The Civilization of the Greeks

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The Civilization of the Greeks
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Greek City-States

• 750-500 b.c.
• Greek villages gradually expanded and became
  independent city-states
• The Polis
• A town or village and the surrounding countryside
• Acropolis the upper fortified part of a city
• Served as refuge during an attack
• Religious buildings were placed there

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Greek City-States

• City-states varied in size from Athens (300,000
  people) to a few hundred people
• Citizens with rights (adult males)
• Citizens without rights (women and children)
• Non-citizens (slaves and foreigners)
• A community of citizens with a common identity
  and common goals
• Developed independence and distrust of other
  city-states

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Greek City-States

• Military system
• Armies based on the hoplites
• Heavily armed foot soldiers
• Hoplites went into battle as a rectangular unit
  called a phalanx

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Greek City-States

• Colonization Many Greeks go Abroad
• Between 750 and 550 b.c. many Greeks left the
  homeland
• Desire for good farmland and trade
• By establishing colonies, Greeks spread their
  culture and political ideas throughout the
  Mediterranean world

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Greek City-States

• Types of government
• Tyranny rulers who seized power by force and who
  were not subject to the law. Usually in control
  of the army
• Oligarchy (rule by the few) ruled by a small
  group of elites
• Democracy (rule by the many) all citizens with
  rights could vote on the laws

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Athens vs. Sparta

• Sparta
• Conquered neighboring Messenia in 730 b.c.
• Messenian captives became helots
• Developed a rigidly organized and tightly
  controlled military culture
• Turned their backs on the outside world
• Spartans were not allowed to travel abroad
• Discouraged from studying anything but warfare

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Spartan Culture

• Military Culture
• Males spent childhood in the Agoga
• Served in the army from age 20-60
• Spartan women lived at home and had a great deal
  of freedom

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Spartan Culture

• Government was and Oligarchy
• Two kings
• Five ephors
• Council of 28 elders
• General Assembly

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Athens