household • All members do their part on farm and in household • In a wealthy oikos, slaves do the work • Kleros = ancestral plot of land • Owning land = self sustaining

9. The Wealthy in Homer • Wealthy landowners have more land, in order to support their large households • Temenos = prime farmland • Large number of animals = wealth • Odysseus has 59 flocks and herds and 1000 pigs • Rich enjoyed more meat, leather, wool and animal waste (hey it’s free fertilizer)

10. How to detect Homeric Wealth • Cattle, obtained by raids, are a sign of wealth and power • Large roving herds • Big Barbeques • Don’t keep wealth, but exchange it for other things • Cattle as a standard of value

11. But do Homer’s elite live the good life? • What happens when they step outside of their oikos and interact with others? • The very basic beginnings of the polis, or city-state are evident in Homer • City-state = city plus surrounding territory which comprises a self-governing unit

12. The Polis in Homer • Homeric polis is not so sophisticated • More a residential area than a political unit • But there is community decision making in Homer (cf. the assembly in Book II) • Community, assembly and military capacity

13. Homeric Community • Shame before the community • Leadership duties • Exile or fines as punishment • Failure to put the polis first • Communal worship of same gods • Collective identity • Elder council and assembly of warriors

14. Homeric Kings • King in Homer’s time was responsible for protection against enemies • Demands gifts from subjects • Gives land to get support • Warriors get land = ruling class • Resolves disputes

15. How are disputes settled in Homer’s world? • Through strife (cf. Athena and Telemachus discussing the suitors in Book I) • Private agreement between parties • The judgment of the king • The council of elders can settle arguments

16. What is missing from Homer’s Epic World? • No colonization • No Greek traders • No communities without kings • No writing • No cavalry in battle scenes • No iron weapons

17. What can we conclude from this? • Homer’s epic is not a direct reflection of the world he lives in • His poetry does reflect the concerns of the time • Signs that the community should move more towards the polis and that the household based society is being strained