Rise of the City States

1
Rise of the City States

• Greece from the Dark Ages into the Classical
  Period

2
Geographys impact

• Migration
• Politics
• Agriculture
• Trade
• The Gods

3
Early Greek Migration
4
Why Migration?

• Internal strife
• Overpopulation
• Apoikia a home away from home
• Agriculture
• Trade

5
Results of migrations

• Large number of independent Greek
  cities/colonization in the Aegean.
• Greek trading empire
• An exchange of culture tradition
• Change in politics
• Greeks adopted Phoenician alphabet

6
Politics and the City-State

• Polis encompassed a town or city or even a
  village and its surrounding countryside. But the
  town or city or village served as the focus or
  central point where the citizens of the polis
  could assemble for political, social, and
  religious activities
• Spielvogel, pg. 49.

7
City-State structure

• When possible, the city proper was built around a
  protecting hill, with a fortress crowning a
  summitor acropolis.
• The surrounding countryside, the mountains, and
  the sea nourished the city with agriculture and
  commerce
• Each city-state independent

8
Various forms of government

• Oligarchy minority rule by the upper class
  citizens
• Democracy rule by all adult male citizens
• tyranny

9
Citizenship

• Both parents citizens
• Male
• Land owning
• Large percent of population not citizens
  foreigners, serfs, slaves

10
Why City-States?

• Geography
• Mediterranean easily navigable sea
• Greek aristocracy acted to prevent permanent
  monarchies from forming

11
Geography

• Mountainous terrain
• Isolated valleys
• Offshore islands

12
Mediterranean
13
Hesiod Of Planting

• pile work upon work so that hunger may hate you,
  and the dear grain goddess show favor, filling
  your bins with the necessities of life.

14
Agriculture

• Good climate/bad terrain Irrigation
• Domesticated animals reserved for holidays
• Greek diet
• Porridge for breakfast
• Bread, garlic, cheese and olive oil for lunch
• Bean soup and bread for dinner
• Near coast seafood and fish
• Bought at Agora marketplace

15
Greek religion

• Borrowed from earlier/older civilizations they
  came in contact with from travels
• Polytheistic
• Anthropomorphic
• Believed natural world and human affairs
  controlled by hundreds of living beingssimilar
  to humans, far superior.

16
The Greek Gods

• Gods lived closeMount Olympus
• Zeusfather of gods
• Pantheon of gods family
• Poseidon ruled sea
• Hades ruled underworld
• Hera protector of motherhood/marriage
• Athena wisdom, protector of Athens
• Apollo poetry, music, art, manly grace
• Aphrodite goddess of beauty and love

17
Distinction of Greek Citizens

• The individual
• Personal Liberty
• Political Participation