Lecture 11 Greek Civilization

7/30/2019 Lecture 11 Greek Civilization

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Greek Civilization

Can be divided into:

Archaic Greece 3000-1600 BC

Mycenaen Greece 1600-1200 BC Dark Ages 1200-800 BC

Greek Renaissance 800-600 BC

Classical or Hellenic Greece 600-323 BC Hellenistic Greece 323-31 BC


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Greek first appeared as tribes of Indo-Europeans

moving south through the northern mountain passes

of the Balkan peninsula similar to the movement of

the tribe into India. They partially absorbed butgreatly destroyed the old-goddess worshipping

civilization in the new land.

The first major civilization of Greece started on the

island of Crete in the Aegean Sea about 3000 BC.

Known as the Minoan Culture named after King

Minos , the legendary ruler of Crete.


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People of Crete not Greek but most likely fromwestern Asia Minor settled in Crete around 3000 BC.Member of Indo-European family of languages whichincludes Greek and Latin.

Traded with the people of the Fertile Crescent.Palaces used as centres of economic activity andpolitical power. Thus known for their trade networks,architecture and the arts

The Minoans dominated the Aegean world until 1450BC. Then taken over by the Mycenaean who adoptedfeatures of the Minoan culture.


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Minoan State overthrown by the invading Indo-

Europeans from the north of the Greek mainland in

2000 BC who transformed the society. They found a

peninsula divided into small valleys betweenmountain ranges with irregular coastline and small

islands nearby. They settled in these valleys and

islands.

Isolated settlements soon became independent

political communities united with the other by

common speech, literature and common gods.


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Small farming villages later became fortified towns

each centered on a palace. The culture that developed

on the mainland is known as Mycenaean named after

the largest and most powerful of all the city-statesMycenae in the Peloponnesus, the southern part of

the mainland from 1600-1100 BC. Came to be known

as Mycenaean Age.

The Minoans dominated the Aegean world until 1450

BC. Then taken over by the Mycenaean who adopted

features of the Minoan culture


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Mycenae powerful, wealthy and wealthy. It was a cityof warriors as evidence from archeologicaldiscoveries which uncovered swords, weapons andremains of well-fortified city walls showed. Eachcity-state was independent with its own king. Unitedonly when it went to war with Troy.

After 1200 B Mycenea fell. Dorians from northernGreece moved in. Many Mycenaens fled to AsiaMinor. Dorian tribes who had left Greece earlier andhad returned by 1200 BC. Greece fell into a period ofDark Ages.


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People went back to isolated settlements. Not much progressmade. Greek culture began to decline. Greece was left alone todevelop her republican city states. But some technologicalskills and Greek language was preserved by people who

settled in areas unaffected by Dorian invasion. After DarkAges, (800 BC) writing became active. Past glories depictedin songs and poetry. Used the Phoenician alphabet, currencyfrom Lydia Asia Minor, philosophy from Egypt and variousfood and customs from Egypt and Babylon. Oral poetry was

composed into written epics well-known of which were Iliadand Odyssey by Homer.


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The epic Iliad portrays aristocratic warriors. Greatness in battle

considered to be the highest virtue. Courage, bravery and glory

in battle considered necessary for a strong city-state in Greek

civilization. Service to city-state important. Virtue makes

good citizens who will create a great city-state.

These two work of poetry tell of kings and lords engaged in

heroic battles, a world full of gods and goddess. It was a world

of war, conflict, life and death. Living in a closed finite world,

men do not have rights but only duties serving the state andthemselves.


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According to Homer world governed by fate, fortune

and destiny (Moira). Moira determined the life of

man, the cycle of human life.

Greek religion polytheistic. God differed from manonly in their physical perfection and their

immortality. Gods can be good or bad. Assisted their

devotees and punished others. Most gods common to

all Greeks but each city-state had its own

god/deity/patron


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City states during the Dark Ages tried to keep their

independence even though some smaller states began

to join together to form larger states. Kings ruled city

states with nobles as advisers. By 750 BC, mostwealthy nobles had overthrown the kings and became

rulers. Nobility most important class controlled the

land and government.

City-states/polis hallmarks of Greek Civilization.

Male-dominated bound together by race. Membership

hereditary and could not be passed on to someone

outside the citizens family. An elite group of people


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Did not include slaves, peasants, women.

City-states situated inland to avoid raids by sea. The

scale of polis small. Population limited so that

citizens knew each other and aware of their personalqualities. Could elect their officials and judge their

fellows in a court of law. An ideal state should have

around 5040 adult males. Public world was to linked

to private world. Citizens related and strong family

ties. Society intimately and directly involved in

politics, justice, military service, religious ceremonies


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intellectual discussion, athletics and artistic pursuits.

Citizens had no rights but only duties. In Athens, a

citizen who did not hold any official position or

habitual orator in the Assembly branded as idiotai. InSparta was called as anInferior.

Every polis different from the other. Tried to preserve

their own unique identity. Everyone outside the

confines of a city-state considered inferior.


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To solve shortage of land problem, neighboring city

states fought with borderlands. Some city states

became very powerful. Sparta became very powerful

by conquering neighboring people who had to workthe land for Spartan masters.

Land shortage forced Greeks to leave city states. New

city states founded along the shores of the

Mediterranean and Black Sea. Largest being in

southern Italy and Sicily which became known as

Magna Graecia.


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Sparta

Located on the Peloponnesus. Consisted of 5

Dorian villages combined to form one city-

state. Conquered all other people of Laconia, a

very fertile plain in Greece. Extended their

territory but not citizenship. Citizens remained

limited to those born in Sparta. Indigenous

people stripped of their land, kept in a state ofslavery and settled its citizens in the new land.


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Spartan boys left home at 7. Organized into

troops, played competitive games until 18,

then underwent military training for 4 years.

From 18-28 lived in barracks. At 30 become

citizens. All considered equal and Spartans. It

was a state in arms. A rigid authoritarian

discipline imposed on the citizen from birth tohis grave. Obedience was the highest virtue.


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Girls given state education. Lived at home but also

organized into troops. Both meet to acquire basic

education and learn to dance, sing and play musical

instruments. Marriage 30 for men and 16 for women Spartan state provided equality in land holding.

Helots provided from conquered territories. Slaves

worked to supply citizens food, drinks and clothing.

Huge slave population. Thus need for militaristicstate. Constitution allowed for two kings or dual

monarchy.


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Mixed constitution with elements of monarchy,

oligarchy and democracy. Oligarchy represented by a

Council of Elders consisting of 28 men over sixty

years old. The Council was consulted before anyproposal put forward to the Assembly. Assembly all

male citizens above thirty. Rectified decisions made

by the Council and kings.

All citizens must actively participate in politics.Considered to be the most important task. Citizens

molded the society.


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This system of government aimed at establishing an

ideal state and also control the increasing number of

serfs. It was austere, severe, and oppressive but there

was equality in education, training and opportunity.


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Athens

Controlled the Attic Peninsula. Larger in size and population.People it conquered not subjugated. Never faced problem ofrebellious subjects.

600 BC Athens faced with political and economic crisis with

many landless and unemployed. Inadequate food for thegrowing population. Farmers sold lands to obtain food.

594 BC Solon, a former high official, given control of Athens.Cancelled all agricultural debt and freed slaves. Constitutionalreforms introduced whereby Athenians divided into 4 classes

based on their annual agricultural production. 3 highest ordercould hold public posts. Excluded those who did not ownproductive land which include women, children, slaves,merchants, artisans. But chance for less established families


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to climb political and economic ladder.

Stopped the spread of large vineyards and

estates. Adopted Corinthian monetary standard

allowing Athens to trade with Italian cities.

Gave full citizenship rights to foreign

craftsmen, adopted precise standards for

weights and measures, forbade free exports ofall goods except for wine and olives and

protected local industry.


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Earned the title wisest man in the ancient world.

Built the foundation for future Athenian democracy.

Opened the Assembly, gathering of the Athenian

people, to the citizens. Reshaped the courts of justice.By decree, established a court out of all citizens and

jurors selected from the court. Even the poorest and

the humblest citizen given a chance. Consisted of all

kinds of citizens A court had the following powers.

-Judicial authority

-Examine a candidate for public office


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-Review the work of a civil servant at the end of his

service

-Order special auditing of accounts

-Survey expenditure of public money by officials atthe end of their retirement could try men. Law

considered unfair could be eliminated.

All these powers gave the democratic courts a vitalrole in the government.


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561 BC Pisistratus, a former military leader

overthrew Solon. Ruled as a tyrant. Confiscated land

from the wealthy and gave to the peasants. Trade,

industry and public works encouraged. New religiouspractice introduced such as the worship of the god of

fertility, Dionysis.

City grew in wealth and size. People enjoyed higher

standard of living and involvement in politics. Morecitizens were included in the administration of

Athens.


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514 BC change of leadership. Athens under Hippias, son of

Pisistratus. Sparta attacked Athens and put its candidate,

Isagoras, as leader of Athens but overthrown by Cleisthenes

from an Athenian noble clan.

Cleisthenes gave the citizens more participation in the

government of Athens. He formed a new political

organization, demokratia, a rule by the entire body of citizens.

A Council of 500 created to plan the role of public assemblies.

Male citizens over 30 to serve for a term of not more than 2terms. This allowed direct citizen participation in politics and


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allowed no space for citizens to conspire against him

or the system.

All Athenians divided into ten tribes to prevent

domination by any one tribe. Commitment to thepolis ensured with the existence of common religious

activities and regimental units. Each tribe to send 50

men to serve in the Council for 35 days. This was to

give some form of political experience to the citizensand a share in the government. It was also the central

executive body but its power subordinated to the


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the popular courts. There were ten generals elected bythe people to be in charge of military matters butexercising great influence on the actions of the 3governing bodies. They could be reelected. Thus

democracy in Athens meant opportunity andinevitability of holding office.

2 fundamental political values ruled the Atheniansnamely freedom and respect for law.

Freedom means liberty given to engage in free andfull discussions of policy and discuss the running ofthe state in all aspects. Athenians created political


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philosophy when they started critical examination of

many minds for the success of any measure or

institution. Though freedom for discussion practised,

law still remained sovereign. Respect for law vital fora free state. These are the two gifts of Athens to the

modern world.


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500 BC Persia conquered all of Western Asia and

rose as a new power in the East. Lydia in Asia Minor

fell. Between 490-479 BC Greece was invaded and

conquered by the naval fleet and army of the PersianEmpire. King Darius of Persia sent his fleet to the

Greek mainland targeting Athens. But Persians

defeated at Marathon (490), Thermopylae and

Salamis (480 BC) and Plataea (479 BC). Here Spartajoined in. By 470 BC Persia driven from the Aegean.

Athens emerged as the most dominant and powerful


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political and economic force in Greece. Secured

Greece from future invasion. But many citizens

wanted total defeat of Persia. The Delian League was

formed consisting of dozens of city-states. The Greekforce was built by combined contributions. By 450

BC, cities of Asia Minor liberated from the Persians.

Athens dominated the city-states


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460 BC Pericles took over. Did away with the

Council of 500. Athenian democracy took a new

form. Equality of justice and opportunity given

importance. Jury system introduced so that serfs andresident aliens would be represented. Criteria for

choosing citizens for positions was merit and

efficiency and not wealth different from Solon who

used birth and Cleisthenes wealth. It saw the birth ofone man, the best rule. This one man was the aristoi


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Offered many benefits to the common people. Being

an outstanding orator, able to win their support.

Pericles saw Sparta as a direct threat to Athens. He

regarded Spartan isolationism dangerous and thatthey were destined to become enemies. Pericles

rebuilt a ravaged Athens with public money from the

Delian League. Saw the birth of several masterpieces

of 5th century architecture like the Parthenon andPropylaea


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Followed aggressive imperialism. Overcame

rebellions and colonized areas in Asia Minor.

Made intellectual improvement of the Athenian

citizen. Music, drama encouraged. Trade improved. Introduced pay for the judges and magistrates and

made sure no one reduced to poverty due to service to

the state.


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Cold war turned hot. Sparta feared Athenian trade

dominance and joined Corinth and the discontented

Aegean islands which had been reduced to vassalage

by imperialist Athens to attack Athens which resultedin the Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta

from 431-404 BC.. Athens defeated. City-states of

Delian League liberated. Democracy failed in Athens.

Gave way to the reign of Thirty Tyrants.Fragmentation of the city-states invited attack from

outside Greece, Macedonia.


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Greek contribution

- rich literary heritage where perfection of all types of

literature including epic poetry, history, drama.

Periclean Age produced people like Sophocles,Euripides, Aristhopanes, Herodotus, Thucydides.

Their books translated into various languages all over

the world.

-Architecture, sculpture, paintings. Many public

buildings in many parts of the world owe their

inspiration from the Periclean Age. The Parthenon

built on top of the Acropolis work of remarkable


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sculptors

-Intellectuals such as Socrates (469-399) supposed to be the

most impressive man in the 5th century. Of the principle that

man should never accept without question beliefs, opinions,

institution but must intellectually reason and discover the ideal

good. He found incorrectness and vagueness in beliefs of their

elders. He was hated by those in authority and loved by the

youth. Lastly condemned to death. Plato, founder of Western

philosophy, preserved the teachings of Socrates in his writingfamous of which is theRepublic

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Lecture 11 Greek Civilization