What is the Archaic Age Transitional period between

What is the Archaic Age? • Transitional period between 750 and 500 BCE when the Greeks began to look at their place in the world. • It led to the explosion of invention that became the Golden Age!

Greek & Phoenician Colonization: 750 -500 BCE

Experiments in Local Government • Early in the Archaic age, the Greeks still lived in small villages • Each community had an “archon” which was the Greek word for “ruler” • The archon depended on advise and support from warriors

As the communities continued to expand, they grew into city-states. The Greek word for city-state is polis.

The Rise of the Greek Polis Athens Naxos Eboea Larissa Syracuse Corinth

Three largest city-states: Athens, Sparta, Thebes

Athens: Located in Attica, this city-state had so many people it had to begin trading for grain and developed a wealthy merchant class. It later became a center for learning and the arts.

Sparta: The Dorians invaded this region, where they enslaved the local Mycenaean, (and later Messenian) farmers, whom they called “Helots. ” They became a tightly-run military state and did not trade.

Sparta was conservative • Started out interested in trade • They even had a poet named Alcman who wrote love poetry! • But when their helots (slaves) revolted, it took 17 long years to get them under control • The Spartans took drastic measures to ensure a revolt would not happen again and became a militaristic state • They avoided contact with the outside world

Thebes Located in the fertile plains of Boeotia, merchants in this city once traded with the Minoans.

Corinth This polis had a strategic location on the narrow isthmus connecting the Peloponnese to the rest of Greece, which brought its people great wealth through trade. They valued craftsmen more than soldiers.

Ionia: Directly east of Greece across the Aegean Sea, this region traded to ports around the Black Sea and became an international center for many cultures to mingle and exchange products and ideas. Ionian people also improved on the Phoenician alphabet.

Lydia A kingdom to the east of the Ionian colonies; it was the first ancient culture to mint gold and silver coins.

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Forms of Government • Aristocracy – Means “rule by the best. ” Usually means the wealthiest – Cratos means “power” in Greek • Monarchy – Means “rule by one. ” Usually a king • Oligarchy – Means “rule by a few. ” This was the form of government they had in Sparta

Athenian Democracy • Archon Eponymos – Most important man in the community. Leader of the nine archons selected to lead the polis. In 621 BCE, the Archon Eponymos was Draco

“Draconian” • Means a rule or law that has harsh penalties • Comes from the Archon Eponymos, Draco, who would punish even the smallest crimes with death • He did create the first written constitution, which was posted throughout the polis so everyone would be aware of the rules

Solon’s Reforms • Removed death penalty for all crimes but murder • Set up court system • Said that farmers who fell on hard times would no longer be imprisoned

Solon’s Reforms, continued… • Created the “Boule, ” also known as the Council of Four Hundred. This group of men voted on issues to be discussed by the “Ecclesia, ” a larger body of citizens • Strengthened the economy by encouraging export of olive oil and pottery • Divided the Athenians into classes based on wealth

Cleisthenes – Founder of Democracy • Divided Attica into Demes, which are electoral districts following property lines • The Demes prevented clans from becoming to powerful • Gave each citizen the right to vote for men to represent them in the Boule • Gave a voice to the entire polis

Our Alphabet: From Phoenician to Greek The Greeks added symbols for vowels and increased the letters to 24