Test #6: Ancient Greek City States

A Greek City-State

a city that with its surrounding territory forms an independent state.

high city/ city on the hill

King or Queen have absolute power

Power is in the hands of wealthy land-owning nobles

Power is in the hands of a small but powerful elite

Massive formation of foot soldiers who were heavily armed

Native people that Sparta turned into state owned slaves

government for the people by the people

People who came to power through force

law making body

A formal agreement between two or more nations or powers to cooperate and come to each other’s defense

Large numbers of citizens directly take part in day to day affairs of government

fixed salary

panel of citizens that have the authority to make the final judgment in trial

banishing someone

Mountains divide the peninsula into isolated valleys. Beyond the coast, rocky islands spread into the horizon

Due to the isolated nature of the valleys, Greek city states evolved separated from one another and fiercely independent, causing many struggles throughout the years

Mountains divided them, seas provided a vital link to the outside world. The coastline provided their ships a safe harbor which enabled them to become skilled sailors. Allowed them to trade ideas, expand overseas, gain more resources, allowed for oversea markets for exporting and building relationships.

Went from Monarchy to Aristocracy to Oligarchy to Democracy.

City was split into two: The acropolis on the hill and the flatter ground where the citizens lived and interacted with each other.

Changes in military tech led to a greater power allocated to the middle class. Iron replaced bronze, and were able to arm more people because iron was cheaper and more durable than bronze. Phalanx was also developed and reduced class differences by putting the defense of the city in the hands of citizens and shared training created a sense of unity.

Originally Dorians who conquered Laconia {region southern Greece} became one of the strongest military states Greece ever had

They greatly outnumbered Spartans so in order to stay in control the Spartans set up a system of brutal control. They had to work the land and do all the jobs the Spartans didn’t wanna do.

They had two kings and a council of elders who advised the monarchs. They also had an assembly made up of citizens who also elected the five ephors, officials who had the real power and ran day to day affairs.

Male, native-born Spartans over the age of 30.

From childhood they were prepped to be a part of the military. Newborns were examined to see if they were fit. If they weren’t they were left to die. They wanted their future soldiers and mothers of soldiers to be healthy.

From the age of 7 boys were sent to live in the barracks where they were toughed up with training, a hard diet, hard exercise, and rigid discipline. they were encouraged to steal food but if they got caught they were beat brutally.

At 20 years old men could marry but would still live in the barracks until they were 30, where after special training they joined the assembly.

Women had no share in public life and were believed to lack an ability to reason and to be unfit for command.

In wealthy homes they managed households, cared for children, prepared food, and spun for wool.

In poor homes they did all of the above as well as working as spinners, potters, tending sheep, etc etc.

They only attended school if they could afford it. Sent to school until they were 14, learning sports, gymnastics, basic math, how to play musical instruments, how to be great public speakers, how to sing, and how to write well.

They spoke the same language, honored the same gods and ancient heroes, and participated in the same festivals.

They were polytheistic, and they believed the gods lived on mount Olympus. Main gods and goddesses:

• Aphrodite (goddess of love)

• Zeus (controls all affairs of humans and gods)

• Ares (god of war)

• Athena (goddess of wisdom)

With temples & festivals. They consulted oracles, priests, or priestesses (through whom the gods were thought to speak) to discover the will of the gods. Eventually, great thinkers came to believe the universe was regulated by natural laws -- not the will of the gods.

They looked down on them because they did not speak Greek {“barbaroi” – barbarian} (Ex: Phoenicians and Egyptians, even though Greeks borrowed ideas & inventions from them). This sense of uniqueness, however, would help them feel united against the threat of the Persian empire

The Persian empire had a minor Greek city state (Ionia) under it’s control. even though they were mostly allowed to govern themselves they resented their position. Athens sent ships in aid. Darius crushed the uprisings but was offended at Athens intervention. He sent a fleet to punish the Athenians (490 BCE). They lost but sent another fleet in 480 after Darius had died and his son took over.

The Persians first attack. They landed at Marathon, a little off from the city. Athens begged for help but received none and were left to defend themselves, and they overwhelmed the Persians for a number of reasons.

The guy who ran from Athens to Marathon was named Pheidippides, he’s the inspiration for a modern marathons 26.2 miles

Themistocles realized Persia wouldn’t fight a battle they lost twice, thus he knew they had to come from the Sea. He convinced the Athenian assembly to spend their new found money (they found a mine of silver in one of their territories) on triremes and a navy fleet rather than distributing it to the people. The following year they beat the Persians on land again, thus marking the end of Persian invasions.

It increased the Greek identity and boosted Athens reputation. The Delian league which Athens used to build their empire. As the leaders, they used money contributed from other stated to rebuild it’s own city, moved the treasury from a mutual island to Athens itself and when other city-states tried to withdraw Athens used it’s force to make them stay.

The contrast between the Persians and the Athenians was that Persian empire was a monarchy and lived under tyranny whereas the Athenians live under a democracy. Furthermore, the Athenians had control over whether they wanted to fight (because they voted for it) nd the Persians did not. They were forced to obey their king.

The hoplite army beat the Persians in the battle of marathon by pouring everything they had into the battle of marathon. They had signed up for this battle, and they spent their life savings getting weapons' so they could defend their way of life. That coupled with the formation of the Phalanx, caught the Persians off guard and caused them to scatter.

The Battle of Marathon affected Themistocles’ outlook by giving him insight that helped him save Athens. Because he fought in the battle himself he knew the force which Persia attacked and knew they would attack again but not on land because Persia wouldn't fight the same battle twice if they knew they'd loose again. Thus the logical conclusion is they would turn to the sea, and because he knew this he was able to prepare Athens and help them win.

The trireme was an effective battleship because it was sleek, lightweight, fast, and dangerous. Because It was lightweight it was able to ram the opposing sip multiple times and maneuver away and back again. Opposed to the Persian ships, which were designed to carry large armies, the trireme was a near perfect weapon in sinking the ships and stopping Persia's assault.

Themistocles’ bluff was instead of saying the needed a strong navy to defend against the Persians, he said it was against a local rival because Persia was a threat too bug and the Athenians didn't like to talk about it or discuss it. If he had outright stated what the fleet was for, there was a high chance that he wouldn't be able to build the fleet and the money would go into the hands of the people, thus endangering Athens.

~700 BCE noble landowners held majority of the power and wealth. Under aristocracy the rich grew richer and the poor grew poorer. This caused resentment between all lower classes:

• Merchants & Soldiers argued their service granted them more rights

• Foreigners who were major contributors to Greek economy and politics wanted less strict citizenship laws

• Farmers were forced to work as slaves after selling their land to nobles

  These demands for change brought Athens to a democracy.

He was instated as chief in 594 BCE and he outlawed slave debt and freed those who were currently enslaved. Opened high offices for commoners, granted more foreigners more citizenships and gave the assembly more authority.

He also introduced economic reforms by encouraging exports, which helped farmers by creating an increased demand for their products. His reforms leveled the playing field a bit but citizenship still remained limited and many positions in gov. were only open to the wealthy landowners. Widespread unrest led to tyrants, won the support of people specifically the lower classes by imposing reforms.

Pisistratus seized power by riding into city with a pretty lady claiming she was Athena in 546 BCE. Helped farmers by giving them lands and loans and helped poor people by giving them jobs with new building jobs. Further weaken Athenian aristocracy by amplifying poor people’s voices and concerns.

In 507 BCE Cleisthenes took over. He set up the council of 500 which prepared laws for the assembly, completed day to day work, was a genuine law making body, debated laws, and all men over 30 were members.

Only the male citizens. The rest (tens of thousands of Athenians) were slaves without rights. It was due to this labor that the citizens were able to participate in democracy.

Thinkers who began challenging that everything was controlled by the gods. They explored everything from math to music using logic and reasoning. Through this they believed they could uncover the secrets of the universe.

Some were uniquely interested in morals and ethics. In Athens the sophists question ideas and taught philosophy for money. They developed skills in rhetoric (the art of skillful speaking) and used it to advance their careers. Older citizens accused the sophists of undermining traditional values.

One of the sophists biggest critics. He lounged around the marketplace questioning other citizens about their beliefs. He invented the Socrates method of posing a series of questions to make the other person realize where they’re logical shortcomings were. Many Athenians viewed him as a threat to their way of life and called for his death. At 70 years old he was tried for corrupting the youth and failing to respect the gods. He calmly defended himself but was eventually put to death via hemlock rather than be banished. He didn’t really write stuff down, all we know is from his pupil Plato.

Socrates’ execution caused him to have a lifelong distrust of democracy. He fled for 10 years and upon his return he established the Academy. he emphasized the importance of reason with the belief that people could discover unchanging ethical values through rational thinking.

Rejected Athenian democracy, the state should regulate every aspect of the citizen’s lives, society would we divided into three classes: workers to produce goods, soldiers to defend, and philosophers to rule. An elite class of rulers would be trained to ensure justice in the courts and the wisest philosopher would become king. Ruling elite would take military training together, and children would be raised in communal centers. Believed men >women but some women > men and those talented women could be trained and educated to serve the state.

Plato’s most famous student. Examined all kinds of government and found the good in bad in each. Also distrusted Athenian Democracy because he believed it could lead to mob rule. He favored rule by a strong leader. he also posed the question of how people should live, and believed good conduct meant pursing the golden mean (aka living in moderation). Promoted reason as the guiding force for life. Set up a school called the Lyceum and left works on everything. (politics to biology and many more). His works became basis for first european uni’s.

Greeks valued the idea of an ideal form: as well as beauty in balance and greek art reflected this by having perfect proportions and a disdict style throughout their visual arts. Influence continues to this day.

Evolved out of religious festivals, specifically for Dionysus. They performed in large outdoor theaters and wore elaborate costumes and masks. A chorus chanted and sang comments on the action. They were based on popular fables and myths discussing moral and social issues and the relationship between humans and gods.

Tragedies because they stirred human emotions and saw how pride, hubris, and destiny could bring down even the greatest of heroes. Biggest playwriters: Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides.

Humorous plays that mocked society and traditions. Through ridicule thee explored and criticized society and leaders.

Herodotus is credited as being the father of history because he got first hand accounts of the events he wrote about and was the first to go beyond just listing rulers or recounting mythical or fable events. He went from place to pace collected as much information as he could. However he did still write with a bias. Thucydides wrote about the Peloponnesian War and made sure to be fair to both sides, making an effort to write without picking a side. They both set a standard for future historians.

Large numbers of citizen’s took direct action in day to day affairs. The assembly met several times a month and at least 6000 people needed to be present for important issues to be discussed. He payed a stipend to those who held office because he believed all men regardless of wealth should participate in democracy. They also served on jury, helping decide important cases. Their jury included thousands of jurors and they also received a stipend. They also could vote to banish people they saw as a threat to democracy. They would put the person’s name on a pottery and people would cast votes. The person could be banished for up to 10 years.

Greeks started to hate Athens because they had too much power. Other Greek states started the Peloponnesian league (an oligarchy). War breaks out in 427 BCE between Athens and Sparta {Lasts 27 years}

Athens looses the war and Athenian domination ends. Athens has money + a very strong navy but Sparta had a geographical advantage {inland} Pericles strategy : had citizens move inside the city walls while the Athenian navy attacks in the sea with the hope to wear Sparta down over time. Strategy backfired, inside the city walls plague killed 1/3 of the population including Pericles

His death caused a major power vacuum. There wasn’t any one person strong enough to be the sole leader of Athens and many people competed for the top spot by following the public’s every whim. This lead to Mob rule because they were too busy fighting each other instead of fighting the war.