The Rise of Greece CityStates Polis Primary form

The Rise of Greece City-States

Polis • Primary form of political and social organization • 3 interlocking ideas – Geographical territory – Community – Political and economic independence • Origin of many modern English words – Policy & politician

Independent City-States • City built around a defensible fortification called an acropolis • Average polis covered between 30 to 500 square miles. Athens covered 1, 000 square miles • No professional bureaucracy, no professional army, no professional politicians • Extended community that included a family, a clan, a brotherhood, and the polis, in that order

Life in the Polis • Life centered around agora (marketplace) • Divided into three groups – Adult men: citizens with political rights – Free people (women, children and resident foreigners: no political rights – Slaves: prisoners of war or for debt • Girls were considered economic liabilities since they had to be provided with dowries before they could get married

Life in Polis continued • Aristocrats controlled every aspect of Greek society. – Acted as judges and determined the laws. – Major landowners. – Monopoly over the military • Colonization was motivated by a hunger for land a need for new agricultural bases – An explosion in commercial activities.

Change is in the Air • Trade and commercial opportunities allowed commoners to acquire wealth • Bronze (expensive and materials are hard to find) gives way to Iron (plentiful and inexpensive) • Military strategy changes – Hoplites and phalanx formations

Law codes • Laws were enforced by aristocrats and ruled as they saw fit • Demands grew to force the aristocrats to codify, or write down, the customary laws and procedures governing the cities • As the laws were made public for all to see the rule of the aristocrats was brought to an end

Writing stems into Lyric Poetry • Focused on personal feelings and emotions, subjects with which everyone, not just the aristocracy could identify • Sappho – “Tenth Muse” ~ Plato – Enormous influence on the development of poetry (Sapphic meter)

Solon the Lawgiver • Social unrest leads to new system • Solon canceled debts and abolished enslavement for debt. • Citizenship based on wealth – Public office was open to the three upper classes – Fourth class was ineligible for public office • Problems for poor farmers continued

Peisistratus & Cleisthenes • Peisistratus the Tyrant – Wielding sole political power in violation of the established law, but with the support of the people – Beautified the city and increased the sense of being a Athenian by civic festivals • Cleisthenes democracy – Mixed different tribes in hope to destroy the regional power of the aristocracy – Created Council of Five Hundred – Direct democracy: all legislative and electoral power remained with the popular assembly, made up of all voting citizens

Sparta

Sparta • Covered by hills and mountains, isolation contributed to the Spartan’s desire to be left alone? • Education focused entirely on physical fitness and military training (men were full time soldiers from 20 to 30 years of age) • Women were to bear children, but were also known for their wealth and indepence • Almost no interest in the arts or philosophy