The Greek City-States

1. The Greek City-States World History I

3. The Polis • By 750 BC, the polis, or city-state became the center of Greek life. • The most important place in a polis was the acropolis, a gathering place typically on top of a hill. • The acropolis served as a place of refuge and worship, and was typically the location for public buildings. • Below the acropolis was the agora, which was a place for people to gather and a market. • The polis was a group of people who shared an identity and common goals.

4. Remains of the acropolis in Athens

5. The Polis, cont. • As the polis developed, so did a new military system. • The military was based on hoplites, heavily armed foot soldiers armed with a short sword and a spear. • They battled as a unit, marching shoulder to shoulder in a rectangular formation called a phalanx. • As long as the phalanx stayed intact, it was difficult for enemies to harm them.

6. Greek Phalanx

7. Greek Colonies • From 750 to 550 BC, many Greeks left the mainland and settled throughout the Mediterranean. • Good farmland and trade allowed this. • Colonies developed throughout the region. • Each became a new polis, and each polis was independent. • Expansion led to increased trade. • Mainland Greece exported pottery, wine, and olive oil. • Metals and Grains came in from the west. • Timber, wheat, metals, and slaves came from the east.

8. Tyranny in the City-States • The development of trade led to a group of rich men who wanted power. • Tyrants used force to seize power from aristocrats. • Tyrants gained and kept power by using hired soldiers. • Although tyranny didn’t last, it brought the end of aristocratic rule in Greek city-states. • The end of tyranny led to more people participating in government. • Democracy, or government by the people developed in some city-states. • Other city-states were ruled by an oligarchy, or rule by the few.

9. Sparta • When faced with the need for more land, the people of Sparta conquered neighbors. • Their captives were forced to work for them as serfs known as helots. • Sparta became a military state. • Its peoples lives were organized and tightly controlled. • Males spent their childhood learning military discipline. • Served in army from age 20-60. • Lived at barracks until 30. • Spartan women had greater freedom of movement and more power than other women in Greece.

10. Sparta, cont. • Sparta was governed by an oligarchy. • There were 2 kings who led the army into battle. • 5 ephors were responsible for the education of the youth and conduct of citizens. • To protect their military state, Spartans turned their backs on the outside world. • Visitors were discouraged and Spartans couldn’t travel abroad. • Citizens were discouraged from studying the arts – including philosophy and literature.

11. Early Athens • Athens was facing severe economic problems in the 7th century BC. • Farmers were being sold into slavery because they couldn’t pay their debts. • Athenian aristocrats gave power to Solon in 594 BC. • Solon cancelled land debts and freed those who fell into slavery. • Solon’s reforms were popular, but they didn’t solve all of Athens’ problems. • After Solon’s rule, tyranny came to rule over Athens. • The people of Athens rebelled and ended the tyranny in 510 BC.

12. Early Athens, cont. • After the Athenian people ended tyranny, they backed Cleisthenes, another reformer. • Cleisthenes changed the government of Athens. • He established a council of 500 to supervise foreign affairs, oversaw the treasury, and made laws. • He also established an assembly of men who had final authority to pass laws after open debate. • The reforms of Cleisthenes set the stage for Athenian democracy.