Classical Mediterranean Societies Greece and Rome Greece China

Classical Mediterranean Societies

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Early Greece • Greek civilization developed along the Balkan peninsula

Early Aegean Civilizations • Early Aegean civilization arose on the island of Crete • We call these people the Minoans, after their legendary king, Minos CRETE

Minoan Civilization • The Minoan Civilization flourished from 2700 B. C. E. - 1450 B. C. E.

Minoan Civilization • Discovered by modern times by Sir Arthur Evans in 1900 • We don’t know much about the Minoans – Why? • Language we don’t understand or read • Relatively new discovery

Minoan Civilization • Language: – Non Indo-European or Greek • Society – Wealthy, but generous to others • Government built houses for poor • Wealth seems to be distributed – Concerned with leisure activities and sports

Minoan Civilization • Government: – “Bureaucratic monarchy” • Trading peoples • Government depended on international trade throughout the Mediterranean – Unconcerned with invasion from other groups • Little military structures were discovered

End of Minoan Civilization • Archaeological evidence shows us that the palaces of Crete were destroyed by a series of great earthquakes and volcanoes

Mycenaean Civilization • Group of peoples from central Asia who entered the Balkan peninsula around 2000 B. C. E. • Divided present-day Greece into a number of kingdoms, each centered around a capital city

Mycenaean Civilization • The Mycenaeans eventually conquered the Minoans • They adopted much of Minoan culture • Most famous Mycenaean story/man: – The Iliad – Agamemnon

Mycenaean Civilization • Cities were built on hilltops – Royal fortress built on top of hill – City walls surrounded the hill – Most people lived outside the walls and entered on a daily basis to do business – Served as protection in case of attack

Fall of the Mycenaean Civilization • The Mycenaeans were eventually defeated by the Dorians – Dorians invaded from the north – Used iron weapons to defeat the bronze weapons of the Mycenaeans

Dorian Civilization • The Dorians ruled all of Greece from 1100 to around 750 B. C. E. • The period of Dorian rule has traditionally been called the Greek “Dark Age” – Why was it a Dark Age?

Dorian “Dark Age” • Overseas trade stopped • Poverty increased • Stopped writing – Traditions and stories were maintained by bards (traveling storytellers) • Thousands left mainland Greece and settled in Ionia (present day Turkey)

Ionian Restoration • The Ionians eventually overcame the Dorians and “culture” returned

What is a Polis? Polis: Ancient Greek city-state

Origin of the Polis • By the 8 th century B. C. , cities began to develop into citystates • City state: a state consisting of a city and the surrounding territory that operates like its own country.

Origin of Polis • A polis is a Greek city-state, and these developed around the same time • Governments of each Greek polis were unique to their city – Athens – democratic – Megara – despotic – Sparta– oligarchic

Common Characteristics of Greek Poleis • Acropolis: – Fortress on top of a hill – Site of temple – Center of city • Agora: – Public square – Sat at foot of acropolis – Site of business transactions and political affairs

A Greek Polis

The Two Great Poleis: Sparta and Athens

Sparta • Located on the Peloponnesian peninsula

Sparta • Government: (developed by Lycurgus) – Two kings (called basileis) • Did not rule in traditional sense, but were basically nobles with special privileges • Held power to declare war – Council of Elders (called gerousia) • 28 men plus 2 kings • Requirements: Spartan men over 60 • Could veto assembly, replace a king, and acted as a court

Sparta • Government: – Assembly of Citizens (called apella) • All Spartan men over 30 • Elected members of Council of Elders and five Ephors • Approved or denied decisions by Council of Elders and Ephors – Ephors • 5 men • Much power – (basically governed day to day life in Sparta)

• Society Sparta – 3 Levels • Top - Spartans (Spartiates) – Citizens, had to undergo formal military training – Descended from original inhabitants of Sparta – Military group – did not perform other tasks • Middle – perioeci – Free, but not citizens – No political power, but conducted trade for Spartans • Bottom – helots – Slaves – No rights, worked the land performed other labors

Sparta • Education/Military Training – All Spartan male citizens were required to become soldiers • Birth to age 7: all children raised by mother • Age 7: male children taken from their homes; all live in barracks and are organized into groups of 60; children play games, learn about Spartan customs, and learn how to survive • Age 12: each student received an older Spartan soldier as a mentor; continue to live in barracks

Sparta • Education/Military Training • Age 20: Allowed to marry, but lived in barracks • Age 30: Became member of Assembly, allowed to live at home • Age 60: Retired from army, eligible to be elected member of Council of Elders

Sparta • Status of Women – More free than in other parts of Greece • Could own property, move about the city, etc. • Could not participate in politics – Married later (19 as opposed to 14) – Received an education and physical training – Were expected to manage husband’s affairs during war

Athens • Located on the Attica Peninsula

Athens • Government – Development Monarchy Oligarchy Limited Democracy

• Reformers Athens – Draco – first written law code – Solon – cancels debts, moves Athens towards democracy – Peisistratus – divided land, gave citizenship to landless peasants, public works program – Cleisthenes – broke power of aristocracy, increased power of the Assembly

Athens • Government – Council of 500 • Chosen by lottery amongst all citizens • Carried out work of the government • Other – Ostracism – citizens write names of unwanted persons who would be expelled after 6, 000 votes – Jury System – 201 to 1, 001 members

Athens • Education – Focused on the arts and philosophy – From age 7 to age 14 • Privatized – parents had to pay – Studied grammar, arithmetic, geometry, music and gymnastics, the Iliad and Odyssey – 2 years of military training at age 18

Sparta v. Athens • Sparta – – Peloponnesus Oligarchic gov’t Warrior state Population in 430 B. C. • 100, 000 – Strong Army – Militaristic Society • Athens – – Attica Democratic gov’t Trading state Population in 430 B. C. • 140, 000 – Strong Navy – Emphasis on Culture

Greek Culture • Poetry – Homer: The believed author of the Iliad and the Odyssey - two of the most famous Greek epic poems. Not much is known about him. • Iliad: this is set during the 10 year Trojan War between the Trojans and a group of ancient Greek kingdoms. It mostly takes place during the last year of the war. • Odyssey: This poem follows the hero Odysseus’ ten year journey home after the fall of Troy.

Greek Culture • Philosophy – Socratic School • Socrates (469 B. C. E. – 399 B. C. E. ) – – Wrote nothing of his own Taught by questioning his followers Believed in absolute Truth Virtue of the unexamined life – questioning of everything? » Is this correct? – Convicted of corrupting the youth of Athens and sentenced to death; drank hemlock to commit suicide

Greek Culture • Philosophy – Socratic School • Plato – Taught at the Academy – Appearances are deceiving, only through search for truth can you find it – Major Works: » Apology – Socrates’ defense at his trial » Crito – Justice v. Injustice » Phaedo – death of Socrates; question of eternal life » Republic – philosophical look at government; best is by the learned

Greek Culture • Philosophy – Socratic School • Aristotle – Taught at the Lyceum – Taught about the importance of logic – Major Works: » Physics – earth as center of solar system; observed information and classified by similarities/differences » Politics – practical look @ politics; perfect system put power in middle class & combined all types of gov’t

Greek Culture • Philosophy –S ocrates – absolute truth Taught –P lato – appearances are deceiving Taught –A ristotle – trust logic

Greek Culture • Scientists – Mathematicians • Pythagoras – Pythagorean Theorem – Medicine • Hippocrates – “Father of Medicine” – Disease had natural causes – Advocate of hygiene – Hippocratic Oath