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Greek History & Greek History & CivilizationCivilizationBy By

MD. MAHBUBUR RAHMANMD. MAHBUBUR RAHMANLecturer, CGED, NUBLecturer, CGED, NUB

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The Greek City State: The Greek City State: IntroductionIntroduction

• One of the hallmarks of GREEK CIVILIZATION One of the hallmarks of GREEK CIVILIZATION was the city-states. The city-states were was the city-states. The city-states were small, independent communities which were small, independent communities which were male-dominated and bound together by male-dominated and bound together by race.race.

• The nature & criteria of citizens :The nature & criteria of citizens : What this What this meant is that membership in the city states meant is that membership in the city states was hereditary and could not be passed on was hereditary and could not be passed on to someone outside the citizen family. to someone outside the citizen family.

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The Greek City State: The Greek City State: IntroductionIntroduction

• The citizens of any given city states were The citizens of any given city states were an elite group of people – slaves, an elite group of people – slaves, peasants, women and resident aliens peasants, women and resident aliens were not part of the body of citizens. were not part of the body of citizens.

• Originally the city states referred to a Originally the city states referred to a defensible area to which farmers, slaves defensible area to which farmers, slaves of a particular area could attack in the of a particular area could attack in the event of an attack. The Acropolis in event of an attack. The Acropolis in Athens is one such example. Athens is one such example.

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Development of the City Development of the City State:State:

• The growth of these towns were The growth of these towns were unplanned, there were not enough unplanned, there were not enough place for commercial convenience place for commercial convenience near rivers or seas. near rivers or seas.

• In fact, the city states were situated In fact, the city states were situated well inland to avoid raided by sea. well inland to avoid raided by sea. With time the With time the agoraagora or marketplace or marketplace began to appear within the city states. began to appear within the city states.

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Development of the City Development of the City StateState

• The scale of the city states were indeed The scale of the city states were indeed small. When the philosopher Aristotle small. When the philosopher Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) came to discuss the (384-322 B.C.) came to discuss the origins of the polis in his book ‘origins of the polis in his book ‘POLITICS’POLITICS’ in the early 4th century B.C. in the early 4th century B.C.

• He suggested that "it is necessary for He suggested that "it is necessary for the citizens to be of such a number the citizens to be of such a number that they knew…that they knew…

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Development of the City Development of the City StateState

• each other's personal qualities and each other's personal qualities and thus can elect their officials and thus can elect their officials and judge their fellows in a court of law judge their fellows in a court of law sensibly."sensibly."

• Before Aristotle, Plato fixed the Before Aristotle, Plato fixed the number of citizens in an ideal state number of citizens in an ideal state should be 5040 adult males in should be 5040 adult males in number. number.

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Development of the City Development of the City StateState

• For Plato (c.427-c.347 B.C.), as it was for For Plato (c.427-c.347 B.C.), as it was for Aristotle, the one true criteria of the size of Aristotle, the one true criteria of the size of the polis (city states) was that all the the polis (city states) was that all the citizens know one another.citizens know one another.

• The issue at stake (vulnerability, The issue at stake (vulnerability, problems) here is between public and problems) here is between public and private worlds. The ancient Greeks did not private worlds. The ancient Greeks did not really see two distinct worlds in the lives of really see two distinct worlds in the lives of the citizenry. the citizenry.

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Development of the City Development of the City StateState

• Instead the public world was to be joined with Instead the public world was to be joined with the private world. Thus there were no the private world. Thus there were no distinction between public and the private distinction between public and the private world.world.

• The citizens in any given polis were related to The citizens in any given polis were related to one another by blood and so family ties were one another by blood and so family ties were very strong. very strong.

• As boys they grew up together in schools, and As boys they grew up together in schools, and as men they served side by side during times as men they served side by side during times of war in the battle field.of war in the battle field.

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Development of the City Development of the City StateState

• They debated one another in public They debated one another in public assemblies . They elected one another as assemblies . They elected one another as magistrates – they collected their votes for magistrates – they collected their votes for or against their fellow citizens. or against their fellow citizens.

• In such a society – the society of the polis In such a society – the society of the polis – all citizens were intimately and directly – all citizens were intimately and directly involved in politics, justice, military involved in politics, justice, military service, religious ceremonies, intellectual service, religious ceremonies, intellectual discussion, athletics and artistic pursuits. discussion, athletics and artistic pursuits.

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Development of the City Development of the City StateState

• The struggle between the various city The struggle between the various city states for supremacy in Greece was more states for supremacy in Greece was more devastating .The conflict between Athens devastating .The conflict between Athens and Sparta was not only a contest for the and Sparta was not only a contest for the supremacy of Greece , but also struggle supremacy of Greece , but also struggle between two ideals of culture : the one between two ideals of culture : the one supporting traditional and the rights of the supporting traditional and the rights of the privileged few championed by the privileged few championed by the Sparta ;the other advocating progress and Sparta ;the other advocating progress and the rights of the people, championed by the rights of the people, championed by AthensAthens

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The Greek City State : SpartaThe Greek City State : Sparta

• Sparta was essentially a militaristic state. Sparta was essentially a militaristic state. The able bodied citizens were all soldiers The able bodied citizens were all soldiers and devoted their time to military training. and devoted their time to military training. The government was in the hands of a few The government was in the hands of a few retired soldiers and their domination over retired soldiers and their domination over the people was complete. The ideals of the the people was complete. The ideals of the Spartans were based upon militarism, and Spartans were based upon militarism, and they lacked the imagination and initiative they lacked the imagination and initiative of the Athenians.of the Athenians.

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The Greek City State: SpartaThe Greek City State: Sparta

• Hence Sparta was admired by its Hence Sparta was admired by its efficiency, but its cultural contribution , efficiency, but its cultural contribution , compared with those of the Athens, was compared with those of the Athens, was insignificant. insignificant.

• Boys left home at the age of seven. They Boys left home at the age of seven. They were organized into troops and played were organized into troops and played competitive games until their 18th years, competitive games until their 18th years, when they underwent ten years of when they underwent ten years of military training. From the ages of 18 to military training. From the ages of 18 to 28 they lived together in barracks. 28 they lived together in barracks.

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The Greek City State: SpartaThe Greek City State: Sparta

• At the age of 30, they became At the age of 30, they became citizens in their own right. Amongst citizens in their own right. Amongst themselves they were called "Equals" themselves they were called "Equals" – in the eyes of everyone else, they – in the eyes of everyone else, they were Spartans. were Spartans.

• There was state education for girls There was state education for girls who lived at home but who were also who lived at home but who were also organized into troops.organized into troops.

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The Greek City State: SpartaThe Greek City State: Sparta

• Boys and girls met together to learn basic Boys and girls met together to learn basic studies as well as to dance, sing and play studies as well as to dance, sing and play musical instruments. musical instruments.

• Relations between the sexes was much Relations between the sexes was much more free than anywhere else in the Greek more free than anywhere else in the Greek world. However, after marriage (usually at world. However, after marriage (usually at 30 for men, 16 for women), the husband 30 for men, 16 for women), the husband ate at the men's club until the age of 60 ate at the men's club until the age of 60 while his wife remained at home. while his wife remained at home.

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The Greek City State: SpartaThe Greek City State: Sparta

• The Spartan state arranged for a basic The Spartan state arranged for a basic equality in land holding and provided the equality in land holding and provided the citizens with laborers, called helots citizens with laborers, called helots (conquered people such as the Mecinians (conquered people such as the Mecinians who became Spartan serfs). who became Spartan serfs).

• In other words, the economy was based on In other words, the economy was based on the idea that slaves would labor to supply the idea that slaves would labor to supply the Spartan armies with food, drink and the Spartan armies with food, drink and clothing. clothing.

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The Greek City State: SpartaThe Greek City State: Sparta

• The Spartan constitution allowed for two The Spartan constitution allowed for two kings and was therefore a dual monarchy. kings and was therefore a dual monarchy.

• As the highest magistrates in the city-state, As the highest magistrates in the city-state, these kings decided issues of war and these kings decided issues of war and peace, and the other issues, development peace, and the other issues, development in all sectors dealt by the another kings.in all sectors dealt by the another kings.

• Although we may find the Spartan world to Although we may find the Spartan world to be repressive or indeed oppressive, this is be repressive or indeed oppressive, this is not the way the Spartans saw it. not the way the Spartans saw it.

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The Greek City State: The Greek City State: AthensAthens

• Athens was similar to other city-states Athens was similar to other city-states of the period of the Greek Renaissance of the period of the Greek Renaissance with two important differences: with two important differences:

• (1) it was larger both geographically (1) it was larger both geographically and in terms of its population and in terms of its population

• (2) those people it conquered were not (2) those people it conquered were not reduced to servitude – this was the reduced to servitude – this was the rule at Sparta. rule at Sparta.

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The Greek City State: The Greek City State: AthensAthens

• So, Athens never faced the problem of So, Athens never faced the problem of trying to control a large population of trying to control a large population of angry and sometimes violent subjects. angry and sometimes violent subjects.

• This also explains why Sparta had to This also explains why Sparta had to remain an intensely militaristic state. remain an intensely militaristic state.

• They visualized a great future for their city They visualized a great future for their city state felt the urge to dominate the state felt the urge to dominate the civilized world.civilized world.

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The Greek City State: The Greek City State: AthensAthens

• Around 460 B.C., Pericles, a famous Around 460 B.C., Pericles, a famous king in Athens (c.490-429 B.C.) used king in Athens (c.490-429 B.C.) used the power of the people in the law the power of the people in the law courts and the Assembly to break up courts and the Assembly to break up the Council of Five Hundreds. the Council of Five Hundreds.

• Under Pericles, Athenian Democracy Under Pericles, Athenian Democracy came to mean the equality of justice came to mean the equality of justice and the equality of opportunity. and the equality of opportunity.

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The Greek City State: The Greek City State: AthensAthens

• The equality of justice was secured by the The equality of justice was secured by the jury system, which ensured that slaves and jury system, which ensured that slaves and resident aliens were represented through resident aliens were represented through their patrons. their patrons.

• The equality of opportunity did not mean The equality of opportunity did not mean that every man has the right to everything. that every man has the right to everything.

• What it did mean is that the criteria for What it did mean is that the criteria for choosing citizens for office was merit and choosing citizens for office was merit and efficiency and not wealth. efficiency and not wealth.

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The Greek City State: The Greek City State: AthensAthens

• But they also discussed what we could But they also discussed what we could only call democratic theory that is known only call democratic theory that is known as participatory democracy– they as participatory democracy– they constantly debated questions like what is constantly debated questions like what is the form of good life? the form of good life?

• and what is the best form of government? and what is the best form of government? But perhaps the most important of all were But perhaps the most important of all were discussions and debates over the issues of discussions and debates over the issues of war and also issues of peace. war and also issues of peace.

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Pattern of Pattern of questions:questions:• 1. Critically evaluate the origin and development 1. Critically evaluate the origin and development

processes of Greek city states.processes of Greek city states.• 2. What were the characteristics of Greek city 2. What were the characteristics of Greek city

states and the essential requirements of Greek states and the essential requirements of Greek citizenship ?citizenship ?

• 3. “Athens never faced the problem of trying to 3. “Athens never faced the problem of trying to control a large population of angry and sometimes control a large population of angry and sometimes violent subjects”- critically evaluate the violent subjects”- critically evaluate the characteristics of Athens on the basis of the characteristics of Athens on the basis of the statement.statement.

• ““Sparta was an essentially a militaristic state .; The Sparta was an essentially a militaristic state .; The able bodied citizens were all soldiers and devoted able bodied citizens were all soldiers and devoted their time to military training “- analytically discuss their time to military training “- analytically discuss the features of Sparta according to the statement.the features of Sparta according to the statement.