Ancient Greece

1. Ancient Greece -Key Concepts-

2. I. Prehistoric Beginnings • The Myceneans and the Minoans • Heinrich Schliemann’s Discoveries --Ancient Troy (1870) --Mycenae (1876) • Arthur Evans Uncovers Knossos (1899)

3. A. Minoan Civilization • Society at its peak between 2000-1500 BCE • Harmonious and peaceful society --first known flush toilet • Minoan civilization closely interrelated to Mycenean civilization • Minoan government

4. A. Minoan Civilization (cont) • Minoan Social Classes • Treatment of Women • Minoan Entertainment • A Gift for Inventions and Engineering • Minoan Religion • Minoan Art

5. B. Mycenaean Civilization • Emergence of Mycenean Civilization • Mycenean Conquest of the Minoans • The Fall of Mycenean Civilization --Dorians • Mycenean Culture and Government -- “wanax” • A culture geared toward war • Mycenean Art

6. C. Influence and Significance of Early Greek Civilization • Minor impact on later Greek life and culture • Cultural slate “wiped clean” by Dark Ages (1200-750 BCE) • Great wave of immigration during this era all over the Aegean and along western coast of Asia Minor • Still, significant contributions: --earliest European civilizations --progressive Minoan art --Minoans: worldly and innovative

7. II. The “Dark Ages” (1200-750 BCE) • “Dark Ages” in the Near East were shorter, ending around 900 BCE • Homer provides some glimpses • Simple political patterns • Emergence of an aristocracy exerting influence over society

8. II. The “Dark Ages” (cont) • Social Life during the “Dark Ages” • Purpose of Early Greek Religion • Anthropomorphic Greek gods • Greek indifference to an afterlife • The role of arete or “excellence” in early Greek thought

9. III. Early Greek Literature and the Greek Alphabet • Development of the Greek alphabet • Benefits of the Greek alphabet • Homer’s Iliad --Achilles and the Trojan Wars • Homer’s Odyssey --Odysseus and Penelope

10. III. Early Greek Literature (cont) • Lessons of Homer’s Epics • Women as well as men pursued excellence • Homer’s depiction of the gods • Arete and the Birth of the Olympic Games (776 BCE) • Centrality of religion for communal activity

11. III. Early Greek Literature (cont) • Hesiod and the theme of justice -- Works and Days • Solon and the theme of moderation • 6th Century BCE Lyric Poetry --Sappho from the island of Lesbos --Archilocus the sailor

12. IV. Greek Geography • Mountains and islands created isolation • Blessed with lots of good harbors • Isolation led to political disunity • Intimate size of Greek city-states • Most plentiful natural resources

13. V. Early Political History and Colonization • The Emergence of the City-State (“Polis”) --Athens, Sparta and Thebes • Importance of access to the sea in trading internationally • Role of the gods in sea travel • The prosperity of Corinth • Origins of Greek colonization movement

14. V. Early Political History (cont) • Reasons for Greek colonization between 735-600 BCE • The Pattern of Greek colonization -- “metropolis” -- oikist • Interaction with local inhabitants --1500 city-states stretching from modern Spain to Asia Minor (550)

15. V. Early Political History (cont) • Influence of other cultures through trade on Greek culture • Evolution of Greek city-state government --phalanxes • Difference between ancient Greek political system and current American system

16. V. Early Political History (cont) • The concept of Greek citizenship --ethnos (“league”) --metics • Extension of some political rights to the poor • Humanistic approach to politics

17. VI. The Centrality of the Greek Polis • The basic political unit was the polis • The center of the polis was the acropolis • The Greek agora or marketplace --Athen’s Painted Stoa • Most Greeks were farmers • Some small-scale craftsmen

18. VI. The Centrality of the Greek Polis (cont) • Intimacy was a key feature of polis life • Polis laws and government varied • The simplicity of the Greek lifestyle • Layout of Greek homes --men’s dining room --women’s room for working wool --courtyard • Furniture and clothing

19. VI. The Centrality of the Greek Polis (cont) • Greek Dietary Habits • The nature of Greek slavery • Duties of Greek slaves • Sources of slaves • Treatment of slaves • Leisure and sociability of Greek life • Greeks were very religious people • Individual defined by place within the polis

20. VII. The Armed Camp of Sparta • Spartan militarism forged out of treatment of their neighbors --Messenian Revolt (650 BCE) • Spartan governmental system --ephors (overseers) • The equality of Spartan citizens— “Equals”

21. VII. Ancient Sparta (cont) • Treatment of Helots • The training of Spartan boys • The role of women in Sparta • The “common mess” of Spartan men • Spartan attitudes toward materialism • Spartan military posture was isolationist and defensive

22. VIII. The Athenian Political Partnership • The legend of Theseus • Athens evolved in a different direction than Sparta • Hereditary aristocracy ruled from 750-600 BCE --Draco’s Laws (610 BCE) • Emergency powers given to Solon (594 BCE) • Solon introduces democratic principles

23. VIII. Athenian Political Partnership (cont) • The tyranny of Pisistratus (546 BCE) • The overthrow of the tyranny of Hippias (510 BCE) • Lasting stability introduced by Cleisthenes (507 BCE) • All Attica divided into 10 regions— “demes”

24. VIII. Athenian Political Partnership (cont) • Basic components of Athenian political system: --Assembly --Athenian Council --magistrates --generals • The institution of “ostracism”

25. VIII. Athenian Political Partnership (cont) • Athenian democracy was never truly democratic, but close • Problems with the system: --undue influence of persuasive speech --continuity of experience of officeholders • Reason-focused, humanistic foundation for Athenian political system

26. IX. Greek Military History The golden age of Greece is set between two wars like giant bookends.

27. A. The Persian Wars • Initial Athenian contact with Persia • Athenian assistance to Ionian Greeks • Two Persian campaigns: 490 and 480-479 BCE • The Battle of Marathon (490 BCE) • Xerxes’ invasion of Northern Greece (480)

28. A. The Persian Wars (cont) • The burning of Athens and Spartan resistance at the Pass of Thermopylae • The naval battle of Salamis (479 BCE) • Significance of victory over the Persians • Victory released a tremendous surge of confidence and optimism in human potential

29. B. Growth of the Athenian Empire (478-431 BCE) • Glorious war followed by inglorious era • Establishment of the Delian League --triremes • Growing Athenian abuse of the Delian League • Spartan creation of the Peloponnesian League

30. B. Growth of Athenian Empire (cont) • Rich Athenians exploited the Delian League • Evolution of the Athenian Jury System • The political leadership of Pericles • Aggressive foreign policy against Sparta

31. C. The Peloponnesian War (431-404 BCE) • Origins of the War • Athenian military strategy • Problems with this strategy • Faltering Athenian religious confidence • Deteriorating political leadership in Athens --Cleon’s capture of 120 Spartan “Equals” (425)

32. C. Peloponnesian War (cont) • Changing Spartan Military Strategy --Athenian siege of Melos (416 BCE) --Betrayal of General Alcibiades • Athenian surrender and aftermath --Rule of the Thirty Tyrants • Continuing strife between Greek city-states

33. X. Women and Slaves in the Daily Life of Ancient Athens • Discrimination against women: seclusion • Special privileges for priestesses and courtesans --Aspasia • Ancient Greek marriage • Life expectancy and daily duties of women • Property rights of Athenian women

34. X. Women and Slaves in Athens (cont) • Sexual bias against women • Legendary bias against women --Pandora’s box • The importance of bearing male children • The role of Athenian slavery—small-scale but crucial to the development of Athenian culture

35. XI. Early Greek Philosophy Phileo = “To love” Sophia = “Wisdom”

36. A. Ionian Cosmologists (or Pre-Socratics) • Studied the workings of the physical universe apart from a religious context --Thales • Nature is not governed by chance or manipulated by the gods—nature is orderly • Importance of human reason

37. A. Ionian Cosmologists (cont) • All things could be reduced to a primary substance --concept of “metaphysics” --Thales: water --Democritus: primal matter (atoms)

38. A. Ionian Cosmologists (cont) • Used general concepts crucial to abstract thought --Anaximander: notion of “boundless” and evolution --Pythagoras: numbers explain natural world --Parmenides: reality known solely through the mind, not the senses

39. B. The Sophists • Professional teachers offering worldly wisdom and lessons in persuasion • The importance of oral culture in Athens • The training of Athenian youth --Symposium

40. B. The Sophists (cont) • Humanistic and relativistic teaching of Protagoras -- “Man is the measure of all things” --no absolute truths • Impact of such teaching • Conservative criticism of the Sophists • Fear that Sophist teaching would offend the gods

41. C. Socrates • His life and background • Human beings and society were the essential subjects of philosophical inquiry • Did believe in universal values and absolute good • His method of teaching was continuous questioning

42. C. Socrates (cont) • New Direction in Greek philosophy: Ethics • An emphasis on critical self-examination • Charges brought against Socrates by a democratic faction • The trial of Socrates • The execution of Socrates

43. XII. Greek Religion in the Classical Period • Concept of reciprocity • Divine punishment of humans --miasma • The nature of the gods • No uniform Greek faith or creed • Priests, priestesses and religious observances

44. XII. Greek Religion in the Classical Period (cont) • The nature of a religious sacrifice • The role of hero cults --Hercules • The Cult of Demeter and the “Mysteries” of Eleusis

45. XIII. Greek History • “historia” = humanistic inquiry • Herodotus—the Father of History --Father of anthropology as well --chronicled the Persian Wars

46. XIII. Greek History (cont) • Thucydides and the Peloponnesian War --scrutinized the reliability of sources --sought underlying principles of history; moralistic writing --Athenian hubris led to Peloponnesian War --humanistic explanation for historical events

47. XIV. Greek Medicine • Hippocrates = Father of Scientific Medicine • Four “humors” (fluids) in the human body: blood, phlegm, black bile and yellow bile • Physician should base his knowledge on careful observation of patients and their response to remedies

48. XV. Greek Art and Architecture During the Golden Age • “Black Figure” Vases and jugs • Athenian sculptors took human greatness as their main theme • Well-proportioned, naturalistic human nudes appear early in the 5th century BCE • Sculptors and tragedians both depicting “universal man”

49. XV. Greek Art and Architecture During the Golden Age (cont) • Aristocrats commission public statuary • Popularity of bronze as a medium for sculptors --Myron’s Discus Thrower • Motion and energy in Greek statuary reflected the possibility of change and instability in classical Greek times

50. XV. Greek Art and Architecture During the Golden Age (cont) • The Athenian Parthenon (447-438 BCE) • Difference from Egyptian and Near Eastern temples • A new depiction of Athena • Not a gathering place for worshippers • Size and appearance of the building • An Ionic Frieze is used on a Doric-style Temple